Is There a God?

Bill Petite                                                                                                                 February 11 2018

Think about this question.....Why are atheists so disturbed by something which they believe doesn't exist? Why would they even spend any time, great or small, arguing over something, according to their beliefs and opinions, doesn't even exist. I'm sure some have read or heard the stories concerning the Freedom From Religion Foundation complaining about everything from a nativity scene too close to public government property to a cross located somewhere they don't want it. If it all represents something they believe doesn't even exists, why get so bent out of shape over it? The answer is simple; they are driven by the sin nature which we are all born with. When this nature is allowed to totally take over every part of us, we are capable of some very evil commitments. There are plenty of things I don't believe exist but I don't make an agenda and attempt to spew hatred and bitterness toward those who might believe those things do exist. I have the Holy Spirit residing in me because Jesus is my savior and He has given me a new life, made me a new person and has delivered me from my sinful nature. Does that mean I never commit a sin? Absolutely not! But, with the Holy Spirit now living within me, I no longer have the desire to live a sinful lifestyle. I firmly believe there are those who will never be saved or want to be saved. This is obvious as we see in end time prophecy. If you ever wonder why or how  people can be so evil, bitter and full of hatred, it is that sin nature controlling their lives. Think about Hitler and the millions of Jews he murdered and the way he murdered them. He was driven by the evil of sin; it totally controlled him and it was evident by the way he acted and his personality. Even his own military leaders were afraid of him. They tried to assassinate him because they knew he was evil. How many other dictator types down through history committed such horrible things against their own people.

But, the bottom line reason for this hatred and bitterness and the way the FFRF fights and argues against something they don't believe in is because the devil hates anything which supports or stands for God. As a Christian, have you ever started a work for Jesus, only to have stumbling blocks put in your way? It's like taking one step forward and getting knocked back two steps. It's the attempt of the devil to hinder God's work. It was the same thing with Hitler who tried to destroy God's people. He wasn't acting on his own, it was the devil himself pushing Hitler and the sinful nature he was born with. He wasn't the first who the devil used in this attempt. Read the book of Esther and Ezekiel 38-39 as just two examples.

Now, I know for those who are not saved and don't believe in God or Jesus Christ or eternal salvation, will think this is just a bunch of religious mumbo-jumbo. But think and consider this: What would possess a person to murder 6 million people of any race or nationality? What would cause a terrorist group to behead people because they don't have the same religious beliefs as they do? What would cause a dictator in Syria to murder his own people by using chemical weapons on them? Or, what causes a person to kill the cashier at a convenience store after getting the money he/she asked for? It is the evil of the sinful nature we were born with. This is the extreme; not all unsaved people are serial killers or mass murderers or crazy world dictators. But they still have the sinful nature controlling their lives and some, like an atheist, find it ridicules and foolish to believe in a God who saves us from our sin. These people move through life, not with an agenda against Christianity or 'religion', but just not wanting bothered with it.

In all probability, the most quoted Bible verse is John 3:16; but the verses which follow it are as important and carry as much impact but are never included. Pay close attention to the latter part of this passage.

 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.  He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil...."          JN 3:16-19

This passage explains clearly those who are saved, or believe, are not condemned but those who don't believe are condemned already as a result of their unbelief. That should be an eye opener for everyone who stands against God or doesn't believe in Him. The last verse in the passage explains the attitude of those who refuse to acknowledge God as God and His existence. Physical death is not the end; there is eternal life for those who believe and there is eternal death and suffering for those who die in unbelief.
It's very simple; there are only two types of people in the world, those who have accepted Jesus as savior and believe He exists as God and those who don't. We don't know who God has chosen for salvation or who will be saved but that is not a reason not to let them know who Jesus is and what He has done for us. He has died in our place to be the sacrifice which is required to pay the penalty for our sin. We have to tell those who are not saved about this good news. Accepting Jesus as our savior is saying goodbye to a miserable life we refuse to even admit to. It means becoming a new person (2 Cor. 5:17) and leaving behind a lifestyle dictated by the sinful nature.
So, the next time you interact with a non-believer or an atheist, remember they need to know the truth of the gospel message and if they absolutely refuse to listen, don't press. You have planted seeds but pressing will just turn them off even more. Don't argue and don't go into attack mode; we were not called to win an argument, we were called to win souls for Christ. If you know someone who is not saved, for whatever reason or agenda they might have, pray for them. Ask the Lord to soften their heart. And finally, don't allow anger and hatred to fill your Christian heart because of the actions of an atheist or non-Christian. Only love, the love which comes from God, can allow us to see them as He does. Remember, the Apostle Paul prayed for the Roman guards, who could be brutal when necessary, who were guarding him and a number of them were saved. We have to allow Jesus to guide us in these actions and yield to His Holy Spirit. It is amazing what we can do and say when we do this.
And, for those who simply refuse to accept Jesus Christ because it sounds so foolish or like a feel good fairy tale, I simply ask that you gather information and data concerning Jesus or the existence of God (Jesus is God). Consider it as you would any other topic or subject. Read, consider and reason through the information and then make a decision. Just to ride the bandwagon of other nonbelievers and adopted reasons for rejecting Jesus or Christianity is cheating yourself. So, consider, reason and make an intelligent decision.