Category: atheists

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #7

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

Keep reading chapter 2 of Romans: “[11] For there is no respect of persons with God. [12] For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; [13] (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. [14] For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: [15] Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another; ) [16] In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”

Whether a sinning Jew or a sinning Gentile, one falling short of His glory, God does not play favorites. Neither one will escape His justice that enforces His offended righteousness. In time past, the Law of Moses was given to the nation Israel, not the Gentiles. Lost Israelites will be judged according to that Law at the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20:11-15. The Gentiles had conscience, an internal system of standards and norms that gave them some sense of right and wrong. God will judge lost Gentiles according to this when they face Him at the Great White Throne Judgment.

In Romans 2:16, Paul announces how God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to his (that is, Paul’s) Gospel. No matter what they did or believed in religious or philosophical circles, it did not have the spiritual value of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as sufficient payment for their sins. Since they failed to believe the words of God to them (whenever they lived on Earth), God’s righteousness was not imputed to them by personal faith, which is what led to the doom and sentencing they now face in Revelation chapter 20….

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #6

Monday, September 15, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

“Busy in ministry” in early Acts, Saul of Tarsus was a Hell-bound, self-righteous Jew, obsessed with his own “goodness.” Filled with religious pride, he nonetheless finally gave up his “dung” and “filthy rags,” and came to faith in Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour (check Philippians 3:1-9). Through his subsequent years as an Apostle, Paul encountered many other such lost Jews in synagogues in the Roman Empire (Acts chapters 9–28). These were the very Christ-rejecting Jews about which he wrote in Romans chapter 2 (the same sinful Jews who looked down upon the “sinful” Gentiles of chapter 1).

Romans chapter 2: “[1] Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. [2] But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. [3] And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? [4] Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? [5] But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; [6] Who will render to every man according to his deeds: [7] To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: [8] But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, [9] Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;….”

Try as hard as they might, the Bible thunders how no one without the righteousness of God will “get away” from the righteous judgment of God….

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #5

Sunday, September 14, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

Another useful method of evading culpability before God is known as “relative righteousness.” In this scenario, someone points to another and declares, “I am not as bad as that person.” They, of course, are probably referring to people such as inmates confined to the cells of maximum-security prisons—prostitutes, drug dealers, pedophiles, murderers, rapists, thieves, and so on. We can summarize their boast with the ditty, “I neither smoke nor chew, nor run with the girls who do!” They puff out their little chests and lift their noses up high. Many such goody-goodies could be found in ancient Judaism.

The classic Biblical example of this is Luke 18:11,12: “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican [tax collector]. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” Unfortunately, there are people who are better than we, so, our bragging must cease when they come into the picture. Moreover, the fact of the matter is, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). No one is as good as He is or sinless like He is!

I once had an “intellectual” friend and college classmate who joined a strange Eastern religion. The topic came up as we were eating lunch in the school cafeteria one day. I had never heard of this philosophical system before, so I asked him quite bluntly an extremely simple question, “What will you do with your sin?” After a brief pause to think, he replied, “I will get back with you on that.” Some 15 years later, I am still waiting for an answer from him—and I know one will never be forthcoming. To my knowledge, he is still dodging accountability before God, trying to achieve a state of “spirituality” without coming through Calvary’s cross.

Alas, time is running out for him and all lost sinners, and they will not get away….

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #4

Saturday, September 13, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

Perhaps the simplest way to avoid accountability before God is just to deny His existence. This is the atheist’s preference. If there is no higher authority beyond the sinner, the sinner can believe and do as he or she pleases without fear of ultimate scrutiny or eternal punishment. In that case, “being good without God” is as self-righteous as those who attend church and boast of their religious rites, rituals, ceremonies, and commandment-keeping (“I am good enough! I do the best I can!”). Both classes are struggling to “get away” from answering to God.

Let us go over to John 3:16-21 now: “[16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. [18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [19] And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. [20] For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. [21] But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

Did you notice how sinners avoid the light? They do not want their deeds to be “reproved” (criticized), so they hide in darkness, where they think no one can see them and their evil activities. This matches what Adam and Eve did when they “hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:8). Like their parents, they will either blame God or blame Satan when the light shines upon them and their nakedness….

