How Do We Explain the World's Inability to See Things Our Way?

We see in Acts 5:1-11) Ananias and Sapphira lying to the Holy Spirit about how much of the money from the sale of some possession they were going to keep back for themselves. We see that God killed them for lying to the Holy Spirit, not for keeping back part of the money.The Holy Spirit is also known as the Spirit of Truth. Apparently, lying to the Spirit of Truth is a sin that requires the death penalty! This is not something we hear about every day. Do we wonder why God is so insistent that we preach the gospel to everyone, including the penalty for sin and the only way of salvation? Right after this, we read that God was doing all kinds of signs and wonders among the people, that people were lying down outside hoping that just the shadow of Peter might fall on them and they be healed, and then the high priest and some Saducees arrest the apostles and put them in prison (verse 18). But then at night (verse 19), an angel of the Lord opens the prison doors and lets them out, commanding them to stand in the temple and "speak to the people all the words of this life" (verse 20). The officers then go out and arrest them again and challenge them, saying "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name?" (verse 28) and they said, "We ought to obey God rather than men" (verse 29). And then they preach to the officers: "'The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him'" (verses 30-32). Notice to whom God has given the Holy Spirit: to those who obey him! This should tell us all we need to know about why the world is so lost and confused and deceived and deceiving: They cannot know what truth is because they do not possess the Spirit of Truth! Now, this is what I especially wanted to note: The officers wanted to kill the apostles, but Gamaliel, a Pharisee and teacher of the law, told them to "'keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men it will come to nothing; but if it is of God you cannot overthrow it--lest you even be found to fight against God'" (verses 38-39). All these people who will not hear the truth, number one, cannot know what the truth is because they do not possess the Spirit of Truth (only those who obey God can possess the Holy Spirit), and number two, whoever is fighting against the preaching of the truth is fighting against God! (My thought about that is that this principle encompasses their ability to recognize truth in other situations as well.) In 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12, Paul explains the work of Satan in the last days "with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." These verses have greatly helped me to understand what is currently taking place in our world. We are seeing hoards of people, many of whom we love very much and God loves very much, number one, not in possession of the Holy Spirit (aka the Spirit of Truth) and, number two, fighting God. This is what they are doing: Fighting God. Praying for them and continuing to love them (and keep telling them the truth, especially about God) is all we can do, because they are unable to accept what is true because it is impossible for them. So, there is no use trying to argue politics or current affairs or anything else with them because it will all be "foolishness to them," just as the cross of Christ is fooolishness to them (1 Corinthians 1:18). I am not saying we cannot endeavor to have civil debate with people, but when it turns to arguing we need to stop (2 Timothy 2:24). I believe what we must do is pray for more boldness in our witness, stay in the word so the appropriate responses will come to us when they are needed, and ask God to open their eyes to the truth, soften their hearts that have become hardened and cold, and pray for their salvation. All this is what we need more of, more than we need more knowledge of all the geo-political ins and outs of our current generation. We need to put first things first, keep the main thing the main thing, and let them know whenever we have opportunity that what we care about more than politics is that our loved ones escape the wrath of God by repenting of their sin and believing the gospel. Only God can change their hearts, but he has told us to "'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned'" (Mark 16:15-16). "But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will" (2 Timothy 2:23-26).