In Scripture, those who reject the existence of God are addressed with a mix of compassion and warning. The book of Jude urges believers to show mercy to those who doubt, while James emphasizes the importance of demonstrating faith through actions. The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians that the natural person cannot understand spiritual truths, and in 2 Timothy, he instructs believers to gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Additionally, 1 Corinthians warns against associating with those who do not know God, highlighting the need for discernment in relationships.
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And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing. He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, who has taken them captive to his will.
The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat anything set before you without raising questions of conscience.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?” “Short time or long,” Paul replied, “I wish to God that not only you but all who hear me this day may become what I am, except for these chains.” Then the king and the governor rose, along with Bernice and those seated with them. On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.” And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’
Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.