The Christian is very happy telling his friend how good God is, and all the kindness he has seen from God, his salvation, and his overwhelming joy.
One day the unbeliever brakes out in a desperate plea telling his Christian friend: "That's it! I can no longer help you. I cannot rescue you from your madness. You are completely crazy and there is nothing I can do regarding your insanity. You are completely crazy and deranged for believing there is a God."
As he speaks these words, he shouts, gets upset and leaves the conversation. His Christian friend sits quietly meditating as he is unable to deliver his rational argument to prove that believing in God is not madness, but rationally correct.
In the silence of his thoughts he declares and writes a note to his friend.
Dear friend, you said that you had given up on me, on trying to rescue me and save me from my madness. However, I would like to ask you who really is mad. Meditate on this.
I haven't given up on you, as you have. You might not be able to save me, but he is. He is even able to save you!
What makes you think you can save me? Do you think I will be saved by believing Christ is not God? Look at me! I am happy!
I believe God loves me, protects me, takes care of me. I believe that in anything that may happen to me, even great misfortune and defeat; I will resurrect and be triumphant in the end, thanks to him.
You believe you are alone, with no one to be there by your side when things go awkward.
Tell me, who needs a savior? The one that feels alone and forgotten from God's care, or the one that feels like a child who is taken care of by God the father?
How could I be saved believing as you do, that God has abandoned me? Let me tell you something: even if God did not exist, as you claim; believing in Jesus Christ is salvation by the mere fact of believing.
Ponder about this. The believer, in any situation he might endure, especially in dark and troublesome times, has the upper hand. The believer always awaits for the salvation from God. That hope in itself is salvific, for it sets the emotions and thought tranquil and filled with inner peace. On the other hand, the one that does no believe feels hopeless. That "hard reality" of feeling hopeless and without a savior is defeat itself.
Not feeling saved, and protected by a promise of God to be saved in any circumstance should be a cause of discomfort. So, who needs to saved, the one that believes he will be saved, or the one who is alone without help?
Can't you see that the one who needs to be saved is you? You lost hope, you lost the ability to see a new dawn. You are in hell, alone, with no savior to rescue you. You don't have faith in Christ! Perhaps, you are the one who needs to be saved...
Think about it. Regardless of God's existence, it would be the logical option to believe; for when you believe in a God that saves you, you believe that it all will be alright.
Who needs help? The pragmatist who only sees himself in a jail, condemned to death; or the one who sees jail and death as a transitory stage he must go through, awaiting to be saved, resurrected?
Who is in more misfortunes, the one that believes, or the one that does not believe?
The one that believes sees the misfortunes as an opportunity to share the Cross of Christ, awaiting for death, crying: "God, why have you abandoned me!" Yet in those words there is hope that even Hell won't be able to retain him for long. He believes and awaits in God's salvation.
On the other hand, the one that does not believe is angry, confused, hopeless, in distress, seeing life escape away from him every day that goes by.
I will present an example of something that took place during Jesus crucifixion. By his side there were two thieves, condemned to death for their crimes. One of them was cursing at God for his misfortune, and his imminent death. The other one was accepting his destiny, for he knew he was deserving of such sentence. However, while on the cross, besides Jesus in the cross, he said to the pragmatic and angry thief: "stop complaining! Can't you see we both deserve this punishment. Stop telling Jesus to save you! Can't you see he is suffering the same luck we have; yet he is not guilty. He is the only one not deserving this horrendous punishment." As he spoke those words, he addressed Jesus, with faith, believing Jesus was pure, holy, and innocent, and said: "remember me, have pity on me when you are in your kingdom." To which Jesus replied: "you will certainly be in paradise today"
Can't you see that it is not so much the journey what matters, but our attitude during the journey what really makes a difference?
Faith in Jesus, within itself, has the power to save you. Jesus gives us testimony of the goodness and kindness of God.
Jesus means God Saves. Therefore, what is better to believe during our journey, a God that saves us and forgives us; or to be like those who believe God is a mad man filled with hatred? To believe God is an irrational lunatic, a lier and murderer, is the same as to believe he does not exist! What is the difference?
Thus, faith in Jesus is salvation (regardless on weather there were eternal life or not, it is healthier to believe he is God.)
So, you see, even reason tells us that to believe in Jesus, as if he were God, is healthier than to believe that God does not exist, or that he is an irrational mad man.
Jesus brings a whole new different perspective of who God is. Kind, forgiving and merciful. He does not kill, or stone the adulterous woman. He saves the thief and criminal. Thus, that perspective within itself, regardless of the existence of Eternal Life, is worth living.
Now, in the other hand, if we were, as atheists, to discover after we die, that God exists; wouldn't it be awful? Wouldn't it be awful to think we could have lived our stay on this Earth trusting in God's name: salvation.
Think, if you are an atheist and discover you are eternal after you die; you are going to regret not having lived life with the comfort of his salvation. Yet, it is ok. Can't you see that weather you believe in him, or not; he still came to save us all. The only difference is that those that believe, have already been saved.
The question I have is answered by the parable of the vineyard, where not all worked a day's journey, yet all got the same wages paid. Therefore, I say to myself: "don't worry too much about your atheist friend. Jesus will save him when he invited him to work in the vineyard. Don't be jealous of him when you see he receives the same wages as you did: everlasting bread and wine."
So, atheist friend, I haven't given up on you, as you have trying to convert me to atheism, to save me. I still have hope he will save you, and he will even pay you the same wages as he does to me. I have started working in the vineyard already, preaching the Good News, the gospel of eternity. You will, in his time, and oddly enough, the both of us will get paid the same amount: mercy from God our savior, Jesus.
I love you. I wish you would join us soon. Yet, I'm ok with God's decision of not inviting you yet to work in the vineyard. Besides, it's hot and sweaty. So, it's ok. Chill and relax. Don't worry, be happy, I am praying for you.
Regardless of God's existence and his promises of salvation, it is better to believe in him than not to believe in him. Peace of mind is worth a fortune!
If he does not exist, you win by believing he does exist and save. However, if he really exists, you win double. On the other hand, not believing he exists leads to a very sterile life of loneliness. In the end,?You only win once, in the last day when he rescues you and gives you eternal life.
Ask yourself the question:
Is your life a half empty glass, or a full glass of water? As a rational follow up of the logic of my words, the question you should ask him, just to be on the wining side, should be: "Lord Jesus, if you truly exist, be kind and merciful, allow me to believe and work in the vineyard," don't you agree? Ask Jesus if he truly resurrected and if he is God. (The only downside if he answers your prayer is that you will be a Blues Brother on a mission from God, preaching the gospel to everyone, a man with a pourpose and a reason to exist.)
Do you want to believe, or would you rather sit at the city square waiting for him to give you a job? Remember, when he calls out your name, respond. You'll live a much happier life. Your life will have a purpose and a meaning. You will be working in the vineyard of the Lord, which translates to listening to his wonderful words all the time. As for myself, I want to dwel in the House of the Lord every single day of my life, singing praises and worship to his lovely name: Jesus, the Salvation from God.
Pax
I'm still praying he calls you to work in the vineyard soon.
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