And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. Acts 28:24
There is an old gag about the world being divided into only two types of people: those who divide the people into two types and those who don’t. There are many ways in which we can divide everybody into two types. For example, there are those who get enough to eat each day and those who don’t. There are those who are lazy and those who are not. There are those who like olives and those who don’t. There are those who are married and those who are not. You get the idea. But our text today points out that people everywhere, and not just the Jewish community in Rome to whom Paul was speaking, are divided into the greatest division of all: those who believe the Gospel and those who don’t.
Before those people arrived at Paul’s house, they were pretty much all the same, Jews who practiced their religion with some level of devotion and who trusted in that religion for their eternal welfare. When the same crowd left Paul’s house, they were not all the same. Some had believed and received the Gospel message, and were on their way to Heaven. The rest failed to respond positively to the claims of Christ as presented by Paul, and they remained in their sins. This was the largest group; only a few would have accepted Paul’s message and received salvation. The same result occurs every time the Gospel is preached these days as well. Some receive the message and are saved, and some reject the message and abide under the wrath of God. Whenever the Gospel is preached, or whenever the Scriptures are read, or whenever anyone witnesses to somebody else of Christ, or whenever an invitation to a Gospel meeting is given, these are all occasions when the people can respond one way or another. As we know, most people ignore invitations to hear the Gospel. Most people toss Gospel tracts aside unread. Most people simply are not interested, unaware of the awful fate that awaits them for neglecting so great salvation. The reality of this great gap between the positive and negative responders to the Gospel should impress itself on us more than it does.
Our greatest interest in lost souls should be that they will pay heed to the Gospel. The preaching of the cross is the power of God unto salvation. But you and I cannot force people to be interested in the Gospel message or to even listen to it. And God does not compel anyone to receive the Gospel against their wishes, although the Holy Spirit does work with us to change our stubborn minds. When we listen to a wonderful presentation of the Gospel, we wonder how anyone could hear it and not be saved. But despite the best efforts of the preacher and those who are praying, there will always be some who believe not.
Our sorrow and frustration at those who fail to receive the Gospel should be tempered with the joy that some do receive it. -Jim MacIntosh