A truly amazing thing happened at Harvard University in 2005. Harvard – founded in 1636 to educate ministry students and meet the unique educational needs of Christians – appointed an atheist as the school’s chaplain. The school, whose motto is “Truth for Christ and the Church,” evidently felt that was an excellent choice. As one student noted, “Greg’s leadership isn’t about theology…” Apparently not!
Greg Epstein, the chaplain & author of the book “Good Without God,” has said, “We don’t look to a god for answers. We are each other’s answers.” Whoa – that’s a scary thought. It seems to me that having a chaplain who doesn’t believe in God is akin to a judge who doesn’t believe in the rule of law. Really? I mean – how do you do that?!
The answer, of course, is that you don’t. If people are not looking to God for answers but instead to mere men – Houston, we have a big problem! There is no such thing as being good without God. We are good because God has made us good in His sight through Christ.
Can you imagine living without at least one modern convenience? Let’s say you have no running water, no car, no oven. For many of us, this would be unthinkable! Yet, no one takes the time to think what life would be like without God.
Dennis Prager – a nationally syndicated talk-show host – recently pointed out just a few problems we’d have living without God.
~ Without God, there is no good & evil. Unless there is a moral authority that is above us and sets the standard of “right & “wrong” then morality is determined by the majority and what people ‘feel.’
~ Without God, there is no objective meaning to life. Without a creator, we are simply the random result of a mindless evolution. We are an accident of nature and our existence has no more value than slime in a pond.
~ Without God, “all is permitted.” There has been plenty of evil committed by believers in God, but the widespread cruelties from secular regimes dwarfs the evil done in the name of religion!
~ Without God there is no judgement. The kindest and most innocent victims of torture and murder suffer the same fate AFTER death as the most cruel torturers and mass murderers.
~ Without God, life is ultimately a tragic fate. We live, we suffer, we die – our end (without God) offers nothing more than empty oblivion.
So, can we be good without God? Most people would say they are already good – they have never robbed a bank, stolen from a store or mugged anyone. Why wouldn’t they call themselves good?! But without that supernatural element of salvation through Jesus Christ in your life – a person does not have the goodness of God! Under that God covering, you have true life (Zoe) and peace, inner strength, and, in the end – victory!
Back in 1959, Charleston Heston starred in one of the greatest movies of all time – Ben Hur. It was a Biblical epic that is still known for its climatic chariot race. Just for that one race scene, 5 weeks of filming was required along with 15,000 extras and 18 chariots. In the spirit of authenticity, Heston spent weeks learning to drive the chariot but he was still worried about the race. Heston told the stunt director, “I can drive the chariot, but I’m not sure I can win.” The stunt director smiled and said, “Chuck, you just make sure you stay in the chariot. I’ll make sure you win the race.”
Now – think about this: Heston was going win that race. It was in the script. There was no away he was going to lose. And yet, for weeks he fretted about the outcome. Why? He forgot that the outcome didn’t depend on him – it depended on the director of the movie. If the director decided Heston was going to win the race, he was going to win that race!
All our sins were cancelled when Christ died on the cross. We are going to win our race! Period. We are now good to go. As Billy Graham once said: “You’re born, You suffer. You die. Fortunately there’s a loophole.” God is so good!
Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org
I could offer a dismissive and condescending reply, but what good would that do?!
Stating your beliefs as fact does not make them true. If it did — why, that opens the door to anything!
Offering a person who agrees with you as an authority does not further your point.
Your not being able to recognize or admit that people can be good without a belief in god doesn’t change the fact that it happens. I don’t suppose I’ll change your mind on that. That’s OK.