Pagans Can Be Better than Believers

The book of Jonah forces us to ask some difficult questions. Here's one more. 

Is it true that sometimes non-believers are better than believers?

Chapter one makes me ask this. Jonah is on a ship headed away from God's presence. God will not let him go quietly into that good night. 

Jonah 1:4–6 (ESV) But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. 6 So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.”

Already, the picture is troubling. Being on the sea is already a tense environment. To be in such a storm and be dropping cargo to survive is terrifying. AT LEAST the other mariners were TRYING to do something about their impending death. What is Jonah doing? He's sleeping! He's unconcerned about the trouble he's in. Moreover, he knows well that this trouble of theirs is his fault, as he explains later. 

Jonah 1:7–10 (ESV) And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” 9 And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

Notice that Jonah has already told them he was running from his God, but now he makes clear that his God is the God in charge of all the terrors they are facing. Another important note. He told them he was "fleeing from the presence of the Lord". Here's what Jonah hadn't learned. God was everywhere. Jonah finds him on this ship, in charge of the waves. Jonah will find him in the great fish. And Jonah will see that the Lord is active in Nineveh. There is no place where you can run where God will not be. 

Psalm 139:7–10 (ESV) Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

The fact is, you can't run from God because there is no place God is NOT! And where He is, He is in charge. So when you run, you simply invite trouble upon yourself and those around you. 

Finding out the depth of Jonah's rebellion and the magnitude of Jonah's God, the sailors make every effort to bail him out! After telling them to throw him overboard, they refuse and try to row harder. 

Jonah 1:13 (ESV) Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.

Finally, as a last resort they relent and toss him into the sea, praying to the God of heaven as they do it. 

Jonah 1:14 (ESV) Therefore they called out to the LORD, “O LORD, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.”

AFTER the sea quiets down, the men become God-fearing worshippers. 

Jonah 1:15–16 (ESV) So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

Can non-believers act better than believers? You better believe it. Sometimes we fail to realize the power of common grace - that all creatures are infused with the image of God in them (albeit marred by sin). Their goodness is a testimony to His. 

More importantly for those who believe, God's common grace for unbelievers is a savored delight considering that only because of His saving grace can we know and love the One who never gives up on us.