Whenever people ask me why I believe in God I answer, “I believe in him because I can’t help it.”
Swiss Reformed theologian Karl Barth (1886-1968) was right when he said that man has an “incurable God sickness.” Atheism is of the lip rather than the heart. People may deny God with the tops of their heads but they believe in him with the bottoms of their hearts. Most atheism is a front—a cover-up, a smoke screen for some emotional or moral problem.
The great strength of the Christian interpretation of life is that there is no satisfying alternative to it.
The epicurean philosophy says that we are to live for pleasure alone. Its motto is “Let us eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.” Twentieth century satirist Dorothy Parker points out, “We may not die, but tomorrow we shall at least have a headache.”
The stoic philosophy says that we are to “grit our teeth and bear with patience what is ordained.” There is something admirable about unyielding courage, even when it is unsustained by hope. But it puts little meaning into life and even less joy.
The secularist philosophy seeks to organize life apart from God. It believes in man, his ability, and his goodness. However, it is like trying to make bread without flour. You eventually realize that you have left out something significant.
Materialism is believing that life consists of the abundance of the things we possess. But life can come unraveled in a new suit as well as in an old one. The thrill of a new car passes as fast as the miles on the speedometer. Family members can fight as violently in a mansion as they can in a mobile home.
Eventually all the alternatives are exhausted. It is either swim with Christ or sink in despair. There is a God of the universe. We are made in his likeness and image. We are responsible to him. There is a reason and purpose in life. We are headed for eternity.
We believe these things because we must. St. Augustine was right when he said, “Thou hast made us for thyself and our hearts are restless until they rest in thee.”
Jesus said, “I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.” The word life encompasses joy, peace, love, happiness, purpose, and meaning. It expresses all that we long for and desire in life. If you want life at its best, then you need to give yourself to Christ.