Can Slandering God's People Affect a Man's Ability to Come to Christ?
Slandering God's People and the Drawing of the Father
Written on 28 August 2026.
Introduction
The Bible gives serious warnings concerning slander and opposition to God's people. At the same time, Jesus says that no man can come to him except the Father draws him.
This raises an interesting possibility: perhaps a person who is slandering or opposing God's people can, at that particular time, be in a condition where he is unable to come to Jesus Christ.
Scripture does not explicitly state that slandering God's people causes the Father to cease drawing a man, so this should be understood as a possible connection between several passages rather than a certainty.
Nevertheless, the passages themselves are striking when considered together.
Whoso Privily Slandereth His Neighbour
There is a direct statement concerning slander in Psalm 101.
Psalm 101:5 King James Bible
Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
God says concerning the person who privately slanders his neighbour:
“him will I cut off.”
Slander therefore has consequences before God. A man may think that he is merely speaking against another man, perhaps privately where the person being slandered cannot even hear what is being said, but God hears it.
This becomes particularly interesting when considered together with what Jesus says about man's ability to come to him.
Except the Father Draw Him
Jesus says:
John 6:44 King James Bible
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The wording is important.
Jesus does not merely say that the Father makes it easier for a man to come. He says:
“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.”
A lost man therefore cannot simply presume that coming to Christ is something entirely under his own independent control.
The Father draws.
The man comes to Christ.
This raises the question of what happens when a man places himself in opposition to God and to those belonging to God.
If God says of the slanderer, “him will I cut off,” while Jesus says, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him,” there is at least a possibility that these principles can intersect.
They Could Not Believe
John chapter 12 shows that there can actually be a condition in which men cannot believe.
At first John says that they did not believe.
John 12:37 King James Bible
But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
John 12:38 King James Bible
That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
But then the language becomes stronger.
John 12:39 King James Bible
Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
John 12:40 King James Bible
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
There is an important difference between:
“they believed not”
and:
“they could not believe.”
John therefore shows that inability to believe can exist.
This makes John 6:44 especially important. If no man can come except the Father draws him, and Scripture elsewhere describes men who “could not believe,” then a man cannot necessarily assume that he will always be able to come to Christ at whatever future moment he chooses.
Their Eyes They Have Closed
Matthew shows the human side of this blindness.
Matthew 13:15 King James Bible
For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Here it says:
“their eyes they have closed.”
But John says:
“He hath blinded their eyes.”
There can therefore be a progression in which men reject what is before them and judgment follows.
This same kind of progression appears elsewhere in Scripture.
I Have Called, and Ye Refused
Proverbs chapter 1 describes God calling men who refuse him.
Proverbs 1:24 King James Bible
Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Proverbs 1:25 King James Bible
But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
God called, but they refused.
God stretched out his hand, but they did not regard it.
Later the situation is reversed.
Proverbs 1:26 King James Bible
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
Proverbs 1:27 King James Bible
When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
Proverbs 1:28 King James Bible
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
Proverbs 1:29 King James Bible
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
At first God called and they refused.
Later they called and God did not answer.
At first God stretched out his hand and they would not regard it.
Later they sought him and did not find him.
There is therefore no biblical basis for assuming that a man can continually reject God while guaranteeing for himself exactly the same opportunity at whatever later time he chooses.
Mocking the Messengers of God
This becomes especially relevant to opposition against God's people in 2 Chronicles.
God repeatedly sent messengers to his people.
2 Chronicles 36:15 King James Bible
And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:
But they responded by mocking and mistreating those messengers.
2 Chronicles 36:16 King James Bible
But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
There is a progression here:
- God sent his messengers.
- They mocked the messengers of God.
- They despised his words.
- They misused his prophets.
- The wrath of the LORD arose.
- There was no remedy.
The treatment of God's messengers was therefore not something God ignored.
It is also interesting that mocking the messengers of God and despising the words of God appear together in the same verse.
A man may imagine that his conflict is merely with another man. Scripture can see the matter differently.
He That Despiseth You Despiseth Me
Jesus makes this connection directly when speaking to those whom he sent.
Luke 10:16 King James Bible
He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
Jesus connects the treatment of those whom he sends with the treatment of himself.
“he that despiseth you despiseth me”
And the matter goes even further:
“he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.”
This is particularly interesting beside John 6:44, because the one whom a man ultimately despises in Luke 10:16 is the same Father whose drawing is necessary in John 6:44.
John 6:44 King James Bible
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
There is therefore a striking relationship between these two passages.
Luke speaks about despising “him that sent me.”
John speaks about “the Father which hath sent me” drawing a man to Christ.
That makes opposition to those whom Christ sends a serious matter.
Receiving Those Whom Christ Sends
Jesus gives the same principle from the other direction.
John 13:20 King James Bible
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
Again there is a chain:
receiving the one Christ sends → receiving Christ → receiving the Father who sent Christ.
