Atheists Dilemma
The Appeal – Understand What You Believe
The real problem with atheists and most all persons of religion is the same, namely there are so many lies and the history of lying is overwhelming. The bible uses the term “itching ears” or ears that want to hear verification of what they want to believe. The world is very skilled at providing what people want. Additionally, they make it sound delicious. Appeals to pride work very well so do appeals to move injustice to justice. The thing that is being advocated is linked with the appeal and you have a convert. What you have is lies accepted.
Atheists Dilemma
Of course, by definition atheists don’t believe there is a God. However, typically they are not very certain of this, but hide their deepest belief or at least concern that there may be a God. You can see their concern as they say something like if I die and find out there is a God, I will ask Him why, “such and such.” There are usually a dozen different things they would like to ask God. They would ask why He was so hidden or why did He create this huge universe and only use this spec called earth for His test. Everyone including the most ardent atheist sees the magnificence and intricacy “of everything” and has doubts this could happen randomly – from nothing. Atheists are fooled by their observations of religion, and their desire to live a life without rules and certainly without threats. These things taint their logic and limit their ability to “get it right.”
There are great similarities between atheists and those who are associated with religion. Here are some of the similarities:
• Both want to believe they are right and a majority of each actually believe they have figured out life. However, with one small exception neither have it right.
• Both can be very aggressive in the defense of their beliefs.
• In general, both look at the other as ignorant or misguided or prideful or in serious need of THEIR truth.
• Both tend to believe the other is dangerous to the rest of the world.
• Both have fallen prey to many lies, much deceit from those who came before them. That is, the originators/supporters of their beliefs sometimes from many centuries before.
• Both have problems with thinking (miss the obvious) and tend to be overly emotional about their beliefs.
• Both have been strongly indoctrinated, but believe they have figured life out all by themselves – maybe with a little help
• Both love other things more than they love the truth
• Both have leadership characterized by giant egos and that affects others to be similar
The “Christian so-called” dilemma has been addressed at another page called “Apologists the Art of the Lie.” On that page some of the things discussed here are addressed briefly as atheist apologists are mentioned. On that page Catholic and Protestant religions are discussed in relation to their validity. Specifically, Catholics and Protestants are distant from God to the point their religions have no value. Atheists have found support for their no-God conclusion from these various religions of the world. The atheist perspective would be clearer, albeit weaker if they understood that these religions have no association with God and never have. Often one of the no-God arguments is related to the cruelty of religions and they associate many (if not all) of the wars directly with religion. They would largely be correct, but very wrong to think such religions have an association with God. This will be explained on this page as it is throughout the word of God. Just as prominent in the philosophy of the atheist is the support from science. Many in science are atheists largely because their focus is on a no-God answer to our existence. Also, many in science are atheists (or lean toward atheism) because they think that is the professional stance they need to be part of the “scientific community” or to progress. Indeed, as time has passed science has greatly improved via technology. People are more confident in “scientific conclusions” and their explanation can overwhelm the non-scientist. Although the technology allows better science, science is no closer to understanding existence.
Despite the detailed deceit carefully organized the advocates who follow the “invented” doctrines seldom understand what is being taught but they like the conclusion. We end up people who know little and express themselves often in cliches. Science and history can be complicated and easily twisted and advocates do not care. This is where God points to those who love the truth as those who will succeed.
Thinking is Missing in the Science of “Beginnings”
Thinking should rule in science, but strangely is not present in the scientific mind of people in the realm of “beginnings.” The same can be said for religion – they are not thinking. They are ruled by what they want to believe. Thinking is more than having thoughts but is creative and thorough and to be effective in arriving at the truth, it needs to be free of prejudice. The scientist really does not know the truth about origins/existence, but still portrays the best they can do as the truth. This will never end, but there will always be the new theory, which once again becomes what is taught and believed. The atheists love the things that support what they want, so do religionists. Here is where science “misses the boat” or stops thinking. It is the same place (only different in character) where religions miss the point. They miss out on the truth. Truth is something that needs to be loved and more so than what we currently believe. There are those who will accept no less than the truth even when it is painful. God says it is necessary for salvation and that should not be surprising since He provided a means to share in the Divine Nature, but only one path. Other human-devised paths do not produce the desired result. Jesus referred to Himself as the Way, the Truth and the Life and that there was no other way “to succeed.” These are the reasons those who change the word of God or follow after the changed word of God will not succeed. One short verse summarizes this requirement of truth, “and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
Responsible, Thinking, Honest Science Would Offer a Different Perspective
Science would be OK, if they said THIS is what we know. THIS is what we theorize but we really have no concrete evidence that supports a no-God conclusion. All of science’s research into a non-God existence has been thought-provoking and pays a lot of salaries and created an industry and an academic classification. It seems to me that science even though limited in their ability (to be discussed) should see God the more they investigate, the better their tools. Interestingly, a high percentage of scientists are not privately atheists, but publicly will wear that tag at times. Some are very much like Einstein and cannot logically see existence happening without intelligence, and like Einstein never believed in a “moral” God. Einstein may have been the first of many scientists to indicate he had questions for God when that time arrived. As it turns science does know the likelihood of our existence from random events and it appears to be impossible even given all their use of time (billions of years) and the size of the universe (increasing the possibility that some where life could happen). Amazingly, the more science learns the more likely they see the need for intelligence in the design. Unfortunately, people must live by their stated belief due to pride. Even the most ardent atheist like Stephen Hawking finally faced with the unlikelihood of existence without an intelligent designer “changed his tune.” He would indicate that he believed he could make a case for design without God despite the apparent need for intelligence. Wow, that is quite a concession, but the correct view because intelligence is apparent. Of course, he did have an alternate “no-God” explanation. Unfortunately, the world and young children are not taught the real concerns, assumptions and motives of the “no-God” scientists.
The scientific explanations of how everything came into being and the occurrence of living things is all wrong. Even Darwin, knew of the short comings of his theory and wrote about them. Darwin’s theories left many gaps but were highly desirable possibilities and sadly received wide acceptance. Today, people look at Big-Bang and Darwinism as fact and children are taught these as truth. It is amazing how many people make statements in relation to our existence saying things like, “we all know that – it’s a proven fact.” Science and of course all the people who want “Big Bang and Darwinism” to be true, like the liberal godless media are to be blamed for promoting something so destructive and deceitful. It is awful for society from a truth standpoint, from a moral standpoint, from a knowledge standpoint and of course from an eternal standpoint.
The Scriptures Provide Answers for All Those Who Love the Truth
Regardless if you are a religionist or an atheist, people respectively reject God’s rules (which can be difficult to accept) or reject God entirely based on different aspects of the scriptures. Perhaps the most common difficulties with the scriptures are the teachings on what is wrong (sin) and subsequently punished.
Now, I will provide you something to consider if you are an atheist as the reason you should re-consider your belief. I have heard people say, you ought to believe in God because you have nothing to lose. If there is no God, then you were right but out of existence. However, if God exists and is the God of the bible then you will pay a terrible price. That logic is nonsense! This is not the reason you should believe in God and in fact you might as well remain an atheist. A person needs to seek God, find and obey Him for the reasons He provides and remain faithful throughout their life.
The deep root cause for rejecting God (and we mean the God of the bible, because indeed GOD is the God of the bible) is that people do not understand God and His purpose. You need to understand God’s purpose as He revealed it and then you can understand the creation He devised to accomplish His purpose. This section could almost be as long as the bible itself, but that would require a life time of work. To speak of the bible, it is essential that the writer understand God’s teachings correctly. One way to do that is to be sure that what is taught is consistent with ALL scripture and because it is from God that can be done. In other words, all things fit perfectly together. So, when stating God’s purpose, it is in view of all scripture. It is consistent with God’s intent for our understanding – consistent with GOD’S PURPOSE.
God’s purpose concisely stated is to allow people to be partakers of the Divine Nature. Although He wants all to realize this outcome, He knows and tells humankind that FEW will achieve it.
2 Peter 3.9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that ANY should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Matthew 7.13,14
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are FEW who find it.
This is because He is looking for and requires perfect persons. He knows this is not possible and reveals that all miss the mark (sin, fall short of perfection). God defines sin and it is integral to achieving His purpose. We might say integral to His test. Since perfection (no sin) is impossible, God provides a solution, a covering for sin in the person of His Son.
Life turns out to be a test that defines those who will participate in the Divine Nature – we can call that practically, heaven. How will the test be designed and who are those who will be tested? God begins by creating something called TIME as a critical element of His purpose. God’s tells us a lot about life in a short verse in Titus.
Titus 1.2
2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began
This is fascinating. If you understand this short verse and you know it fits perfectly with all scripture then you have something very powerful in your life. You have:
- The hope of heaven from God
- You have the assurance God cannot lie
- You know that time was a creation from God
The fact that God cannot lie makes everything in the scriptures very critical. All disputers of the scriptures or parts of the scriptures like to ask, “what interpretation is right, how can I know?” It is very much like saying the way God describes the creation cannot be right. We just cannot understand how God did it, so how can we say it is right or not right. We can say it is right because it is God and it makes sense although not consistent with our science as might be expected. We can say it is right because God’s word is perfect and fits perfectly together – but that will take some effort for a person to understand. God tells us that heaven and earth will pass away, but His words will not.
Matthew 24.35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
God has delivered the truth and people love to change it and yet we have the truth. Those who study the scriptures can easily identify the changes made by humankind because they will not be consistent with God’s intent/purpose and will not fit together perfectly with all scripture.
Obviously, atheists and the religions of the world envision God their way. Atheists seek support that there is an answer to existence OTHER than an intelligent creator. Religionists see God and the scriptures different than the apparent meaning from scripture and change scripture (usually by making rules that conflict with scripture) to fit their version of God. They are thinking of God as a person and He most certainly is not. Since they do not understand God’s purpose and what He has revealed about Himself and His plan they might say, “this is what God meant here.” God, however means what He says. A key element of God’s plan included delivering his word by inspiration and having that message come down through the centuries as a written word. In this last age after the word was confirmed and God refers to it as that which is perfect – all we have is the written word. I do not know of anything that causes more of a problem for people than having only the written word. It is possible to devise all sorts of issues with God’s method and the list would be very long and include as mentioned the correct interpretation, the possible errors made by human writers, the purposeful changes made by men and women, the various translations and on and on. Yet God’s word is perfect and it was delivered exactly as He designed, perfectly. It seems to cause problems for people looking for problems. We might say problems for the wisdom of the wise and for the prudent. The root cause of the problem is they do not like the message from God for hundreds of different reasons. On the other hand those who can humble themselves and succeed in life respond to the word of God of their own free will. As mentioned, the word of God is perfect in conversion, whereas people always want more, signs, miracles and even when they get them like Pharaoh it seldom helps. Jesus provided miracles indicating who He was and yet the Jews murdered Him. It would be a significant breakthrough if you come to understand that God’s word is perfect and the way it has been delivered is also perfect in terms of achieving His purpose.
God is Not Hiding His Superiority
The ten plagues of Egypt: God is superior and let’s the Pharaoh and Egypt know.
Exodus 9:14
14 for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth.
