Can We Not Also Say That It Is God That Caused or Made the Unbeliever to Choose Not to Believe?
1) Direct Answer
No—not in the same way. God is not the author of unbelief or sin. Unbelief springs from man’s own fallen heart and love of darkness. Yet the Bible also shows that God judicially blinds and hardens those who refuse the truth, and He withholds saving revelation from those who are not His sheep.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- James 1:13: God “tempteth no man.” He does not create evil in the heart.
- John 3:19–20; John 5:40: Men “loved darkness rather than light… Ye will not come to me.” The refusal is theirs.
- Acts 13:46: “Ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life.”
- John 10:26: “Ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep.” Those not given do not believe.
- John 12:39–40 (Isaiah 6): “Therefore they could not believe… He hath blinded their eyes.” Judicial hardening after rejecting light.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12: Because they “received not the love of the truth… God shall send them strong delusion.” Judgment fits their chosen unbelief.
- Romans 1:24–28: “God gave them up” to their own desires.
- Romans 9:18: “He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.”
- Acts 13:48: “As many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” God grants faith to His own.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- God positively grants faith to His sheep; that is grace.
- Man, left to himself, already loves darkness and will not come.
- God never forces a willing heart to reject Christ; rather, He righteously leaves some to their own choice and then seals that choice in judgment (hardening/blinding).
- So we must not say, “God made them not believe,” but rather, “God did not give them saving grace, and He judicially hardens those who reject the light.”
4) Reinforcing Statement
Now notice, the Gospel separates: as many as are ordained to life believe, and those who spurn the light are blinded by the very light they refuse. God authors faith in His own; unbelief is man’s sin, and hardening is God’s righteous judgment.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Unbelief does not hinder God
62-0128M §30
We hear so much today about God being a good God. And that's true. He is a good God. We believe that, but He's also a God of judgment. In order to be good He has to bring judgment. To keep his law there must be... There must be penalty to law, or law is non-effective. If there's a law that says, "To run a stoplight is against the law," then if there's no penalty to that law to be executed, then the law is no good at all. Just might as well run it, or anything you want to, 'cause there's no law. But when you trespas...
Unbelief does not hinder God
62-0128M §25
In Romans, the 3rd chapter, verse 3, I read these words: For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without an effect? I'm going to speak this morning on ... for just a few minutes on "Unbelief Does Not Hinder God." Some might think it does, but it does not. God has a program and his program... As John said, "He's able of these stones to rise children to Abraham." That's right. His program will go on just the same.
Gifts and callings are without repentance
50-0300 §21
He told me if I get the people to believe me. That seems strange for me to have to say this, "You believe in me?" Said, "Aren't you supposed believe God?" You must believe that. You must believe God and believe Christ, and believe the Holy Ghost. Then after believing all of them, God wants you to believe me. But then there's something for you to do. Now, you can believe a man and still the gift won't work for you. Reason today people believe in God. It's still Jesus. Isn't that right? He said, "As you believe in Go...
The true and false vines
56-0311A §33
Notice, them two spirits that was on those boys. Now, Cain was just as fundamental as Abel was. If God only wants... If somebody was standing there saying, "Well, now look, Abel, are you going to be accepted? Well, why?" "Well," he'd say, "I believe in God." Cain says, "I do too." Well he said, "I am a ... I'm a worshipper of God." Cain said, "I am also." Abel said, "I give my offering to God." Cain said, "I did also." And he said, "I believe in God." Cain just said, "I do also." Abel said, "I offered my prayer to...
Unbelief does not hinder God
62-0128M §38
"Well," you say, "That's ... you're getting the people unbelief." No, I'm trying to get them to faith. Faith cometh by hearing. Hearing the creed? That might be in the Almanac, but that's not the Bible. Hearing the Word of God, that's what brings faith. To hear the Word of God, that brings faith. (Now there's about twelve minutes more left. I ... now, I'm too slow again.) Unbelief doesn't destroy God, it doesn't destroy his plan, it doesn't destroy his works; it only destroys the unbeliever. Unbelief only destroys...