To believe that our incredibly complex, orderly, and wondrous universe came into existence by pure chance is not only illogical but the one belief system, that according to the Bible, is not a valid option.
R. C. Sproul helps us see the real reason why atheists don’t believe in God and it may surprise you: “The main problem with those who deny the existence of God is not intellectual. It is not because of insufficient information, or that God’s manifestation of himself in nature has been obscured. The atheists’ problem is not that they cannot know God, rather it is they do not want to know him. Man’s problem with the existence of God is not an intellectual problem; it is a moral problem. ‘For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men – Rom. 1:18’”1
And Scripture tells us that it is not a question of not knowing the truth about the existence of God but of suppressing the truth about God. (Romans 1:18-20 NIV) makes this very clear: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 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.”
It’s kind of funny as C. S. Lewis shared: “Atheists express their rage against God although in their view He does not exist.”2 And this rage and suppression of the truth about the existence of God is necessary for our atheist friends in order for them to justify their sinful lifestyles. For to acknowledge that there is a God and that He will hold them accountable for sin is what causes the atheist to suppress the truth about the existence of God. In the final analysis it comes down to an accountability issue. Sinful man, according to Scripture, is “without excuse” for our universe cries out for the existence of a Creator God.
So the atheist, in order to soothe his conscience chooses to live in a land of make believe and deny that there is a God, thus showing that according to Scripture, he makes himself out to be a fool, for we read in (Psalm 14:1):
“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”
Once an atheist begins to see how foolish he really is for denying the existence of God, I believe, that the Holy Spirit can then use natural revelation, the beauty and complexity of the universe, to lead him to supernatural revelation, the Holy Bible, which can lead him to Jesus Christ as the one true God.
Rather than mock or think foolishly about our atheist friends we need to pray fervently for them because they are living in a world of denial and suppression of the truth. Remember that they just like us, before we came to Christ, are dead in their sins and trespasses. It’s only the power of prayer and the Word of God that can open their blind eyes to the truth of the gospel. So we need to share the gospel and pray for the miracle of the new birth in them. And I know, because I was once an atheist – blind but now I see!