What do you think about non-believers?

327 how do you think about not believing ones I turn to you with an important question: what do you think of non-believers? I think this is a question we should all ponder! Chuck Colson, founder in the USA of the Prison Fellowship and the Breakpoint Radio program, once answered this question with an analogy: If a blind man steps on your foot or pours hot coffee on your shirt, would you be mad at him? He himself replies that it would probably not be us, precisely because a blind person cannot see what is in front of him.

Please also remember that people who have not yet been called to believe in Christ cannot see the truth in front of their eyes. Because of the Fall, they are spiritually blind (2. Corinthians 4,3-4). But at just the right time, the Holy Spirit opens their spiritual eyes so that they can see (Ephesians 1,18). The Church Fathers called this event the miracle of enlightenment. If it did, it was possible that people could believe; could believe what they saw with their own eyes.

Although some people, despite seeing eyes, decide not to believe, it is my belief that most of them in their lives will eventually respond positively to God's clear call. I pray that they will do this sooner rather than later so they can experience the peace and joy of God's knowledge already at this time and tell others about God.

We believe we recognize that non-believers have misconceptions about God. Some of these ideas are the result of bad examples of Christians. Others have come from illogical and speculative opinions about God that have been heard for years. These misconceptions aggravate spiritual blindness. How do we respond to their unbelief? Unfortunately, many Christians respond with the construction of protective walls or even strong rejection. By erecting these walls, they overlook the reality that non-believers are as important to God as believers. They have forgotten that the Son of God did not come to earth just for believers.

When Jesus began his ministry on earth there were no Christians - most people were non-believers, even the Jews of that time. But thankfully Jesus was a friend of sinners - an intercessor of unbelievers. He understood that "the healthy do not need a doctor, but the sick do" (Matthew 9,12). Jesus committed himself to seek out lost sinners to accept him and the salvation he offered them. So he spent a large part of his time with people who were regarded by others as unworthy and unworthy of attention. The religious leaders of the Jews therefore labeled Jesus as “a glutton and a drunkard of wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Luke 7,34).

The gospel reveals the truth to us; Jesus, the Son of God, became a man who lived among us, died and ascended to heaven; he did this for all people. Scripture tells us that God loves "the world." (John 3,16) That can only mean that most of the people are non-believers. The same God calls us believers, like Jesus, to love all people. For this we need the insight to see them as not yet believers in Christ - as those who belong to him, for whom Jesus died and rose again. Unfortunately, this is very difficult for many Christians. It seems that there are enough Christians willing to judge others. However, the Son of God announced that he had not come to condemn the world but to save it (John 3,17). Sadly, some Christians are so zealous in judging nonbelievers that they completely overlook the way God the Father views them - as His beloved children. For these people he sent his son to die for them, even though they could not (yet) recognize or love him. We may see them as unbelievers or unbelievers, but God sees them as future believers. Before the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of an unbeliever, they are closed with the blindness of unbelief - confused by theologically incorrect concepts about God's identity and love. It is precisely under these conditions that we must love them instead of avoiding or rejecting them. We should pray that when the Holy Spirit empowers them, they will understand the good news of God's reconciling grace and embrace the truth with faith. May these people enter the new life under God's direction and rule, and may the Holy Spirit enable them to experience the peace that is given to them as children of God.

When we think about non-believers, let's remember Jesus' command: "Love one another," he said, "as I love you" (John 15,12). And how does Jesus love us? By sharing his life and love with us. He does not erect walls to separate believers from unbelievers. The Gospels tell us that Jesus loved and accepted publicans, adulteresses, demoniacs, and lepers. He also loved the women of ill repute, soldiers who mocked and beat him, and the crucified criminals at his side. As Jesus hung on the cross and commemorated all these people, he prayed: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they are doing” (Luke 2 Cor3,34). Jesus loves and accepts all so that they may all receive forgiveness from Him, as their Savior and Lord, and may live in communion with their Heavenly Father through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus gives us a share in his love for the non-believers. Thereby we see them as human beings in God's property, which he has created and will redeem, despite the fact that they do not yet know the one who loves them. Keeping this perspective will change our attitude and behavior towards non-believers. We will accept them with open arms as orphaned and alienated family members who yet have to get to know their true father; as lost brothers and sisters who are unaware that they are related to us through Christ. We will seek to meet non-believers with the love of God so that they, too, may welcome the grace of God in their lives.