What Does a Belief in God Give You?

The article below was written by an atheist with some probing questions. I have printed his article as written, but would like to add my answers to his questions. I welcome your thoughts and comments as well. Here is Mark's article-

Posted on June 7, 2009 by Mark

Mark- What does your belief in God give that you couldn’t accomplish yourself?

Mike- Life, hope, a relationship with God, salvation, a future, forgiveness, peace, direction, purpose, promise....I'll stop with these few for now.

Mark- Does this belief give you a sense of personal security? Then why must you hide behind guns and locked doors?

Mike- Yes, I have an amazing sense of personal security because a sovereign God is watching out for me and is in charge of my life. I trust him and have found him trustworthy.

I don't own a gun. A belief in God has little to do with gun ownership, but I understand your point. I do lock my doors. Why? I'm not foolish. We live in a world with people who do not love and serve God. My trust in God does not mean I abandon common sense.

Mark- Does this belief give you an everlasting life or afterlife? Every physical being dies and no one has proven there is an afterlife. Religion is full of promises, but only if you obey it’s doctrine.

Mike- Yes, I believe that my belief (my faith in God's promises) does give me everlasting life. And, yes, we all die, but what I know that you may not believe is that one man came back from death as the resurrected God-man and proved that God is able to raise the dead, that death is not the end. Being God in flesh Jesus reveals the afterlife to us as no other can.

You said, "Religion is full of promises, but only if you obey it’s doctrine." Many religions are built on performance, I agree. But, Christianity is based on faith alone. There is no performance, no obeying doctrine to have eternal life. This life God has promised is completely free based on faith in Christ alone. I do understand your comment, but you have included all faiths in your statement and I believe the Christian faith promises something much different than you describe. Yes, there is a life to live after I trust Christ as savior, but salvation is completely free from works and gained by faith alone.

Mark-Does this belief give you food or shelter? Most people I know work to earn wages that provide them with food and/or shelter. Food doesn’t fall out of sky, does it? In other words, we provide food and shelter for ourselves. Many homeless folks believe in God. Where is their shelter?

Mike- No, my belief does not give me food or shelter alone. It is not a meal ticket, but what God promises is that he will care for me, provide for me and watch over my life and he always has. As King David said, "I have never seen the righteous hungry or their seed begging bread." No, food does not fall from heaven. Yes, we are to work and trust God. It may sound strange, but those two do work together in my life, both my work and my faith. Yes, there are homeless. It is sad. Many do believe in God. My question back to you, Mark, is are you helping them? Christians have, throughout our history, helped those in need. It is part of what God has called us to do...we are called to love and care for those in need. It's part of our faith and God's way of helping those in need. Now, I know you are talking about what God gives us, but faith in God is not a guarantee of a free ride in this life.

Mark-Does this belief protect you from disease and illnesses? There are millions of sick people in the world regardless of religion or belief in God.

Mike- No, my belief does not protect me from disease or illness. Yes, there are millions who are ill, sick and dying who believe in God. We are in a fallen world where sin and its results have affected everything. That does not prove that God doesn't exist, it only proves that the devil does exist. The Christian faith is the only faith that gives an answer to your questions of why there is sin, sickness and death and yet an all powerful God who is good exists at the same time. Christians look forward to the promised day when God will do away with sin and death. Then the world will be as God meant it to be.

Mark-Does this belief protect you from natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes or earthquakes? Millions of people every year are killed or injured due to natural disasters…regardless of their belief in God.

Mike- No, it doesn't protect me from natural disasters, but I wonder how much God has protected me from that I don't even know about. I won't know that in this life. Yes, millions have died in disasters even though they believe in God. I do not believe in God for what I might get out of it. I did not come to him for salvation to get food, shelter or protection. I came to him because I needed one thing- salvation. I'm not in this for what I can get. I'm a Christian because I really do believe there is a good God who loves me. All of your questions and the ones yet before us look at God as if it were his job to do everything for me and protect me from all harm and woe. Is that what you really expect a god to do for you before you believe in him? Sadly, I think you are looking for the wrong things from God.

Mark-Does this belief protect your places of worship? Churches and temples are destroyed by fire, flood, tornadoes and other disasters just like other man made structures. In fact, most churches are financially protected through insurance companies. Your God doesn’t protect his churches from his created weather disturbances or quakes.

Mike- Again, no, my belief does not protect our place of worship. Your point? What do you expect him to do? Does my belief require that I'm exempt from all harm, all that the world brings? Clearly you don't understand God, the world or our place in it.

Mark-Does this belief protect its masses from starvation? Everyday, thousands die from food deprivation whether they believe in God or not.

Mike- No, it doesn't keep millions from starving. I agree, but what does that have to do with my belief in God? Way too many are dying because of starvation. Many Christian organizations are shipping food to these places and helping meet these needs. That, too, is part of what God has asked us to do, to care for one another. We literally get to be part of his work in the lives of those in need. This is not a selfish, self-serving faith. It is a faith in a sovereign God who calls us to be part of the solution.

Mark-So, what are the rewards in believing in God? You have accomplished or can accomplish most any goal with a faith in yourself.

Mike- What are the rewards for my belief in God? My, where do I start? I have given you a partial list above, but the list here will include, as you asked, things that I CANNOT accomplish by myself, this list is a list of things that come only from a faith in the God who is, and here are the rewards- eternal life, salvation, hope, peace, promises given and fulfilled, direction, a joy apart from my circumstances, guidance, someone to talk to who can help, I'm no longer alone, purpose, a mission for my life, answers to my questions (many of them are the ones you ask now, and God has given me answers to my questions), security, a family- the family of God, grace, mercy, kindness, someone who listens when I cry (I'm no longer crying into an empty night, but I have a living God who listens), and, Mark, there is so much more. I wish you knew the God I know. You would love him as I do. I know your questions are sincere, but even if they aren't I KNOW there is a God who cares for us, who loves us, who is seeking you. I pray you will trust the God who is for the salvation and peace you need. I'm praying for you Mark.
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