It is our duty to love truth, and we are culpable if we choose error.
Suppressing truth
The Bible says much about the culpability of the deceived mind. Paul writes, “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them” (Rom. 1:18–19, italics added). Ungodly people willfully suppress truth and therefore are not innocent victims.
Choosing darkness
John describes this culpability in terms of light and darkness. Three verses after the well-known verse, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16), John explains why people do not believe in Jesus, and it is not because they lack information: “This is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” (John 3:19–20, italics added). People deliberately choose the light of Jesus or the darkness of sin. They are not innocent victims.
Rejecting the words of Jesus
In Jesus’ day, the religious leaders knew the most biblical information and therefore should have been best prepared to recognize Jesus as Messiah, yet they did not believe in him. Jesus explained why and pulled no punches:
Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God. (John 8:43–47, italics added)
Those who deliberately choose lies have chosen their father, and he is the devil. They are not innocent victims.
Hardening one’s heart
In Ephesians 4:17–19 Paul said the fallen person’s mind is characterized by futility. He laid the blame for that futile thinking squarely on each person’s shoulders, highlighting eight culpable traits. Paul wrote, “You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are [1] darkened in their understanding, [2] alienated from the life of God [3] because of the ignorance that is in them, [4] due to their hardness of heart. They have become [5] callous and [6] have given themselves up to sensuality, [7] greedy to practice every kind of [8] impurity” (italics and numerals added). At the core of this futile mind Paul blamed “hardness of heart,” which led directly to ignorance of God, alienation from God, darkened understanding, callousness, sensuality, greed, and impurity. This person is not an innocent victim.
Continued next week