A World Without God

Copied from the October, 1973 edition of The Gospel Teacher, published by the Church of Christ in Hilliard, Ohio, Grant B. Caldwell editor. They credit it to the Eastland News in Nashville, Tennessee.

A world without God! Think about it. What would it be? This is not the same as asking about an individual who refuses to believe in and rejects a God who actually exists. I am asking about a world that came into existence quite accidentally, perhaps by evolution (this is not an examination and discussion of the scientific difficulties and impossibilities of such a premise but granting the assumption, a pondering of consequences). Let the mind then entertain the thought of the world, or a world, not made or governed by God. There is not God! What would such a world be?

NO SIN. Can you think of a single sin that a dog or cat can commit? What of the morals of a cow or trout? It is universally conceded that animals are neither moral nor immoral, but rather are amoral (i.e., there are no moral principles applicable to animals to be either kept or broken). Infidels and evolutionists obviously argue that man is an animal and nothing more, which in our "world without God" is necessarily the case we are assuming. Man is only another animal. He cannot therefore, be moral (or immoral). The word "morality" itself drops from the vocabulary; it describes nothing.

Now, what would be a sin for man? Not murder. No, for animals kill animals and even in a world with God, no one calls that a sin. And, in a world without God, who could say that it was "wrong" or "sinful" for a dog animal to kill another dog animal, or for a man animal to kill another man animal? As to whether or not this would be wise or feasible is another question. The mother bear will attack whoever molests her cub and the wild baboons will band themselves together to defend against a more formidable enemy. Even so, it would be foolish to kill a human animal under certain circumstances, but it would be no more "wrong" or "sinful" than to kill a cow, bear or baboon. There would simply be no such thing as right or wrong. In a world without God every man is become as the wild brutes and beasts (for, ipso facto, he is a beast), free to do whatever he can get away with.

NO LAW. Everything must have a starting place. Where, in a world without God, does law rightfully begin? What man, or group of men, have the right to impose their will upon any other man? As one prominent and celebrated contemporary put it just before his death, "I will not obey a law in the making of which I had no part." No man has the right to usurp the prerogative of making laws and claiming that those who dissent or refuse to obey his will are guilty of a "crime" (whatever that could be in a world where nothing is wrong anyway). The first principle of evolution, a world without God, is the survival of the fittest. In plainer language again, it is doing whatever you care to that you can get away with, regardless of what anybody else says.

One final proof that a world without God is without duly established law and justifies anarchy. The actual foundation of all law is the person of God, and He has the right to command on the basis of being the Creator, Sustainer and Owner of the universe. He has inherent and intrinsic authority. (Genesis 1:1; Psalms 50:10-13; Romans 9:20-21) Men obtain the right from God to establish civil government and God decrees the limits of its jurisdiction. (See Romans 13:1) But in a world without God, alas, there is no basis for law and every man is morally uninhibited and free (no such thing as morals anyway) to do whatever he has the will, might and force to do. Kill, rape, steal and lie when it is to your advantage, for in a world without God, they can be neither sinful, immoral, wrong or unlawful. Anarchy! Do as you please.

NO POINT. Of course, there is not much to live for in a world without God, and absolutely no purpose. If so, what is it? There is no honor in a world that knows no right or wrong and man becomes purely subject to his environment to determine his course (the current description for this by men without God is "situation ethics": nothing is right or wrong, so determine your ethics or policy by the situation). "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die." There is no ultimate purpose or goal among butterflies or jackals and life itself serves only the moment and the gratification of the natural desires. A world without God is thus a world without reason.

NO HOPE. The spectre of death, in such a senseless and pointless world, has the darkness and gloom of eternal night. There is no comfort or solace at the open grave, but only a foreboding of one's own loss of existence. The dream and longing of the heart for immortality is denied and we are become the most miserable and pitiable of beasts. Oh, that we, as the other animals in this awful world without God, were more limited in intellect and not possessed of dreams that can only know frustration and futility. But no, (in this world without God) we can only look forward to pain without purpose and disappointment without hope. And, suddenly this dead end, blind alley life overshadowed by death, denial and despair is scarcely even worth living.

A WORLD WITH GOD! Let our hearts rejoice and our voices resound with praise. God is and all is well! Law springs to life, with vitality and force, for it emanates from infallible fountains from above. Sin becomes a reality when men violate divine law, for "sin is the transgression of law." Therefore, law is important and consequential and no man has the arbitrary right to dismiss it. In fact, disobedience will be judged and punished by Him who authored law. No man can sin with impunity! Righteousness is not only become valuable and meaningful, but it enriches the journey we mortals make through this world. The sordid pleasures of sin and licentiousness are not worthy to be compared to the loveliness of virtue, the nobility of integrity or the warmth of a good conscience. Nor do they approach the value and joy of a bright and living hope, or of "the peace that passes understanding." God's good earth is a wonderful place to live because He has bestowed heavenly blessings upon us. And life has become worth living!

But take away God, and the wretchedness of such a pointless world is indescribable; the corruption of such a vile world would be incalculable and unbearable. Of course, we cannot do away with God. He is. And we must believe in and obey Him to know what true happiness is in this world and to dwell with Him in the world to come.