Atheists Don't Exist

"Functional Saviors Ain't Hip, They're a Real Waste" - Trip Lee


When I first heard that line in Trip Lee's song "New Dreams", I understood it, but not fully. Then I watched some of Tim Keller teaching about Idols. He referenced a commencement speech that an atheist had given. During the speech, the man said that there really is no such thing as an atheist (this really upset the atheist community!!), that we all serve some sort of God. Whether we choose to acknowledge a divine creator or not, we all wake up every day and worship something.

Take a minute and think of what you worship in your life. What is your God? What is the thing that gets you out of bed in the morning? When you succeed in it, you feel accomplished. When you fail in it, you feel devastated, and feel like you have no meaning. What thing in your life, if lost, would completely devastate you, and erase all meaning from your life?

It could be your children, your spouse, your career, the pursuit of success or fame. It could really be anything. Your parents approval, having material wealth, and the list goes on and on. All of these things are idols. They are "functional saviors". Things we give our hearts over to and beg them to fill us. We look for meaning in these things that weren't designed to give us meaning. The only problem with these functional saviors is that they never actually save us! If we are looking for our husband to save us, he may for a little while. He may make us feel loved and accepted for a short amount of time, but what if he leaves you for a younger woman? Your whole world would be over because your savior had just deemed you unworthy of love and affection and you would probably agree with him. What if you put your hope in gaining success? "If I just get promoted, I'll finally be loved and accepted.When I'm the boss, I'll feel like I'm worth something!"


What if that never happens? What then? Will you live your whole life feeling unworthy?

There is only one savior

one thing

that can make you whole.

I'm not talking about religion. There are numerous religions that will try to convince you to join them then leave you feeling worse than before because you aren't as righteous as they think you should be. All major religions put an emphasis on living a moral life, living a life of good works, THEN you will be rewarded by their god's favor.

Only one god

one savior

says, I'll take you, just as you are.

Just as you are you are worthy, lovely, and wonderful, because I said so.

One god, thought you were worth it to send his son to live a human life and die a human death on a cross for you. We are all hopeless without a savior. We will find something to save us, even if it is the wrong thing. However, if we use these "functional saviors", we eventually find ourselves empty again.

Let me give you an example of some of the functional saviors I've tried to use in my life.

Drugs

Love (Men)

Career

All may give you a temporary good feeling, but they just can't fill you. No matter how great they are, they just won't last forever..

Except the savior on the cross.

You see the cross means everything to a christian. It's more than just a charm to wear around your neck and if you don't get it, then you don't get God.

Jesus came to show us God. To show how he really feels about us. He doesn't see us how we see ourselves. He sees us as his dearly loved children, if only we would believe him and turn from our sins. The sins that hurt us and leave us wounded. He wants us to leave those, trust him, and believe what he says about us in his word. That we are accepted, loved, and destined for more. He payed the ultimate price so you could live the ultimate life and be his forever. Never to have your heart hurt by a functional savior again.

He's in the business of healing hearts and changing lives.