Believe What?

I meet people every once in a while who claim to be atheists. Interesting term a(no/not) theos (god), but logically unproveable. Claiming that there is no God is like claiming that nowhere on the face of the earth (or any other planet in the universe) is there a stone that is exactly square, 1 foot per side, made of granite with stripes on one side, circles on the next, and triangles on the other four sides. One problem is that nobody has been everywhere in the universe to see if God exists, except for God himself! From the standpoint of human experience and scientific observation nobody can claim that God does not exist- so the term atheist has no real meaning. Another problem is that of defining the characteristics of God, thus my rather whimsical description of the square stone. From human experience and scientific observation it is impossible to describe or define God- no man has looked at God directly and lived to tell about it. Luckily, those of us who believe in Him have a description of God and his character written down for us in the Bible.

If there logically can be no such thing as an atheist, then what are we left with? In terms of human experience and scientific observation we can only say we don't know, thus the term agnostic- a(no/not) gnosis (knowledge). There really can't be any such thing as an atheist, but boy there sure are a whole lot of agnostics! If one can admit that he doesn't know, then he must also admit that he can know- if he looks in the right place. I have found that the Bible is a good place to start looking

I have observed that there are several types of agnostics and will try to describe and define some of them here.

First there is what I will call the basic ignorant agnostic. I do not intend the term ignorant here as a slight or insult, but merely as a description of the one who- through no particular fault of his own- just does not know that God exists, or who He is. This person just can't seem to put the concept of God together in his mind, even though he has ample witness in the very existence of himself and the whole universe around him. The Psalmist has said:

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
Psalm 19

The ignorant agnostic is capable of seeing God, he just needs a nudge or two from someone who does believe and knows where to look, then God will reveal Himself to him.

Then there is the unconcerned or apathetic agnostic, who sees the works of God's hands every day, but for some reason just isn't moved by the beauty of God's creation and the stunning complexity of nature- even his own body. David said of himself:

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139
Maybe this agnostic is too caught up in the trials and cares of this life to appreciate this life, but the apathetic agnostic is still capable of seeing and recognizing God, if someone who does believe cares enough about his neighbor to invest time and energy and love into him and point him to the God who made him and loves him without limits.

Next is the unconvinced or searching agnostic, the one who has seen the works of God's hands and honestly and carefully examines the evidence, but is just not convinced, yet. Maybe he is put off by the confusion of claims put forth by others who think they know God, but are really serving empty philosophies or impotent idols. This person has a problem seeing God because he has a distorted frame of reference caused by too much information and not enough substance. Paul described him this way: Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.2Ti 3:7

I respect this type of agnostic the most because I was once in his shoes- see the previous post. I believed because believers who loved me spent time on their knees beseeching God to draw me to Himself. Because of those prayers God pursued me relentlessly with his Word and his Holy Spirit until I just could not run any more.

Unfortunately there is another type of agnostic, the one I will call the intentional or wilfull agnostic. This is the one who does not want to know that God exists, who will grasp at any excuse, put forth spurious arguments, make up any kind of fable or lie to deny the existence of God in spite of any evidence he is shown. He will mock anyone who does believe in God and claim to be so intellectually enlightened as to not have any need of God. From his self-erected tower of enlightenment he will look down his nose in scorn at anyone who dares to put forth evidence for God's existence.

This is the person the Psalmist described this way:

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. Psalm 14:1

Pretty harsh words, I know, but the last time I looked up the word "fool" in a dictionary this was still listed as one of the definitions.

I think the key part of the description is that the fool says in his heart (not in his mind) that there is no God. Following the observable evidences in nature (God's Creation) always leads an honest thinker to the existence of God. Now, some would put forth different theories of how the universe was created (Darwinistic Evolution, etc.), and I will state thoughtful scientific objections to these theories in later posts because I classify them as adult fairy tales that require much more faith to believe than the Bible does. For this discussion I prefer to comment on what it is in the heart of a man that causes him to deny the existence of God.

When you acknowledge the existence of God, or creator, it follows that man is subject to God and his will. The wilfull agnostic will not see himself as being subject to anyone. He will use the pretense of intellectual enlightenment to justify himself, his deeds, and his desires to anyone who will listen. He will follow the dictates of his own heart, without knowing one very important thing:

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jer 17:9

Man's heart is the most deceitful thing that exists in this world and no man is capable of knowing his own heart without God's help:

I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. Jer 17:10

The Apostle Paul had this to say about the wilfull agnostic:

18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools. Romans 1

I have observed that those who deny the existence of God from the pretense of intellectual objections have something in their lifestyle that is in direct opposition to God's character (what the Bible calls sin) that they will pursue no matter what they are told.

So, friend and brother, what do you believe? Or do you believe anything? Or do you just not know what to believe? I can only urge you to sincerely and honestly seek to know God. He calls out to you from his creation. He calls out to you from the Bible:

Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6

...for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 1 Chronicles 28:9b

In further posts I will share how to look for God, where to find Him, and what the rewards are of knowing Him.....