Dr. Scott Kaufman, our Director of Healthcare Ministries, in his diligent pursuit to reach those in the health care industry in our region, has written the following article to appeal to this unique group of people. Take 3 minutes to read it. It is great. Dr. Kaufman is a prolific reader, and he will probably be writing something like this weekly. Enjoy.

APOLOGIA – Theological Reflections for Today’s Busy Healthcare Professional
*a service of the Healthcare Ministries of The Church at Pinnacle Hills

Does God Believe in Atheists?
Scott E. Kaufman
Director of Healthcare Ministries

For two consecutive weeks he sat quietly through the Sunday morning worship time. But as soon as the pastor stepped up to the podium to preach, the man would don a set of earmuffs and begin reading a copy of atheist Richard Dawkins’s book, The God Delusion. His purpose?—to protest the “irrational” belief that God exists.

Denying that there exist sufficient grounds to justify belief in God, atheists conclude that the only reasonable position is to be an atheist. But the Scriptures tell us that God has given mankind sufficient evidence of His existence—evidential grounds which are sufficient in fact to leave all mankind (even the atheist) “without excuse.” Why? Romans 1:19-20 tells us:

Because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

Creation itself declares the existence of a Creator. In Psalm 19:1 we read, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God, and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” This information goes out “to the end of the world” (v.4), and no one is exempt from God’s revelation of Himself through creation. Therefore every human being already knows that God exists, though fallen, sinful human nature often leads them to “suppress” this truth, thereby heaping even greater wrath upon themselves (cf. Romans 1:18). But while God’s revelation of Himself through creation is sufficient to condemn us for unbelief, it is not sufficient to bring us to a saving knowledge of God. Therefore, He has also given us the Scriptures through which we can come to a fuller, saving knowledge of God through His Son Jesus Christ: “Now this is eternal life: that they
may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3, NASB) To sum up:

1. All people know enough truths about God to be without excuse, and often know many more.
   
2. The unbeliever’s disobedience has intellectual implications, and the Scriptures declare it is a “stupid” response to God’s revelation. (cf. Psalm 14:1; Romans 1:21,22)
3. Unbelievers lack the obedience and friendship with God to “know” Him in the fullest, biblical sense—a knowledge that can only come through faith in Jesus Christ.

Does God believe in atheists? Not according to what He has revealed to us in His Word. So when the time comes for each of us to give an account of ourselves before God, none will be able to use the excuse, “I didn’t know.” No, God does not believe in atheists.

Think About It…
While there continues to be a high incidence of belief in God in the US public, studies have shown that physicians are less likely to believe in God than the general population. For example, one survey in Vermont involving family physicians showed that 91% of the patients reported belief in God as compared with 64% of the physicians.1 A 1975 survey of psychiatrists showed that 43% professed a belief in God.2

1 Maugans TA, Wadland WC. Religion and family medicine: A survery of physicians and patients. Journal of Family
Practice. 1991;32: 210-213.
2 Psychiatrists’ viewpoints on religion and their services to religious institutions and the ministry. American Psychiatric
Association Task Force Report 10, Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1975.