Ironside

In the late 19th and early 20th century there was an evangelist named Harry A. Ironside. He preached in San Francisco and Oakland, but he was also on the early faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary and was pastor Moody Bible Church. Interestingly, he died and was buried in New Zealand while on a preaching tour there. His life has a lot of touchpoints with our family history.

I heard a story about him a couple of days ago that is worth passing on. Once he was challenged to a debate by an atheist. Ironside agreed to the debate on one condition. He asked the atheist to bring two particular people with him to help prove his argument that atheism is a worthwhile position. He asked him to produce a man who had left drunkenness and a woman who had left prostitution because of the power of atheism. They say that debate never took place.

This story made me stop and think about the countless people I have known in my life who have been changed completely by knowing the living God. I do know men who have left drunkenness and women who have left prostitution. I know people who have stopped being addicted to drugs and who have replaced rage with peace in their hearts. I have seen marriages saved and children restored to their parents. Isn't it miraculous that just by living this life of faith I have had the great privilege of knowing so many healed and restored people?

I honestly don't know of a single person whose testimony is that atheism changed their lives for the better. I have heard people say they found peace in resorting to atheism as a way to stop dealing with God, but I don't think they would say that atheism brought them deep, settled peace. At best, atheism is a wall behind which they hope to hide from God.

At this point in my life I have so much evidence that believing in God and living by the Bible brings success, peace and joy that I can never be convinced otherwise. If I had only the book of Proverbs to live by, my life would be richly rewarding, but I have all 66 books of the Bible from which to mine truth, comfort and wisdom. I have the stories and teachings of Jesus, the only perfect man, to guide me through life. I have a relationship with the author of the Bible, not because I made Him up, but because He made me and invited me into relationship with Himself.

If there truly is no God, there is no reason for atheism either. Atheism is denial of the existence of God and that in itself implies the possibility of His existence. Those who have sincerely sought to know Him, have known Him. Those who sincerely deny His existence, must go on day after day denying it, something that, ironically, is evidence of the possibility of His existence.

I doubt that miracles are very much a part of that journey, and I think it would take a lot of energy to live in resistance to God. He is everywhere. Where can anyone go and live with full assurance that there is no God? People are constantly testifying to His presence in their lives and the difference He has made to them. I am sad for those whose choice has been to live without the God of blessing and peace. I pray for them! In the end, we are all going to have to deal with God, even those of us who are trying to hide behind our walls of denial.