There is prevalent thinking in society that as long as I don’t hurt anybody, I’m ok. As far as not hurting others, that’s obviously a good thing. However, when it comes to spiritual matters, it’s an entirely different story altogether. There is no middle road.
Take someone who calls themselves an atheist, for example. They might think that their stance isn’t really hurting anyone but that would not be correct thinking when it comes to the spiritual realm. The Bible tells us that God exists, and you can see clear evidence of that in creation, in the Biblical records, and in the work done by Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:20
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. [ESV]
There is absolutely no excuse for not believing that there is a God. The work of Jesus Christ is real, every single prophecy concerning what he would do was accurate, salvation is an ever-present reality, eternal life awaits all those who choose to believe in Jesus Christ – and much more could be said regarding all of these truths.
As a Christian, if you were to ask me -what is the purpose of your life? Or why are we here? Or where is all this heading? I could easily show you answers to all those questions from the Scriptures. But how about if you are an atheist? What if someone comes to you and asks all the same questions? You can’t even begin to answer any of them, can you? Certainly not to the point where any human being who has those questions would find solace, purpose and comfort in your answers. You might come out and say, well I’m not hurting anyone, but you would be dead wrong.
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. [ESV]
It is the Word of God that lights a person’s way, gives direction to their soul, and provides an understanding of life’s purposes and hopes. Without a knowledge of the Scriptures, none of that can be understood.
You see, there is no middle road – either you know the truth or you do not. If you claim atheism, then you have no way of leading a person to the truth, and in the end, that is harming them. Even though salvation is available, you couldn’t tell them, even though eternal life is real, you say nothing. And the harm that would be caused by not knowing and being able to communicate that information would have ramifications for eternity.
The argument that “I’m not hurting anyone” can easily be interpreted as “I’m not helping anyone either.” If you do not serve God, you serve the other side. You might think there is a middle road, but sorry to disappoint – it does not exist.