This is very much like today inasmuch as God reveals all that humankind needs to know, but in their stubbornness, they reject God’s way. Pharaoh could have seen in the first plague that the God of Moses was God, but even after nine more plagues He remained hardened of heart and bitter.
The things obvious in the creation, in our life observations and even in the valid discoveries of science point to our insignificance. We are a speck of existence having a bit of knowledge and yet not in any way as individuals insignificant to God.
Isaiah 55.9
9 “For the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Who should accept what God says as true? Everyone, everyone that wants to go to heaven. If you can do this, then how many times and how often do you need to question God? There will be no need to question God and as a result your knowledge will increase because you are making the best use of your time to understand God as He has presented Himself in the scriptures. God is very definitive; His ways and thoughts are higher than the ways and thoughts of humankind.
God is superior and showed that many times to His chosen people. In the case of the prophets of Baal there is a most dramatic contest and a terrible end for their prophets.
1 Kings 18.38-40
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”
40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there.
Elijah, the prophet of the Lord opposes the 450 prophets of Baal and God demonstrates His power over all the efforts by Baal’s prophets to show that Baal is God. The extent of the defeat in the contest results in the prophets of Baal all being slain. God shows His power, His superiority! People today are either encouraged or antagonized by God’s power. Those antagonized believe God was too harsh and thus not the God they would want. God separates people based on pride and this can be seen in those people needing to have things their way, even God must be as they define Him.
The world comes to believe that humanity has the best answers to life. They very well may be right if indeed God did not exist. Again, God is very direct in pointing out that ultimately, they need to follow God’s way. God is always focused on the “end game” for each person and knows what is needed to succeed.
Jeremiah 10.23
23 O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
If you consider the pure truth of what God reveals here in Jeremiah, you will allow God to lead you. God provided you a free will for the very purpose to allow you to make the right choices. God is saying you cannot make the right choices without His help. If you want to succeed realize it is not in you to direct your own steps. You see God is the one who knows everything including what is best for you, but instead you might trust yourself or some person or some group of people – what do they really know?
Now, if we think that God is a person, we might say He is very uppity, haughty, very arrogant in saying/doing these things. God is the creator and we are the created. We just have no idea of God’s nature unless we understand God as He has revealed Himself. Can you imagine criticizing God? We are infinitely out of HIS league. It turns out God loves His creation and in a way that is beyond our comprehension – except that He has shared how that love was demonstrated in His Son. So, we have a reasonable idea of God’s “unspeakable” love/gift. God can handle all your concerns even though you may not be able to fully understand. For instance, someone might think God cannot be fair to everyone because His rules might cause some to fail. That is true and in fact that is part of the test, but it turns out God will be PERFECTLY JUST in every case. His justice may not seem right to you, but His PERFECT justice is aligned exactly with HIS purpose – not what you think His purpose should be. There is no conflict between God’s love and God’s justice. The more you study about God from His word (and no other place) the better you will understand life. Many believe they have a good heart and God will in some way “get them into heaven.” They would be wrong, you cannot direct your own steps because God has defined the path for your salvation and He cannot lie.
Back to Creation
We started with the creation of TIME as an integral part of God’s purpose. As we look at all scripture we also see the insignificance of time for God. The well-known verse, where God defines a day as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day demonstrates to humankind that time is meaningless to God. To God we might say time is like a book and God sees the beginning and the end and everything in-between. Yes, we cannot understand that concept living in “one-way time world.” Time is the critical element in the scientific explanation of existence and life and yet to the Creator it has no significance. Time is just a chosen tool in His test to fulfill His purpose.
God creates the stage for His purpose and we might call this the heavens and the earth and of course, this includes the billions of universes. All created with a thought – science of course, will never understand this for a very good reason. The most obvious reason is that God’s purpose was not to create a mystery to be solved by humankind regarding, “The HOW” of creation. At best, in the end the efforts to understand “origins” are a distraction from what is really important. The important thing at the center of His creation is YOU. God completed the creation of all physical things and then created living things. Finally, He creates the key element, namely humankind. He designates man as different – different than what? Different than all other living things and refers to His special creation as being in HIS image. Again, if you study the scriptures you can conclude what this means. First, you understand that this does not mean that you look like God. God is a Spirit (John 4.24). He is not physical, although His son will take on a physical nature to fulfill the central event in human history. Each person is in God’s image in three ways and they are:
- They have a unique personality – there is no one else quite like you
- They have an intellect, can be creative and God includes a free will to choose as a central part of His purpose
- Each person has a spirit, they are spiritual, they are eternal
So, here you are a spiritual being locked in a physical body, locked in a physical universe and locked in a time domain. What remains? Of course, your test to determine your worthiness. The test is about you that is, each individual is at war during their lifetime. The war is not between rival gangs, or between countries but very personally between you and sin. It is a spiritual war.
Note: The three things that define each person as being in the image of God are not referenced in one place that says this is what it means to be created in the image of God. Nonetheless, these created in image of God characteristics are either direct statements or necessary inferences. You can glean these things from a thorough study the scriptures by considering how humankind varies from other living things. You might see this somewhat differently, but I have not found that thinking persons with a good knowledge of the scriptures see this much if in any way different.
The creation included all the laws that were necessary for the physical operation of things. We might say the laws of Physics, Chemistry, Thermodynamics, Genetics and on and on. They were built-in and over time humankind would increasingly understand them and use them to their benefit or at times to their destruction. Humankind is limited by them and thus cannot understand things outside the realm of these laws, such as how God creates by “speaking” things into existence or a spiritual existence without time. Again the scientific conclusions involve large amounts of time to explain the existence of things and the existence of life. God is not limited by time and can create the universe instantly. Science in its limitations would have God plant seeds to grow a tree, whereas God could create a tree fully grown appearing to be of any age. He could do the same for the universe – quite simple for Him, but unfathomable for humankind to understand. The things humankind observe in relation to “origins” may or may not be correct in part such as the expanding universe. However, there is no value in knowing such things because they will never explain our beginnings, or will they help a person be successful in life. Science requires time to explain their theories, yet even time is a creation of God and that should bring some humility to the study of science in the area of “origins.” Time was created for humankind and will end as the world and all physical things come to an end. We have a limited lifetime due to our physical bodies and the existence of one-directional time. Our existence is very temporary and is a comparatively archaic existence compared to the spiritual. Our lives are “sort of” spent in the maintenance mode as we require food and water, shelter and we still wear out if not succumbing to some tragedy before our natural end. Despite all the efforts to “get all we can out of life” there is seldom any relief. The more we gain the more concern we have of losing it. To live without God is to live without hope and we need God, we need the truth and yet FEW will seek, find, obey and be faithful to the creator. Instead, people will choose the temporary pleasures and indeed they are very temporary. God knows our difficulties and tells us what is available “in Christ.” Consider what God says in human terms about the next existence for His children.
Revelation 21.4
4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed
On one hand you have God explaining creation in a very understandable sequence, except the “technical how” is not comprehensible within our physical laws and cannot be understood and thus not explained. It is also important to say (again) that understanding the creation is not important as well as not being possible (in our limitations). Science with its limited ability tries to explain existence although without the tools to do so. A person might see from what God has delivered that there is no way to say there is no God, because by definition, God is far above humankind, that is why He is God. So, why do people say there is no God? How could they in their limitations possibly know that? By observation the opposite is true. We see the intricacy and how everything fits together in the physical sense (like spin of planets and millions of things of that nature) and how everything fits perfectly together in the scriptures defining the spiritual. There is design everywhere and it is exceedingly complex and yet people have concluded this all just happened from “nothing.” This seems to me is one reason God says, “the fool has said in His heart, there is no God.”
Why Do So Many Miss the Simple Truth From God?
God has made it quite clear to humankind that He can be seen in the world around them.
Romans 1.20
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse
Jesus pointed to Isaiah in explaining that people see and hear what they want. He was being very critical of people who were not taking seriously what was being taught. It is their hearts that betray them. That is, the deep things they want and desire and thus they in effect never see or hear anything in opposition to what they want. We might say those things are “not in their hearing or seeing.”
Matthew 13.13-16
13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;
This verse explains atheism as well as all the false religions as very simply, PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY WANT and in shutting out everything else they become very certain they are right to their own destruction.
God provides more insight into this phenomena of shutting out things that oppose what a person currently believes. Specifically, He indicates how people reject the preaching of the cross – the single thing most needed for their success.
God gives insight into the reasons people will not accept what they see and hear in the scriptures. These turn out to be things related to people’s attitudes. Pride and selfishness are two of the primary reasons for their “blindness.” He also emphasizes two things that “muddy the waters” to the point the outcome is confusion. He does this when pointing out how people see the preaching of the cross as foolishness by those who are failing in life. There are two categories of people that characterize missing the gospel message. Namely, the WISDOM OF THE WISE and the PRUDENT who view God’s word as something to be deeply studied instead of accepted for what it says. Interesting, these two things should be great helps, namely wisdom and prudent thinking and yet they are condemned. It is the wisdom of the wise or to better define, the wisdom of the proud in what they have come to believe and will not let go – it is their stubbornness. God’s plan requires the opposite, namely humility because you need to accept His way. Likewise, prudent thinking is a very good thing in most cases as one ponders to make the best decision. The prudent try to get all the facts, study from different perspectives. God is NOT a person, He is the creator, perfect in every way and there is no need to filter the word of God. You can and should understand God’s message fits perfectly together and you can and should handle it correctly. Those who prudently dissect it and create new doctrines fall back to exactly what God condemns – adding to and taking away from the word of truth.
1 Corinthians 1.18,19
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
God Has Not Changed or Will He Change
God, being perfect has no need or reason to change. The changes that God has made in reference to humankind do not mean He has changed, but simply that this was ALWAYS the plan. God has dealt with humankind differently over time and as you might imagine those changes are related to His singular purpose. The way He dealt with Adam and Eve, Noah, and Abraham was very direct. Then with others through His prophets and there was the law of Moses and finally the law of Christ. Everything from creation has been playing out until the end comes according to His singular plan. His character is the same – perfect in every way.
God’s word is not open to change because in these “modern times” there needs to be adjustments. God’s word is perfect for all time and provides humankind the answer (what to do, how to live) for success – those answers will not change.
Note: You can identify false religions by their willingness to change to meet the “modern times.” Of course, there are many other ways to identify false religions and many are discussed at “Heaven Coach.”
The creation for God was simple and accomplished His purpose in providing the stage for the test. Today and throughout history, humankind can focus on trying to figure out how and why they exist OR gain that basic understanding from God’s word and devote themselves to seeking God, truth and living as directed to eventually participate in the Divine Nature. The scientific conclusions in relation to origins have not progressed humankind one iota, but the opposite. Life is about the soul and generations who have accepted the ever-changing scientific conclusions/theories have become less likely to accept God. At “10,000 feet” the world looks like the time of Noah before the flood OR like Sodom and Gomorrah, OR like the idolatry in the time of Elijah and on and on as immorality, unethical behavior and lying are commonplace. One would be right to say evil has always been present to different degrees at different times. During this authors lifetime evil has progressed to include the acceptance of killing babies, open indecency, vile language, immorality especially as related to homosexuality, lying as a normal mode of life, cruelty everywhere and the depravity is ever-increasing. A nation cannot withstand this onslaught and the associated and driving factor is the rejection of God. Nonetheless, the battle remains between each person and sin. All the surrounding immoral and unethical behavior only makes winning your personal war more difficult. The test has never been easy and those wanting to achieve heaven will not let the world stand in their way but will live godly lives.
