The Christ in Prophecy Journal

Rise of the Nones

Atheist Greg Epstein

When Satan first endeavored to deceive Adam and Eve, he did so by discrediting God. His sly twisting and contradictions of God’s clear instructions stoked sin in the human heart. The resulting curse consigned the creation to decay and mortal man to eventual death.

In the generations that followed, mankind strayed further and further from the living God. Recognizing the existence of a spiritual realm beyond our physical senses, many cultures fashioned and worshiped false gods. Satan and his entourage of rebelling spirits lurked behind every idol crafted by the hands of men.

In today’s upside-down world, there are men and women who profess to be Satanists. They laud the devil as lord and seek to purposely offend God Almighty. Their eventual recognition of truth will be tragic and swift if they pass from this life adhering to such foolishness.

Additionally, a rising chorus of people — especially in the former Christian West — now assert their rejection of any belief in God. They claim an enlightenment that frees them from belief in any deity. These self-claimed atheists instead worship humanity. Calling themselves humanists they believe that mankind will elevate its collective consciousness, leading to a utopia without suffering, want, or war.

Post-Christian Oblivion

When asked about their religious affiliation in nationwide polls, more and more young people are declaring themselves to be “nones” — meaning that they refuse to affiliate with any religion, especially Christianity (see the Pew Forum).

Our own culture’s slide into post-Christian oblivion was deceptively slow over the past century. But lately, the rush toward secularism is accelerating with shocking speed. One such example of this occurred when Harvard University elected an avowed atheist to serve as its head chaplain.

Greg Epstein has been the humanist chaplain at Harvard since 2005 and at MIT since 2018. The New York Times reports that his focus is “teaching students about the progressive movement that centers people’s relationships with one another instead of with God.” His book asserts his belief that people can be “good without God” — a pointed rejection of God’s testimony. Speaking of the sons of men the LORD said, “They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:2-3 and 53:2-3).

Epstein’s identification with the progressive movement is telling. Most Americans are familiar with progressives like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Bernie Sanders. This ultra-Left fringe of American politics is committed to unlimited abortion on demand, socialist policies at every level of government, the sexual revolution in general and LGBTQ advocacy in particular, and condemnation of Israel. The unifying inspiration for such an unholy mantra is a vehement rejection of God.

These modern-day pagans consider the God of the Bible to be an oppressive, patriarchal, white-privilege relic of the past that must be rejected and opposed. They ascribe to humanism that aspires to Satan’s false promise “… you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). Reflecting on the rebels of Babel, they seek to build and make for themselves a name. The age-old aspiration to “reach for the heavens” in this context implies a clear rejection of the true and living God.

Modern Application of Ancient Foolishness

Although atheism in America is growing like a cancer, there is nothing new about this lie. David observed, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God'” (Psalm 14:1).

In his letter to the Romans, Paul spoke of those who willfully flaunt their rebellion.

For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but their thinking became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools. (Romans 1:21-22)

We could begin understanding God and His provision for mankind just by believing and obeying His testimony about the beginning. Instead, America is enthusiastically rejecting God’s prescription for human flourishing in Genesis 1 and 2:

  • God distinguished Himself as the Creator from created mankind but offered the blessing of relationship. Our culture rejects the very idea of an omnipotent Creator, preferring mindless, atheistic evolution instead.
  • He created man and woman — distinct but equally made in the image of God. Our culture rejects that binary reality and embraces self-declared gender identity.
  • God set man a little lower than the angels and commanded him to exercise dominion over the animal kingdom. Our culture elevates the status of animals and treats human life (born and unborn) as disposable.
  • God provided the special relationship between man and woman known as marriage, defining it as the foundation for society and the rightful realm for producing and raising children. Our culture rejects marriage as an unnecessary relic of a patriarchal past.
  • Even before the Fall, God gave mankind the gift of meaningful work. Our culture increasingly treats work as a four-letter word and our government actively discourages it among those who most need the dignity and sustenance it offers.

What Does It All Mean?

The world seems bent on pursuing foolishness. Christians should stay grounded in the Truth — and rooted in the One who created us all. In the fullness of time, He will deal with those who reject Him and “take counsel against the LORD and His Anointed” (Psalm 2:2).

The fact that our society is being “given over” to lusts, degrading passions, and a depraved mind proves that His wrath will soon be revealed (Romans 1:24, 26, 28, 18).

We are living in the season of the Lord’s return!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

RELATED ARTICLES

ABOUT AUTHOR View all posts Author Website

Tim Moore

Colonel Tim Moore serves as the Director and Senior Evangelist of Lamb & Lion Ministries. He leads pilgrimages to Israel and is the host of the television program Christ in Prophecy.

24 CommentsLeave a Comment

  • John 3:16 . Not all will be saved. Hell was created for the devil and his angels (Demons) and of course the unholy trinity. Some of us once believed the big lie or gave no thought about our Savior.!It only takes a little spark to change things. Go’s is pursuing still today. Pray for boldness as I am normally not pessimistic but I do know what God’s word says about the future. We must let our light shine on this sin sick world. Looking forward to the Blessed Hope and His return.

