If Not a Christian, Then an Atheist

In my opinion, the two most hopeful metaphysical prisms through which to view death and judgment are the Protestant gospel and atheism, in that order. When I say “Protestant gospel,” I do not mean the teachings of any and every group that might have broken off from the Roman Catholic Church. Nor do I mean all the teachings of any group in particular. Rather, I mean the gospel of justification by the death (and life) of Christ alone as formulated by the best Lutherans, many of the Reformed, a number of Baptists, and a few others. That Protestant gospel says that it is the Son of God’s substitutionary death alone that saves sinners, not some action or actions on our part - being religious, being moral, being a part of some church, nothing. When a person believes this, he is justified from all sin. Regrettably, even in churches that agree with this gospel, it often gets obfuscated by other emphases.

The late atheist writer, Christopher Hitchens, understood the heart of the Protestant gospel better than many self-identified Christians, who regrettably see the death of Christ as necessary but ancillary to what they believe is the more pressing issue of “living the Christian life.” Yet it is the heart of that gospel that Hitchens attacked as unconscionable, the idea that someone else would be held responsible in any sense for his sins and punished in his stead. However, what Hitchens saw as unconscionable and even “immoral,” I see as the sinner’s best hope.

Before I go further, it’s probably necessary here to clarify what I mean by the term “sinner.” In one context “sinner” refers to each and every one of us. In Ecclesiastes 7:20, it says, “There is not a just man upon the earth, that does good, and sins not.” Again in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Both these verses teach that every human being is a sinner. But in another context, the word “sinner” is used with more specificity. It refers not to everyone, but to the one who acutely feels his sinfulness. He is weighed down with guilt, shame and a sense of pending judgment. He rightly sees sin in everything he does. This kind of sinner is what Christ was referring to in Matthew 9:13, when he said, “I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Even though all men are in truth sinners, some don’t see themselves that way. Imperfect maybe. Weak maybe. But not rebels against God and his law. So Christ here narrows the meaning of that word “sinner” to those who are made to feel and know their wretched, guilty condition.

So when I say that the two most hopeful metaphysical prisms to view death and judgment are the Protestant gospel and atheism, I believe I do so as a sinner of the second category - one who feels a great weight of sin hanging around my neck. To me, any religion that says my salvation is based in whole or in part upon my goodness or my obedience to a certain standard is altogether hopeless. After many years of trying and failing, I confess with the Apostle Paul, “The good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do” (Romans 7:19).

Atheism offers some hope in this respect because it denies both a Creator and his judgment (and thus a need to meet any standard at all). The atheist only sees this life and can say, “Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die” (1 Corinthians 15:32). Notice, however, I did not say atheism is a good choice. I cannot with a clear conscience just set aside the moral, teleological (design) and cosmological (first cause) arguments for God’s existence. More than this, my feelings of guilt overwhelmingly argue for a judge to whom I will be held accountable. My only assertion here is that next to the Protestant gospel, atheism is more hopeful with respect to death and judgment than any other metaphysical or religious view.

All things considered, the Protestant gospel stands out as clearly the most hopeful choice. The standard was met perfectly by Christ in my place, as my surety. I believe on him and am justified from all sin. Romans 4:5 says, “To him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”