Hugh Ross

Hugh Ross is a Christian astrophysicist who bravely and faithfully shares his faith with non-believers. Some time ago he was invited to present the Christian faith at a convention of Skeptics, read atheist. This was a hostile and aggressive gathering of about 700 committed, hard-core opponents of the Christian faith. 

 

During the encounter he noted that the atheists were only antagonistic toward the God of the Bible, the Christian God. They were indifferent to all other gods. There was not so much as a complaint about the gods. Mr Ross commented on the skeptics' hatred for the Christian God. 

 

The response of the skeptic/atheist was insightful, worrying, and cause for alarm. They said in effect, “We don’t hate the Christian God. We hate His followers.”  They related stories of how they had been hurt by people who claim to be Christians. 

 

This reminds me of the words of Brennan Manning; The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.

 

True, some people do not believe because they have never heard. We need to lovingly share the good news with these people. 

 

Some don’t believe it because they have honest doubts that have never been answered. This is, I think, a very small tribe. We need to lovingly hear their hearts, questions, and doubts. And in gentleness and thoughtfulness answer those questions. 

 

There are some former believers who, having fallen into sin, have walked away from the faith because, as Paul said of Demas, ‘having loved the present world’. We must with love and grace honestly challenge them about sin, righteousness, and the judgment to come. 

 

There is also a large community of nonbelievers who have been hurt by mean spirited “Christians”. In such cases, we need to first share that bad believers do not represent Christ. Second, we need to live with such love and grace that in us they might see Christ. 

 

My heart breaks because I can put faces to a couple of these categories. I have watched as a good friend and honest man became very indifferent to the faith because of stupid church politics. I recall a young lady who I watched the evil of a church nearly wreck her faith. She still believes, but she is reluctant about faith. 

 

In my opinion, the wrath of God for a Missalina, Hitler, or Charles Manson will not be so intense as that for a so-called Christian who for whatever selfish reasons wrecks the budding faith of innocent believers.