Loving the Truth

I often wonder why some people reject Christianity and instead believe other implausible things.  (I've wondered this often about people who take The Da Vinci Code seriously.)  Paul describes an interesting cooperation between man and God.  Paul explains why some people will not believe the truth.

They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.  (2 Thessalonians 2:10b-12)

God responds to the willfulness of some people whose hearts and minds are not open to the truth so that they will believe a delusion.  Apologetics has a use, but the will is involved in what people are wiling to believe, as well.  And some will not.  The Holy Spirit is always a partner in evangelism and apologetics to enlighten the mind; we can never work alone.

Note also that "they refused to love the truth."  It's hard to love the truth if there is no such thing as truth.  And to love it we must be able to know it.

And I take this as a sober word, too.  Be careful to evaluate our own hearts and minds that we are loving the truth and not deluded by a lie.  What we believe is tied to some extent with where our affections are set.  Mind your heart and affections.

Comments

Interesting points, Melinda. I'm pretty sure there are some reformed thinkers that read this blog. For someone who is still investigating the whole reformed versus non-reformed views, how would this passage square with a reformed view of salvation, etc.?

[Sean]

Melinda, I normally enjoy your posts, but I have to take issue with this one. I think you took that verse out of context. In context, the verse is talking about the Antichrist deceiving people prior to Jesus' second coming. While it may reasonable to extrapolate from this verse to the conclusion you are drawing, it would be better to note the context of this verse and acknowledge that you are applying the verse out of context.

Here is the verse in context.

(1)Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, (2)not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. (3)Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. (4)He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

(5)Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? (6)And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. (7)For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. (8)And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. (9)The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, (10)and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. (11)For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie (12)and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. (NIV)

Sean

[JR]

Well, I'm reformed, and based on not just THAT passage, but all the many others that tell us why men don't believe, ie. Men love darkness, NO ONE does good, NO ONE can please God or do anything pleasing to God in his natural state (including repenting and believing), Jesus told parables so many would not understand, no one can even come to Jesus unless given and drawn by the Father, etc., etc., I'd say we have a pretty good understanding for why people believe lies. Every man in his natural state suppresses the truth, and until the Holy Spirit renews their hearts, they will remain that way. Praise the Lord for saving ANY of us!

I think apologetics has some value, I truly do, but I think we must allow God to work through His gospel, opening hearts with the Spirit and granting repentance to all His sheep. Evidential apologetics can only go so far.

God bless

[William Tanksley]

I'm Calvinistic, and I believe that apologetics are our job. I believe the work of God in salvation starts with regeneration of the heart, not with persuasion of truth -- once the person's regenerated they will be saved once they believe, but they cannot believe what they haven't heard, and they can't hear without a preacher (or apologist, same difference).

Apologetics doesn't just have SOME value; it's the work God calls us to do.

[JR]

William. I was referring to evidential apologetics, in contrast with presuppositional apologetics using the Word of God. I think evidential can only go so far by itself. Sorry for the misunderstanding.