Born Again Atheists?

[Vince53]

Thirty years ago, a friend of mine had a large and successful ministry, and today he is an atheist. He is actually a kinder, calmer person than he used to be.

2 Peter 1:9 is sometimes used to teach that a genuine Christian can become an atheist. "For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins."

In researching the verse, I noticed that the next verse says:

"Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;" It seems that Peter is warning them that if they aren't diligent about making their calling and election sure, they could forget that they were purged from their old sins.

I would appreciate intelligent comments on this passage.

[nebula]

If your knowledge of God is intellectual only, then it isn't too hard for the Deceiver to twist your knowledge and logic around, especially when hit with trials and disappointments in faith.

But if you have ever experienced the presence of God . . . there's just no way you can not believe His reality.

[Blien]

Have a read of Psalm 14

Psalm 14

1 The fool has said in his heart,

“There is no God.”

They are corrupt,

They have done abominable works,

There is none who does good.

2 The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men,

To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.

3 They have all turned aside,

They have together become corrupt;

There is none who does good,

No, not one.

4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge,

Who eat up my people as they eat bread,

And do not call on the LORD?

5 There they are in great fear,

For God is with the generation of the righteous.

6 You shame the counsel of the poor,

But the LORD is his refuge.

7 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!

When the LORD brings back the captivity of His people,

Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

Repeated again in

Psalm 53

1 The fool has said in his heart,

“There is no God.”

They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;

There is none who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,

To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.

3 Every one of them has turned aside;

They have together become corrupt;

There is none who does good,

No, not one.

4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge,

Who eat up my people as they eat bread,

And do not call upon God?

5 There they are in great fear

Where no fear was,

For God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you;

You have put them to shame,

Because God has despised them.

6 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!

When God brings back the captivity of His people,

Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

[JHERB]

[Guest]

I have encountered someone that was once a Christian who became an atheist, and it was here at WB. This guy had been going to a church that was very conservative, and in order to increase the number of members, they let down their standards. When he saw how easily they abandoned the things they once held to, he began to question whether or not the entire thing was a sham? Today, he is an atheist. I tried to convince him that the problem was with the leadership of that church, and not with God, but to no avail.

There was also a woman I know of that was a Christian who left God to become a satanist. Today she is a practicing witch and is living with a fallen Mormon. I absolutely believe it is possible for someone who was once saved to walk away.

I've encountered folks like you describe both here on Worthy and in real life. It's really sad what's happening to folks at our universities. I work at one, so I see it first hand. I'll leave the question of salvation between them and the Lord, for He knows those that are His.

[Vince53]

I appreciate the helpful answers. The Greek word for "sure" can refer to certainty, but it usually refers to steadfastness, as in a building. Does this meant that if your calling and election isn't "sure," you have an unsteady calling and election?

Note: I am not a Calvinist, and this is not a secret plot to convert people for or against Calvinism. I really did talk to the friend who is now an atheist, and I am trying to help him out.

[Guest]

.... When he saw how easily they abandoned the things they once held to, he began to question whether or not the entire thing was a sham? Today, he is an atheist. I tried to convince him that the problem was with the leadership of that church, and not with God, but to no avail....

Because Of Him I Know

It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

If I And All Men Be Liars, God Be True

God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Romans 3:4

Bless His Holy Name

Praying!

[nebula]

I appreciate the helpful answers. The Greek word for "sure" can refer to certainty, but it usually refers to steadfastness, as in a building. Does this meant that if your calling and election isn't "sure," you have an unsteady calling and election?

The word says: "Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure."

That's a command.

The implication is that the surety of your call and election depends on you.

[ayin jade]

I know of someone who was an influential Christian moderator at a website, then turned away from Him and is now a staunch atheist. I picked up the pieces on a couple of younger brethren who looked up to her.

1 John 2

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they were of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out so that it might be revealed that they were not all of us.

That seems to imply that they never were Christians to begin with.

The parable of the sower implies too that they were not grounded in their faith, and therefor turned away.

Regardless of whether or not one believes in once saved always saved, or once saved not always saved, the only thing a believer should be doing is to keep the Lord in first place in ones life. Hold fast to the Lord and grow in faith.

[nebula]

Jade.

We can get ourselves into a titsy worrying about who is or is not or was or was not "saved".

All we need to know is where are you with the Lord in the here and now?