Chapter 14
Survival of the Christian
Survival of the fittest (or Darwin's natural selection) takes up quite a few pages of the book, The God Delusion. Dawkins expresses uncertainty as to why religion has dominated every culture, both civilized and uncivilized. It is undeniably there, but, in the whole Darwinian natural selection process, Dawkins can detect no discernable reason for it being part of the survival of our species. Can the atheist consider the incredible growth of Christianity, since its inception, as a necessary part of our survival? Let me show you how:
True Christianity is very selfless. The Christian needs to be willing to give his life that another life might be saved. He also needs to be willing to die to self. Jesus says this in the Word:
Mat 16:25 For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whoever desires to lose his life for My sake shall find it. (MKJV)
This Bible verse is clearly talking about dying to self; being willing to swallow pride in order to display Christ's forgiving love. This is VERY hard to do, but, with intense prayer to God, not impossible. Does having a desire to die to self make any sense at all, to the secular humanist or the atheist? Perhaps an atheist would laugh at such an idea, saying that, of course one must save one's own life, all the while working out the best way to get along with others (as long as they don't cross you). Those fending for their own lives might say, "Why would I even think about giving up my pride? Would I do that so that someone else might have theirs?" In a world run as the law of the jungle, "kill or be killed, eat or be eaten," someone has to start forgiving, thereby ending the hopeless cycle of vengeance and retaliation. The Christians are instructed to begin this ultimately humiliating, humanity-saving process, even to the point of being willing to give up their lives for the cause. It is a noble and very self-sacrificing way to be and only Christians that truly listen, and apply God's Word in their lives, are doing this.
There are religious groups in this world who say that if you don't join them, you are an infidel and must be killed. If you lived in their country, would you join that religious group and pay homage to their gods? Tolerating them and trying to get along with them, in the usual secular humanistic way, would not be an option. Is there anything the atheist would stand for, under that type of condition, since standing for nothing would not be an option? Dawkins probably thanks "fate" that in his country, he does not have to commit to a particular belief system. One thing for certain, such a country, where a severe religion rules, would not allow a book that trashes their god (or gods) to be published, nor would such things be allowed to be spoken.
Consider that to be willing to die for Jesus Christ and His teaching of love, grace and forgiveness can actually lead to a survival of our species. A true Christian is willing to give his life for God. In the process, this Christian shows a strength that is far greater than the ones who think only of themselves. Those who give their lives by blowing themselves up in crowded shopping areas or flying planes into buildings, teach hate and intolerance, which leads to greater conflict that dooms us all. Those who pray for those who are persecuting them, loving them, even as they are dying by their hands, are teaching something far greater than mere self-preservation. They are teaching what it takes to preserve our species. Ultimately, the only true preservation of ourselves (according to Jesus) is a willingness to die for one another, and love one another, even as we proclaim the truth, the ONE truth, that Jesus came to die…for us.
For survival of our species, we must become Christians who love our neighbors (everyone) as ourselves, and follow Jesus, spreading His values, His teachings, His love, and His truth. The vital, humanity-saving work to be done while living our lives, is dying to self, swallowing pride, forgiving others as Christ forgave us of all of our sins, even while He was on the cross. There is no other truth that will save us, in this world.
In our secular society, it is easy to shove the Christian religion down, with a smug, self-righteous grin, and pretend a tolerance toward the "brainless" Christian. The true Christian should be showing the secular humanist, the atheist, or the unsure, Christ's unconditional love; he should be appealing; he should be compelling to the lost. Sadly many professing Christians often show none of these traits.
I pray that this book be an appeal to the atheist to reconsider his position as well as an appeal for the Christian to pray for a deep commitment to the teachings of Jesus, and that he begin to show the fruit of this commitment to the world. The survival of our species is at stake.
Lord, I know this universe is not a universe with no purpose. I know we were not created by chance and do not live by chance, and do not die by chance. I would ask You, Lord, to instill in me Your purpose for my life. I don't want to be a mere raindrop on a window pane, haphazardly rolling down, chaotically absorbing and disbursing belief systems, and leaving a purposeless trail of myself as I plunge through this life. Please, Lord, reveal Yourself to me and let me join You on Your quest to reach the lost and usher them into your kingdom. Take me up, and into Your Son, Lord. I want to be like Him. I love You, God. In the Savior's precious name, I pray. Amen.
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