An oxymoron? Two contradictory words
that describe the same thing? Not
according to Craig Groeschel, author of the book, The Christian Atheist. By
his definition, a Christian atheist in someone who, although he or she claims
to believe in Christ, lives as though God did not exist. Or, to put it another way, the lives of
Christian atheists look no different from those of others who claim no belief
or affiliation with God at all.
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, your first thoughts may be, “Yes, I can understand that. I see evidence of it every day.” Like me, you may be thinking that Groeschel is talking about cultural Christians – those who may go to church from time to time, do some community service work and try to be law-abiding citizens but who have never actually chosen to yield their lives to Jesus as their head. To be sure, he is certainly including these, but they are not the main focus of his thesis. If it were only these who seemed to be examples of Christian atheism, the impact on society would not be so severe.
Where the real difficulty arises is among those of us who claim to be born-again, Bible believing Christians who don’t miss a Sunday service. Surveys in recent years have found that among so-called evangelical Christians in our nation the rates of divorce, addiction to pornography and belief in the existence of absolute truth are practically the same as those of the general population. Add to this the fact that the average giving to the church from this group is about 2% of income.
Does this sound like the church in the first century where believers demonstrated sacrificial love for each other and sought to live holy lives before the watching world? While those believers found favor among the people and God added to their number, people in our culture are running the other way – away from church.
If these types of Christians exclude us, and we’re still thinking we’re safe from Christian atheism, Groeschel has deeper issues to discuss with us about the occasions when our behavior belies our belief. Take for example his chapter entitled, “When You Believe in God but Won’t Forgive.” Do you hold a grudge against anyone? Do you ever bring up your spouse’s supposedly forgiven past offenses? Is this a Christ-like attitude or world-like? Or, how about this one, “When You Believe in God but Still Worry All the Time?” For us to whom Jesus has given His peace, the peace that passes all understanding, this is an indictment for failure to trust Him in all things.
Are you beginning to get the picture? Groeschel goes on for twelve chapters with example after example of ways in which those who claim to be followers of Jesus do not witness to their society the truth they claim to believe, but actually witness against it. Consider these lifestyles: saying you believe in God but you pursue happiness at any cost; you trust more in money than in Him; you don’t share your faith; or you don’t believe in His church. As I read through the book, I found myself being convicted of frequently slipping into Christian atheism myself.
Groeschel, founder and senior pastor of a large multi-campus and online church, LifeChurch.tv, readily admits to his own personal struggles with Christian atheism. He shares an amazing story of how God in His mercy led him to the place of giving his whole life to the Lord, to the extent that it is no longer the big problem that it once was for him.
I strongly urge you to get a copy of his book. It may convict a bit, but God may also use it to encourage you to take steps of faith that will transform your life into greater Christ-likeness, resulting in a more consistent witness to our culture of the truth you claim to believe. (For whom He [God] foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son – Romans 8:29a)
And those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. – Acts 2:44-47
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, your first thoughts may be, “Yes, I can understand that. I see evidence of it every day.” Like me, you may be thinking that Groeschel is talking about cultural Christians – those who may go to church from time to time, do some community service work and try to be law-abiding citizens but who have never actually chosen to yield their lives to Jesus as their head. To be sure, he is certainly including these, but they are not the main focus of his thesis. If it were only these who seemed to be examples of Christian atheism, the impact on society would not be so severe.
Where the real difficulty arises is among those of us who claim to be born-again, Bible believing Christians who don’t miss a Sunday service. Surveys in recent years have found that among so-called evangelical Christians in our nation the rates of divorce, addiction to pornography and belief in the existence of absolute truth are practically the same as those of the general population. Add to this the fact that the average giving to the church from this group is about 2% of income.
Does this sound like the church in the first century where believers demonstrated sacrificial love for each other and sought to live holy lives before the watching world? While those believers found favor among the people and God added to their number, people in our culture are running the other way – away from church.
If these types of Christians exclude us, and we’re still thinking we’re safe from Christian atheism, Groeschel has deeper issues to discuss with us about the occasions when our behavior belies our belief. Take for example his chapter entitled, “When You Believe in God but Won’t Forgive.” Do you hold a grudge against anyone? Do you ever bring up your spouse’s supposedly forgiven past offenses? Is this a Christ-like attitude or world-like? Or, how about this one, “When You Believe in God but Still Worry All the Time?” For us to whom Jesus has given His peace, the peace that passes all understanding, this is an indictment for failure to trust Him in all things.
Are you beginning to get the picture? Groeschel goes on for twelve chapters with example after example of ways in which those who claim to be followers of Jesus do not witness to their society the truth they claim to believe, but actually witness against it. Consider these lifestyles: saying you believe in God but you pursue happiness at any cost; you trust more in money than in Him; you don’t share your faith; or you don’t believe in His church. As I read through the book, I found myself being convicted of frequently slipping into Christian atheism myself.
Groeschel, founder and senior pastor of a large multi-campus and online church, LifeChurch.tv, readily admits to his own personal struggles with Christian atheism. He shares an amazing story of how God in His mercy led him to the place of giving his whole life to the Lord, to the extent that it is no longer the big problem that it once was for him.
I strongly urge you to get a copy of his book. It may convict a bit, but God may also use it to encourage you to take steps of faith that will transform your life into greater Christ-likeness, resulting in a more consistent witness to our culture of the truth you claim to believe. (For whom He [God] foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son – Romans 8:29a)
And those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. – Acts 2:44-47
No comments:
Post a Comment