Ephesians 4:17; This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
19 Who, being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ,
21 If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former manner of life {conversation} the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25Wherefore, putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor; for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath;
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more; but rather, let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice;
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you.
Atheist are almost always 100% in opposition to God and furthermore they wish to be judge between good evil in their pride as a moral equal to God. This typically sets up my arguments against them. I tell them this desire of theirs is natural as described in creation about the fall of man. In pride, having been made in the likeness and image of God, man believed the lie of the Devil that they could be as God and took of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Such is the life you were born in. So sorry they are ungrateful...yes, they should be thankful...but instead they use their imaginations. I start by giving them this verse to show them the predicament they are in:
Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
Then I ask them about their power to live forever, do they have their own special tree? I tell them God knew this was coming and provided a way but here is the problem that they don't seem to realize, there is only One God, one kingdom and you have to be perfect in your judgment to go there, IN "HIS" KINGDOM. Good luck with that …little gods…
Next, I give them the ole you won’t have an excuse for not accepting the gracious gift of God and the great sacrifice of His Son of Jesus as your Lord and Savior and express my amazement of their faith in their own abilities to overcome God, their Creator, and become one:
Rom 1:17-22 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. (18) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (19) Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. (20) For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (21) Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (22) Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Finally, I wish them luck at creating their own heaven for their afterlife and warn them that the weather may be a bit warm there…
... Just asking!... Brother Glen