You do not have to argue God’s existence with science, because in the area of origins science is not capable of getting the right answer to HOW. Instead, what is the appropriate place for the science of origins? I would say if there was value it would be reporting facts, testing theories as much as possible and if done well the conclusion would be a creator. It has not happened because this is not the answer people WANT!
Atheists and Those of the World’s Religions are Hard to Distinguish
Now, lets look at another prominent atheist issue with religion. It is an issue with religion and mostly not with God’s existence, although atheists fail to differentiate. Again, atheist unfamiliarity with the scriptures, which usually only includes a great deal of hearsay and picking and choosing verses here and there has contributed to their faulty perception. The atheist problem is the same as the person of religion even though that person might have a broad, studied background in the scriptures they do not have a love of the truth. Consequently, they as well as much less studied atheist do not understand the message. The love of the truth is a very singular thing and has no room for, what I currently believe or what I want to believe because those things cloud the truth. You end up with a mix of truth and error, which is error. The issue here is the evil of religion. God is the absence of evil and if you study the scriptures, the character of God is revealed. People can find places in the scripture to attribute evil to God. Here are a couple of examples:
1) Nadab and Abihu – God strikes the sons of Aaron dead for their use of a profane or strange fire
2) Ananias and Sapphira – They are struck dead for their lies in relation to what they contributed
3) Uzzah – God struck Uzzah dead for touching the Ark of the covenant
4) Achan – Achan and his family destroyed for Achan’s sin of deceit/stealing
No one needs to provide God with an excuse, but you can understand God from what He revealed and then easily see God as the absence of evil. You can also discover why (to a large extent) God took such actions and He provides enough information for such an understanding. If you want to better understand God’s actions in the different “ages” you can go to either or both of the posts mentioned below.
As you might expect God’s plan to achieve His purpose is perfect. People might consider God’s actions in these four cases and others as excessive. Humankind might have said they need a warning or have their hands slapped. Once again, people see God as human and not “as good as themselves.” They also cannot have this be God otherwise they may see themselves receiving the harshest of sentences. What if God means what He says regarding sin and punishment? The incentive to have peace of mind as people go about living as they please is sufficient reason to close their minds to anything opposing their beliefs. Atheism appears to have a basis in, “look at science, look at human suffering, look at the wars and atrocities associated with religion” – none of which they correctly understand.
Does the growing number of atheists make their belief in “No God” more likely to be true? Does atheism make for added opportunities to live amid more immorality yet with some comfort? The real question is, are these prominent reasons why people choose atheism. That is wide-acceptance and comfort in lifestyle. I do not know, and like most things related to atheism, it does not matter. If you are stuck in atheism, you are not a simple acceptance of God away from the heaven, but you have a lot to overcome to be successful in life. God will not, cannot force you to follow Him or will those designated to preach the gospel. Those “in Christ” preach the word, that is their mission. The truth will move people, or it won’t.
There are many people who are not atheist, and not members of the many false religions but do claim they believe in God, often believe in Jesus and claim a personal relationship. That relationship is informal that is, not accompanied with some religious group. So, we have three classes of people namely atheists, those associated with false religion and those not associated with a formal group but through their belief in God and/or Christ envision heaven in their future. None of these will be acceptable! In fact all three are a very long way from what God requires to be successful.
You Can Understand Human Suffering as Consistent with God’s Purpose
First, we have stated God’s purpose for creation of humankind as providing a way to share in the Divine Nature. We also understand that God cannot accept those for heaven who are not worthy – thus there needs to be a test. He needs perfect persons, or we might say sin-free. Since all sin and fall short of the glory of God, He provides a way of reconciliation – sins forgiven. Nothing God has done is very complicated, humankind’s changes to the word of God, in effect make the scriptures of no value. “Christian so-called” religions have changed it significantly. Atheism in many ways is an outgrowth or by-product of the god-less RELIGIONS.
As you consider God’s purpose and His requirements for those who achieve success, it might be obvious that it will require free will decision-making. It might also be obvious that worship cannot be forced. Would it be meaningful worship if God forced people to worship Him? It would seem to be the opposite and if you understand God, worship must be in spirit and truth (John 4.24). This means it is limited to those who are spiritual that is, they have already demonstrated their free-will choice to obey God. They have been added to the body of Christ by the Lord Himself. The truth component of worship is doing what God directs to honor Him. That means doing what He defines as worship and not doing worship “your way.” Paul, for instance defined what worship IS NOT to the Athenians in Acts 17.
Acts 17.24-27
24 “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.
25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.
26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
To fulfill His purpose God placed limits on Himself and one of those was to relinquish control of His creation (humankind). We call it free will and as a result people make choices that define their success or failure. It is easy to see how people make selfish choices, cruel choices and others are frequently hurt. As the picture becomes clear we can see how in the process, human suffering becomes part of the “landscape.” There is a strong tie between sin (choice) and suffering. We also mentioned things from nature that bring human suffering and seemingly independent of people’s interaction, such as disease and weather. Again, it is not targeted, but suffering occurs, and I do not exactly know why. However, earth was never meant to be a permanent place for souls, but just the stage for God’s test. God gives life and takes life, and some will suffer, and all will die in the process of life. Of course, there is a normal lifetime built into humanity as part of the test. Life includes a slow process of aging leading to natural death and there is usually quite a bit of suffering in that lifetime process. We might equate suffering with evil and that is true if brought by people’s words or actions. In other cases, suffering is a consequence of factors in the creation and aging is one of those consequences. Here is what is important and that is, it is not important that we know the why’s of everything, but that we follow God’s directives leading to a place where there will be no suffering. Just maybe, suffering is a factor in getting people to seek no suffering – seek God. God allows suffering and God’s children see suffering in its correct context. Atheists use suffering to say God does not exist by the most prejudicial and illogical means like saying God is either unable to stop suffering or God is cruel to allow suffering. What they are really saying is, “I am making the rules for God, God must be the way I envision Him to be.” Certainly, such people do not understand God’s purpose or His superiority or that He is the absence of evil. In simple terms the atheist logic declares, God is evil if He allows suffering. That could be wrong and in fact is wrong. God most certainly understands the reality of suffering and does not bring it, but within His purpose it is a consequence. Suffering is certainly a part of the PERFECT test and it reveals a great deal about people, their character as they personally endure suffering or as they observe the suffering of others.
Note: There is another context of suffering used in the scriptures and it is “suffering as a Christian” but the application is only to children of God. That suffering has eternal value, whereas other suffering does not. If you break your leg that suffering has no spiritual value. This is explained in http://heavencoach.com/human-suffering/
Those who are sons of God are not foolishly questioning God, but understand His righteousness, His perfection. The world independent of God’s revelation will not get suffering right. It is interesting that people can reject God in their lives and when something bad happens turn to God and expect help. If there is no relief then they blame God and move further away. God does not hear the unrighteous and they are the ones who are not children of God via a relationship with Jesus. So, if in desperation an ungodly person prays to God, they will not be heard. Their prayer may seem to be answered if the situation improves, but it was not God, but just the natural course of things. The worst thing about an apparent answered prayer may be that the person believes they have a relationship with God and continue to live the same way. It would seem easy to understand suffering in God’s created world as related to free will and suffering as the body deteriorates in a God limited human existence. These two things seem intimately associated with God’s plan to achieve His purpose. Some diseases are associated with humankind’s association with sin. I do not know how many, but likely more than we might think. If we ask, why did God create things we refer to as natural disasters that often bring so much suffering? Was God evil in having these things in creation? God created the oceans and people drown in them – is God evil in this regard? It is fair to say no! A ship sinks in the ocean and many lose their lives. Is God evil – fair to say no. People fight wars, and many are killed – is God to be blamed – No. God put things in motion at creation and invariably there will be good and bad outcomes – but it is not God’s intention to do anything except help humankind succeed – eternally. The subject of human suffering can be as simple as described here or if one wants to go deeper there is one more observation that might help. Namely, that God basically does not interfere with the things of the world at least not in any very distinct or visible way. In the days prior to sometime before the end of the first century, God did interfere – here are some examples of how and why.
1) During the time after the sin of Adam and Eve, God did various things to assure Jesus would come as He indicated through the seed of Abraham.
2) During the time of Christ on earth, Jesus did various miracles to demonstrate who He was and validate the message of the coming kingdom.
3) Beginning with the first Pentecost after the death of Jesus until some time just before the end of the first century, the Holy Spirit worked with the apostles and some others (who the apostles laid hands on) to confirm the word of God that was being delivered.
4) Since that time in the later part of first century God has no reason to interfere and He does not. We do not see God providing supernatural “events” in any way. Prayers can be answered for those who have a relationship with God, but these will not be “spectacular” things. Why, because God explains we have that which is perfect and those things that are in-part (the confirming things) are done, ceased. The word of God and nothing else will provide the reason people will choose to follow God.
Understanding God and Then You Can Understand Suffering Better, Life Better
So, suffering exists as part of God’s plan. It is a natural consequence of free will and free will is a necessary part of the test to determine who is worthy. God does not force people to act certain ways as nothing would be revealed about them – no way to differentiate. Again, someone might argue that God who can do anything, could do the test without suffering playing part. That would seem to be true but is not. In fact, to make the test valid, God had to limit Himself. There is something about God’s perfection that requires the test to happen just exactly as it is proceeding. I do not understand this as it is not revealed. However, God cannot share His Divine Nature with those who are less than perfect. Less than perfect means they have sin. Therefore, it required a perfect substitute that would cover the sin permanently. God could then be reconciled with each person according to THEIR RESPONSE to what God had done to provide forgiveness of their sins. When they comply, the Lord Himself adds them to His body (His spiritual church). Now, these persons are reconciled and can even approach the Father through their advocate, Jesus. Any of these people can lose that relationship with God if sin reenters their life. Also, they can pray God that He MAY forgive the sin.
No doubt those who do not understand God will say He was evil to destroy those (likely millions of souls) in the days of Noah. Indeed, God determined to destroy all but eight souls in the days of Noah. Does this make God evil? No, but God responded to evil. At the end of time, He will be responding to evil and the numbers do not matter. The differentiation will be sin as it was referred to by God in the days of Noah as, “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
Genesis 6.5,6
5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
This is why we say, LIFE IS ABOUT THE SOUL AND NOTHING ELSE. Specifically, life is about the very personal battle between YOU and SIN and “hanging in the balance” is your soul.
If you think this is wrong look at Mark 8.35,36 and Luke 12.13-21 to see what God considers your life to be about.
Also consider 2 Corinthians and how God explains the relative value of physical versus spiritual.
2 Corinthians 4.16-18
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
This letter to those in Christ at the church in Corinth reveals some important spiritual information in relation to the physical existence. There is encouragement and there is truth. You can live your life as an atheist and never understand these simple things that are truth. First, you are obviously headed towards death, but “in Christ” your inward spiritual man/woman is being renewed day by day. You are eternal and as you grow in the grace and knowledge of God, you realize you are closing in on something much better.
