Answers to Atheists (Part One)

Mailbox            Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. (1 Peter 3:15)

            If an atheist challenged your faith tomorrow, would you be able to defend your beliefs?

            This past weekend, I found myself in a verbal debate with three atheists on Twitter. The verbal jarring began after I posted a link to my Saturday devotion on Pearls of Promise. Because it’s difficult to defend your faith in 140 characters or less, I thought it might be helpful to answer their questions in more detail through a series of devotions on the Pearls website. The questions they raised are not atypical for all non believers so my hope is the answers today, Thursday and Saturday will also help you to defend your faith if ever asked to do so.

            The first response to my tweet was “look like he’s letting these little guys down” with a photo of starving children in Africa. The broader interpretation of this is:

             If there is a God, why is their pain and suffering in the world?

            Answer:

            Unfortunately, we live in an imperfect world full of evil. I believe if it were a perfect world, we would have no need for a perfect God. In John 16:33, Jesus warns his disciples, In this world, you will have trouble. The disciples went on to experience a lot of trouble. All but one died a martyr’s death.  They had first hand contact with God’s son. Would they really have gone to their death if Jesus was just a good guy?

            I believe God is a loving God who doesn’t want anyone to suffer, but works with the  suffering because it draws us closer to him. We all suffer to varying degrees.  If there is no suffering, why would we ever seek eternity with God? There has to be contrast. He allowed us free will to choose evil or good, but ultimately, he desires us to choose him.

              Paul who suffered greatly during his missionary trips said, I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18) Paul had come face to face with the risen Christ. It was Christ who gave him strength in the midst of his battles on this earth. (Philippians 4:13)     

            God loves us so much that he allowed his only begotten son to suffer a brutal death on the cross so that we could spend eternity with him.

            When we suffer, we share in Christ’s suffering.

             But praise God!  The Lord also walks through our suffering with us and we are called to walk through troubles with our sisters and brothers.

            Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.(2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

            Yes, it is disheartening to see a photo of starving children in Africa but God puts it on the heart of his people to alleviate the suffering in third world countries.  I personally sponsor a child in Africa through World Vision, but that is a drop in the bucket compared to the countless other missionary outreaches going on.

            Our church is helping the people of Mozambique. http://www.tmumc.org/serve/serving-our-world/mozambique/  Evangelists James and Betty Robison raise money for clean water wells in Africa. http://lifetoday.org/outreaches/water-for-life/  There are other organizations who organize missionary trips to Africa like Cross-Cultural Solutions http://www.crossculturalsolutions.org/africa and Missionaries to Africa, http://www.missionariesofafrica.org/

            God has heard the cry in Africa and is using his people to comfort those in need.

            It is interesting that despite the suffering, Christianity is growing at a more rapid rate in Africa than many other locations around the world. According to a December 20, 2011 article in USA Today Study: Christianity grows exponentially in Africa, “As a result of historic missionary activity and indigenous Christian movements by Africans, there has been this change from about one in 10 (sub-Saharan Africans) identifying with Christianity in 1910 to about six in 10 doing so today.”

            God is at work in the midst of suffering, drawing his people to him.     

            While there is always unjust suffering due to the evil in the world, I believe during the course of our lives, we should expect some form of suffering, whether it’s physical or emotional.  When we go through trials, we can be assured that God will work good out of our distress. My periods of greatest spiritual growth were in the midst of intense suffering.

                Not only so, but wealso glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.(Romans 5:3-5)

            As Christians, we have hope and look forward to the day where there will no longer be any pain or suffering. Who do you know who needs that hope today? It is our job as believers to share the hope we have in Christ.  Why would I even bother to write this devotional? Because God has put his love in my heart for the lost and my hope is the three atheists I sparred with are reading this today. I am praying the Lord softens their hearts toward him. We can all pray that for our friends and loved ones who may not know the Creator or his son.

            This life is a boot camp prior to eternity.

            Our years on this earth are short-term but they are being used to prepare us for the ever after.  Without the suffering from my difficult childhood, I would not be the woman I am today. Without the difficulties in my adult life, I would not have turned to the Lord in prayer as much as I did.  I would hate to think what kind of person I would be without the trials. However, the pain, suffering and disappointments will no longer exist in Heaven and that is something to look forward to.

            And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”(Revelation 21:3-4)

            Alleluia. One day the suffering will be gone, for us, for our family, for our friends, for the children in Africa.  The prerequisite is we have to believe in the risen Christ.  We may not have tomorrow.

             On Thursday, we will address the status of women in Christianity. Are they really supposed to be quiet in church?

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One Comment

  1. Love this, Lisa! I always turn to the same point you made at the beginning: Would those people ALL truly die for a lie? Maybe one or two might be willing, but the martyrs died because HE lived and they believed in Him. And yes – being married to a scientist (physics), it IS possible to believe in science and God and His Son! May God bless you today!

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