Unbelievers are those who have not
placed saving faith in Jesus Christ.
In the New Testament, the term refers to
people who remain outside of Christ
—
whether through active rejection, indifference,
or simple lack of response to the gospel.
Scripture describes their spiritual condition
with clarity and urgency,
while also holding out the free offer of salvation.
The New Testament uses several terms and descriptions for those who do not believe:
Unbelief is not merely the absence of information; it is a spiritual condition of the heart that refuses or neglects to trust in Christ.
According to Scripture, unbelievers:
At the same time, they are still loved by God and are the objects of His patient invitation to repent and believe (2 Peter 3:9; Ezekiel 18:23).
The consistent message of Scripture toward unbelievers is the call to repentance and faith:
Salvation is freely offered to all, and no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.
The category of “unbeliever” is not meant to create distance or superiority in the hearts of Christians. Rather, it should produce humility, gratitude, and urgency. Every believer was once an unbeliever. The same grace that saved us is still held out to those who do not yet know Christ. The church’s calling is to proclaim the gospel clearly and compassionately so that unbelievers may become children of God through faith in Jesus.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.