Why No One Truly Seeks God?
10As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.
Romans 3:10–11 (NIV)
In Romans 3:11, Paul makes the startling claim that “no one seeks God.” This statement may seem controversial, as many people appear to be searching for spiritual truth, praying, or engaging in religious practices. However, Paul is not suggesting that people don’t seek God for spiritual blessings, seek God to answer their prayers, or seek God for spiritual experiences. Instead, he is asserting that no one, acting on their own volition and ability, genuinely desires to find and know the true God.
It’s possible to have an intellectual interest in the concept of God or a philosophical conviction that God exists, but these do not necessarily equate to a genuine passion for meeting with God. In fact, these pursuits can even serve as a means of avoiding a real encounter with the living God by keeping Him confined to the realm of intellectual discourse or abstract constructs.
Similarly, people may seek God for the benefits He can provide, such as forgiveness for guilt, spiritual peace, power, wisdom, or mystical experiences. However, this is not the same as authentically seeking to know and be known by the holy, sovereign, and relational God. Sinful self-centeredness (“felt need“) often drives our spiritual searching, causing us to seek God’s blessings while maintaining control over our lives and expecting God to serve our needs. We may be reluctant to submit to the living God, surrendering control and allowing Him to shape us as we serve Him.
Paul’s statement implies that anyone who is genuinely seeking God has already been sought by God. If no one is capable of seeking God on their own, then any person who is sincerely searching for Him must have undergone an internal change caused by God’s Spirit. Jesus Himself affirmed this, saying, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44, see also John 6:65).
Recognizing that we did not initiate our search for God, but rather He drew us to Himself, should lead us to rejoice in His willingness to reveal Himself to us. It should also humble us, as we acknowledge that our faith is a gift from God and not the result of our own merits. This understanding brings comfort and confidence, knowing that you have nothing that you weren’t given (1 Corinthians 4:7) and that God will complete the good work He began in us (Philippians 1:6). Ultimately, it should inspire us to praise God with greater gratitude, recognizing that every aspect of our salvation, from beginning to end, comes from Him by His grace.
Reflect on your own spiritual search. How does it align with the truth that God first sought you? How can you cultivate a more authentic relationship with God?
[The ideas for this week’s materials on Romans 3:1-20 were drawn from Tim Keller’s book “Romans 1-7 for You“]
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When I look back upon my own spiritual search, it is easy to see that it did not begin with me seeking God, but rather I was seeking after a better way of life and a peace of mind that would bring me out of the “pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization” that a life of active addiction had led into. I did not seek God, but rather He first sought me. In retrospect, I can clearly see that He allowed me to experience the severe consequences of a life spent in rebellion against Him and His reign in my life, that it would lead me, eventually, onto a path that would bring me to Him. And it certainly was not Him that I first sought after. More so, it was freedom from the hopelessness and suffering that I endured as a result of my alcohol and drug infused lifestyle. I wanted the benefits God provides, but not God Himself.
However, when I began to come to know Him better, through His Word, prayer, and fellowship with other believers, slowly but surely, I began to fall in love with God Himself. For me, this happened very slowly, over a long period of time. But it happened. Today, I think the best way to cultivate a more authentic relationship with Him is by being consistent and constant in His word, in prayerful communion with Him, contact with His people, and living a life of love and service. These are the places where I best seem to see God for who He really is, and experience Him in deeper ways that keep me open to allowing His Spirit to work in me and fall deeper in love with Him.
“We love Him because He first loved us,” (1 John 4:19).
I feel that today question is very similar to yesterday question and maybe I already addressed it then. I know for sure I never looked for a higher power until I had no choice and felt that there was nothing I can do to change my circumstance.
I think that the Lord let me live my own ways and depend on my own personal abilities (the one in fact the Lord gave me in the first place) for most of my life. Not until I can see that my life has no meaning and only when I look outside of myself then do I look up to see the Lord standing there to catch me when I finally fall.
Another thing to note here is that my personal path to abject failure did not come with substance abuse or personal hardship. In fact, from all account, I had a good life. I always did well financially and my career was soaring. It was when I was at the peak of my career that I was also at the depth of my depression.
Even after I hear the Lord calling though I was still only selfishly seeking relief from my pain and I did not seek the Lord for the right reason. Not until very recently have I even felt a true change and can see the result of the Spirit at work. And now I worry about back sliding. I find as Don have often said, studying the Lord’s Words each day. Praying and keeping my mind and heart on the Lord keep at bay my rebellious nature. Even for me to love the Lord require me to pray to Him for help to do so.