Christian Weakness

Atheists often accuse Christians of being weak and needy. They say we need a crutch; a fantasy buddy in the sky. We can't handle, they say, the harsh realities of life, so we invent a God.

To be honest, some of what atheists say is true. We are needy. We are weak. 

Now I maintain, based upon empirical evidence, that all of humanity is this way, yet atheists seem oblivious to this fact. This is a puzzle for me and part of me wonders if God allows those who are going to reject Him to be good enough human beings that they really can believe that they are good people. What's more, they take the credit for being good people. That by some sort of great effort they've created of themselves a superior moral being. A bit of a laugh when you consider the fact that on atheism, determinism rules.

Yet it isn't hard to find atheists who are every bit as big a jerk as I am.

I suppose it's simply a case of it being only those who are going to saved whose spiritual eyes are opened to their need for forgiveness.

And boy do I need forgiveness.

No one celebrates the grace and love of Jesus more than a person who experiences this need on a daily basis. I remember one women saying, in response to being accused of needing a crutch, “You say Jesus is my crutch? He's my freakin ambulance, my stretcher, my hospital. You're darn right I need a crutch.”

As C.S. Lewis said, “No one knows how bad he is until he tries really hard to be good. A good man knows something of the evil still in him. A thoroughly bad man thinks he is good.”

That certainly describes the transition that's taken place in my life. At my morally worst, I actually thought I was a pretty good person. Now that I stand in the presence of a perfectly Holy God, the evil that still resides in my being, ever ready to take advantage of a weak moment leaves me both sad and grateful.

Sad because my Lord and Saviour deserves so much better of me.

Grateful because I am forgiven and loved with the greatest love in the universe.

What kind of person would turn away from such a gift?