Brian's Blog

Sometimes I feel like I am in a carnival, standing in front of one of those curved mirrors that distort the way I look. You know, the mirror that would take my 6 ft. frame and make me look about 4 ft. tall. How easy it is to look at ourselves, as Groeschel stated in chapter 2, through the lens of our past. Some people continue to identify themselves by sins they have done in the past. So how would that make them a “Christian Atheist?”

Take a moment and read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and you’ll see how identifying ourselves by our past mistakes causes us to live as though God doesn’t exist. After naming a bunch of sins that the people used to do, he concludes by saying – “And that is what some of you WERE, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Paul goes on to show that they are no longer what they were because of Christ and His sacrificial death for them. So, TO IDENTIFY OURSELVES WITH OUR PAST SINS IGNORES ALL JESUS HAS DONE FOR US, even if we believe He exists. No longer an immoral, a drunk, a thief, a gossip – now we are washed, made righteous before God and God sees us as though we have never sinned (justified). To avoid being a Christian Atheist, we must start looking at ourselves the way God looks at us!

So, do you see yourself like God sees you or are you standing in front of the carnival mirror? All the things of the past that we regret are gone if we believe in what Jesus did for us on the cross.

I got thinking about the “It’s all in the name” section of chapter 1. Craig went through the different names people call him, and how those different names signify different levels of relationship. I’ve had my share of names from the past – I don’t think it’s wise post them all on the internet right now, but I do see how these different names give me an idea of the relationship I have or have had with these people.

Back in college, I remember hearing a guy pray and he started by addressing God as “Daddy.” That struck me very oddly. Why not “Father?” Why did he have to say “Daddy?” Is it right to call God “Dad” or “Daddy?” Is it disrespectful? Is it unbiblical? Are there any biblical instances where the word “Dad” or “Daddy” is used of God?

On these hot days, there’s a trigger pulled inside of me that just craves ice cream. If it’s going to Dusty’s (the old Mr. Twister) on rt. 12, typically it’s “bubblegum” flavor that will satisfy that inner urge. speaking of urges, Craig makes a great point about craving or longing for God in chapter 1 – it’s about knowing God intimately (p. 38-40). He asks the question, “Have you ever felt that kind of love for someone? When you’re apart, you can’t wait to be with them again. When I’m away from (my wife), I can’t wait to hear her voice again. Imagine that with God.”

So imagine those inward cravings for God. Truly sensing inside that I want to be with Him, talk to Him, think about Him, learn about Him, sing to Him, tell about Him. David, the psalmist, sensed that when he wrote, “Earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” What word pictures! When the heat is overbearing and you have worked so hard, the inward urge for something to cool you off (ice cream!!) is so intense – that’s the way the Psalmist felt about God. No wonder he was called a man after God’s own heart. David was far from being a Christian Atheist.

This longing for God is a good indicator that we are getting to know God not just know about Him. And that special relationship with God is a distinguishing feature of those who are living an authentic life with God. As Groeshel puts it, “As you get to know Him better, you will change. A vibrant and intimate relationship with God will empower you to heal from the hurts from your past, forgive what seems unforgivable, and change what seems unchangeable about yourself.”

A genuine relationship with God, longing for Him and craving Him is the best medicine for a Christian Atheist.

Hi all. Glad you are connecting with me online to walk through “The Christian Atheist” together. You may be wondering which chapters we read and on what days we are supposed to read. Well, this book project is not to be as choreographed as synchronized swimming. I’ll probably do 2-3 chapters a week and make comments through them as I go along. You may read faster than me – that’s fine, just don’t forget what you read and be sure to comment on your findings and insight as you see fit. There’s a little atheism in all of us – it’s also called hypocrisy. It would be nice, at the end of the book, to see it for what it is and allow all of our lives to be affected by this belief we say we hold. Buckle up and hang on for a great ride through this book.