Let’s sit with this for a minute: According to the Bible, God wants all people to come to repentance. That sounds like a merciful, loving God, right? But then we see verses where Jesus says he intentionally speaks in parables so people won’t understand—and therefore won’t be saved. What gives?

If you’re a Bible-believer, you’re asked to accept both statements as true. But can they logically both be true? Or are we missing something? Let’s examine this carefully.


The Open Invitation… Or Is It?

Let’s start with the verse most Christians know by heart:

“The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” — 2 Peter 3:9

This seems clear. God wants everyone to repent. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost. So far, so good. But then we run into verses like this one:

“To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’” — Luke 8:10

Wait. Jesus is saying he speaks in parables on purpose so that people won’t understand? That sounds… counterproductive if the goal is for all to repent.

And just in case we think this is a one-off, the Gospel of Mark doubles down:

“…so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.” — Mark 4:12

Hold up. Lest they should be forgiven? That implies that if they did understand, they would repent—and God doesn’t want that?

How do we square this circle?


The God Who Sends Delusions

It gets even messier. In 2 Thessalonians, Paul says this:

“Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth…” — 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12

God sends… a delusion? On purpose? To make people believe a lie? And then punishes them for it?

We’re expected to believe that God:

Wants everyone to come to the truth

Intentionally makes his message cryptic

Sends delusions to prevent belief

Then condemns people for not believing

Even if you’re not into philosophy, that smells like a contradiction.


Free Will or Divine Interference?

Here’s the question no one wants to touch: If God truly desires for everyone to repent, why interfere with people’s ability to do so?

If someone is honestly seeking truth, why would God send a delusion? If someone could understand, why hide the message in riddles? If God created the human mind, why make salvation depend on decoding a cryptic message rather than plainly telling the truth?

Either God is:

1. Not all-loving (because he withholds understanding from some), or


2. Not all-powerful (because he can’t save people without parables and delusions), or


3. Not consistent (because he contradicts his own will).

This is where logic forces us to make a choice. Do we accept the contradictions at face value? Or do we dare to question the narrative?


Maybe… the Problem Isn’t Us

For centuries, people have blamed themselves for “not understanding” the Bible, as if spiritual blindness were a personal failure. But what if the confusion isn’t due to our lack of faith, but the internal contradictions of the text itself?

Let’s be real: if a parent told a child “I want you to succeed,” and then deliberately confused them, withheld tools, and punished them for failing—they’d be labeled emotionally abusive. Yet when God allegedly does it, we call it “mysterious ways.”

Shouldn’t a just and loving God be clear, consistent, and fair?


The Bigger Question

This isn’t about “winning” a theological debate. This is about being honest. If we’re told that eternal salvation depends on knowing, believing, and repenting—then logic, consistency, and transparency are not optional. They are essential.

So here’s what I’m asking you to consider:

Does this version of God make sense?

Would a genuinely loving being behave this way?

And if not—what does that tell us about the book, the theology, and the belief system built on it?

It’s okay to question. In fact, it’s necessary.

The truth should never fear scrutiny.

Think. Question. Share.

If this challenged your thinking—even just a little—don’t push it aside. Sit with it. Dig deeper. Ask yourself why you believe what you believe. Not what you’ve been told, not what you’ve always assumed—but what actually makes sense.

And if you find value in this, share it. Let someone else wrestle with these contradictions too. The more we ask the hard questions, the closer we get to something real.

Let’s stop settling for “just have faith” when the questions are this serious.

You deserve clarity. You deserve truth.

Let’s find it—together.

Article by Leslyann Soeung