October 25, 2023

Acts 7: 39 “But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.” (NIV)

The temptations of the marching Israelite nation in its infancy pretty well spell out some of our snares.*

In his book, Evidence That Demands a Verdict, Josh McDowell lists the three most common reasons that people reject Christ: ignorance, pride, and moral problems.* We might be inclined to excuse ignorance – a person can’t know what he doesn’t know. But Romans 1: 18-23 speaks of ignorance that is a result of ignoring the signs. Pride says, “I don’t need Christ,” while still seeking human approval. Those who reject Christ because of a moral problem may be the most guilty of willful rejection because they know they have something to hide.

This verse from Acts is part of Stephen’s sermon which so inflamed his listeners that they stoned him to death. Here he refers to Moses’ experience as the leader of the Israelites during their years in the desert. Through Moses’ leadership, God had led them out of their slavery in Egypt and provided for all their physical needs along the way. Moses listened to their whining and interceded for them, successfully negotiating with God on their behalf. But then, as Stephen says, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

I’m not sure which of McDowell’s three rejection categories the Israelites fall under – perhaps all of them – but I would like to introduce two categories of my own: 1) those who reject Christ without ever knowing him; and 2) those who reject him after once having accepted him. 

My category #1 probably consists entirely of the ignorant people to which McDowell refers; but they are still without excuse (Romans 1: 18-23, again). If ignorance is no excuse, how much worse are those who, having known the blessedness of a relationship with Christ, reject him and look longingly at a life of sin? It would be better, writes Peter, if they had never known the way of righteousness than to have known it, only to turn their backs on it (II Peter 2: 21).

Jesus said that no one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God (Luke 9: 62). My advice: Don’t look back. Egypt may look better in hindsight than it actually was. The trek through the wilderness may be treacherous, but the Promised Land awaits for those who are faithful – and consequences are dire for those who fall away.

He grants us the ability to continually reject him in order that we might actually, freely choose him.*