Jesus, not Religion, is the Real Story: Replying to My Liberal Atheist Friend

A friend and former coworker recently wrote a critique on religion. He says religion corresponds to a certain level of social unity. He defines a given faith defined by the words and deeds of those who claim that faith. He believes few people really cherish, or live up to, the ethos and mandates of their religion. Moreover, he thinks many religious behaviors are exclusionary or inconsiderate. Thus, to be a “decent person” one does not need religion. Religious terms and practices vary with time and place, he writes, so religious self-identification ultimately is “obsolete and useless.”

My friend’s article highlighted Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, but he applied his remarks to all religions. My response will be specific to my Christian faith—starting with affirming my friend’s points that I found convicting.

I marvel that my former colleague doubts the sincerity of a Christian’s belief. He must know lots of lukewarm Christians to have arrived at that position. How small or rare was my own boldness and faithfulness?

Further, he evidently has seen indecency and snobbery dwell in Christian circles. How could this be, since we believe from Romans 5 that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”? Do we neglect to “do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation”—as it says in Philippians 2? Or among ourselves, have we given up on Jesus’ comment in John 13: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another”? Did I fail in these areas under my friend’s scrutiny?

I think my friend legitimately opines on Christianity based on Christians—and I have taken note. But fortunately for my friend, and for myself, the Bible ultimately emphasizes the perfection and power of Christ, not the fickleness and failings of His people.

In fact, a unique and decisive reason for trusting the accuracy and authority of the Bible is that it illuminates most of its own heroes’ greatest flaws—like murder, adultery, betrayal, faithlessness, cowardice, and all of the so-called seven deadly sins (pride, envy, wrath, lust, sloth, gluttony, and greed). Can you picture the Qur’an calling Mohamad a coward, or Buddhists ascribing murder to the Dalai Lama, or the Book of Mormon decrying Joseph Smith as a traitor? Only Jesus is shown to be perfect in the Bible. Then again, only He—among all modern faiths—claims divine station. But I digress.

Two rebuttals I offer my friend.

First, 1 Samuel 16 states, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Christians mess up all the time, yet God demands far more than merely being a “decent person.” Ecclesiastes 12 says, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.” In Micah 6, God directs us “to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Jesus identifies the Bible’s two chief mandates in Mark 12: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength…Love your neighbor as yourself.” And a word on attitude and perspective from Colossians 3: “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.”

My friend aims to be nice to people—but that is not good enough. Jesus commands, “Be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5) This of course is impossible, but that is the whole point. Most religions ultimately require that you do your best—and hopefully your efforts will be enough. But the biblical bar is untouchable, because God’s holiness literally cannot stand any sin. For His own integrity, God either justly eradicates sin, or mercifully atones for it. Either way, the story is about God, not us: “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4)

So by denouncing Christianity because of the mistakes of Christians, my friend has missed what Christians themselves struggle to recall: if God truly is as mighty and good as the Bible declares, then “in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8)

Second, consider a short analogy: think about your favorite chair. What do you do each time you sit on it? Consciously or not, you make an assumption about its potential to hold you up. Only an obvious flaw in the chair or a warning from someone would cause you to doubt your assumption.

Now ponder your supposition about the indispensable belief of Christianity: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on a cross and rose from the dead. Most non-Christians either have never heard this, or disbelieve it. If you are in the latter group, entertain for just a moment how different the world would be if the statement actually is true. What would its implications be for you? In Romans 10, the answer is plain: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

In the end, my friend’s judgment of Christianity depends not on Christians or traditions or rituals or interpretations. These are open to folly and criticism like any other human institution. Biblical Christianity starts at the cross and ends at the empty tomb. Nothing else works. In fact, the Bible says, “If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile [and] we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead.” (1 Corinthians 15) This is what my friend must accept or deny.