You might have heard this viewpoint in various forms: “We don’t talk about religion.” “Religion is culturally determined.” “My life is just fine as it is.” “Faith is a personal matter.” (You are intruding by talking about it.)
Of course, faith in God is a personal matter! Each person has their own relationship with God and relationships are personal. However, what is often meant is that the topic of a relationship with God is private and should not be discussed in public. This is not true. Today many people are more comfortable discussing their sex life than talking about God. This is an unfortunate social development and makes it very difficult to explore matters of God and eternal consequences in an open, constructive way. Where can you go for answers then? If your friends are no help, where can you turn for reliable information? (We would be happy to answer your questions.)
The lack of interest in God is based on the belief that meaning and purpose can be found in life apart from God. This is easier to believe than Atheism and includes both those who don’t know whether God exists and those who don’t care. The person hopes that a personal God does not exist, and is not motivated to investigate. The question of God is not interesting or relevant.
But does that make sense? If there is a personal God, who created the world, who is eternal and all powerful, how could this not be relevant to your life? If this God is all knowing, is aware of you, and has a purpose for your life, then that is extremely relevant.
Can we know God? Well, that depends. Mainly it depends on our motives. In one sense there is evidence about God all around us. The prophet Habakkuk wrote that, “His splendor covers the heavens and the earth is full of His praise.” (Hab. 3:3, Psalm 8) But we can be very creative in inventing alternate theories, when motivated. As the apostle Paul writes in 57 A.D.:
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Romans 1:20-21)
This avoidance is not new, 1000 years earlier King David wrote:
The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds;
There is no one who does good.
The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men
To see if there are any who understand,
Who seek after God.
They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt;
There is no one who does good, not even one. (Psalm 14:1-3)
Whether the fool said so out loud, or just in his heart, he lived as though there were no God. Notice the connection between the atheistic worldview and the motivation, or perhaps the ability, to do good. Notice that this worldview is strengthened by the crowd mentality. They have “all” turned “together”. When you are with others in a smelly gym you don’t notice your own smell. “Corrupt” can mean dishonest, perverted, or putrid. Notice how the Lord God is described as looking, actively interested! He is looking for “any” who do two things: understand, and seek after God. Could that describe you?
Maybe you have become convinced that it is not possible to know anything about God. Perhaps your personal cost of learning about God may be high. It will affect your family, your friends, your job. Better to live in ignorance you think. Yet the Bible says you are “without excuse”. Don’t hide behind the excuse, “How could I know which religion is true?” It is possible to investigate and compare truth claims by various religions. You owe it to yourself to know the truth!
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