Answer
In the Bible, the consequences of rejecting God are repeatedly emphasized. Scripture provides a sobering view of what happens when people turn away from their Creator. The Bible articulates both the present and eternal consequences of rejecting God, from spiritual emptiness to eternity in hell.
A present consequence of rejecting God is spiritual emptiness. In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon describes the “vanity” or emptiness of a life without God: “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2, ESV). Solomon’s repeated use of the word vanity captures the meaninglessness of a life devoid of God’s presence.
When sinners reject God, moral decline ensues. Romans 1:28–32 paints a grim picture of that decline. “Since they did not see fit to acknowledge God,” Paul writes, “God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done” (verse 28, ESV). Paul goes on to list various sins that come from sinners rejecting God, such as envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. This depravity leads to a breakdown in human relationships and society.
To reject God also means that sinners forfeit His love, wisdom, and guidance. In John 15:5, Jesus communicates the importance of “abiding” in Him: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (ESV). When sinners are disconnected from Jesus, they have no choice but to navigate life on their own, leading to feelings of despair and aimlessness.
The prophet Isaiah also talks about the consequences of rejecting God. He says, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear” (Isaiah 59:1–2, ESV). The separation that Isaiah speaks of has eternal implications for those who continue to reject God.
The Bible is unequivocal about the eternal consequences of rejecting God. In the New Testament, Jesus frequently speaks about the final judgment and the eternal fate of those who reject Him. For example, in Matthew 25:41, Jesus describes the fate of the unrighteous: “He will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’” (ESV). Hell is not a fictitious place; it is the location reserved for those who reject God’s promise of eternal life in Christ.
The book of Revelation further elaborates on the eternal consequences of rejecting God. Revelation 20:15 states, “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (ESV). This graphic image is a stern warning for those who reject God.
Despite the present and eternal consequences of rejecting God, there is hope of eternal life in Christ. God desires for everyone to repent and come to Christ for salvation: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9, ESV). God is patient and willing to forgive anyone who turns from his rejection of Christ and comes to Him in faith.
