Rise Up Message Series – Renovate Church
By Molly Poozhikala
If God Is Real, Why Do People Deny Him?
A Christian Perspective on Human Nature and Belief
One of the most honest questions people ask is this:
If God is real, why do people deny Him?
Or put another way:
Why would anyone choose ugliness or hatred over the good world God created?
In our Rise Up message series at Renovate Church in Centennial, Colorado, we’ve been answering tough questions about faith. Most weeks, those questions come from skeptics or non-believers. But this week’s question comes from a Christian worldview — and it’s one that deserves thoughtful attention.
Whether you’re a lifelong believer, spiritually curious, or unsure what you believe about God, this conversation matters.
The Big Question Behind the Question
When we ask why people deny God, we’re really asking something deeper:
What is human nature like?
Are people naturally good?
Or are we naturally broken?
Philosophers throughout history have wrestled with this exact issue — from thinkers in Europe to ancient Confucian scholars in China. Some believed human beings are born good but corrupted by environment. Others believed human beings are naturally self-interested or morally flawed.
Interestingly, despite their differences in religion, culture, and time period, they all agreed on one thing:
Human beings struggle.
The world is not as it should be.
That shared observation matters.
Are Humans Naturally Good?
Many people today assume human nature is basically good. The thinking goes like this:
- People mean well.
- Bad behavior comes from bad environments.
- If conditions were perfect, we would all live in harmony.
But there’s a tension in that idea.
If humans are naturally good, then why does doing the right thing often feel like a fight? Why does selfishness come so easily? Why are we shocked by evil, even though it happens constantly?
Jesus addresses this directly in Bible when He says:
“Enter through the narrow gate… small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7)
If goodness were our natural default, the narrow road wouldn’t be narrow.
The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians that the “natural person” does not accept the things of the Spirit of God. In other words, without spiritual formation, we drift away from goodness — not toward it.
So Why Do People Deny God?
From a biblical perspective, denying God is not unusual — it’s the baseline.
The more surprising question is actually this:
Why does anyone accept God?
If human nature tends toward selfishness, distraction, pride, and comfort, then choosing truth, goodness, and spiritual discipline requires intentional effort.
That doesn’t mean people lack intelligence.
It doesn’t mean they lack value.
It doesn’t mean God arbitrarily chooses who believes.
Scripture teaches both that God is sovereign and that humans have real free will. People choose — and choices have direction.
4 Reasons People Deny God
Based on Scripture and lived experience, here are four common reasons people deny or reject God.
1. Human Nature Resists God
If goodness requires discipline and training, then neglect naturally leads elsewhere. Following Jesus does not happen accidentally.
Relationship with God takes intention.
2. Environment Shapes Belief
Many people deny God because they were raised that way. Faith often feels unfamiliar, abstract, or even unnecessary.
That’s why Scripture emphasizes spiritual formation in the home. In Deuteronomy 6, families are instructed to talk about God constantly — at home, on the road, when lying down and rising up.
Faith grows through repetition, relationship, and rootedness.
3. Some People Don’t Believe God Is Good
If someone believes God is harsh, unfair, or untrue, they won’t want to follow Him.
But Christianity makes a bold claim:
God is the source of goodness and truth.
If you seek ultimate goodness — not just what feels good in the moment — you are seeking God, whether you realize it yet or not.
4. Misunderstanding
Sometimes rejection of God isn’t rebellion — it’s confusion.
If someone truly desires truth and goodness but believes God opposes those things, then there is a misunderstanding somewhere.
The solution isn’t avoidance. It’s pursuit.
The Parable of the Sower: Why Responses Differ
Jesus explains why people respond differently to God in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13).
Some hearts are hardened.
Some are shallow.
Some are choked by worry or wealth.
Some are ready.
The seed — the truth — is the same.
The soil determines the outcome.
Denial of God, according to Jesus, is often about understanding and receptivity — not about evidence alone.
Why This Matters for You
If you’re skeptical, this message isn’t an attack. It’s an invitation.
Ask yourself:
- Do I truly want truth?
- Do I want goodness — even when it costs me?
- Am I willing to investigate before dismissing?
And if you’re a Christian, this is a reminder:
Faith requires training.
Spiritual growth requires repetition.
Goodness requires pursuit.
We live in a world that constantly pulls us toward distraction, comfort, and self-interest. Without intentional formation, drift is inevitable.
Searching for Truth?
If you’re wondering who God really is, start here:
Seek truth.
Seek goodness.
Follow wherever that leads.
Christianity claims that when you pursue ultimate truth and goodness, you will encounter Jesus.
And if you’re looking for a church in Centennial, Colorado where hard questions are welcomed and explored thoughtfully, Renovate Church would love to walk that journey with you.