Wednesday, 08 July 2009

• Is It Our Fault That Atheists Don't Believe?

  I just came across an article entitled, "It is our fault they don't believe."  The author explains his reasoning about why Christians are responsible for atheists' disbelief.  He presents this argument far better than I can, so here's what he has to say:
  

  
  

  “If I am not doing the works (performing the deeds) of my Father, then do not believe me.” (John 10:37)
  

  
  

  It is the job of the church to give people an encounter with God, not an argument. I don't blame atheists for not believing in God, because those of us who do believe have done a poor job of representing Jesus.

  
  

  Jesus said, "Don't believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father."
  

  
  

  If Jesus didn't expect people to believe without seeing a demonstration of God’s love and power, how can we expect any different today? Jesus argued with the religious types and shared the good news with the unbeliever. He was a friend of the lost and He understood it was His responsibility to get them saved by telling and SHOWING them the gospel of the Kingdom, not accusing and arguing with them.

   

  It is time for the church to stop making excuses for a lack of power, stop blaming atheists for not believing, accept our commission to preserve and illuminate (be salt and light to) the world, and get to work.

   

  “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one…As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:15,18)
  

  
  

  I couldn't agree more with the writer of this article.  Atheists need to see a living demonstration of what it means to be Christian.  Yes, words are important -- even arguments are important -- but it's essential for atheists to see Christ's love emanating from us.  They need to know that our belief in Christ has made a visible difference in our lives.  My view on this subject is further elaborated on in my first post, entitled Don't Settle for Words When Preaching the Gospel.
  
  Do you think we as Christians hold some responsibility for atheists' disbelief? Do you think that we need to do a better job of "representing Jesus" in the world?
  

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