I have a corespondent who is just riled up. He's a confirmed atheist. It bugs the heck out of him that I know God knows my name, did before the earth was formed, and he cares as Jesus said about every sparrow that falls or hair missing from my bald head.
He keeps trying to tell me that there is not God (but I note that he always couches it in an IF).
His last note to me said, "IF there is a god, he she or it doesn't know your name".
But what about the IF?
What IF not only God exists, but he knows me, he knows you and he cares more about you than you can possibly imagine. In fact, even when you or I were sworn enemies he reduced himself to human form and died an excruciating death to make sure that when we wanted to know him better he would be able to come into relationship in a perfect way. Our sin would be no obstacle to that connection we would want to make.
I'm not angry. I am suspicious that this man, about my age, is slowly but surely asking the IF question once again. He is facing an eternity, an uncertain eternity. He hopes an eternity of nothingness.
But what IF? What IF it is an eternity in the Presence of God and in the fullness of Joy unspeakably full of glory or an eternity of consciousness tormented by demons all alone apart from the God who wanted to know him better and knowing he did it to himself.
It's the IF that haunts him.
There is no IF. I don't believe in IF anymore.
His name is JESUS.
2 comments:
I would not call him a'fool' to his face, but would report what the Lord says of him and others of same mindedness...."The FOOL says in his heart, 'there is no God'. The "IF" guys really say it in their heart.
Psalm 14 says more about him also, like v. 1 b; And then v.3 shows the basic nature all all born with, and how the agnostics and atheists are ready to 'eat up God's people". H.A.H.
oh, you think you know the mind of an atheist but sadly, you do not. we often say 'if' to you in order to try to get you to see the impossibility fo your claims, not because we have one shred of belief it it. kinda like when a kid has been told there is no santa and it is time to get him to accept the truth - we go 'son, if there were a santa, how could he get to every house in one night' or 'if there were a santa, how could his sleigh hold so many toys'.
like when i say 'if that was really god talking to you, it would not sound so much like a conservative middle age white guy', IF there were a god, he/she would have some views that might shock and startle you and they would not all be things YOU agree with. that you think the voice in your head is god instead of low-grade schizophrenia is the ultimate in conceit. 'if' it were god, you'd hear some stuff that you didn't like and that challenged you a great deal. but seeing as how there IS no god and it is all in your own brain, it sounds just like you. when we use 'if' it is as though you are a small child whose hand we are holding as we are protectively gently trying to get to see the truth.
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