God’s opinion of atheists

I received my copy of The Australian Church Record last week, and just had to share this article with you. It’s written by John Chapman, former Director of the Department of Evangelism in our Diocese. In his “retirement” he is still a great communicator of the good news of Jesus. Here’s what Chappo had to say:

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’’’ (Psalm 14:1) Psalm 14 knows nothing of political correctness. With disarming clarity it states that the person who claims that there is no God is a fool. I find this a wonderful relief. The atheists I have met always appear to be so sophisticated and clever. I am tempted to feel inferior in their presence and I have been encouraged to hear God’s assessment of them. They are fools.

Do you remember the farmer in the Bible who had good crops year in and year out? He said, ‘I don’t know what to do; I will pull down the barn and build a greater one. I will say to myself ‘You have much good laid up for many years. Take life easy. Eat, drink and be merry’’. God said ‘You fool. Tonight your soul is required of you’. He was a fool because he lived as if God was not there. When he discovered that He was, it was too late. He had provided for everything that he thought mattered but he had no provision for meeting his Maker in judgment.

The same psalm (Psalm 14) ends with the longing of the godly person: ‘Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!’ He longs that salvation will come from Zion. Is he longing that salvation will flow to the end of the earth? I think so!

For us on our side of Calvary I think it is the prayer ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’, which sums up our longing.

What could be better than for Christ to return and take us to be with Him in the new creation? ‘O that salvation would come’.

Nobody longs like this who hasn’t had their sins forgiven by putting their trust in the death of the Lord Jesus. Indeed, those who meet God in the judgment are fools.

Thanks Chappo – words for the wise!

Michael Robinson

Senior Minister

The Australian Church Record is available as a free download from this site:

<u>www.australianchurchrecord.net</u>. First published in 1880, The Australian Church Record is an evangelical newspaper in the Reformed Anglican tradition of the historic creeds and the 39 Articles of Faith, and the standard of teaching and practice in the Book of Common Prayer. If you don’t have access to the internet, call the office and Jean will print you a copy.