The treatment of God's messenger is therefore connected with the treatment of the one who sent him.
Saul Persecuted Jesus
Saul gives a particularly clear example.
Saul was persecuting believers, but when Jesus confronted him, Jesus regarded that persecution as directed against himself.
Acts 9:4 King James Bible
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Acts 9:5 King James Bible
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Jesus did not say merely:
“Why are you persecuting my people?”
He said:
“why persecutest thou me?”
What Saul did against believers reached Christ himself.
Yet Saul is also important because his story shows that persecution of God's people does not necessarily mean permanent inability to believe.
Saul later wrote:
1 Timothy 1:13 King James Bible
Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
1 Timothy 1:14 King James Bible
And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
A blasphemer and persecutor obtained mercy.
Therefore the possibility considered here concerns what may be happening at a particular time. It does not mean that someone who has slandered or persecuted God's people can never afterward believe.
God Resisteth the Proud
There is another interesting connection in Psalm 101.
The verse concerning slander also mentions pride.
Psalm 101:5 King James Bible
Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
James says:
James 4:6 King James Bible
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
The expression is strong:
“God resisteth the proud.”
There are therefore conditions in which Scripture describes God himself as resisting a man.
Psalm 101 similarly says:
“him will I cut off”
and:
“a proud heart will not I suffer.”
God Gave Them Over
Romans chapter 1 provides another example in which persistent rejection is followed by divine action.
Romans 1:21 King James Bible
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Romans 1:22 King James Bible
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Then comes God's response.
Romans 1:24 King James Bible
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Later:
Romans 1:26 King James Bible
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
And finally:
Romans 1:28 King James Bible
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Three times the passage describes God acting:
“God also gave them up”
“God gave them up”
“God gave them over”
A man's rejection of God can therefore be followed by a change in how God deals with that man.
Strong Delusion
Second Thessalonians contains an even more severe example.
2 Thessalonians 2:10 King James Bible
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2 Thessalonians 2:11 King James Bible
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2 Thessalonians 2:12 King James Bible
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
First they did not receive the love of the truth.
Then:
“God shall send them strong delusion.”
Again Scripture shows that rejection can be followed by divine judgment affecting a person's subsequent condition.
The Possible Connection
Several passages can now be placed beside one another.
Concerning the slanderer:
Psalm 101:5 King James Bible
Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
Concerning coming to Christ:
John 6:44 King James Bible
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Concerning men who had rejected Christ:
John 12:39 King James Bible
Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
John 12:40 King James Bible
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
Concerning those who opposed God's messengers:
2 Chronicles 36:16 King James Bible
But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
And concerning those whom Christ sends:
Luke 10:16 King James Bible
He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
Taken together, these passages raise the possibility that a man who is actively slandering or opposing God's people could at that time also be under the resistance or judgment of God, and consequently not be in a condition where the Father is drawing him to Christ.
If that were the case, John 6:44 would apply with its full force:
“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.”
This could help explain how someone can hear the gospel and nevertheless remain unable to see what appears very simple to the believer.
It could also help explain why there may be a difference between one period of a man's life and another. At one time he may oppose, mock, slander, and reject. At another time God may deal with him differently and he may believe.
Saul shows that such a change is possible.
Salvation Is Still by Believing on Jesus Christ
None of this changes the simplicity of salvation.
John 3:16 King James Bible
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 6:47 King James Bible
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
The question is not whether a man must stop slandering, reform his life, or perform works in order to earn everlasting life.
Everlasting life is received by believing on Jesus Christ.
The question considered here is different.
Jesus himself says that before a man can come to him, the Father must draw him.
John 6:44 King James Bible
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Therefore the simplicity of faith in Christ does not mean that a lost man possesses independent control over God's drawing.
Conclusion
Psalm 101 contains a severe statement concerning the slanderer:
Psalm 101:5 King James Bible
Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
Jesus says that nobody can come to him without the drawing of the Father:
John 6:44 King James Bible
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John describes men who reached the point where:
John 12:39 King James Bible
Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
And Scripture shows that opposition to God's messengers can bring severe judgment:
2 Chronicles 36:16 King James Bible
But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
Jesus also identifies the treatment of those whom he sends with the treatment of himself and his Father:
Luke 10:16 King James Bible
He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
These passages leave open an interesting possibility.
A man may believe that when he slanders or attacks one of God's people, the matter exists merely between himself and another human being. Scripture shows that God may be involved in that matter.
And because no man can come to Jesus Christ unless the Father draws him, it is possible that someone who is presently opposing God's people could also, at that particular time, be unable to come to Christ.
That is not stated explicitly enough in Scripture to make it a certainty.
But Psalm 101:5, John 6:44, John 12:39-40, Luke 10:16, and 2 Chronicles 36:15-16 together make it a possibility worth considering.
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