The next time you are talking with an atheist show him that we Christians have some things in common that are supernatural in origin, and thus leave him with something to think about. I like how Glen Scrivener shows both Christian and atheist alike this commonality when he shared: “Christians believe in the virgin birth of Jesus. Materialists believe in the virgin birth of the cosmos. Choose your miracle.”1
For you see not only is the virgin birth of Jesus a miracle but the Bible tells us that the creation of the universe is also a great miracle. (Genesis 1:1). But when the atheist is pressed, he must also realize that the creation of the universe out of nothing must also be a mighty miracle. And by definition since miracles can only be performed by a supernatural Being our atheist friend is left to ponder just who performed the creation miracle.
You might also want to share with our atheist friend another line of reasoning that puts their belief system on shaking grounds. The late apologist, Ron Carlson, shares more food for thought for the atheist when he said: “It is philosophically impossible to be an atheist, since to be an atheist you must have infinite knowledge in order to know absolutely that there is no God. But to have infinite knowledge, you would have to be God yourself. It’s hard to be God yourself and an atheist at the same time!”2
And by now if our atheist’s head isn’t totally spinning, then why not show him that his belief system is totally hopeless, since he can never find meaning in a life, where in the absence of a fresh revelation from our Creator God, he is left with no possibility of knowing why or what he was created for. Pastor Rick Warren sums up the age-old dilemma that all atheists are faced with when he shared: “You didn’t create yourself, so there is no way you can tell yourself what you were created for!”3
My friends the Bible tells us that in reality there are no real atheists, but just vile sinners who refuse to bow to and acknowledge that God exists and that He is the sovereign Creator of the universe. For we read in (Romans 1:18-20): “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.”
I praise God that one day 43+ years ago The Lord shined His great spotlight on me and opened my blind eyes and stone-cold heart to see that I was in reality not the atheist I claimed to be, but a sinner hopelessly lost and in rebellion against a holy God. And on October 12, 1981 my life, which was dead in sin and trespasses, in a sense was resurrected from death, to being made alive in Christ!
If you have any atheist friends I challenge you to share this devotion with them and then pray earnestly that the Lord would open their blind eyes to the incredible peace, joy, and meaning that awaits them in Christ!
1 Charlie H. Campbell, Apologetics Quotes (Carlsbad, California: The Always Be Ready Apologetics Ministry, 2020), p. 11.