I know a few people who claim to be atheists. What’s so strange to me is my own reaction in my heart to it. It was not so long ago I was one of them. I actually preferred to call myself an agnostic. Looking back on it, I think I was hedging my bet going with agnosticism than atheism, or I just wasn’t bold enough to, well, be that “foolish.” I heard it said that agnostics are like one, big, walking question mark.
The Bible is pretty clear on either of those positions. In fact, it’s pretty harsh.
The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God,” they are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; there is no one who does good. God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there is anyone who understands, who seeks after God. Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. –Psalm 53:1-3.
The verses are inclusive of, yes, that’s right: everyone. That’s believers and the atheists and agnostics. In other words, we’re all sinners. But the one, big difference between us is that the believers know that there is one, true God over us all and His son, Jesus, paid the price for our sins.
The word for “fool” in Hebrew is “nabal,” which means “foolish,” “senseless,” or–quite frankly, probably the best description–”stupid.” There, I said it. I cannot imagine why anyone would want to stay in their sins. I cannot imagine anyone, at the very least, not have a single, moral compass to guide their life. I cannot imagine anyone wanting to go through life thinking they are an “accident”; a descendant of slime out of the primordial soup. How much sense does that make? If you came from nothing, what sort of meaning can you glean from your life?
I was one of them. I seriously believed that my great-great-great-great-(ad nauseum)-grandfather swung from trees and ate bananas. I tell you, especially now that I have a one year old son, that I am so grateful that God was patient enough with me to wait until I realized how much He loved me and waited until I acknowledged Him as my true Father and Creator before giving me the precious gift of my son. How could I ever think of telling him that he’s only a couple generations removed from the monkeys at the zoo!
Don’t delay! Today is the day of your salvation! Call upon the name of Jesus and He will bring you out of the miry clay, set your feet upon the rock of His Word and give you life ever-lasting!
May He Increase!
I spent many years as an atheist / agnostic (not sure I ever really distinguished between them). I think my faith is that much stronger for having been on the other side, so to speak. I know what it’s like to live both ways, and I can honestly say, trusting God is definitely the way to go!
EB,
I think in the beginning I went around calling myself an atheist. But then at some point I had a college course (nothing like going to a state funded college to remove any last traces of faith) where I learned more about being an agnostic. As I mentioned in my post, I really think I was hedging my bet or really trying to be smart about it by saying that God couldn’t be proven or not. Atheists just deny His existence. But you know what I’ve found so frustrating, is talking to avowed atheists now. Trying to witness to them at times can be maddening if they are just so stuck in their convictions. But I was one of them so I have to remind myself of that and adjust my approach accordingly.
I agree with you: I think having gone through and lived that way has made my faith stronger and more meaningful now.
Thanks for commenting!