Does God Bless Nonbelievers?
You’re walking down the street, talking to your neighbor, ordering at a coffee shop, or sitting at a baseball game, and you begin to notice a sense of order, a sense of kindness, or a sense of common good in these places. You see families who love each other, the kindness of a barista trying to bless customers, parents who will do anything for their children, and a neighbor who surprises you by shoveling snow from your driveway. How can people who don’t know God still do good things? How can people who do not trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior still experience his good gifts without understanding the greatest gift of all, Jesus as their Savior? The Bible teaches us that God blesses both believers and nonbelievers in various ways.
What We Deserve
We are all sinners who fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God...No one does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10-12). It is impossible to read these passages and believe that we can somehow do good on our own. Not only are we separated from God in our sin, but Romans tells us we deserve death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
God Blesses Believers
Romans 3:24 says that believers are “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith” (Romans 3:24). What beautiful mercy God has shown us by giving us a way to redemption through Jesus Christ! How sweet are the steady and true words of the Gospel! We can view our salvation as the greatest gift of all. He has given us a new life and has blessed us, even when we did not seek after him. Peter rejoices in our identity as believers and God’s great gift of mercy: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5). Not only has God been the cause for our salvation, but he continues to guard us in our belief, which is a continued promise and blessing.
God Blesses Nonbelievers
Although there are many who may never experience the salvation of our Lord through Jesus, they will experience many of his good gifts here on earth. This phenomenon has been described by many as “common grace.”
What is grace? If you type this word into Miriam Webster, you will find dozens of definitions. Just a few of these definitions are approval, favor, an act of kindness, and unmerited divine assistance (merriam-webster.com). Therefore, if we apply Romans 3:23, the fact that we all fall short of the glory of God, we can see any good in the world as grace from him. So, why does this matter?
God reveals himself to nonbelievers through his blessings.
There is great comfort in a knowledge of the various ways God reveals himself to humankind. Acts says, “Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). The simple gifts in life, such as rain and food, are blessings that can point nonbelievers to God as creator. We can pray that the common grace of his provision can draw people to his gift of salvation. “The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made” (Psalm 145:8-9).
We should treat people with kindness, even when they don’t deserve it.
Jesus says in Matthew, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:43-45). This passage shows that God blesses all through common grace. More than just blessing the good and the just and those who trust in Him, God gives benefits from the sun and rain to the evil and the unjust as well.
Common grace brings glory to God.
When we form a worldview around the truth and understanding that God holds all in his hand and is the author of all, we can’t help but worship him. Each random act of kindness, all gifts, and each mercy we see is from God. Hebrews 2:10 says that all things exist for him and by him. Romans 11:33-36 says “Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”
So, the next time your neighbor observes the beauty of creation, the flavor of food, or expresses thankfulness for a promotion at work, you can prayerfully consider opportunities to share about the giver of all good things in heaven and on earth. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17). May the knowledge of his hand in all things lead us to deeper worship of our Father as we see the breadth of his blessings and mercy in all things.