Second, that a better place is worth the afflictions you might be suffering, and God refers to it as a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
Thirdly, God clarifies all human life with the correct perspective saying the things you see are temporary and the things you do not see are eternal. Essentially everything physical will be gone and all that will be left is the unseen, spiritual eternal things such as your soul, God, heaven and its dreaded counterpart. The word of God remains, as God indicated that heaven and earth will pass away, but not His word. Even the works therein will be destroyed. What you did, what you accomplished are all gone – you will be no different than anyone else. The thing that remains in the mind of God is the good and evil you did and on that you will be judged. There are many verses that are consistent and tie all this together such as:
John 12.48
48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.
2 Peter 3.10-12
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
1 Thessalonians 4.15-17
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
In atheism, you remain ignorant of these truths that you WILL experience. As a Catholic or Protestant or other world religion your “supposed benefactors” have so changed the truth such that you are ignorant of the correct meaning and seriousness of these things. Specifically, you are unaware of how to establish a relation with Christ and maintain it. The cost to the atheist and person of religion are the same, their souls.
In dealing with God, we need to realize that God gives life and God takes life. God is being treated as a human when God is blamed for taking life. I cannot explain human suffering perfectly, but I do understand it is related to God’s purpose and for one thing related to free choice. At the same time there is no reason to believe there is any evil in God just as I understand God’s love and God’s justice are not contradictory. Evil is the exact opposite of God and in His goodness, He is perfect. This is something you learn as you grow in knowledge of God through His revelation. God is the reason for your existence and wants you to succeed and has done His part in providing a way to overcome your problem with sin. Sin is the very thing that will keep you from being successful. Somehow human suffering, the fear of the Lord and the consequence of failure play a part helping you to succeed. One person will respond negatively to these things and another will embrace them as positive, albeit difficult. This is the test and your choices will determine your ultimate destination.
We will always fall short of perfect understanding, however the better we understand God as He has revealed himself the better we will understand the things of life correctly. That better understanding will help us to live better, more closely aligned with God and what should be our goal of heaven. As people contemplate the horrors of hell and make it a reason to remove God from their lives, I can’t help but think that there is only one real horror. It is simply this, being absent from God. Apparently, that is best described to physical beings in terms of physical horror. The anguish will include your choice to reject God and all He offered for the slightest of pleasure. The nonsense of atheism and the nonsense religion that helped you to find a solid path to failing in life will be a wonderment. You ought to understand that you cannot believe your fellow atheists or your non-fellow persons of religion, but there is truth and if you love truth you can find it.
You Have a Free Will, But No Choice in Being Born, No Choice in Participating in the Test
You will be tested in relation to God’s rules and found to succeed or fail. Adam and Eve were the first to miss the mark and in that process many events were initiated that eventually led to Christ. Sin ushered in human suffering. God so indicated by telling Adam and Eve of the difficulties ahead. This was in stark contrast to the life they had lived without need, without suffering.
Genesis 3.16,17
16 To the woman He said:
“I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception;
In pain you shall bring forth children;
Your desire shall be for your husband,
And he shall rule over you.”
17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:
“Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
So, here you are and in relation to your existence you had no choice. You live in a world where there is suffering and there can be joy. You have an opportunity to succeed and good reasons to work to achieve this wonderful end that contains none of the difficulties of the present life. This is a powerful incentive, but in every lifetime, there are things pulling you to live for all you can have NOW. There are things that can make you bitter and consequently that can encourage you to reject God, even His existence. Indeed, we live in a test, a very challenging test. God’s purpose will be fulfilled in you one way or another.
The Same Solution for All
It might seem that there needs to be a separate message for each group of non-believers whether Catholic or Protestant or Atheist or the many others. However, there is just one message for all. It is the gospel message. Heaven Coach and Catholic Questions in its many topics points out the errors of those indoctrinated into the various religions and the atheist belief with the idea of helping. Again, all people need is the gospel message indicating the truth and not disputing every false teaching. The deep concern I have is that I might mislead people in the process of disputing various teachings. Certainly, in the scriptures there is an effort by the children of God to help people to move away from teachings contrary to the word of God. To avoid misleading, I always point to God’s word as truth and my work as HELP getting to and living the truth. I realized that the error in the world was so “consuming” and sometimes so overwhelming in its pressures that people did need something to hold on to. The scriptures are that thing and if I could help a person to get there it would be valuable. Remove the changes to God’s message and God’s word shines brightly. It is quite simple to teach the gospel message, but it takes high skills to overturn the complicated doctrines of humankind. God’s children follow the admonition – preach the word. They also work to hone their ability to help people move away from error by being able to give an answer to those seeking truth. The world as always is the nemesis to truth and thus to the souls of every person so indoctrinated. God makes this point repeatedly as in first John.
1 John 2.15-17
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Notice how at the beginning of this page we pointed out the similarities in the nature of error between religions and atheists – both pretty much fall into the same traps, both become strong advocates for their version of the truth. As mentioned, there is no need to have a scientific discussion with an atheist just as it is not necessary to debate the validity of a pope with Catholics or the “accepting of Jesus as personal Savior” for Protestants. They all need what God provided to succeed – the gospel message – the truth! The confusion is so great among these distinctly different atheists and persons of religion that they confuse each other.
Atheists are Totally in the Dark
Living without the truth from God means you are left to your imagination or you accept the imagination of others. Let’s look at this common atheist objection of God’s severity (punishment) and include the human suffering arguments. The scriptures point to a final punishment for the “lost” and apparently God allows suffering, and this infuriates many. We point out it is very wrong to judge God based on these things as though He is a man. If you have some interest in truth you might want to understand God’s purpose and come to a better understanding of God. God graciously obliges you with these things in scripture. The bible correctly points out God’s love and God’s justice. It is God’s justice that seems to worry so many and enough so to place it out of their minds and the easiest way is to deny God exists. God does not hide this justice but exposes it in the most dramatic ways. The thing that is often missed is God’s intensity about the seriousness of being lost. In bible terms it is called dying in sin. The severity that many people have in mind is VERY MILD compared to those who understand God’s message. People do not like the fear aspect of God’s word, but it is consistent throughout the word of God.
God places fear of the Lord as the starting point for knowledge that comes from God.
Proverbs 1.7
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Solomon begins asking God for wisdom and becomes the wisest of men. However, eventually that wisdom gives way to lust and pride. Finally, finally he realizes everything is vanity, grasping at the wind and concludes with what is really important and the only thing that matters.
Ecclesiastes 12.13,14
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
Solomon has simplified life for those who want to succeed, and it is all about God. None of Solomon’s riches or pleasures or power have any meaning, any lasting value. Solomon knows that there will be a judgment and it will be perfect bringing everything into account.
Below from Proverbs is God’s perspective for those who reject Him, really reject His Son. These verses may serve to turn you away from God, but you will still face God’s wrath if you do so. On the other hand, for some they will become more serious about the truth about living right. In this last age that means living for Christ and the gospel as opposed to living for yourself.
Proverbs 1.24-30
24 This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
25 Because you disdained all my counsel,
And would have none of my rebuke,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your terror comes,
27 When your terror comes like a storm,
And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the LORD,
30 They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.
As the scriptures point out, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10.31). God really wants you to take life seriously and all you have is your short lifetime. Even for those who are children of God, they are told to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. Paul, when bringing the word of God to the people said he was driven knowing the terror of the Lord.
God indicates that if you reject Him it will be due to pride and as the scriptures indicate that comes before the fall. Your fall may be disliking the God of the bible because He is threatening, and you could never succumb to such a God. God is right (always) you will fall because of pride and it is the worst kind of pride since you place your high standards, your ways above God’s. Therefore, we emphasize you work on understanding God as He has revealed Himself. If you did that you might see God as seriously telling you very personally He wants you to succeed and share in His Divine Nature. If God is threatening then being perfect, having delivered the perfect word of God means His methods are not only best, but are perfect to fulfill his purpose.
Death Bed Salvation – Unlikely if not Impossible
Did you ever wonder if an atheist on his/her dying bed prays to God, admitting he/she was NEVER really sure? All they had was a hope of no God. They might say not enough evidence, but certainly also not enough evidence there was no God. Perhaps they die being faithful to their atheist belief, really to their personal pride? Every person ought to know that their attempts as they are about to pass to align with God will not be enough. How could I possibly know? Because, the gospel message requires your obedience to have your past sins forgiven and then continued faithfulness. God knows your heart and cannot be fooled that is why you are added to the body of Christ by the Lord Himself. Atheists, Catholics, and Protestants and all the other worldly religions have a lot in common since none will be saved and on their death bed they will have no idea of what they should do. God’s expectations for those with whom He will share His Divine Nature are quite high and revealed in the scriptures. A faithful person in the body of Christ can reach God in prayer and does have some opportunity to complete his/her devotion, make a request or perhaps receiving forgiveness if there is a concern (as only a child of God can) before they pass. God has carefully, accurately delivered what you need and if not changed you will know what to do, how to live and where you are headed. There are no last moment salvation’s and the scriptures emphasize “today is the day of salvation” because life is short.
Here are Two Verses That Can Help You Succeed in Life
Take Them Seriously
These verses are to get you on the road to heaven and stay there. The first one Jeremiah 29.13 is something every person needs. You need to seek God and with all your heart. As an atheist, how much time do you spend searching for God? Obviously, it should not be a surprise that you live your life and never find Him. You should not casually accept there is no God.
Jeremiah 29.13
13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
The atheist is seeking to show, believe that there is no God and that is very exceedingly far from one seeking to find God with all their heart. Basically, God wants you to seek Him and as Paul indicated, He is not far from any of us. As one might expect the atheists dig a deeper and deeper hole convincing themselves that there is no God. The last thing they will do is seek God and so we see the futility of the atheist life – they create a certain bad ending for themselves.
The second verse needs to be there at the beginning of your search and then throughout your life.
Matthew 23.12
12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
It takes a humble person to accept God’s way and then after becoming a child of God to remain a humble servant. If you can come to grips with God and His purpose, you can understand how this one verse describes the atheist and false religionist as failing due to the same fundamental problem. They exalt themselves instead of God – if they were teaching the truth they would be exalting God. The reward for teaching truth is that you will be exalted. It requires a humble person to come to the truth that is, to accept God’s way over their own and in that humble condition they understand God.
Atheists Dilemma
The atheist’s dilemma has them trapped and for instance by science as they claim the evidence for organic evolution is overwhelming. They might say look at all the facts, the proof, the fossil record and on and on. God created humankind just as He indicated and there is no need for a person to spend their life studying the science of organic evolution – you need to be some PhD with a lifetime of study of such things. It would be illogical and very unfair to think that very person had to have an advanced degree in biological sciences and one in astrological sciences in order to sort out the meaning of life. God made it quite easy, “In the beginning God!” He simply speaks things into existence and that is infinitely beyond the puny science of humankind and for a very good reason. So, science in their proud proclamations confuse the world with things they truly do not understand. Life is not about this life, or about figuring out how we got here, but about seeking God. Life is about the soul, where you spend eternity. The evolutionists spend their life in defense of their belief and never learn the things they need to know to succeed in life. Once again, God will get those He wants and as result of their own choices.