Wisdom for Life #6

Friday, June 27, 2025

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

Using diabolical ingenuity, Satan seeks to overthrow the four Divine institutions in creation. Whereas the LORD God established volition (free will), Satan’s lie program draws people away from God’s choice. Satan has no specific path for us to take, just as long as we choose to disagree with God’s way of life.

Marriage, God’s lifetime union of a biological man and a biological woman, is also under attack from Satan’s policy of evil. Pedophilia, homosexuality, transgenderism, divorce, bestiality, polyandry and polygamy (multiple husbands and multiple wives, respectively), spousal abuse, premarital sex, and extramarital sex, are all outside of God’s design in sexual relationships. Marriage forms the core of the family unit, so, if the marriage is in disarray, the family is automatically devastated.

The family is the most basic unit of nations, but fratricide (murdering one’s brother, such as Cain killing Abel), sororicide (murdering one’s sister), mariticide (murdering one’s husband), and uxoricide (murdering one’s wife), all complicate and destroy the family relationship. Here, we can also include disobedience to parents, child abuse, child neglect, child endangerment, abortion, and absentee mothers and absentee fathers.

Nations are the largest God-ordained entities of people—and while they have their distinct cultures, languages, and borders—internationalism blends them. Various religions and ideologies are thus mixed, and man in his own wisdom seeks to create the perfect life by leaving out the life of Jesus Christ. World peace, prosperity for everyone, eradication of all diseases, and so on, can supposedly be addressed by multicultural cooperation. In anarchy, borders do not matter, laws do not matter, government does not matter. Other complications are corrupt regimes, genocide, weak to no criminal punishments, unrestrained immigration, and so on.

All of these are departures from God’s standards. Romans 1:18-32 (note well verses 21,22,28) offers the details as to how sinful man—thinking his own thing and doing his own thing—contributed to his own spiritual, physical, moral, ethical, social, psychological, and emotional decline….

Wisdom for Life #5

Thursday, June 26, 2025

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

According to the Book of Genesis (which is literal and historical), the LORD God wisely ordained four institutions in creation for the perpetuation of human life. The first is volition or free will, the second is marriage, the third is family, and the fourth is nationalism. Man’s problem is that he errs in all four spheres, choosing to lean unto his own understanding—thereby complicating and destroying life for himself and those around him.

The first two Divine institutions in creation were desecrated in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. In Genesis chapter 3, they chose to exercise their free will in a negative or sinful manner (following Satan, not God), and they turned on each other instead of living for the wellbeing of each other. The third Divine institution in creation is family, but that was overthrown when their unbelieving son Cain followed Satan and thus killed his believing brother Abel (Genesis chapter 4). The fourth Divine institution in creation was neglected after the Great Flood of Noah’s life. Whereas God commanded the people to scatter to represent their various nationalities in their respective territories (Genesis chapters 9–10), those nations assembled via internationalism—fellowshipping in satanic religion at the Tower of Babel (Genesis chapter 11).

Satan’s evil world system entices man to see something evil, want it, and assume he deserves it. Yet, the Bible instructs, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:15,16). As Moses told Israel, “Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes” (Deuteronomy 12:8).

Yet, those four Divine institutions of creation are attacked even now because man has still not departed from evil….

Wisdom for Life #4

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

“I can be good without any god!,” boasts the atheist (one who “does not believe in a higher power”). This is just one form of secular humanism, the idea that humans are their final authority. What man thinks and does is the highest form of living, and he answers to no one but himself. If man can be “good without God,” who exactly is determining this “good?” Has man appointed himself to be his own judge? Such is most convenient! If he serves as his own critic, man can do no wrong and never does wrong.

The Corinthians lived in a culture that esteemed the wisdom of men (philosophy, human viewpoint). In fact, they are the secular humanists of the Bible—skeptics or doubters, rationalists or intellectuals, entertainment- or pleasure-seekers. Man, if left to himself, will end up being a part of the spiritual circus or pandemonium described in the Corinthian epistles (see 1 and 2 Corinthians). “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:9-11).

It was here in Corinth that fortifications of bad information had to be demolished, as Paul wrote: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; ) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;…” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Only then could the Corinthians have true wisdom for life….

NO Bible Ignorance in the Midst of Tragedy! #32

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

“Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 KJV).

In light of the recent New Orleans terrorist attack just a few hours away from my home, we are delighted to dispel the associated Bible ignorance….

