Results of Believing in Jesus

Hugo has told me that being an atheist entails nothing more than not believing in God. According to Hugo there are no implications of being an atheist regarding how he lives. Not socially, economically, or relationally. Being an atheist does not influence ANY area of his life.

Well he and other atheists can live with their fantasy, but I'll tell you this, believing in, loving and following Jesus (God) entails far, far more than a mere belief. For example:

To believe in Jesus is the know Jesus, and to know Jesus is to love Jesus. Believing in Jesus IS the reason for what I do with my thoughts and behaviours. It's the reason that I desire what I desire and hate what I hate. My belief in and love for Jesus determines how I treat my wife and kids. It's the reason for how I do my job and it determines how I use my finances. My relationship with Jesus shapes the way I view my possessions, position and power. Belief in Jesus molds my relationship with my extended family and neighbours. My love of Jesus determines the way I live as a citizen of my country, my city and my community. My relationship with Jesus provides for me hope in difficulty, and brings me joy in what would otherwise be my darkest moments. Belief in Jesus gives me a self-awareness that allows for inner change. It brings remorse for sin and desire for sanctification. A love for Jesus creates in me a tenderness toward those who are hurting, courage in times of testing, and wisdom to know the difference between life-enhancing and life-destroying behaviours and thoughts.

Anyone who is not in a forgiven and healed relationship with Jesus is a profoundly stunted human being - emotionally, mentally and spiritually. S/he may be intelligent but one doesn't have to observe humanity for very long before noticing that intelligence is no protection against thoughts and behaviours that are destructive to self and others.

When a belief in God is absent, it leads first to an infatuation, a love, an obsession with self. Those like Hugo who do not live for God, are doomed to live for self in every way possible.

A high opinion of self is present in every person who denies the existence of God. It is this corrupted self-love that is the reason that atheists desire what they desire and hate what they hate. Their love of self determines how atheists treat their wife and kids. It's the reason for how they do their job and it determines how they use their finances. The atheist's denial of any power greater than self shapes the way s/he views h/her possessions, position and power. Corrupted self-love molds the atheist's relationship with extended family and neighbours. Their obsession with self determines the way they live as a citizen of their country, their city and their community. Corrupted self-love allows 25,000 children to die every single day from preventable causes. The atheist's trust in self provides zero hope in difficulty, for what will you turn to for help if not to that which is stronger than yourself? The atheist has only h/her own resources to bring joy in their darkest moments.

A denial of Creator God and a lack of His presence in their life also denies the atheist a self-awareness that allows for inner change. This lack of self-awareness condemns atheists to thinking that they are good people. The atheist slogan, "I don't need God in order to be a good person," condemns the atheist to believing that s/he IS a good person. For to admit that one is not good is to admit that one needs help that is both external and greater. This blindness to the reality of self is perhaps the most dangerous implication of denying the existence of Creator God. It causes the atheist to wink at sin and in many if not most cases causes the atheist to celebrate the very behaviours that will bring h/her nation to its knees. In this sense atheism is a disease much like cancer - X 10. A disease that kills a person is bad enough, but a disease that kills a person while making that person feel sanctimonious and like a “Bright” for having it is far, far worse.

A denial of the existence of God and the required implication of rejecting objective morals, values, duties and obligations renders the atheist immune to knowing the difference between life-enhancing and life-destroying behaviours and thoughts. The atheist is doomed to following the ebb and flow of the whims of society.

Anyone who is not in a forgiven and healed relationship with Jesus is a profoundly handicapped human being, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. S/he may be intelligent, but one doesn't have to observe very long before noticing that intelligence is no protection from behaviours that are destructive to self and others.

Especially when one is so foolish as to claim that our thoughts and beliefs carry with them no implications and consequences.