Atheists Dilemma
Of course, by definition atheists don’t believe there is a God. However, typically they are not very certain of this, but hide their deepest belief or at least concern that there may be a God. You can see their concern as they say something like if I die and find out there is a God, I will ask Him why, “such and such.” There are usually a dozen different things they would like to ask God. They would ask why He was so hidden or why did He create this huge universe and only use this spec called earth for His test. Everyone including the most ardent atheist sees the magnificence and intricacy “of everything” and has doubts this could happen randomly – from nothing. Atheists are fooled by their observations of religion, and their desire to live a life without rules and certainly without threats. These things taint their logic and limit their ability to “get it right.”
There are great similarities between atheists and those who are associated with religion. Here are some of the similarities:
• Both want to believe they are right and a majority of each actually believe they have figured out life. However, with one small exception neither have it right.
• Both can be very aggressive in the defense of their beliefs.
• In general, both look at the other as ignorant or misguided or prideful or in serious need of THEIR truth.
• Both tend to believe the other is dangerous to the rest of the world.
• Both have fallen prey to many lies, much deceit from those who came before them. That is, the originators/supporters of their beliefs sometimes from many centuries before.
• Both have problems with thinking (miss the obvious) and tend to be overly emotional about their beliefs.
• Both have been strongly indoctrinated, but believe they have figured life out all by themselves – maybe with a little help
• Both love other things more than they love the truth
• Both have leadership characterized by giant egos and that affects others to be similar
The “Christian so-called” dilemma has been addressed at another page called “Apologists the Art of the Lie.” On that page some of the things discussed here are addressed briefly as atheist apologists are mentioned. On that page Catholic and Protestant religions are discussed in relation to their validity. Specifically, Catholics and Protestants are distant from God to the point their religions have no value. Atheists have found support for their no-God conclusion from these various religions of the world. The atheist perspective would be clearer, albeit weaker if they understood that these religions have no association with God and never have. Often one of the no-God arguments is related to the cruelty of religions and they associate many (if not all) of the wars directly with religion. They would largely be correct, but very wrong to think such religions have an association with God. This will be explained on this page as it is throughout the word of God. Just as prominent in the philosophy of the atheist is the support from science. Many in science are atheists largely because their focus is on a no-God answer to our existence. Also, many in science are atheists (or lean toward atheism) because they think that is the professional stance they need to be part of the “scientific community” or to progress. Indeed, as time has passed science has greatly improved via technology. People are more confident in “scientific conclusions” and their explanation can overwhelm the non-scientist. Although the technology allows better science, science is no closer to understanding existence.
Despite the detailed deceit carefully organized the advocates who follow the “invented” doctrines seldom understand what is being taught but they like the conclusion. We end up people who know little and express themselves often in cliches. Science and history can be complicated and easily twisted and advocates do not care. This is where God points to those who love the truth as those who will succeed.
Thinking is Missing in the Science of “Beginnings”
Thinking should rule in science, but strangely is not present in the scientific mind of people in the realm of “beginnings.” The same can be said for religion – they are not thinking. They are ruled by what they want to believe. Thinking is more than having thoughts but is creative and thorough and to be effective in arriving at the truth, it needs to be free of prejudice. The scientist really does not know the truth about origins/existence, but still portrays the best they can do as the truth. This will never end, but there will always be the new theory, which once again becomes what is taught and believed. The atheists love the things that support what they want, so do religionists. Here is where science “misses the boat” or stops thinking. It is the same place (only different in character) where religions miss the point. They miss out on the truth. Truth is something that needs to be loved and more so than what we currently believe. There are those who will accept no less than the truth even when it is painful. God says it is necessary for salvation and that should not be surprising since He provided a means to share in the Divine Nature, but only one path. Other human-devised paths do not produce the desired result. Jesus referred to Himself as the Way, the Truth and the Life and that there was no other way “to succeed.” These are the reasons those who change the word of God or follow after the changed word of God will not succeed. One short verse summarizes this requirement of truth, “and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
Responsible, Thinking, Honest Science Would Offer a Different Perspective
Science would be OK, if they said THIS is what we know. THIS is what we theorize but we really have no concrete evidence that supports a no-God conclusion. All of science’s research into a non-God existence has been thought-provoking and pays a lot of salaries and created an industry and an academic classification. It seems to me that science even though limited in their ability (to be discussed) should see God the more they investigate, the better their tools. Interestingly, a high percentage of scientists are not privately atheists, but publicly will wear that tag at times. Some are very much like Einstein and cannot logically see existence happening without intelligence, and like Einstein never believed in a “moral” God. Einstein may have been the first of many scientists to indicate he had questions for God when that time arrived. As it turns science does know the likelihood of our existence from random events and it appears to be impossible even given all their use of time (billions of years) and the size of the universe (increasing the possibility that some where life could happen). Amazingly, the more science learns the more likely they see the need for intelligence in the design. Unfortunately, people must live by their stated belief due to pride. Even the most ardent atheist like Stephen Hawking finally faced with the unlikelihood of existence without an intelligent designer “changed his tune.” He would indicate that he believed he could make a case for design without God despite the apparent need for intelligence. Wow, that is quite a concession, but the correct view because intelligence is apparent. Of course, he did have an alternate “no-God” explanation. Unfortunately, the world and young children are not taught the real concerns, assumptions and motives of the “no-God” scientists.
The scientific explanations of how everything came into being and the occurrence of living things is all wrong. Even Darwin, knew of the short comings of his theory and wrote about them. Darwin’s theories left many gaps but were highly desirable possibilities and sadly received wide acceptance. Today, people look at Big-Bang and Darwinism as fact and children are taught these as truth. It is amazing how many people make statements in relation to our existence saying things like, “we all know that – it’s a proven fact.” Science and of course all the people who want “Big Bang and Darwinism” to be true, like the liberal godless media are to be blamed for promoting something so destructive and deceitful. It is awful for society from a truth standpoint, from a moral standpoint, from a knowledge standpoint and of course from an eternal standpoint.
The Scriptures Provide Answers for All Those Who Love the Truth
Regardless if you are a religionist or an atheist, people respectively reject God’s rules (which can be difficult to accept) or reject God entirely based on different aspects of the scriptures. Perhaps the most common difficulties with the scriptures are the teachings on what is wrong (sin) and subsequently punished.
Now, I will provide you something to consider if you are an atheist as the reason you should re-consider your belief. I have heard people say, you ought to believe in God because you have nothing to lose. If there is no God, then you were right but out of existence. However, if God exists and is the God of the bible then you will pay a terrible price. That logic is nonsense! This is not the reason you should believe in God and in fact you might as well remain an atheist. A person needs to seek God, find and obey Him for the reasons He provides and remain faithful throughout their life.
The deep root cause for rejecting God (and we mean the God of the bible, because indeed GOD is the God of the bible) is that people do not understand God and His purpose. You need to understand God’s purpose as He revealed it and then you can understand the creation He devised to accomplish His purpose. This section could almost be as long as the bible itself, but that would require a life time of work. To speak of the bible, it is essential that the writer understand God’s teachings correctly. One way to do that is to be sure that what is taught is consistent with ALL scripture and because it is from God that can be done. In other words, all things fit perfectly together. So, when stating God’s purpose, it is in view of all scripture. It is consistent with God’s intent for our understanding – consistent with GOD’S PURPOSE.
God’s purpose concisely stated is to allow people to be partakers of the Divine Nature. Although He wants all to realize this outcome, He knows and tells humankind that FEW will achieve it.
2 Peter 3.9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that ANY should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Matthew 7.13,14
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are FEW who find it.
This is because He is looking for and requires perfect persons. He knows this is not possible and reveals that all miss the mark (sin, fall short of perfection). God defines sin and it is integral to achieving His purpose. We might say integral to His test. Since perfection (no sin) is impossible, God provides a solution, a covering for sin in the person of His Son.
Life turns out to be a test that defines those who will participate in the Divine Nature – we can call that practically, heaven. How will the test be designed and who are those who will be tested? God begins by creating something called TIME as a critical element of His purpose. God’s tells us a lot about life in a short verse in Titus.
Titus 1.2
2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began
This is fascinating. If you understand this short verse and you know it fits perfectly with all scripture then you have something very powerful in your life. You have:
- The hope of heaven from God
- You have the assurance God cannot lie
- You know that time was a creation from God
The fact that God cannot lie makes everything in the scriptures very critical. All disputers of the scriptures or parts of the scriptures like to ask, “what interpretation is right, how can I know?” It is very much like saying the way God describes the creation cannot be right. We just cannot understand how God did it, so how can we say it is right or not right. We can say it is right because it is God and it makes sense although not consistent with our science as might be expected. We can say it is right because God’s word is perfect and fits perfectly together – but that will take some effort for a person to understand. God tells us that heaven and earth will pass away, but His words will not.
Matthew 24.35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
God has delivered the truth and people love to change it and yet we have the truth. Those who study the scriptures can easily identify the changes made by humankind because they will not be consistent with God’s intent/purpose and will not fit together perfectly with all scripture.
Obviously, atheists and the religions of the world envision God their way. Atheists seek support that there is an answer to existence OTHER than an intelligent creator. Religionists see God and the scriptures different than the apparent meaning from scripture and change scripture (usually by making rules that conflict with scripture) to fit their version of God. They are thinking of God as a person and He most certainly is not. Since they do not understand God’s purpose and what He has revealed about Himself and His plan they might say, “this is what God meant here.” God, however means what He says. A key element of God’s plan included delivering his word by inspiration and having that message come down through the centuries as a written word. In this last age after the word was confirmed and God refers to it as that which is perfect – all we have is the written word. I do not know of anything that causes more of a problem for people than having only the written word. It is possible to devise all sorts of issues with God’s method and the list would be very long and include as mentioned the correct interpretation, the possible errors made by human writers, the purposeful changes made by men and women, the various translations and on and on. Yet God’s word is perfect and it was delivered exactly as He designed, perfectly. It seems to cause problems for people looking for problems. We might say problems for the wisdom of the wise and for the prudent. The root cause of the problem is they do not like the message from God for hundreds of different reasons. On the other hand those who can humble themselves and succeed in life respond to the word of God of their own free will. As mentioned, the word of God is perfect in conversion, whereas people always want more, signs, miracles and even when they get them like Pharaoh it seldom helps. Jesus provided miracles indicating who He was and yet the Jews murdered Him. It would be a significant breakthrough if you come to understand that God’s word is perfect and the way it has been delivered is also perfect in terms of achieving His purpose.
God is Not Hiding His Superiority
The ten plagues of Egypt: God is superior and let’s the Pharaoh and Egypt know.
Exodus 9:14
14 for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth.
This is very much like today inasmuch as God reveals all that humankind needs to know, but in their stubbornness, they reject God’s way. Pharaoh could have seen in the first plague that the God of Moses was God, but even after nine more plagues He remained hardened of heart and bitter.
