October 13, 2024— As a Christian, it can be quite the experience when we want to share the good news of Jesus Christ and salvation. The disheartening part is when we tell our friends and family our testimony, and they do not accept the Word. This is particularly true for Christians who accept Jesus later in life. What are we to do when we experience rejection?
The Rejection of Jesus
Keep in mind that even Jesus’s countrymen were offended by Him:
Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.
- Mark 6:1-6
If Jesus was rejected by His people, what hope do we have?
You may recall passages in the New Testament where Jesus sent His disciples in pairs. One reason was to share the truth of the gospel. Many people then and even today take Scripture out of context. (See The Real Sins of Sodom and Gomorrah: How We Can Avoid the Same Destruction as an example). Another reason was to have a second witness testifying to the gospel's truth when rejection would come. This is due to the law in Deuteronomy 17:6, which states, “Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness.”
Deuteronomy 17:6 verse applies to putting someone to death, including people in a spiritual death. Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16). This verse is repeated in John 3:18, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
When you speak to others about Jesus, ensure you are not alone. Follow the example that Jesus gave us.
Defining Condemnation: People Reject Jesus
You may be wondering, “What is condemnation?” Let us define it biblically. Simply put, people who have heard the word of Jesus Christ as their savior and reject Him will not experience heaven. When they die, their souls will go to a fiery pit known as Hell.
What about people who have yet to hear the word of Jesus? While it is true that some populations are so isolated that they may not hear the Word of God, the Holy Bible states that we will all be judged, no matter what we believe (Isaiah 45:23, Romans 10-12, Philippians 2:10-11). In addition, the Holy Bible also states that the gospel must be preached throughout the world before Jesus returns (Matthew 24:14). Therefore, even isolated populations will hear the gospel.
Why People Reject Jesus Christ as Their Savior
You read earlier in Mark that only a few people were healed in His region, and He marveled at their disbelief. They rejected Him because they had known Him when His family went to Nazareth (see Mark 6:4). For everyone else, past, present, and future, people reject Jesus because they love sin, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19). Sin is anything that breaks the moral law of God and including things like worshipping other deities, adultery, stealing, and more. See Exodus 20:1-17 for the original ten commandments given to Moses.
Accepting Rejection
Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He commissioned His disciples to preach the gospel (Matthew 21:16, and Mark 16:14). The Holy Bible states that it is a beautiful thing when you preach the gospel (Isaiah 52:7, Nahum 1:15, and Romans 10:15).
In addition, Jesus gave a parable when a word is preached, and He compared it to someone sowing a seed (See Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23). When people hear the Word, they will have one of four reactions:
They will not understand it because Satan snatches the word from them (Matthew 13:19)
They will immediately rejoice, but when trials and tribulations come, they will stumble because they have no root in them (Matthew 13:21)
They hear the word but care more for sin, and they become unfruitful (Matthew 13:22)
They will hear it, understand it, and is fruitful (Matthew 13:23)
For the fourth reaction, it is worth noting that Jesus said that whoever hears and accepts the word is blessed (Luke 11:28).
Beloved, you do your part when you preach the true gospel and explain that Jesus is our savior. While your friend, colleague, peer, or family member may not accept Jesus now, he or she may in the future. Fear not the rejection, but rejoice in salvation.
Why People Reject Your Testimony
People may reject your testimony for several reasons, as described in previous sections and summarized below:
They love sin and do not want to change.
Your testimony is without another witness: you are not bringing a fellow Christian to affirm the faith.
You are preaching to people who have known you for a long time
You give your testimony, but you are missing critical points to the faith:
Describing what sin is
Explaining that all will be judged
Why Jesus was necessary for salvation
Accepting Jesus
Maybe you rejected someone’s testimony about Jesus, but God brought you to this page. Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came in the flesh. Being innocent, Jesus died on the cross to pay the price of your sin. Three days later, Jesus Christ was resurrected in the flesh. Walking in the resurrected body for 40 days, Jesus ascended to the right hand of God. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ, I invite you to do so now. All it takes is saying this prayer aloud:
God, I confess that Jesus came in the flesh and blood, paid the price for my sins, died on the cross, rose on the third day, ascended to the heavens, and sent the Holy Spirit to help me understand Your ways. For that, I accept Jesus Christ as my savior and Lord, and I welcome the Holy Spirit in my life. In Jesus’s name I pray, amen!
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