A christian atheist is someone who claims a belief in God and yet lives as if God does not exist. He or she probably goes to church, reads the Bible, even prays time to time, and yet in all his/her dealings of life, is no different than someone who does not believe in God – an atheist. I believe many, if not most, American “Christians” are practical atheists. They sincerely believe they are Christians – all the right doctrines – but live as if God does not exist day to day…

I had to ask myself this question as well: Am I a Christian atheist? Am I an atheistic-pastor?

Here are some questions to discern whether we are:

1. Do I find peace in the midst of the storm or only when I’m out of it? (Is Jesus being with me enough?)

2. Do I seek God to get things or use things to get at God? (Do I still walk with God when my dire prayer is answered?)

3. Do I take risks that will lead to a certain failure if God is not in it? (e.g. Taking a pay cut to follow God’s calling)

4. Do I suffer from sleepless nights because I’m worried sick about my situation? (Since I’m in control, I must figure out a way!)

5. When I am making a major decision, do I weigh the pros and cons (What will be good for me?) or ask for God’s will (What will be good for the kingdom?)?

6. Are my prayer requests mostly physical/material in nature or are they spiritual? (Do I ever pray for God to open my eyes to see Him as more beautiful than money, house, cars?)

7. Are my spending habits and times spent such that they only serve practical purposes? (e.g. Time spent in the word serves no practical purpose unless you are teaching or preaching on it)

8. Do I serve/help those who cannot pay me back, knowing that God will pay me back?

“We walk by faith and not by sight.” 2 Cor. 5:7

If we are walking by faith and not by sight, then we SHOULD be doing things and making decisions that will seem weird to the true atheists.

Do your life and your decisions make perfect sense? You may not be walking in faith….

PH