Made Free

Atheists in London, England have begun a campaign of sharing their views to the public through the use of advertising on the side of those cute, red, double-decker buses. Their message: "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." I find their message odd and not just because I believe there is God. Nor do I find it odd because atheists are expressing themselves... go right ahead. What I find odd is that they seem to assume that the opposite is true if there is a God. If there is a God then you should be worrying and should not enjoy life.

The message of Christianity is not to stop enjoying life or to worry. Actually the Christian message is one of liberation. It's bus slogan should be: "God is love. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life through loving others." But somehow that message has been missed.

"Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, 'If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8:31-32).'" There is liberation in the Christian message. It is not a message of worry. It is not a message of misery. Now when an atheist says "enjoy life" my first thought is that he/she may mean having a lot of stuff and doing fun things and thinking primarily of yourself. But that doesn't necessarily need to be the case. But I do know that the Christian gospel reveals to us that real enjoyment in life comes through love of others... not stuff or selfishness. Experience tells most people that this is indeed truth.

But what about this worry stuff? Being created by a loving God, who offers us salvation through the Messiah is the biggest release from worry humans have ever been given. If there is no God, as the atheists profess, then its time to worry because it means "dog-eat-dog" laws of nature are what life is all about and it's "every man for himself."

Wonderfully God provides for our needs and calls us to be bold in finding the deep, wonderful meaning in life that comes through love and service. Through faith you know the truth, and the truth has made you free. If this gospel of Christ is still hidden from the public then its about time we buy some advertising space on the side of buses and loudly proclaim:

Christ frees you from sin and death. Now stop worrying and enjoy life by loving others.