2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 “…because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Why are men condemned of God to an eternal damnation? The Apostle Paul says it is “because they refused to love the truth and so be saved”. This is not some kind of innocent or passive refusal or rejection. This is a willful and active rejection of saving truth!
The Gospel messenger comes to the sinner saying, “Here, just listen, believe what God has said concerning sin and righteous and judgment! See that salvation, eternal life, is only in Jesus Christ, the son of God.” The sinner exclaims, “You fool! That is nonsense. I am a good person. I don’t need your “savior”!” The Gospel messenger persists, sharing a few of the hundreds of Gospel promises which are precious to the believing ear, and the sinner puts his fingers in his ears, turns and runs. This is obviously a fantastical account, but nevertheless representative of an often seen reality.
The sinner is suppressing, rebelling, and running away from the truth all the time. Let that sink in for a moment.
Who then can be saved?!?! With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible. It is a wonder of wonders that God would choose you and me. It is beyond me to understand why God would send me the sweet messenger of His Holy Spirit to awaken me out of my death-like slumber. To me God sent illuminating, awakening, and saving truth, but to some He sends “a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false”. What grace! What kindness! What mercy!
God is as wrathful and indignant with rebels as He is comforting and merciful to the redeemed. (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10)