Christians are not real and authentic people

So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. – Matthew 6:2 NIV

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. – Matthew 6:5 NIV

In these two verses it accurately depicts what a hypocrite is. A hypocrite is someone who gives an external appearance of spirituality without working on that internal reality as well. If Christians only do good works for the applause of men, then that’s the only reward they will get. And I just want to be clear here. A Christian isn’t perfect people. We all struggle and fight against sin and sometimes we fall into and commit sin. What makes Christians authentic is allowing God to work on their heart and letting people know that they are trying to live a holy life but not perfect. Unbelievers need to know that we are all works in progress and are striving for perfection. Our righteousness doesn’t come from keeping all the commands (because that’s impossible) comes by being found in Jesus and accepting what he has done for us. When we fall into sin, we ask fo forgiveness and God restore our relationship with him through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross.

Sinners love their sin and don’t want to give it up.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. – John 3:16-19 NIV

These verses are clear in outlining why some people don’t want to believe in Christ. Because people love the darkness and their evil deeds. This is partly because some people have a worldly mind that is bent towards evil. It’s clearly written out that believing in Jesus is the way that all man kind can be free from paying the penalty for their sins. But they refuse to follow through with what these verses say.

The lust for sex, money, power is strong.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. – James 1:13-15 NIV

For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. – 1 John 2:16 NIV

The devil know how to appeal to you evil desires so that you will be drawn away. They are presented to us through the lust of the eyes(what we see), the lust of the flesh (physically appealing things or people) and the pride of life (greed in order to boast to others). Unbelievers don’t have a filter like Christians do so they just consume all these things and desire it. Once that happens it creates a fortified desire in them that is hard to break.

Strongholds

After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” – Mark 9:28-29 NIV

Some people have strongholds that keep them bound to a particular sin. A stronghold in someone’s mind is a negative thought that has been fortified over the years and reinforced by other negative thoughts. This makes it’s difficult for people to listen to sound logic and rational thinking. And as mentioned in this verse, it takes prayer for someone to be delivered from a stronghold.

Wrong beliefs, values shaped by incorrect sources.

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. – 2 Timothy 4:3 NIV

Unbelievers prefer to listen to what makes them feel good. This is why they search online for people, religions, or world views that line up to their way of life. This is a backwards approach to finding peace and inevitably will be unsuccessful. Their friends are normally people who encourage or share similar incorrect beliefs. And it’s like the blind leading the blind. This is why it’s important that we become strong Christians who can still be friends with unbelievers without following them back into a life of sin. You may be the only one they see that can bring them the truth of Jesus.

Expect perfect Christians (incorrect expectation on what a Christian is)

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. – 2 Corinthians 4:7 NIV

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. – Jude 1:24-25 NIV

This is a truth that unbelievers use as an objection when talking about receiving salvation. They think that they have to be perfect and think it’s an unachievable goal. Since they don’t think they can do it they don’t want to even try.

Also they see Christians sin over and over and think “what’s the point since we’re both sinning and doing the same thing?”

This also speaks to the hypocrite excuse I gave earlier. What people who do not believe in Jesus need to know is that we are only the messengers of the message of salvation. We are not perfect. But the one who can save us and present us before God as flawless is perfect and it’s his message that we are trying to deliver. The messenger (meaning us) is flawed but the message (salvation in Jesus) is flawless!

They feel like they will miss out on something.

Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land. But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. – Genesis 19:24-26 NIV

I know that this is the Old Testament but it clearly shows what happens to unbelievers when they look back at their past life and want to go back into it. Lot’s wife looked back at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and was turned into a pillar of salt. This shows that she was clinging to the past and unwilling to turn completely away from her love for her sin. She was not able to continue to move forward and is an example of the consequences of disobedience and worldliness. As long as unbelievers hold on to their old life because of the fear of missing out they can’t make progress towards God.

Pride, Stubbornness & Argumentative

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. – James 1:19-21 NIV

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. – Romans 2:5 NIV

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” – 1 Peter 5:5 NIV

The Word of God, received in your heart can save your soul. The verse in James says that people should be slow to speak and become angry. Oftentimes unbelievers like to get angry and argue their point why they don’t believe in Jesus. As the argument continues what you end up seeing is that there is some moral discrepancy that doesn’t lead to the righteousness of God. A stubborn heart is also working together with an argumentative spirit. This person who falls under this category is usually prideful because they don’t want to humble them self to submit to someone who may be trying to steer them in a direction that their flesh doesn’t want them to go.

Their heart isn’t ready

If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. – Matthew 10:14 NIV

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. – Matthew 5:8 NIV

Jesus sets the expectations with his disciples. The fact is, some people will reject Christ and the message of the gospel. In Matt 5:8 it says that the pure in heart will see God. As believers you know the peace that was in your heart when you received salvation. Some people’s hearts are just not in that place.

Their family ties to other religions or worldly things is too strong

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” – Genesis 12:1-3 NIV

We see here that when God called Abraham he had to tell him to leave his country, the people he associated with, his family and fathers household. This was necessary because Abraham came from a family of pagans and God was starting something new with Abraham. He didn’t want any pagan influences to dilute what He was about to do. People who we encounter today usually don’t take a drastic step as Abraham did. Since they are still associated with their family, friends or their believes system for however many number of years (sometimes their entire lives) it is extremely difficult for them to just get up and leave and believe something different. We have to remember that their belief system has been deeply engrained in them for so many years and cannot be easily uprooted. This is why it’s important for us to pray for the Holy Spirit to go ahead of us and prepare the heart of the person that we will try to bring to Christ.