INSPIRING WORD: A Message for Agnostics

[BROADCAST on my Radio Show INSPIRE on 6th September 2018]

This is a message for agnostics. But before I begin with that I’d like to give a dictionary definition of an 'agnostic' so we’re clear what we’re talking about. An agnostic is: ‘A person who claims they cannot have true knowledge about the existence of God - but does not deny that God might exist’. In other words, they allow that it is possible there is a God but remain unconvinced because insufficient PROOF has come their way. I would suspect that most agnostics would like proof so they could believe – otherwise they would plump for being an atheist. Maybe they even think their agnostic stance would be regarded in a better light by God – IF there is a God! Well, if they think that, they are sadly deluded. Here's why. I’ll get to the message for agnostics in a moment, but first, a fast rewind.

If you listened to INSPIRE last week you might have heard the piece I did called ‘Does God Want Everyone to Believe in Him?’. If you missed it and would like to catch up on what I said, I have put a link to this on my website at iankingsley.com/soundcloud and a text version in the previous post in this blog, which you can also access from my website, iankingsley.com. And I’m telling you this because that message was a precursor to today’s message. In a nutshell it explained that if God unequivocally made it clear to everyone that he existed, then this would nullify the need for FAITH in your belief in him. And that HAVING faith is the ultimate assessment God has to identify His chosen people: those SAVED, and thereby rewarded with eternal life in Heaven. And if everyone believed in God – without the NEED for faith – then the only way to judge people would be by their deeds: the Old Testament way. And no one can measure up that way because we are all sinners.

But because Christians BELIEVE – through FAITH - that Jesus died for the sins of all believers, then it is this FAITH which allows then access to eternal life: through the GRACE of GOD rather than deeds. So the conclusion of all that was that God is not interested in offering absolute PROOF of his existence. Instead he prefers a method which clearly separates evil from holy people: that is: the need for faith.

Right. Back to ‘the now’, and my message to agnostics. If I was a gambler – which I’m not – talking to gamblers, I might say that it would be sensible for an agnostic to believe in God and so increase the odds of them being saved – rather than disbelieve and stand no chance. But this is a Catch-22 situation. You can’t just say, “OK, I’ll blieve in God,” because belief only comes through faith, and these are states-of-mind. We’re talking about TRUE faith here, not a CLAIM. If you TRULY believe there’s a God – with not a single doubt in your mind – as I do - then you have achieved FAITH – and hence salvation through God’s grace.

The point is that, so far as God is concerned, belief – or not – is a bistable condition. You either believe or you don’t believe. You might like to occupy a middle ground of ‘maybe’ I could believe, given proof. I’ve tried to explain there can never be positive proof because, if there was, there would be no need for faith. And God requires faith. So, to any agnostics, I say this. Either pray for the added strength you need to achieve faith, perhaps assisted by this logic, or settle for unbelief, and know that Heaven is not for you. Just the OTHER THING, whatever you might believe that is. Nothingness? Ghostly form on Earth? Reincarnation? Take your pick!

I admit I was once an agnostic. Over 30 years ago. And because I was from a scientific and technological background I decided to investigate it further. It took me years and years, but in the end I got to sufficient evidence – NOT PROOF – that I accepted there must be a God, and then I was what is termed ‘born again’ in the spirit because I attained FAITH. And once I had faith I not longer needed the evidence. So, agnostics, I suggest you either carry out your own investigation so you can reach one of those bistable states: belief or not. And if you want a shortcut to that, you could check out my website at iankingsley.com, and my eBook called ‘Reality Check: Science Meets Religion’ to see the evidence which convinced me. Maybe it will help to convince you.

So that is my message to agnostics. Why walk down the middle of the road, only leading to death, when you know that if there is eternal life, that is not the road that will lead you there. The narrower route marked FAITH is the only way, but if you need to take the longer route of considering all the evidence and then applying logic, then that is also that option that might also led you to faith.

But only IF you LIVE long enough!