When One Rejects Christianity
It is considered "smart" in some circles, especially in some of the State Colleges, to scoff at the miracles of Christ and to ridicule faith in Him as the Son of God. It is always a source of grief to me to encounter a young person who was reared in a strictly religious home, who has now turned against his early training to become an unbeliever. I do not pretend to understand all of the underlying causes of this widespread condition but I am sure that much of it is due to the wishy-washy, stand-for-nothing attitude of most of the modern religious world. This unstable situation has a tendency to unsettle things, including the faith of our youth. But what about the unbeliever?
First, in rejecting Christianity he must refuse to weigh the evidence in favor of Christ. We can cite one example after another to show that the one who fairly examines the evidence is bound to believe; thus the unbeliever is guilty of having a closed mind. Take the case of Nicodemus who said, "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God." How did he know it? By an examination of the evidence. "For no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." Yes, the perfect life led by Jesus, His marvelous works, His excellent precepts - these all combine to lead any honest mind to the conviction that He was what He claimed to be, the Son of God.
In the second place when one rejects Christianity h-must reject too much that is obviously good. Who can deny the superiority of the "golden rule" over any rule ever inculcated by men? Who can deny that the principles of ethical and moral conduct enunciated by Christ have produced practical fruit in the lives of thousands of His followers? Christianity has contributed to society nearly everything in it that is good. Often skeptics will inveigh against Christianity on the grounds that it is responsible for wars, torture, bigotry, etc. They will point to the Inquisition, to the Crusades, and to the intolerance of various parties; for all of this they will blame Christianity. But anyone who truly thinks cannot fail to see how unjust it is to identify real Christianity with those who have perverted it. Nothing is rightly considered a fruit of Christianity that is contrary to that which was taught by its Founder. We are forced to realize that these evils are not practiced by Christians, but by abusers of Christianity. In order to reject Christianity one must reject too much that is palpably good.
Third, when one rejects Christianity he allies himself with the forces of the wicked and the worldly. The infidel is identified with the only other class which opposes the teachings of our Lord: those who are not willing to measure up to the high standards which He established. We can understand why such as this will mock Christianity, for it exposes their sins and shortcomings. The good people of the world do not despise the gospel, because it is their aim to live by its precepts. I do not mean to say that all infidels are immoral men, but that they choose to put themselves on the level of those who are. The apostle John lists the unbeliever in the same catalog with all of the ungodly: "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone." (Rev. 21:8.)