When witnessing for our Lord Jesus Christ, we will always encounter some difficult issues like “there is no God”, “I’m not a sinner” or “I just cannot believe”… Atheism is by far the biggest obstacle. There are people who deeply hold to this belief in every walk of life. They make up the majority of the challenges we face. For sure, you will run into them. However, there are two life issues atheists must face that are work in our favor.
1. Atheist do not believe in God. That means there is not a supreme being with authority to uphold right and wrong. In this belief system, everyone is to make his own judgment without moral absolutes. No wonder we live in moral chaos. What is considered right today could quickly become wrong the next. The daily occurrence of moral decline, hideous crime, violence, injustice, deception and social corruption is overwhelming. Even atheists want to have a sovereign power to spell out and uphold what is absolute right and wrong.
2. Atheism believes man has the power to determine his destiny and conquer nature. Reality speaks differently. Man is totally helpless when faced with natural disasters, catastrophes, accidents, sickness, death, and, not the least, his own greed. Atheistic or not, we desperately need a kind Savior to save us from all these.
By default, atheists are proud of themselves and of their own ability, thinking that they are the strong ones. How should we respond to their naïve thinking?
1. Do not let their foolishness arouse our anger. On the contrary, we should be patient, because we were once like them, and just as foolish. We cannot speak directly against their foolishness, or tear down their atheistic beliefs. Doing so could incite argument and fury. After all, atheism is all they have for security and self-esteem. The strategy of the Blessing Groups is repeatedly presenting the theistic view in a gentle manner and let time loosen their stand.
2. We have to believe that God has already revealed Himself in the hearts of man. Romans 1:20 “ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” Our patience would allow God’s witness, which has already been seeded, to work in their hearts. God’s witness is much more powerful than what we can bring in a theological argument.
3. We should be well prepared, and be ready to answer their questions on God’s existence. The most powerful evidence is the mighty work of God – the fulfilment of his prophecies; “God did what he promised.” The promises are great and wondrous things such that their fulfillments leave no other interpretation but the work of God himself. My suggestion to every one of us is to choose a particular biblical prophecy and write a short essay on its historical fulfillment. The content should be simple, concise and easy to follow. Read it out loud several times in a firm but gentle manner. Then practice by sharing it with a friend. Make this your personal weapon of response to atheistic challenge. If you could write several essays of this kind, you would be more adequately prepared to handle different situations.
當我們傳福音,為耶穌基督作見證時,常遇見一些棘手的難題挑戰:如「無神論」、「我不是罪人」、「我無法相信」等。「無神論」可算是頭號大敵,它在人心裡根深蒂固。持定無神論的人羣,遍佈各種行業和知識階層。但我們要瞭解它有兩個嚴重的矛盾,對我們傳福音相當有利。
一、 無神論沒有至高道德掌權者;各人靠自己釐定是非。現實是人間道德淪亡;暴力、詐騙、虛僞層出不窮。人極需一位堅定有力的正義執行者。
二、無神論高舉人的能力,且相信人定勝天。現實卻是天災、人禍、意外、疾病、死亡,沒有一樣人能自己掌控。人極需一位仁慈的救主。
無神論者還悠然自得地以無神論自豪,認爲自己是強者。面對這樣的愚昧,我們如何應對?
第一、 不要讓他們的愚昧牽動我們的怒氣,反而要動憐憫的心腸,為他們得救付出忍耐。我們不能直接戳破無神論的錯謬;因為無神論是他們的安全帽;他們要靠這安全帽得到一點安慰和尊嚴。倘若我們無情的把它戳破,只會引起反感及爭論。我們要忍耐溫柔的讓他們自己發現;幸福小組的策略就是不停的將「一位仁慈的神」的意念傳給他們,叫他們有機會接觸相反的思想,而自我反思。
第二、 我們要相信神早已在人心裡作了見證。「自從造天地以來,神的永能和神性是明明可知的,雖是眼不能見,但藉著所造之物就可以曉得,叫人無可推諉。」(羅馬書1:20)神自己的見證比什麼都有力。我們的忍耐能給人時間去發現神的見證。
第三、我們要有所準備,隨時回答他們詢問「有神」的證據。最有力的證據莫過於神自己的作為–神預言之應驗;因為神的預言,只有神自己能應驗。我們要預先寫好一篇「神在聖經中的預言,和預言應驗的事實。」內容務要精簡有序,讓聽的人容易明白。為了精益求精,可以演練多遍,用溫和的口吻朗讀。到講的時候,就不致語無倫次,而且胸有成竹。這篇文章將成為我們個人對付無神論的利器。如果我們多寫兩三篇這樣的文章備用,就更能隨機應變,應付不同需要的人。