“God that made the world ... hath made of one blood all nations ... that they should seek the Lord … though he be not far from every one of us.” Acts 17:24-27

Atheists under Russia’s communism and evolutionists in America’s public education system believed that if you could raise a few generations of children free of religious teaching, they would forget God. This belief in a better existence without God was stated by atheists on a billboard outside New York City last Christmas. It proclaimed, “There is no God, just be good for goodness’ sake.” This reference to a Christmas story, however, is claiming something that man has proved he is unable to accomplish. Without the moral compass of the Bible and the restraining force of the Holy Spirit, men and women cannot help themselves. When sin (the violation of God’s law) becomes people’s practice, it never satisfies, but they must do it more and more and in different ways for more excitement. Then like Solomon who tried it all—it is boring (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11). “Vanity of vanities, all [earthly pleasure] is vanity.” Human cultures invariably descend into all kinds of wickedness, sin, and bondage and will self-destruct.

The Effort to Eradicate God

In Russia the effort to “rid the world of God and tear Him out of the heavens,” as it is said Lenin blasphemously declared, only produced a remnant of Christians with amazing persistence even to death. Karl Marx, the ideologist behind communism, said, “Religion is the opiate of the people.” It dopes them into subservience! It is true that religion makes people peace-loving and easy to keep in subjection, whether good kings or tyrants are in control. However, Lenin’s bloody revolution by inhumane despots in Russia (estimated 17+ million dead) was a horrible alternative. Neither did it remove from people the desire for God, but rather enhanced it. With the breakup of the communistic system in the 1990s, the spiritual void caused openness for Bibles, Christian literature, Christian teachers, and churches. False religions also exploited this spiritual vacuum. The evidence is that in the absence of religion, man reaches out for security, direction, destiny, and purpose in life. The state is a vain resource for spiritual help.

In America the persistent effort to eradicate Christian influence has removed prayer from public schools, which is now replaced with shootings, security checks, fear, and locked doors. The Ten Commandments and crosses are removed from public places. “Watchdogs” try to make sure no one prays at ball games or refers to God at commencement exercises.

It is also significant that in recent years many crosses have been put along roads where individuals wanted to memorialize friends who were killed in accidents. People, by nature, turn to God in times of despair.

God Still Speaks to Men’s Hearts

A recent event exposed how futile these efforts have been in removing God consciousness from society. Debates between creationists and evolutionists have been held at times over the years. Secularists have come to oppose such debates because they often expose the unscientific nature of amoeba-to-man evolution (old-time spontaneous generation). As always, falsehoods propagate best in darkness.

In February of a recent year, however, another public debate was held, which has frustrated atheists. With their success in sterilizing public schools of religion, one would think that people would not be interested anymore. Instead, there was a world-wide response of historic proportions to the debate.

It is estimated that well over 10 million people watched the debate in homes, and 13,000 groups (churches and schools) live-streamed the 2½ hour event. It was carried to at least 212 countries and territories. People are still talking to each other—believers with unbelievers. Many are considering the Gospel message for the first time and many unbelievers are less sure of themselves.

With the advances in communication, such events are no longer restricted to those who can crowd into auditoriums of cement and brick walls. The debate was the top item on the three main social networks for many hours and was at the top of Yahoo news. People were already talking before the debate as they “chatted” and passed the information from one to the other.

Who Has Answers?

One of the questions brought by the audience to the debaters was: When did consciousness develop from matter? The evolutionist said, “That is a great mystery.” In this he revealed that they don’t really have answers to the spiritual issues of life. But the Christian has God’s revelation in the Bible. We know that life came into human flesh when “the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). Animal consciousness, a different kind of life (1 Corinthians 15:39), came as the animals were created.

Another question was: “How did the atoms that caused the big bang get there?” Here the Christian has the simple statement: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). This statement has never been disproved. This question also exposes the fact that both systems of thought start with nothing (Hebrews 11:3). The Christian has an original cause in God; the evolutionist does not. All ideas of historical science, such as evolution and creation, of necessity must be faith concepts. No one was there except God, and it cannot be experimentally tested today.

The phenomenal interest in this debate on origins underscores the fact that “God created man in his own image” (Genesis 1:27). As such, man has a God-sized void in the center of his being that cannot be filled and come to rest until he makes his peace with his God.

This public discussion of the biblical view of origins is very significant. Secularists in England and America have dominated and largely shut down public discussion of the origin issue. In recent years they have, by and large, refused to debate creationists. Meanwhile they work to pass legislation protecting the teaching of evolution in the public schools. With subtlety, they claim the naturalistic belief system is not a religion. However, it can be shown to be an unscientific faith system with definite moral and social consequences.

Be God-Conscious, Not World-Conscious

The advanced communication and social networks today have made the spread of information—true and false, good and evil— instant, personal, and intimate. Feelings and opinions are freely expressed and often lead to further relationships.

These are aspects of “fellowship” that the Bible says we should not have with the world (Ephesians 5:11). They tend to form people all into one mold despite apparent individuality. For this reason, the wise Christian will not participate in these social activities. Separation from the world is required of the Christian (2 Corinthians 6:17). The consequence of our choices will follow. “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partaker of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues (Revelation 18:4).

Although it is gratifying to see many people talking about God, we must remember that even “the devils believe and tremble” (James 2:19). There are many that would press into Heaven’s gate (Matthew 7:22, 23). But there are few that deny their sinful nature, are born again, and live in holiness (Hebrews 12:14). You must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven (John 3:3).

God is not only real but He is also very accessible and knocking at our hearts’ doors (Revelation 3:20). “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart ... that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:8, 9).

From: Reaching Out

Lang

English

Otè

Elvin Stauffer

Edite

Reaching Out

Sijè

Filozofi Ate

Kreyasyon