    • You’re right about that. There are many professing “Christians “ that are not new creations and love this world more than their Savior. They are represented by, even the elect being deceived, if it were possible. The road is very narrow and those buying into this worlds greatest deception ever, being doubly blind, by God and by Satan, currently, with them allowing the abomination ( of desolation) of this vaccine program- mark of the beast- into their temple, so readily, changing their very DNA (believing the lie that it doesn’t) that was God given. All for the purpose of getting back to “normal” and ease is proof of this. Many “Christians” are even encouraging this. Very very sad and serious times in which we live.
      We are living in the last days and the generation that will see our Lord and receive those whose names ( original God given DNA) are written in the Lambs book of Life.
      Not everyone is saved, as you said.
      Come quickly Lord Jesus!!

      • I think you are being paranoid about the covid vaccine. What the future will be is written it is God’s word, but for now we must use our heads. BTW I am a born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

      • AMEN!!!! Could not have said it better… He is at the door… Even so come quickly Lord…

      • Thank God for the Holy Spirit who guides all true believers.

        God will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. John 14:16.
        The Holy Spirit will teach you all things. John 14:26.
        When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. John 16:13.
        But you will receive the power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. Acts 1:8.
        If you hold to my teaching…you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:31.

        We are blessed to have a Counselor that gives us the wisdom and discernment.

  • I have personally had 3 supernatural experiences since 2006 where God revealed His existence in my life. So I know for a fact that He is real and good. Also, He does listen to us when we reach out or pray to Him and we need to definitely listen to Him !

  • TV shows, the internet, and a thousand other stimuli have jaded the young of today against believing in God. But the total American Christian culture is Grace-soaked and focused on ‘my dreams’ and how to get God to bring them to pass.
    Hopefully, Jesus WILL find faith when he comes back. It can happen if you and I will believe every Word that “proceedeth from the mouth of God”! Peace to you, as you exercise faith-with-works, watch and prepare.

  • Jesus said sad and scary words that seem to be coming true in our time “…However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
    Luke 18:8

  • Thanks to Lamb and Lion for pointing this out. Everyone has been discussing the total depravity we see.
    2 Timothy 4:2 For the Time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

    Mark 13:22. For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders to seduce, it if were possible, even the elect.

  • Thank you for this article. I am a Christian especially so in the past 6 years God has Done quite an awakening for me to KNOW and to realize the times we are in. Too much for here to list, but to me nothing but miraculous. I am quite perplexed at the positioning of me by God to be amoung the lost and blind, who refuse me to be open about knowing the answers to their plights. But, I do not question the Lord, for there must be a reason for me to be where i am. I moved 2 years ago this past Sept to the residence of an 80 year old legally blind desperate atheist man who HATES God and refers to Christians as “those Church People”. He has a mental block in realizing I am Christian, but it is miserable for me as was more or less for Lot living in Sodom. I try not to feel the pain of living here. But see? once I moved here it was only 4 months till the Pandemic started, and I have found that there is no moving again. I am locked in due to the worlds condition. So I live so close to God in my heart and rejoice to be out in the back yard of this house with my dog, or when I go to bed to have complete one on one with our Father. I pray each day multiple times that he protect those young ones being tortured and those lost to find their way back to the Good Sheppard. I am hoping He will send his son soon to get his Bride. So that I can have fellowship with saved souls.

  • Great article and analysis! Let me add one comment. What we are witnessing in the world today is the insanity of sin. Once the cause is correctly identified, we are in a position to offer the one effectual remedy–the full Gospel of Jesus Christ, from His Cross and shed blood to His burial and Resurrection . . . including our subjective responses of repentance and faith, culminating in the New Birth and indwelling of the Holy Spirit!

  • Not sure how to say this, but have fun with that. It’s pretty obvious that man’s way did not work before, so how is this going to change moving forward in a finite world, with our finite lives, trying to challenge an infinite God who not only ‘”Talked the talk, but also walked the walk.”

    So many are rejecting the Word of God, rejecting Jesus Christ. Not only did the Word of God talk about this thousands of years ago, and it’s happening right now, actually has been happening for quite some time, but this is exactly what satan wants them to believe and follow. Little do they know, they are following satan right to the pits of hell.

    They say “there is no God”, I say “How can you believe that there is no God.” Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father, the way to Heaven through eternal life through Jesus Christ. We are not talking child fantasies here, some scientific babble and mush, we are talking proven facts…CONSISTENTLY, and 100% accurate.

    Don’t be fooled or deceived by the devil, start by giving your life to Christ, invite Him in to change you from within. Allow His Spirit to change your life and guide you in the paths of righteousness. All God asks is for your willingness, none of us are perfect, in fact not even close, but we are willing to change, to do better. You just have to want it…IT’S A CHOICE.