According to the Bible rightly divided, it is not God’s current will to directly intervene in the affairs of man to punish evil, deliver the righteous, and remove the curse of sin from creation. He is neither apathetic, nor cruel, nor nonexistent: instead, He is gracious, merciful, and peaceful toward our human species that has rejected His dear Son (the Lord Jesus Christ) for almost 20 centuries. We should not despise His goodness and/or moan about His plan simply because we do not understand what we ought and have not gotten our way. Far better if we considered the Holy Scriptures dispensationally, find out what He is doing today, by faith do that, and thereby do His will.

Jesus Christ is not where He should be, Satan is not where he should be, the Church the Body of Christ is not where it should be, and the nation Israel is not where it should be. In God’s due time, all will be set right. If we could say it as succinctly as possible: God’s purpose and plan in creation will truly be brought to pass one day, but that cannot happen until redeemed Israel (Earth) and the Church the Body of Christ (Heaven) rule in their respective realms, and this cannot happen until Christ Jesus Himself reigns, which cannot occur until Satan is removed, which cannot happen until Israel is complete, which cannot occur until prophecy resumes, which cannot occur until mystery ends, which cannot transpire until the Body of Christ is closed, which cannot happen until the Dispensation of Grace is rescinded, which cannot be until the Apostle Paul’s ministry is terminated.

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him…” (2 Timothy 2:12a). We members of the Church the Body of Christ—who have trusted the Lord’s finished crosswork alone as sufficient payment for our sins—understand that this world is not our home. Though this life is rough and tough, God’s grace is sufficient for us to handle all of its problems… all the way up to our departure to be glorified in, and govern, the heavenly places with Christ Himself.

-FINIS!-

Saints, please remember this work of the ministry requires monthly financial support to operate (Galatians 6:6; Philippians 4:16-17; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7). Those who prefer electronic giving can donate securely here: https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux. Anyone who wishes to donate by regular mail can visit https://333wordsofgrace.org/contact-us-mailing-address-for-donations/ for details. Thanks to all who give to and pray for us! Unfortunately, since our ministry audience is so large and our ministry staff is so small, I can no longer personally respond to everyone. Thanks so much for understanding in this regard. 🙂

NO Bible Ignorance in the Midst of Tragedy! #31

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

“Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 KJV).

In light of the recent New Orleans terrorist attack just a few hours away from my home, we are delighted to dispel the associated Bible ignorance….

Victorious Christian living requires a proper, mature understanding of suffering. Therefore, the subject was covered in the most basic Pauline book. Sadly, since precious few ever learn Romans (and this ignorance is courtesy of denominationalism [manmade church tradition] and a pitiful failure to “rightly divide the word of truth” [2 Timothy 2:15]), many spend much of their time struggling (!!) so (!!) needlessly (!!) attempting to reconcile “loving God” with “suffering world.”

Observe Romans chapter 8: “[17] And if children [of God], then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. [18] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. [19] For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. [20] For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, [21] Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. [22] For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. [23] And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. [24] For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? [25] But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

In light of 2 Corinthians 4:16–5:8, we know this painful world is but temporary—something that will not last forever. As believers in Christ, we have been saved from hopelessness, and foresee a restored, everlasting creation (and a resurrected, glorified body to function in the heavenly places).

Let us (finally!) summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

NO Bible Ignorance in the Midst of Tragedy! #30

Monday, February 3, 2025

“Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 KJV).

In light of the recent New Orleans terrorist attack just a few hours away from my home, we are delighted to dispel the associated Bible ignorance….

Again, 2 Corinthians is Paul’s book of “suffering and comfort.” See chapter 1, verses 3-5,8-10: “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ…. For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;….”

Problems remind us not to depend on ourselves, but to lean on “the God of all comfort”—a role of God we could never appreciate unless we realized just how limited we are and how fallen our world really is. According to 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul suffered a mysterious “thorn in the flesh” (an undesirable situation or condition—possibly a collection of upsetting situations or conditions). He initially saw it as a hindrance to his ministry, and thus thrice asked the Lord to remove it. Yet, his mind was changed when he heard the Lord’s answer: “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul’s renewed mind led him to reply, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory [find value] in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” Paul stopped asking for the problem’s removal, for he learned he could bear it (yea, all problems!) in Christ!

Again, we banish the Bible ignorance….