Why Do Christians Flee From The Truth?

Soon after the Lord opened my eyes to see the truthfulness of what we call the “Doctrines of Grace”, I had an interesting encounter with a young lady. I was pastoring a small Southern Baptist Church in Wyoming and this lady was serving in our state that year as a summer missionary. Towards the end of the summer, she came over to our church to help with our Vacation Bible School. The very first evening she was in town, while eating supper with us, she made the comment, “I’ve heard about you!” “Oh”, I replied, “how so?” She went on to say, “I’ve heard about your ‘election’ stuff!”

It was then I began to understand what Paul meant, in describing the life of one who serves Christ, when he said in II Cor. 6:9, “As UNKNOWN, and yet WELL known” (My emphasis)! For the next thirty minutes or so, as best I could, I explained to her what I believed and why. I wasn’t antagonistic or argumentative – which was unusual for me in those days – I just laid out the scriptural reasons for my faith. She listened politely, and when supper was over, she left to spend the night with another family in our church. I didn’t think too much more about it.

The next morning the young lady came down for breakfast and it was evident that she was quite upset. When quizzed by her host about what was the matter, she responded, “If what HE says is true, then I’m LOST!” Later that same morning, she came into contact with another lady in our church – one who was absolutely hostile to the Doctrines of Grace – and confessed her misery. This second lady loaded her into her car, drove her fifty miles to the next nearest Baptist pastor, who spent several hours assuring this young lady that all was well with her soul and that I was “all wet”. By the time I even knew what had transpired, the young lady had got over her fears and, so far as I know, never had another qualm about the matter.

In analyzing this situation, I remember, at the time, being quite puzzled by her reaction. What was it that had so shaken her assurance of salvation? When MY eyes were opened to see the doctrine of unconditional election, I was filled with adoration and wonder. It was as if suddenly the answers to so many of the questions that had plagued me – not the least of which was “Why ME?” – were staring right at me. Suddenly I understood just what had happened to me many years earlier when I came to know the Lord. What a blessing, what a joy, and what a comfort this doctrine was! Yet the same doctrine that had ANSWERED my questions, RAISED questions for this young lady! The same doctrine which I saw as such a joy and comfort, she saw as a threat! What was going on? Why wouldn’t the saints of God be delighted to learn that their Saviour came into this world specifically to save them? Why wouldn’t the knowledge that God chose them in Christ before the foundation of the world, purely according to His own grace and mercy, be a source of constant joy and blessing?

That was my first experience with a reaction I’ve seen many times since. In time, I think I have come to a better understanding of why people respond to these doctrines as they do. I think the answer is this: These teachings threaten the very righteousness they are trusting in for their salvation! If you think you are saved because YOU decided, YOU chose, YOU walked an aisle, etc., and if you are resting the hope of your soul upon YOUR decision, YOUR choice, YOUR action, whatever it was, these doctrines will be downright deadly to such a hope! Either you’ll have to turn away from your false hopes, admitting your lost condition, and cast yourself on the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, OR you must attack the doctrines (and the one proclaiming them) that are robbing you of the very ground of your hope before God!

Face it: Most folks out there on the street REALLY don’t think they are going to Hell, however much they may joke or make light of it. Ninety-nine out of a hundred (an understatement if there ever was one!) don’t lie asleep at night in agony of soul fearing that they are about to drop into Hell. And they have a REASON why they are sure such a thing will not happen to them, no matter how faulty and false that reason might be. One man may have a MORAL reason: He’s not a bad fellow, he’s a good husband and father, he pays his taxes, or, as a rancher in Wyoming once told me, “I’ve never been arrested!”

Another man may have a RELIGIOUS reason: He’s been baptized, he goes to church, he prays, reads his Bible, and, in general, does what good religious folks do. Make no mistake about it, they ALL have a reason. Further, they TRUST in that reason-they have “faith”-they’ve banked the hope of their soul upon that reason. It’s NOT that they’ve no faith, it’s rather that their faith rests upon the wrong foundation.

These doctrines confront such a person with a very simple question: Is the reason that you believe you’re going to miss Hell and make Heaven based upon something YOU’VE done, or something GOD’S done? Is your hope based upon something you’ve done FOR Him, or upon a work of grace that He’s done IN you? Which is it in your case? Can you truly say, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ Blood and Righteousness”? All other ground is indeed “sinking sand”. It will not support you in the day of judgment! If your hope is faulty, why not turn from it right now and flee to Christ? There He sits in the Heavens, at His Father’s Right Hand, with all power in Heaven and earth in His Hands-power to SAVE you, and power to DAMN you! He is the Mighty Judge, holding the destinies of all men in His Hand-but He is also the Mighty Saviour, able and willing to save sinners who disavow all other hopes and flee to Him for refuge from the wrath to come. What’s to prevent you from casting yourself right now upon His mercy? Are you too sinful? No problem-He CAME to save sinners and promises to receive them! Are you too helpless? No problem – He saves by His power, not yours! Are you too filthy and vile to appear before Him? No problem – He grants to all who come naked to Him for dress the spotless robe of His own Righteousness! Do you have nothing with which to purchase this blessing? No problem – To those who come to Him with an empty, outstretched hand, trusting only in His promises and His work performed for sinners at the cross, He grants life and blessing as a free gift!

Now what’s to prevent you from doing so? Election? Predestination? Hardly! You’ll not receive any sympathy in the day of judgment by pleading “election” as the reason you didn’t come to Christ! Friend, ALL men are invited to come to Christ! God’s eternal decrees do not BAR you from approaching Christ’s throne! No, if you do not come, it’s not “election” that’s the problem, but something else. It’s your old sinful, Satanic heart of pride that just cannot bring itself to abandon yourself and your own supposed works of righteousness as your hope before God. If you cannot stand before God in Heaven singing “I did it MY way”, you would just as soon not go there! But the song of saints in Heaven is NOT “Worthy am I”, but “Worthy is the LAMB”! No other song is known, desired, or allowed there! Why not turn from your false hopes, humble yourself before God, admitting what you are and the game you’ve been playing, and turn to Christ? Give up on yourself, no matter how self-abasing that might be, and look to Christ and Christ alone.

Yes, there is a faith in Christ that SAVES the soul, praise God – but there is also a faith in ourselves that DAMNS! Which is it, dear reader, in your case?

MARK WEBB
GRACE BIBLE CHURCH
7145 Malone Road North
Olive Branch, MS 38654. USA.
www.gracemessenger.com/main.html