The things obvious in the creation, in our life observations and even in the valid discoveries of science point to our insignificance. We are a speck of existence having a bit of knowledge and yet not in any way as individuals insignificant to God.
Isaiah 55.9
9 “For the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Who should accept what God says as true? Everyone, everyone that wants to go to heaven. If you can do this, then how many times and how often do you need to question God? There will be no need to question God and as a result your knowledge will increase because you are making the best use of your time to understand God as He has presented Himself in the scriptures. God is very definitive; His ways and thoughts are higher than the ways and thoughts of humankind.
God is superior and showed that many times to His chosen people. In the case of the prophets of Baal there is a most dramatic contest and a terrible end for their prophets.
1 Kings 18.38-40
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”
40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there.
Elijah, the prophet of the Lord opposes the 450 prophets of Baal and God demonstrates His power over all the efforts by Baal’s prophets to show that Baal is God. The extent of the defeat in the contest results in the prophets of Baal all being slain. God shows His power, His superiority! People today are either encouraged or antagonized by God’s power. Those antagonized believe God was too harsh and thus not the God they would want. God separates people based on pride and this can be seen in those people needing to have things their way, even God must be as they define Him.
The world comes to believe that humanity has the best answers to life. They very well may be right if indeed God did not exist. Again, God is very direct in pointing out that ultimately, they need to follow God’s way. God is always focused on the “end game” for each person and knows what is needed to succeed.
Jeremiah 10.23
23 O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
If you consider the pure truth of what God reveals here in Jeremiah, you will allow God to lead you. God provided you a free will for the very purpose to allow you to make the right choices. God is saying you cannot make the right choices without His help. If you want to succeed realize it is not in you to direct your own steps. You see God is the one who knows everything including what is best for you, but instead you might trust yourself or some person or some group of people – what do they really know?
Now, if we think that God is a person, we might say He is very uppity, haughty, very arrogant in saying/doing these things. God is the creator and we are the created. We just have no idea of God’s nature unless we understand God as He has revealed Himself. Can you imagine criticizing God? We are infinitely out of HIS league. It turns out God loves His creation and in a way that is beyond our comprehension – except that He has shared how that love was demonstrated in His Son. So, we have a reasonable idea of God’s “unspeakable” love/gift. God can handle all your concerns even though you may not be able to fully understand. For instance, someone might think God cannot be fair to everyone because His rules might cause some to fail. That is true and in fact that is part of the test, but it turns out God will be PERFECTLY JUST in every case. His justice may not seem right to you, but His PERFECT justice is aligned exactly with HIS purpose – not what you think His purpose should be. There is no conflict between God’s love and God’s justice. The more you study about God from His word (and no other place) the better you will understand life. Many believe they have a good heart and God will in some way “get them into heaven.” They would be wrong, you cannot direct your own steps because God has defined the path for your salvation and He cannot lie.
Back to Creation
We started with the creation of TIME as an integral part of God’s purpose. As we look at all scripture we also see the insignificance of time for God. The well-known verse, where God defines a day as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day demonstrates to humankind that time is meaningless to God. To God we might say time is like a book and God sees the beginning and the end and everything in-between. Yes, we cannot understand that concept living in “one-way time world.” Time is the critical element in the scientific explanation of existence and life and yet to the Creator it has no significance. Time is just a chosen tool in His test to fulfill His purpose.
God creates the stage for His purpose and we might call this the heavens and the earth and of course, this includes the billions of universes. All created with a thought – science of course, will never understand this for a very good reason. The most obvious reason is that God’s purpose was not to create a mystery to be solved by humankind regarding, “The HOW” of creation. At best, in the end the efforts to understand “origins” are a distraction from what is really important. The important thing at the center of His creation is YOU. God completed the creation of all physical things and then created living things. Finally, He creates the key element, namely humankind. He designates man as different – different than what? Different than all other living things and refers to His special creation as being in HIS image. Again, if you study the scriptures you can conclude what this means. First, you understand that this does not mean that you look like God. God is a Spirit (John 4.24). He is not physical, although His son will take on a physical nature to fulfill the central event in human history. Each person is in God’s image in three ways and they are:
- They have a unique personality – there is no one else quite like you
- They have an intellect, can be creative and God includes a free will to choose as a central part of His purpose
- Each person has a spirit, they are spiritual, they are eternal
So, here you are a spiritual being locked in a physical body, locked in a physical universe and locked in a time domain. What remains? Of course, your test to determine your worthiness. The test is about you that is, each individual is at war during their lifetime. The war is not between rival gangs, or between countries but very personally between you and sin. It is a spiritual war.
Note: The three things that define each person as being in the image of God are not referenced in one place that says this is what it means to be created in the image of God. Nonetheless, these created in image of God characteristics are either direct statements or necessary inferences. You can glean these things from a thorough study the scriptures by considering how humankind varies from other living things. You might see this somewhat differently, but I have not found that thinking persons with a good knowledge of the scriptures see this much if in any way different.
The creation included all the laws that were necessary for the physical operation of things. We might say the laws of Physics, Chemistry, Thermodynamics, Genetics and on and on. They were built-in and over time humankind would increasingly understand them and use them to their benefit or at times to their destruction. Humankind is limited by them and thus cannot understand things outside the realm of these laws, such as how God creates by “speaking” things into existence or a spiritual existence without time. Again the scientific conclusions involve large amounts of time to explain the existence of things and the existence of life. God is not limited by time and can create the universe instantly. Science in its limitations would have God plant seeds to grow a tree, whereas God could create a tree fully grown appearing to be of any age. He could do the same for the universe – quite simple for Him, but unfathomable for humankind to understand. The things humankind observe in relation to “origins” may or may not be correct in part such as the expanding universe. However, there is no value in knowing such things because they will never explain our beginnings, or will they help a person be successful in life. Science requires time to explain their theories, yet even time is a creation of God and that should bring some humility to the study of science in the area of “origins.” Time was created for humankind and will end as the world and all physical things come to an end. We have a limited lifetime due to our physical bodies and the existence of one-directional time. Our existence is very temporary and is a comparatively archaic existence compared to the spiritual. Our lives are “sort of” spent in the maintenance mode as we require food and water, shelter and we still wear out if not succumbing to some tragedy before our natural end. Despite all the efforts to “get all we can out of life” there is seldom any relief. The more we gain the more concern we have of losing it. To live without God is to live without hope and we need God, we need the truth and yet FEW will seek, find, obey and be faithful to the creator. Instead, people will choose the temporary pleasures and indeed they are very temporary. God knows our difficulties and tells us what is available “in Christ.” Consider what God says in human terms about the next existence for His children.
Revelation 21.4
4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed
On one hand you have God explaining creation in a very understandable sequence, except the “technical how” is not comprehensible within our physical laws and cannot be understood and thus not explained. It is also important to say (again) that understanding the creation is not important as well as not being possible (in our limitations). Science with its limited ability tries to explain existence although without the tools to do so. A person might see from what God has delivered that there is no way to say there is no God, because by definition, God is far above humankind, that is why He is God. So, why do people say there is no God? How could they in their limitations possibly know that? By observation the opposite is true. We see the intricacy and how everything fits together in the physical sense (like spin of planets and millions of things of that nature) and how everything fits perfectly together in the scriptures defining the spiritual. There is design everywhere and it is exceedingly complex and yet people have concluded this all just happened from “nothing.” This seems to me is one reason God says, “the fool has said in His heart, there is no God.”
Why Do So Many Miss the Simple Truth From God?
God has made it quite clear to humankind that He can be seen in the world around them.
Romans 1.20
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse
Jesus pointed to Isaiah in explaining that people see and hear what they want. He was being very critical of people who were not taking seriously what was being taught. It is their hearts that betray them. That is, the deep things they want and desire and thus they in effect never see or hear anything in opposition to what they want. We might say those things are “not in their hearing or seeing.”
Matthew 13.13-16
13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;
This verse explains atheism as well as all the false religions as very simply, PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY WANT and in shutting out everything else they become very certain they are right to their own destruction.
God provides more insight into this phenomena of shutting out things that oppose what a person currently believes. Specifically, He indicates how people reject the preaching of the cross – the single thing most needed for their success.
God gives insight into the reasons people will not accept what they see and hear in the scriptures. These turn out to be things related to people’s attitudes. Pride and selfishness are two of the primary reasons for their “blindness.” He also emphasizes two things that “muddy the waters” to the point the outcome is confusion. He does this when pointing out how people see the preaching of the cross as foolishness by those who are failing in life. There are two categories of people that characterize missing the gospel message. Namely, the WISDOM OF THE WISE and the PRUDENT who view God’s word as something to be deeply studied instead of accepted for what it says. Interesting, these two things should be great helps, namely wisdom and prudent thinking and yet they are condemned. It is the wisdom of the wise or to better define, the wisdom of the proud in what they have come to believe and will not let go – it is their stubbornness. God’s plan requires the opposite, namely humility because you need to accept His way. Likewise, prudent thinking is a very good thing in most cases as one ponders to make the best decision. The prudent try to get all the facts, study from different perspectives. God is NOT a person, He is the creator, perfect in every way and there is no need to filter the word of God. You can and should understand God’s message fits perfectly together and you can and should handle it correctly. Those who prudently dissect it and create new doctrines fall back to exactly what God condemns – adding to and taking away from the word of truth.
1 Corinthians 1.18,19
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
God Has Not Changed or Will He Change
God, being perfect has no need or reason to change. The changes that God has made in reference to humankind do not mean He has changed, but simply that this was ALWAYS the plan. God has dealt with humankind differently over time and as you might imagine those changes are related to His singular purpose. The way He dealt with Adam and Eve, Noah, and Abraham was very direct. Then with others through His prophets and there was the law of Moses and finally the law of Christ. Everything from creation has been playing out until the end comes according to His singular plan. His character is the same – perfect in every way.
God’s word is not open to change because in these “modern times” there needs to be adjustments. God’s word is perfect for all time and provides humankind the answer (what to do, how to live) for success – those answers will not change.
Note: You can identify false religions by their willingness to change to meet the “modern times.” Of course, there are many other ways to identify false religions and many are discussed at “Heaven Coach.”
The creation for God was simple and accomplished His purpose in providing the stage for the test. Today and throughout history, humankind can focus on trying to figure out how and why they exist OR gain that basic understanding from God’s word and devote themselves to seeking God, truth and living as directed to eventually participate in the Divine Nature. The scientific conclusions in relation to origins have not progressed humankind one iota, but the opposite. Life is about the soul and generations who have accepted the ever-changing scientific conclusions/theories have become less likely to accept God. At “10,000 feet” the world looks like the time of Noah before the flood OR like Sodom and Gomorrah, OR like the idolatry in the time of Elijah and on and on as immorality, unethical behavior and lying are commonplace. One would be right to say evil has always been present to different degrees at different times. During this authors lifetime evil has progressed to include the acceptance of killing babies, open indecency, vile language, immorality especially as related to homosexuality, lying as a normal mode of life, cruelty everywhere and the depravity is ever-increasing. A nation cannot withstand this onslaught and the associated and driving factor is the rejection of God. Nonetheless, the battle remains between each person and sin. All the surrounding immoral and unethical behavior only makes winning your personal war more difficult. The test has never been easy and those wanting to achieve heaven will not let the world stand in their way but will live godly lives.
