I think God was trying to get my attention. He started last week in Sunday school. Our class began studying a video series by Craig Groeschel. Groeschel, an author and pastor, calls himself a recovering “Christian Atheist.” He called himself a Christian all his life, but he didn’t always live as if God existed. He says millions of professing Christians fit into that category.
That really got my attention. I believe in God, but do I really know Him?
If you grew up in church like I did, we may think we’re OK because we go to church every Sunday, pray before meals (if we don’t forget) and occasionally read a chapter in the Bible. We can know about God without ever really surrendering our heart to Him.
The Bible says even the demons believe in God. So, obviously there is more to the whole Christian thing than just believing in God, Groeschel points out.
He says Christian atheists say, “I believe in God but I want to do whatever the heck I want to do. I want enough of God to keep me out of Hell and enough of God to get me into Heaven, but I don’t want so much of God that it makes me change my lifestyle.”
That’s a dangerous mindset. Jesus warns us in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of Heaven.... Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers!’”
How tragic it would be to hear those words, “Depart from me. I never knew you.”
Are you really who you say you are? Groeschel hopes those who simply believe in God but live an atheist lifestyle will examine their lives and see that there is a better way to live. God desires an intimate and personal relationship with us, and He requires wholehearted devotion. He doesn’t just want to be in our thoughts. He wants to live in our hearts, too.
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