THOUGHTS FOR NON-BELIEVERS

If you are a non-believer in Christ, you fall into one of three groups: that of the atheists (denying belief in any God); agnostics (acknowledging “something” spiritual or religious about existence, but not its particulars); and those of belief systems outside of historic Christianity. All of us begin as non-believers, at enmity with God (Romans 8:7). So all believers and non-believers (of the various stripes noted above) share this commonality.

One must be very intellectual to be an atheist; one has to rise above the natural inclination of mankind. What I mean by this is that no culture in the history of man has ever been atheistic… every people group since the dawn of man has believed in some sort of God (one can make a strong argument that this truth echoes the issues of general revelation found in Romans 1). So to be an atheist, you must be willing to embrace intellectual argumentation not shared in thousands of years of human experience. If you have this view, then my next question is: why not act like an informed atheist would? Atheism is predicated on the idea that there are no absolute truths. Law is not backed by any absolute authority. Morals are a façade. If you are an atheist, yet you act morally when it is not advantageous to you personally (like helping an old lady cross the street, returning money you’ve found, etc.) then you are not being consistent. A consistent atheist is one who recognizes that nothing matters. A consistent atheist then seeks only to satisfy themselves in the years they have on Earth. Murder, theft, selfishness, and more (where it benefits man) are the only appropriate choices for the atheist, not self-sacrifice, love, or any form of morality.

What I would submit is that there is a reason most atheists do not act consistent with their beliefs: because they are instead acting consistent with their nature (being made in the image of God) no matter how they want to rationalize it.

Those who claim the banner of the agnostic may also claim the banner of the apathetic. It is intellectual laziness to accede the existence of a God or “gods” and then to fail to pursue this acknowledgment to any concrete conclusion. Some agnostics think God can’t be known; most often this is a cop-out for an unwillingness to take the time to search Him out. To agnostics I would offer this challenge: you already believe in spiritual matters, and if a God or “gods” exist does it not compel you to search them out? You might start with Christianity and either conclusively determine that your view is the singular truth or that it is not. If it is not (in your estimation), continue your search. But in no case give way to the prevalent laziness of many agnostics who fall into this category primarily for lack of having researched the alternatives.

One other brief thought to those agnostics who may read this (at a later point I will post a longer, paper sized review of the agnostic position)… understand that the Bible says “there is no other name (Jesus) under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”(Acts 4:12). No amalgamation or hodge-podge of religious beliefs is going to save you. Many agnostics, unfortunately, hold to a view that they can be “spiritual” and simply marinate themselves in numerous belief systems as if truth lies in each. Hedging your bets by merely accepting these “truths” of various religions (as many agnostics do) is a losing (and intellectually dishonest) approach.

For those who have beliefs outside historic Christianity, I would simply ask you to do the same thing Christians are to do: to examine your faith in its every nuance and to ensure conformity with that which holds your salvation. No one should hold a belief that will affect them throughout all eternity without spending the appropriate time (while they can) to assure it is true. And once you thoroughly understand your faith, contrast its key distinctions with those of Christianity. This will either embolden your views or, possibly, highlight the weaknesses thereof. One notable distinction for your consideration: every religion mankind has known, save Christianity, is based on works. Only Christianity believes we do not save ourselves, but that God, in His grace, saves us… and our works then seek to honor His choice. For those who have religious views outside of Christianity, I submit that this distinction is imperative: when we choose a works-based faith, this is a faith of fear (fear that a failing on our part forfeits our salvation). Faith based on God’s grace instead is a faith of love (love shown first to us by God, and returned by our loving obedience to His laws).

The common point I’m hoping to make is that regardless of your views, you need to be consistent in their application and deeply committed to knowing their presuppositions. To claim a faith, any faith, and not act according to that faith’s laws and structure is to be hypocritical.

Finally, on a personal level, I want to encourage the non-believer to deeply consider the espoused truths of Christianity. From my own experience I can tell you that in Christ I find truth, meaning, and a level of conviction that can only come from a divine, loving source. And in studying the historical pillars on which this faith rests, I see a wealth of fact-based knowledge to support Christian claims. Do not let others tell you that Christianity does not have discernable truth and merit; remember that evil exists and has an agenda to lead you away from the cross.