  • this is to karen. the mark of the beast does not come UNTIL after the Rapture. and the Rapture has not happened, but if it has WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE? This is not just my opinion, but also of some very well known pastors including from Lamb and Lion.

  • A Most Excellent article! I particularly enjoyed your five “bullet points” wherein you contrasted Divine, Classical and Biblical themes with the dreadful and growing trends which define “modern” culture. Unknowingly, unwittingly, the “Nones” are preparing themselves to receive the “strong delusion” that is promised in God’s Word (2 Thes. 2:11-12). And, I wonder, whether growing interest in visiting demonic spirits, posing as “friendly” visitors from distant galaxies, might be-come that delusion….

  • Look at the harvest:
    Greetings Brother Tim,
    Matthew 9:37
    Then He said to the disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
    Now I ask the question…. where has the Church been? Who got up after 12:00 midnight, out of a warm bed… directed by the Holy Spirit, to go out and do the work of Christ?
    The Church is guilty of fill up your gas tank on Sunday, put Jesus on the shelf… to perhaps a Mid week service on Wednesday… get your gas tank filled again… and sit down again. Truth? Yes. My Lord didn’t rest, take a Nap, eat popcorn 🍿 and wait, for a “feel good moment “. It was called Calvary. A Cross… nails…. His Holy Blood 🩸… His Pain… His Suffering…. His Agony…. His Love for you and me. All sinners.
    Matthew 9:38
    Therefore pray the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into His Harvest. That’s His Church. Never should God’s Children turn off the Lights in My Father’s House.. the Church. It is the House of Prayer.
    God made Man… God made Woman… God made Dad… God made Mom. Any generation who would speak falsehood and say a child doesn’t need a Dad and Mom, is Mocking the very Holy Face of Jesus.
    The Children have had their Precious Childhood’s taken from them. Look at the T.V. It is not freedom of speech it is freedom of hostility and anger. Malice and division, hatred and sorrow. If the NEWS MEDIA, reported on Good and not evil… ( in which they can … they don’t want too. ) we could have “ A Thanksgiving Nation”. One Nation under God. A Church has to want to Rise. Walk boldly, and with humility. How can one, do that? With Jesus.
    Psalm 37:8
    Cease from Anger, and forsake wrath, Do not fret, it only causes harm.
    Thanksgiving is on the calendar….. I am Thankful 365 days a year, for My Jesus. King Jesus. The Messiah, My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. How about you, Church? Proclaim His Holy Name. What if every Christian all of the world… boldly in the Name of Jesus, placed a Wood Cross in their Front yard, on their porches, on their balconies, and said to the world…….. I love Jesus. And Jesus loves you. Revival in the heart ❤️ would break out . The Church is still here. Because of God’s Holy Love and Grace. Arise Church. Arise.
    Amen hallelujah amen.
    Godspeed,
    Denise Shue
    Sanford, Nc

  • Great article Tim! There really is no such thing as an atheist…they have decided that they are god in that they think they have the authority to deny the one true God.

    I blame our current cultural crisis primarily on a weak church. The church in America is dolling out pablum preaching and praise music while our culture is going to hell.

  • Prepare us for Thy soon coming, King Jesus. Be exalted and glorified on earth as You are in Your heaven. Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Come soon , my Saviour. I am watching and waiting with oil in my lamp.

  • Greg Epstein is saying we can all be Godly without God. God as a Wholly Other or Transcendent Other is a myth from another era. It’s a cumbaya mentality that began in the 1960’s. I can see the lines of swaying people in my mind. I can hear Rodney King asking “Why can’t we all just get along?” I can recall groups of students with black armbands protesting the Vietnam War taking over classes in 1970 including mine. 50+ years later we have Greg Epstein. Actually he is so representative of that earlier period that it would be accurate to say he is 50+ years behind the times. Kendi should be in his position or some BLM firebrand. Guys like Epstein were already in vogue in the sixties. Today’s wokesters live to hate and when spewing hate say this is what love looks like.

  • I’ve been a student of the BIBLE and of course “BIBLE PROPHECY” for over 40 years and over the years I’ve noticed how our culture has gradually descended into a moral free fall.[Victims of SPIRITUAL warfare [; moral depravity; a media masking truth; courts that pervert justice; GOD being kicked out of our schools; out of our courts and government; sexual perversion; homosexuality and other perverted lifestyles being accepted and the list goes on and on. Truly, we are living in the last days awaiting that BLESSED HOPE of TITUS 2:13. The signs are all around us. Come quickly LORD JESUS.

  • This says it all: God distinguished himself as the Creator from created mankind but offered the blessing of relationship. Our culture rejects the very idea of an omnipotent Creator, preferring mindless, atheistic evolution instead.

  • One major problem Acts 14:22 How many millions of Christians have been slaughtered in last 120 years in Russia and China alone? What makes us so special see Foxes Book of Matters. Ecclesiastes 7;8 God knows how to end the debate.

Leave a Reply to Colleen Davis Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *