Why Your Unbelief Warrants Eternal Hell

Faith is a gift of God. It is part of God’s grace to the elect of God (Eph 2:8–9). It is unmerited, and it is not self-generated. The avenue of the gift is by the hearing of the Word of God (Rom 10:17). When God draws a person to hear the Word (Jn 6:44), it is the Spirit who is preaching the Gospel, and it is the Spirit who opens the ears of the spiritually deaf hearer. Salvation is of the Lord (Ps 3:8; Jon 2:9; Rev 19:1). It is Christ who saves His people, not faith.

Believing in Jesus is no easy task. If it were simple, everyone would do it. It is only logical. Sin has separated man from God (Gen 3; Rom 3:23). Each person is individually responsible for his or her part in the rebellion against God. Without peace with God, people are subject to the just wrath of God against sin (Rom 1:18). All day long men stand in the street with signs, “Repent or perish!” Why don’t more people repent? Why do so many people perish?

First, reconciliation cannot be attained by any work of man because this would cause man to steal glory from God. God does not share His glory with anyone else (Is 42:8). If even one person is to be saved, it is only by the sovereign will of God (Jn 1:12–13). “I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy,” is God’s take on salvation (Rom 9:15).

Second, what is required of people is not some action by them. The Gospel is about what God has done for man. The Gospel spells out the terms of the covenant God has cut with Christ, the God/man. This is the New Covenant with two faithful covenant keepers (Jer 31:31–34; 1 Cor 11:25).

To be included in the benefits of the covenant, one must be sprinkled with the blood of the sacrifice, who was Christ on the Cross (1 Pet 1:2). He executed the covenant for all of His people, and God has brought each one into the covenant by His grace (Jn 6:44). This is salvation. It is to be “in Christ” and under the terms of the covenant of peace between God and man. God the Father and God the Son agreed to the terms and each willed and did His part in fulfilling what was required for man to be reconciled to God. It is the Holy Spirit who brings the covenant benefits to the elect of God.

The Spirit is sent from the Father and the Son to those whom the Father chose before the foundation of the world for salvation (Jn 14:26; 15:26; Eph 1:4–5; Rev 13:8; 17:8). The Spirit comes to those for whom Christ died (Mt 1:21; Jn 10:11; Eph 5:25). The Spirit draws the person into a place where she will hear the Word of God preached.

At the appointed time, the Spirit will open her heart to believe the Gospel message preached by the man of God in the Spirit (Acts 10:42, 44; 16:14). Those who have been appointed to eternal life believe the message (Acts 13:48). Faith is the evidence of the indwelling Spirit (Rom 8:9, 11), who has caused this person to be born again (1 Pet 1:3). You must be born again to see the kingdom of God (Jn 3:3).

Therefore, believing is not some accomplishment by a person; rather, it is imparted to that person. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit’s work in a person (Gal 5:22). This is also made clear in Philippians 1:29, “For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”

Faith is granted to the new believer. Peter wrote it this way, “Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (2 Pet 1:1).” If faith is a “fruit” that is “granted” and “received” what can be said about unbelief, being the natural state of humanity? Why does unbelief warrant eternal hell?

First, unbelief is a sin. To not place your trust in Jesus Christ, the only Savior of sinners, is disobedience. The voice from heaven cried out, “This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him (Mt 17:5).” Jesus said, “everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die (Jn 11:26).”

Second, unbelief is a reproach against Christ. It is dishonoring to Him. It denies not only God’s call for one to come to Him, but it rejects His work to secure salvation by His holy sacrifice on the Cross. To deny His work is to deny Him. To deny Him is your eternal death sentence.

Sin has been committed in eternity, as well as in time. Also, a sinner’s crimes are against the eternal God. Without the acceptable, eternal sacrifice, sin remains, forever. Therefore, the separation remains forever. The chasm is fixed, and no one crosses between heaven and hell in eternity. Without grace unto salvation providing faith, unbelief remains. The Word of God calls out to all people to repent and believe, but people are unwilling and unable to obey.

Third, unbelief is an ungrateful expression. Not giving Christ your thanksgiving for all He has done is indicative of reprobation (Rom 1:18–32). It is a suppression of the truth of what Christ has done, and a wrong response to His mercy and grace. Stated another way, unless one is a recipient of mercy and grace, he will not give thanks to Jesus. This is a mark of the unbeliever: ingratitude.

Fourth, unbelief is the mother of others’ sins. It is fueled by pride. People living in ungrateful unbelief will parade themselves around in pride. “I did it my way,” is the sentiment of those who obnubilate Christ in unbelief. Their way is the way of sin. It is a life of rebellion. It leads to slavish addictions. It blames God for every woe. It vainly curses in the name of Jesus Christ. It blasphemes the Holy Spirit in denying the witness of God, regarding Jesus Christ. In reprobation, it works enmity against God and persecutes His image bearers upon the earth.

Fifth, unbelief increasingly hardens the heart. Layer upon layer of unbelief is placed upon a child in her upbringing. Without Christian parents, the disadvantages are profound. The heart becomes impenetrable. The unbeliever is impervious to the pleadings and persuasions to humble himself and trust Christ. This is why people simply cannot: “decide for Jesus” or “ask Jesus into your heart” or “just have faith.” It takes an act of God to break the hardened heart. Why didn’t Pharaoh or Judas Iscariot just believe and be saved? It is because they were vessels of wrath prepared for destruction (Rom 9:22).

Sixth, unbelief invites the wrath of God. John 3:36 reads, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” The natural state of man is sin (Eph 2:1–3). Sin is lawlessness (1 Jn 3:4). God is just, and He must judge criminals. The wrath of God is looming for every unrepentant sinner. Wrath is abiding on him. Sinners are condemned already (John 3:18), and final judgment is simply a day of sentencing (Jn 5:28–29). The consequence of inherited sin (from Adam), and practiced sin, is death. There is the death of the body, but there is also the second death in eternal hell and the lake of fire (Rev 20:14–15).

In summary, we have seen why unbelief warrants eternal hell. God is calling all men everywhere to repent from sin and wickedness (Acts 17:30), and He has told all to have faith in the blood of Christ (Rom 3:25). Unbelief is rampant. It is epidemic. Still, the Gospel message, the antidote, is foolishness and a stumbling block to people (1 Cor 1:23). The things of God, like faith in Christ, are simply not in the capacity of natural man (Rom 8:7). He cannot understand them, for they are spiritually appraised (1 Cor 2:14). Lack of understanding makes all people unwilling and unable to come to Christ in faith.

In conclusion, Christian, see the infinite value of what has been granted to you. Recognize faith as a gift credited to your account, which has removed your debt of sin. Rejoice and give thanks for the faith imparted to you by His grace. For without it, you would not believe in Jesus and your unbelief would warrant eternal hell.

David Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

May 8, 2021