With churches on seemingly every corner, Bibles on our phones and apologetics websites a mouse click away, it seems like anyone with questions about Christianity should be able to find the answers they are seeking.
But are people really looking?
Sure, people have big questions, like, “Does life have a purpose”, “Is there a God”, “Why does God allow pain and suffering?” or "Who wrote the Bible?"
But I want to talk about a reality when it comes to unbelievers. They aren’t seekers. The Bible tells us in the Old Testament and reaffirmed in the New: “The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (Psalm 14; Romans 3)
I see evidence of this truth all the time. Unbelievers may be motivated to ask good questions, but want the answer on their own terms, not God's. Many want to confirm their bias against the Christian faith and for their favorite alternative. They may ask good questions, but cherry-pick their predetermined answers.
But what about unbelievers who are indeed seeking answers in Christianity, surely they are seeking after God aren't they? Isn't this evidence of a contradiction in the Bible?
No, Jesus said "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them". They aren't seeking after God by their own initiative, it is God through the Holy Spirit drawing people unto himself.
Very often when I find someone who doesn't believe but truly seems to have a heart for God, upon further questions I find that they have someone in their life, often a parent or grandparent, who has been diligently praying for them, or someone who lovingly opened the scriptures to them or brought them to church. God is drawing them to himself through the loving prayers and efforts of other believers.
What believers among us can say we came to God on our own? Paul wrote "you were dead in your transgressions and sins". Which of us brought ourselves to life spiritually solely by our own efforts? No, God likely used someone, somewhere, probably many people, to draw us to himself. We love, because He first loved us through them.
If anyone is a seeker, it needs to be believers who follow Jesus’ mission to “seek and save the lost”. The many resources available to unbelievers are helpful, but we can’t rely on just putting resources out there, or simply making church services or programs available. We aren’t called to wait for people to come to us – we are called to “go” to them, to seek them out.
People like Jeanna, whom I reached out to while grocery shopping. Jeanna was very open to talking about her beliefs, she respects the beliefs of others and is open to hearing their point of view, but is generally not motivated to pursue religious faith on her own.
With so many Christian resources available, one would think something would have caught Jeanna’s attention at some point, but what can motivate her to actually check them out for herself? It’s a work of the Lord that goes beyond marketing, for He has a plan that centers around the local church reaching out into the community, to be a part of Jesus’ work to seek and save the lost.
Thanks for a wonderful conversation, Jeanna! It’s at https://youtu.be/TOg8EDJ_w4I on my Youtube channel.
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