You do not have to argue God’s existence with science, because in the area of origins science is not capable of getting the right answer to HOW. Instead, what is the appropriate place for the science of origins? I would say if there was value it would be reporting facts, testing theories as much as possible and if done well the conclusion would be a creator. It has not happened because this is not the answer people WANT!
Atheists and Those of the World’s Religions are Hard to Distinguish
Now, lets look at another prominent atheist issue with religion. It is an issue with religion and mostly not with God’s existence, although atheists fail to differentiate. Again, atheist unfamiliarity with the scriptures, which usually only includes a great deal of hearsay and picking and choosing verses here and there has contributed to their faulty perception. The atheist problem is the same as the person of religion even though that person might have a broad, studied background in the scriptures they do not have a love of the truth. Consequently, they as well as much less studied atheist do not understand the message. The love of the truth is a very singular thing and has no room for, what I currently believe or what I want to believe because those things cloud the truth. You end up with a mix of truth and error, which is error. The issue here is the evil of religion. God is the absence of evil and if you study the scriptures, the character of God is revealed. People can find places in the scripture to attribute evil to God. Here are a couple of examples:
1) Nadab and Abihu – God strikes the sons of Aaron dead for their use of a profane or strange fire
2) Ananias and Sapphira – They are struck dead for their lies in relation to what they contributed
3) Uzzah – God struck Uzzah dead for touching the Ark of the covenant
4) Achan – Achan and his family destroyed for Achan’s sin of deceit/stealing
No one needs to provide God with an excuse, but you can understand God from what He revealed and then easily see God as the absence of evil. You can also discover why (to a large extent) God took such actions and He provides enough information for such an understanding. If you want to better understand God’s actions in the different “ages” you can go to either or both of the posts mentioned below.
As you might expect God’s plan to achieve His purpose is perfect. People might consider God’s actions in these four cases and others as excessive. Humankind might have said they need a warning or have their hands slapped. Once again, people see God as human and not “as good as themselves.” They also cannot have this be God otherwise they may see themselves receiving the harshest of sentences. What if God means what He says regarding sin and punishment? The incentive to have peace of mind as people go about living as they please is sufficient reason to close their minds to anything opposing their beliefs. Atheism appears to have a basis in, “look at science, look at human suffering, look at the wars and atrocities associated with religion” – none of which they correctly understand.
Does the growing number of atheists make their belief in “No God” more likely to be true? Does atheism make for added opportunities to live amid more immorality yet with some comfort? The real question is, are these prominent reasons why people choose atheism. That is wide-acceptance and comfort in lifestyle. I do not know, and like most things related to atheism, it does not matter. If you are stuck in atheism, you are not a simple acceptance of God away from the heaven, but you have a lot to overcome to be successful in life. God will not, cannot force you to follow Him or will those designated to preach the gospel. Those “in Christ” preach the word, that is their mission. The truth will move people, or it won’t.
There are many people who are not atheist, and not members of the many false religions but do claim they believe in God, often believe in Jesus and claim a personal relationship. That relationship is informal that is, not accompanied with some religious group. So, we have three classes of people namely atheists, those associated with false religion and those not associated with a formal group but through their belief in God and/or Christ envision heaven in their future. None of these will be acceptable! In fact all three are a very long way from what God requires to be successful.
You Can Understand Human Suffering as Consistent with God’s Purpose
First, we have stated God’s purpose for creation of humankind as providing a way to share in the Divine Nature. We also understand that God cannot accept those for heaven who are not worthy – thus there needs to be a test. He needs perfect persons, or we might say sin-free. Since all sin and fall short of the glory of God, He provides a way of reconciliation – sins forgiven. Nothing God has done is very complicated, humankind’s changes to the word of God, in effect make the scriptures of no value. “Christian so-called” religions have changed it significantly. Atheism in many ways is an outgrowth or by-product of the god-less RELIGIONS.
As you consider God’s purpose and His requirements for those who achieve success, it might be obvious that it will require free will decision-making. It might also be obvious that worship cannot be forced. Would it be meaningful worship if God forced people to worship Him? It would seem to be the opposite and if you understand God, worship must be in spirit and truth (John 4.24). This means it is limited to those who are spiritual that is, they have already demonstrated their free-will choice to obey God. They have been added to the body of Christ by the Lord Himself. The truth component of worship is doing what God directs to honor Him. That means doing what He defines as worship and not doing worship “your way.” Paul, for instance defined what worship IS NOT to the Athenians in Acts 17.
Acts 17.24-27
24 “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.
25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.
26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
To fulfill His purpose God placed limits on Himself and one of those was to relinquish control of His creation (humankind). We call it free will and as a result people make choices that define their success or failure. It is easy to see how people make selfish choices, cruel choices and others are frequently hurt. As the picture becomes clear we can see how in the process, human suffering becomes part of the “landscape.” There is a strong tie between sin (choice) and suffering. We also mentioned things from nature that bring human suffering and seemingly independent of people’s interaction, such as disease and weather. Again, it is not targeted, but suffering occurs, and I do not exactly know why. However, earth was never meant to be a permanent place for souls, but just the stage for God’s test. God gives life and takes life, and some will suffer, and all will die in the process of life. Of course, there is a normal lifetime built into humanity as part of the test. Life includes a slow process of aging leading to natural death and there is usually quite a bit of suffering in that lifetime process. We might equate suffering with evil and that is true if brought by people’s words or actions. In other cases, suffering is a consequence of factors in the creation and aging is one of those consequences. Here is what is important and that is, it is not important that we know the why’s of everything, but that we follow God’s directives leading to a place where there will be no suffering. Just maybe, suffering is a factor in getting people to seek no suffering – seek God. God allows suffering and God’s children see suffering in its correct context. Atheists use suffering to say God does not exist by the most prejudicial and illogical means like saying God is either unable to stop suffering or God is cruel to allow suffering. What they are really saying is, “I am making the rules for God, God must be the way I envision Him to be.” Certainly, such people do not understand God’s purpose or His superiority or that He is the absence of evil. In simple terms the atheist logic declares, God is evil if He allows suffering. That could be wrong and in fact is wrong. God most certainly understands the reality of suffering and does not bring it, but within His purpose it is a consequence. Suffering is certainly a part of the PERFECT test and it reveals a great deal about people, their character as they personally endure suffering or as they observe the suffering of others.
Note: There is another context of suffering used in the scriptures and it is “suffering as a Christian” but the application is only to children of God. That suffering has eternal value, whereas other suffering does not. If you break your leg that suffering has no spiritual value. This is explained in http://heavencoach.com/human-suffering/
Those who are sons of God are not foolishly questioning God, but understand His righteousness, His perfection. The world independent of God’s revelation will not get suffering right. It is interesting that people can reject God in their lives and when something bad happens turn to God and expect help. If there is no relief then they blame God and move further away. God does not hear the unrighteous and they are the ones who are not children of God via a relationship with Jesus. So, if in desperation an ungodly person prays to God, they will not be heard. Their prayer may seem to be answered if the situation improves, but it was not God, but just the natural course of things. The worst thing about an apparent answered prayer may be that the person believes they have a relationship with God and continue to live the same way. It would seem easy to understand suffering in God’s created world as related to free will and suffering as the body deteriorates in a God limited human existence. These two things seem intimately associated with God’s plan to achieve His purpose. Some diseases are associated with humankind’s association with sin. I do not know how many, but likely more than we might think. If we ask, why did God create things we refer to as natural disasters that often bring so much suffering? Was God evil in having these things in creation? God created the oceans and people drown in them – is God evil in this regard? It is fair to say no! A ship sinks in the ocean and many lose their lives. Is God evil – fair to say no. People fight wars, and many are killed – is God to be blamed – No. God put things in motion at creation and invariably there will be good and bad outcomes – but it is not God’s intention to do anything except help humankind succeed – eternally. The subject of human suffering can be as simple as described here or if one wants to go deeper there is one more observation that might help. Namely, that God basically does not interfere with the things of the world at least not in any very distinct or visible way. In the days prior to sometime before the end of the first century, God did interfere – here are some examples of how and why.
1) During the time after the sin of Adam and Eve, God did various things to assure Jesus would come as He indicated through the seed of Abraham.
2) During the time of Christ on earth, Jesus did various miracles to demonstrate who He was and validate the message of the coming kingdom.
3) Beginning with the first Pentecost after the death of Jesus until some time just before the end of the first century, the Holy Spirit worked with the apostles and some others (who the apostles laid hands on) to confirm the word of God that was being delivered.
4) Since that time in the later part of first century God has no reason to interfere and He does not. We do not see God providing supernatural “events” in any way. Prayers can be answered for those who have a relationship with God, but these will not be “spectacular” things. Why, because God explains we have that which is perfect and those things that are in-part (the confirming things) are done, ceased. The word of God and nothing else will provide the reason people will choose to follow God.
Understanding God and Then You Can Understand Suffering Better, Life Better
So, suffering exists as part of God’s plan. It is a natural consequence of free will and free will is a necessary part of the test to determine who is worthy. God does not force people to act certain ways as nothing would be revealed about them – no way to differentiate. Again, someone might argue that God who can do anything, could do the test without suffering playing part. That would seem to be true but is not. In fact, to make the test valid, God had to limit Himself. There is something about God’s perfection that requires the test to happen just exactly as it is proceeding. I do not understand this as it is not revealed. However, God cannot share His Divine Nature with those who are less than perfect. Less than perfect means they have sin. Therefore, it required a perfect substitute that would cover the sin permanently. God could then be reconciled with each person according to THEIR RESPONSE to what God had done to provide forgiveness of their sins. When they comply, the Lord Himself adds them to His body (His spiritual church). Now, these persons are reconciled and can even approach the Father through their advocate, Jesus. Any of these people can lose that relationship with God if sin reenters their life. Also, they can pray God that He MAY forgive the sin.
No doubt those who do not understand God will say He was evil to destroy those (likely millions of souls) in the days of Noah. Indeed, God determined to destroy all but eight souls in the days of Noah. Does this make God evil? No, but God responded to evil. At the end of time, He will be responding to evil and the numbers do not matter. The differentiation will be sin as it was referred to by God in the days of Noah as, “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
Genesis 6.5,6
5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
This is why we say, LIFE IS ABOUT THE SOUL AND NOTHING ELSE. Specifically, life is about the very personal battle between YOU and SIN and “hanging in the balance” is your soul.
If you think this is wrong look at Mark 8.35,36 and Luke 12.13-21 to see what God considers your life to be about.
Also consider 2 Corinthians and how God explains the relative value of physical versus spiritual.
2 Corinthians 4.16-18
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
This letter to those in Christ at the church in Corinth reveals some important spiritual information in relation to the physical existence. There is encouragement and there is truth. You can live your life as an atheist and never understand these simple things that are truth. First, you are obviously headed towards death, but “in Christ” your inward spiritual man/woman is being renewed day by day. You are eternal and as you grow in the grace and knowledge of God, you realize you are closing in on something much better.
