Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
We read in Psalm 14:1, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." Christian teachers are surprised that sometimes they meet discouraged youth reared in good homes who say they wonder if there is a God, who are not sure of His existence. In other words, such a youth is tempted to be a fool. But is it always his fault? There are many who say they are atheists, or agnostics (those who just don't know). What can we say to help them?
Some, doubtless, are just wickedly rebellious against everything about God; they are determined to be finally-choosing adherents of God's enemy, Satan. But there must also be others, perhaps many, whose atheism or agnosticism is the result of being taught a false conception of God. They are not rebelling against God Himself, but against a distortion of His character. For example, the so-called "Christian" doctrine of an eternal burning hell in which God roasts and tortures lost human souls in eternal, conscious torment, has caused many people to say, "If God is a sadist more relentlessly cruel than Hitler or Stalin, then I want nothing to do with Him! How could a decent person want to torture even an animal like that?" People who have been so misled need our sympathy, and prayer that somehow we might be given wisdom and an opportunity to tell them the truth about God's character of love. He will not save everybody against his will, but He will not torture the lost endlessly.
But what about those who in deep disappointment at apparently unanswered prayers can't understand why God seems so unconcerned about their suffering? If you're in that category, then you too have been TEMPTED to be a fool! Remember, temptation is not itself sin. What you need is the Atonement-reconciliation with God, the ABC's of the gospel. Don't be offended to realize that you, a wonderful Christian, still need MORE of the atonement! In this great antitypical Day of Atonement, you and I need a "Final" atonement, or reconciliation. The Good News? There is a great High Priest administering it--now. Don't hinder Him!
[If you would like to receive a little four-page paper by Robert J. Wieland entitled, "The A-B-C's of the Gospel," please reply to this message with "ABCs" in the header or body of the message.]
Copyright © 2009 by Robert J. Wieland.
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Daily Bread - Readings about life and the Word of God.
