ance. The person who rejects the knowledge that comes from God is left with a "reprobate mind" (Romans 1:28), which is a mind void of sound judgment. Our Lord told of those who hear the Word of Christ's Kingdom "and under standeth it not" (Matthew 13: 19). "There is none that seeketh after God" (3: 11 ). How con trary to modern religious belief that all men are seeking God, some in one way and some in another! Not having the righteousness of God nor the knowledge of God, man is not turning toward God but away from God. Man can never find God as long as he refuses the one pathway that leads to God. When the first man Adam sinned, did he seek after God? Definitely not! The historical record says that "Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden" (Genesis 3:8). The sinner does not search for God, asking for mercy and forgiveness. It was God Who sought the first sinner (Genesis 3:9), and He has continued to take the initiative. "For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19: 10). The words in Isaiah 55:6, "Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near," were not addressed to Egyptians or Babylonians or Assyrians, but to the children of Israel who knew God. "They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable" (3: 12). They have turned aside, or deviated from the right way, which is God's way. They knew the right way but refused to take it. The prophet Isaiah expressed it correctly when he said, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way ..." (Isaiah 53:6). Give the unsaved man credit for his best efforts, the fact still remains that he is not going God's way. Sin's power is so dominant in his life so as to render him unprofitable, or useless to God. The word "unprofitable" (Gr. achreioo) is also used of milk that has turned sour, that has gone bad, and is therefore good for nothing. Our Lord used this term when He said, "Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 25 :30). God did not create man unprofitable. Paul says, "They have become unprofitable." "There is none that doeth good, no, not one" (3: 12). There are people who are educated, clever, successful, wealthy and 86
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