The Voice of a Hidden Deity

[A paper I wrote for school]

Within the Bible, God clearly displays miraculous wonders proving His presence and power. After Jesus ascended into Heaven, the Disciples continued to minister and vigorously shared the Gospel. The Bible tells us that thousands were added to their number. Why did so many believe then, when today it seems that so few are saved? Is it that God isn’t showing His power anymore? If God wants people to believe Him, why does He seem to hide Himself from them? This seems to be a big problem today, but the reason it seems that fewer people are becoming Christians isn’t God’s fault. We’ll look at why it isn’t His fault, whose responsibility it really is, and finally what should be done about the problem.

When observing the growth of the church in America’s culture today, it is easy to blame God and say it is His fault for the slow progress. Why doesn’t He do the miracles and signs that we see Him perform in the Bible? If only He’d show Himself, people would believe. While I do believe that if the Almighty God walked into our presence today many would believe, I also believe that God is showing and proving Himself in other means today. Romans 1:19-20 testifies, “What is known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and diving nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so men are without excuse.” God is making Himself known, but He’s choosing to do it through His creation. Psalm 19:1 is just one example, “The Heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” We can’t blame God for the problem today. He is here and it is evident in what He has made.

So whose problem is it that fewer people seem to believe today? If God is showing Himself, who do we blame? When it gets down to it, we can’t blame anyone but ourselves. It is our responsibility as Christians to spread the Gospel. Just before Jesus’ ascension, He commanded believers to go and make disciples of every nation (Matt. 28:18-20). We are God’s instruments designed to carry out His work. Unfortunately, many believers today disobey God and decide that evangelizing is not for them. According to Howard Tryon of “Praying for You, Inc.”, only 3% of Christians are involved in evangelism, which leaves 97% disobedient. This is a staggering statistic, especially when we remember it is God we are disobeying. We easily accuse Him for something He isn’t guilty of when, all the while, we are the ones worthy of the blame.

Now that we realize it is Christians’ responsibility and our problem to deal with, what should we do to accomplish the task which God designed for us? It is easy to say go evangelize and spread the Gospel, but it isn’t always easy knowing just how to go about it. The simplest, but most effective means of evangelizing, is merely telling unbelievers with our own words. Romans 10:13-14 says, “‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” In order for them to hear, we must speak.

It isn’t right to accuse God of hiding himself resulting in a slow growth of believers in the church. It isn’t the problem of a hidden Deity but rather an opportunity to obey Christ. It is our responsibility as Christians to share the Good News with our own words. We were not made to stand by and watch hoping that God will do something amazing. We were made to obey God and serve Him with what we do and say in order to further His kingdom. Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” He wants you to help reap the harvest…will you obey?