Second, that a better place is worth the afflictions you might be suffering, and God refers to it as a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
Thirdly, God clarifies all human life with the correct perspective saying the things you see are temporary and the things you do not see are eternal. Essentially everything physical will be gone and all that will be left is the unseen, spiritual eternal things such as your soul, God, heaven and its dreaded counterpart. The word of God remains, as God indicated that heaven and earth will pass away, but not His word. Even the works therein will be destroyed. What you did, what you accomplished are all gone – you will be no different than anyone else. The thing that remains in the mind of God is the good and evil you did and on that you will be judged. There are many verses that are consistent and tie all this together such as:
John 12.48
48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.
2 Peter 3.10-12
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
1 Thessalonians 4.15-17
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
In atheism, you remain ignorant of these truths that you WILL experience. As a Catholic or Protestant or other world religion your “supposed benefactors” have so changed the truth such that you are ignorant of the correct meaning and seriousness of these things. Specifically, you are unaware of how to establish a relation with Christ and maintain it. The cost to the atheist and person of religion are the same, their souls.
In dealing with God, we need to realize that God gives life and God takes life. God is being treated as a human when God is blamed for taking life. I cannot explain human suffering perfectly, but I do understand it is related to God’s purpose and for one thing related to free choice. At the same time there is no reason to believe there is any evil in God just as I understand God’s love and God’s justice are not contradictory. Evil is the exact opposite of God and in His goodness, He is perfect. This is something you learn as you grow in knowledge of God through His revelation. God is the reason for your existence and wants you to succeed and has done His part in providing a way to overcome your problem with sin. Sin is the very thing that will keep you from being successful. Somehow human suffering, the fear of the Lord and the consequence of failure play a part helping you to succeed. One person will respond negatively to these things and another will embrace them as positive, albeit difficult. This is the test and your choices will determine your ultimate destination.
We will always fall short of perfect understanding, however the better we understand God as He has revealed himself the better we will understand the things of life correctly. That better understanding will help us to live better, more closely aligned with God and what should be our goal of heaven. As people contemplate the horrors of hell and make it a reason to remove God from their lives, I can’t help but think that there is only one real horror. It is simply this, being absent from God. Apparently, that is best described to physical beings in terms of physical horror. The anguish will include your choice to reject God and all He offered for the slightest of pleasure. The nonsense of atheism and the nonsense religion that helped you to find a solid path to failing in life will be a wonderment. You ought to understand that you cannot believe your fellow atheists or your non-fellow persons of religion, but there is truth and if you love truth you can find it.
You Have a Free Will, But No Choice in Being Born, No Choice in Participating in the Test
You will be tested in relation to God’s rules and found to succeed or fail. Adam and Eve were the first to miss the mark and in that process many events were initiated that eventually led to Christ. Sin ushered in human suffering. God so indicated by telling Adam and Eve of the difficulties ahead. This was in stark contrast to the life they had lived without need, without suffering.
Genesis 3.16,17
16 To the woman He said:
“I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception;
In pain you shall bring forth children;
Your desire shall be for your husband,
And he shall rule over you.”
17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:
“Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
So, here you are and in relation to your existence you had no choice. You live in a world where there is suffering and there can be joy. You have an opportunity to succeed and good reasons to work to achieve this wonderful end that contains none of the difficulties of the present life. This is a powerful incentive, but in every lifetime, there are things pulling you to live for all you can have NOW. There are things that can make you bitter and consequently that can encourage you to reject God, even His existence. Indeed, we live in a test, a very challenging test. God’s purpose will be fulfilled in you one way or another.
The Same Solution for All
It might seem that there needs to be a separate message for each group of non-believers whether Catholic or Protestant or Atheist or the many others. However, there is just one message for all. It is the gospel message. Heaven Coach and Catholic Questions in its many topics points out the errors of those indoctrinated into the various religions and the atheist belief with the idea of helping. Again, all people need is the gospel message indicating the truth and not disputing every false teaching. The deep concern I have is that I might mislead people in the process of disputing various teachings. Certainly, in the scriptures there is an effort by the children of God to help people to move away from teachings contrary to the word of God. To avoid misleading, I always point to God’s word as truth and my work as HELP getting to and living the truth. I realized that the error in the world was so “consuming” and sometimes so overwhelming in its pressures that people did need something to hold on to. The scriptures are that thing and if I could help a person to get there it would be valuable. Remove the changes to God’s message and God’s word shines brightly. It is quite simple to teach the gospel message, but it takes high skills to overturn the complicated doctrines of humankind. God’s children follow the admonition – preach the word. They also work to hone their ability to help people move away from error by being able to give an answer to those seeking truth. The world as always is the nemesis to truth and thus to the souls of every person so indoctrinated. God makes this point repeatedly as in first John.
1 John 2.15-17
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Notice how at the beginning of this page we pointed out the similarities in the nature of error between religions and atheists – both pretty much fall into the same traps, both become strong advocates for their version of the truth. As mentioned, there is no need to have a scientific discussion with an atheist just as it is not necessary to debate the validity of a pope with Catholics or the “accepting of Jesus as personal Savior” for Protestants. They all need what God provided to succeed – the gospel message – the truth! The confusion is so great among these distinctly different atheists and persons of religion that they confuse each other.
Atheists are Totally in the Dark
Living without the truth from God means you are left to your imagination or you accept the imagination of others. Let’s look at this common atheist objection of God’s severity (punishment) and include the human suffering arguments. The scriptures point to a final punishment for the “lost” and apparently God allows suffering, and this infuriates many. We point out it is very wrong to judge God based on these things as though He is a man. If you have some interest in truth you might want to understand God’s purpose and come to a better understanding of God. God graciously obliges you with these things in scripture. The bible correctly points out God’s love and God’s justice. It is God’s justice that seems to worry so many and enough so to place it out of their minds and the easiest way is to deny God exists. God does not hide this justice but exposes it in the most dramatic ways. The thing that is often missed is God’s intensity about the seriousness of being lost. In bible terms it is called dying in sin. The severity that many people have in mind is VERY MILD compared to those who understand God’s message. People do not like the fear aspect of God’s word, but it is consistent throughout the word of God.
God places fear of the Lord as the starting point for knowledge that comes from God.
Proverbs 1.7
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Solomon begins asking God for wisdom and becomes the wisest of men. However, eventually that wisdom gives way to lust and pride. Finally, finally he realizes everything is vanity, grasping at the wind and concludes with what is really important and the only thing that matters.
Ecclesiastes 12.13,14
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
Solomon has simplified life for those who want to succeed, and it is all about God. None of Solomon’s riches or pleasures or power have any meaning, any lasting value. Solomon knows that there will be a judgment and it will be perfect bringing everything into account.
Below from Proverbs is God’s perspective for those who reject Him, really reject His Son. These verses may serve to turn you away from God, but you will still face God’s wrath if you do so. On the other hand, for some they will become more serious about the truth about living right. In this last age that means living for Christ and the gospel as opposed to living for yourself.
Proverbs 1.24-30
24 This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
25 Because you disdained all my counsel,
And would have none of my rebuke,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your terror comes,
27 When your terror comes like a storm,
And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the LORD,
30 They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.
As the scriptures point out, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10.31). God really wants you to take life seriously and all you have is your short lifetime. Even for those who are children of God, they are told to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. Paul, when bringing the word of God to the people said he was driven knowing the terror of the Lord.
God indicates that if you reject Him it will be due to pride and as the scriptures indicate that comes before the fall. Your fall may be disliking the God of the bible because He is threatening, and you could never succumb to such a God. God is right (always) you will fall because of pride and it is the worst kind of pride since you place your high standards, your ways above God’s. Therefore, we emphasize you work on understanding God as He has revealed Himself. If you did that you might see God as seriously telling you very personally He wants you to succeed and share in His Divine Nature. If God is threatening then being perfect, having delivered the perfect word of God means His methods are not only best, but are perfect to fulfill his purpose.
Death Bed Salvation – Unlikely if not Impossible
Did you ever wonder if an atheist on his/her dying bed prays to God, admitting he/she was NEVER really sure? All they had was a hope of no God. They might say not enough evidence, but certainly also not enough evidence there was no God. Perhaps they die being faithful to their atheist belief, really to their personal pride? Every person ought to know that their attempts as they are about to pass to align with God will not be enough. How could I possibly know? Because, the gospel message requires your obedience to have your past sins forgiven and then continued faithfulness. God knows your heart and cannot be fooled that is why you are added to the body of Christ by the Lord Himself. Atheists, Catholics, and Protestants and all the other worldly religions have a lot in common since none will be saved and on their death bed they will have no idea of what they should do. God’s expectations for those with whom He will share His Divine Nature are quite high and revealed in the scriptures. A faithful person in the body of Christ can reach God in prayer and does have some opportunity to complete his/her devotion, make a request or perhaps receiving forgiveness if there is a concern (as only a child of God can) before they pass. God has carefully, accurately delivered what you need and if not changed you will know what to do, how to live and where you are headed. There are no last moment salvation’s and the scriptures emphasize “today is the day of salvation” because life is short.
Here are Two Verses That Can Help You Succeed in Life
Take Them Seriously
These verses are to get you on the road to heaven and stay there. The first one Jeremiah 29.13 is something every person needs. You need to seek God and with all your heart. As an atheist, how much time do you spend searching for God? Obviously, it should not be a surprise that you live your life and never find Him. You should not casually accept there is no God.
Jeremiah 29.13
13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
The atheist is seeking to show, believe that there is no God and that is very exceedingly far from one seeking to find God with all their heart. Basically, God wants you to seek Him and as Paul indicated, He is not far from any of us. As one might expect the atheists dig a deeper and deeper hole convincing themselves that there is no God. The last thing they will do is seek God and so we see the futility of the atheist life – they create a certain bad ending for themselves.
The second verse needs to be there at the beginning of your search and then throughout your life.
Matthew 23.12
12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
It takes a humble person to accept God’s way and then after becoming a child of God to remain a humble servant. If you can come to grips with God and His purpose, you can understand how this one verse describes the atheist and false religionist as failing due to the same fundamental problem. They exalt themselves instead of God – if they were teaching the truth they would be exalting God. The reward for teaching truth is that you will be exalted. It requires a humble person to come to the truth that is, to accept God’s way over their own and in that humble condition they understand God.
Atheists Dilemma
The atheist’s dilemma has them trapped and for instance by science as they claim the evidence for organic evolution is overwhelming. They might say look at all the facts, the proof, the fossil record and on and on. God created humankind just as He indicated and there is no need for a person to spend their life studying the science of organic evolution – you need to be some PhD with a lifetime of study of such things. It would be illogical and very unfair to think that very person had to have an advanced degree in biological sciences and one in astrological sciences in order to sort out the meaning of life. God made it quite easy, “In the beginning God!” He simply speaks things into existence and that is infinitely beyond the puny science of humankind and for a very good reason. So, science in their proud proclamations confuse the world with things they truly do not understand. Life is not about this life, or about figuring out how we got here, but about seeking God. Life is about the soul, where you spend eternity. The evolutionists spend their life in defense of their belief and never learn the things they need to know to succeed in life. Once again, God will get those He wants and as result of their own choices.