The atheist can be a good person, just like a Christian.
An atheist can be a jerk, just like a Christian.
An atheist can be an intelligent nuclear physicist, just like a Christian.
Being an atheist doesn’t take a way from what a person can or can’t do.
But there is no good in the atheist or the person that is a Christian.
There is none who does good, no, not one. Rom 3:12
I realize that all of my morality and virtue is basically meaningless before someone like God.
It’s very hard to live up to His standards; Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matt 5:48 (OUCH!)
How can I be perfect all the time?
The only way I can think of to be perfect is to be dead because dead people don’t sin since he who has died has been freed from sin. Rom 6:7
I don’t view death as perfection though unless you consider that you are perfectly still.
While my atheist friend believes in the Judeo-Christian sense of morality, he cannot keep it any more than I can.
He mentioned the 10 Commandments and I informed him that the first 4 dealt with his relationship to God, so in that sense he doesn’t believe in the Judeo-Christian mindset.
Take into consideration that Jesus said our thoughts are important; You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matt 5:27-28
Perhaps adultery isn’t as bad a murder or some other immoral act.
For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. James 2:11
It would seem that I’m in a dilemma.
I live morally but my thoughts stray or I don’t do this but do that and I’m guilty of all.
No wonder someone would prefer not to believe in God when you can’t live up to His standards or you view His standards as too judgmental, overbearing, and hypocritical.
This is where I am thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ.
My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely. He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of all the world. 1 John 2:1-2 NLT