Giants in the Land – Atheism

Theme for this week: World Views
January 24, 2022 (Monday)

Surveys of Americans have shown that 63% of us are sure of God’s existence. That leaves 37%, but only 9% of Americans are atheists. The rest (28 %) are not quite sure about belief in God. As the surveys are made year after year, it is evident that younger people are more inclined than older to say they do not believe. It is also true that “closet atheists” probably exist, who are hesitant to declare themselves as nonbelievers.

In the late fifties, I took a course in the seminary that revealed to me seven classic philosophical arguments for the existence of God. The arguments were philosophical, not scientific, and reminded me of the Apostle Paul’s visit to the philosophers of Athens on Mars Hill. He looked them in the eye and said, “You have monuments to many gods here, but I have come to tell you about “the unknown God,” and told them about a judgment to come and a judge who had been raised from the dead. Some mocked and laughed, others wanted to know more. I suspect that, during the ennsuing centuries, the world of philosophers discussed the seven classical philosophical arguments for the existence of God, but, in all probablility the arguments were seen only as potential possibilities for discussion.

Belief in God’s existence is a matter of faith. The Book of Hebrews has a wonderful explanation about faith. It says that ” Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” Hebrews 11 continues to show how faith characterized the lives of God’s great heroes through the ages. By its very nature, faith differs from science. Science sets forth a hypothesis, then attempts to prove it true or false by testing. Faith, on the other hand, begins with God and opens up a whole new world to the believer. As Hebrews 11 shows us, faith empowers us and enables us to do great things for God. There is no need nor time to prove God’s existence. We accept His loving grace and believe in Jesus through faith which brings salvation and spiritual strength.