In his book: “The Christian Atheist – Believing in God but living as if He doesn’t exist”, Craig Groeschel writes about his search for God during his early days. When he was sixteen, he asked their pastor: “How do I know if I’ve been good enough to get to heaven?“ The pastor gave him advice such as “not being a hell raiser, not chasing girls, and not drinking beer”. That Wednesday he decided to stop sinning. It lasted till the Friday evening. A few years later he entered university. There he and a couple of students started reading the Bible as a group. He said: “When I reached Ephesians, I encountered two verses that would forever change my life”: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Eph. 2:8 – 9). He writes: “Could this be true? We’re saved by God’s grace and his grace alone? It’s not by our works? Why didn’t anyone tell me?” He ran to a softball field; he wanted to be alone with God. He then kneeled on the grass and said: “Take my life, Lord.” He continues: “I knelt down as one person and I stood up as a completely different person. … I later learned that I’d become what the Bible calls a “new creation”. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17). At last I had changed from a Christian atheist into a Christian. For the first time in my life I believed in God and began to live as if He is real.”
Groeschel also writes: “There is nothing you can do to make God love you more, and there is nothing you can do to make God love you less. … No matter what you’ve done, God’s love and forgiveness are bigger than your biggest sin”. The LORD says, “Now, let’s settle the matter. You are stained red with sin, but I will wash you as clean as snow. Although your stains are deep red, you will be as white as wool (Is. 1:18). (Groeschel is the founder and pastor of LifeChurch.tv, the second largest church in the USA. They developed the Bible app YouVersion which has already been downloaded 100 million times).
After a supernatural experience, the singer, Don Francisco, dedicated his life to God anew. The following is a couple of lines from one of his songs: “I loved you long before the time your eyes first saw the day … And although you’ve chosen darkness with its miseries and fears …I’d take you back this instant if you’d turn to Me and cry … I don’t care where you’ve been sleeping, I don’t care who’s made your bed, I already gave My life to set you free. There’s no sin you could imagine that is stronger than my love, And it’s all yours if you’ll come home again to Me … Don’t waste another thought before you change the way you’re bound, I’ll be running out to meet you if you’ll only turn around.”
God is like a shepherd who goes to seek his sheep when it has strayed (Matt.18:12 – 14). He is like a father who runs to meet his lost son on the latter’s return (Luke 15:11 – 22). Everyone has sinned and is far away from God’s saving presence. But by the free gift of God’s grace all are put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free (Rom. 3:23 – 24). How many Christian atheists will one day ask: “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
Our heavenly Father, we thank You that You love us unconditionally. Amen.
Gert Berning
