“Does God Use Atheists To Fulfill His Will?”
He uses those that worship false gods to fulfill His will, why wouldn’t He use atheists?
I forget where it is written (I’m sure some FReeper will tell me), but there is a passage that says (paraphrasing) “If a heathen does according to the Law, is it not accorded to him as righteousness?”..........
God is absolutely sovereign and rules over all. All through the Bible God uses ungodly men to carry out His sovereign will beginning in Genesis.
Satan was created by God and is under God’s control. He cannot do anything without asking permission from God, first. Obviously, that does not qualify him for Heaven.
Being an instrument in God’s providence does not qualify a person for Heaven.
God is in the Heavens. He does whatsoever He pleases.
Does God Use Atheists To Fulfill His Will?
Absolutely.
Romans 9:17, 20-21 ASV
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, For this very purpose did I raise thee up, that I might show in thee my power, and that my name might be published abroad in all the earth.
He used Pharaoh back in the old days did He not?
>> Are some atheists doing the will of God? In the Bibilical story of the good Samaritan, two religious people refused to help a wounded man. But a non-believer, the Samaritan, took the wounded man to hospital on his donkey. Didn’t that Samaritan qualify to go to heaven?
Two separate questions ...
(1) Yes, I believe God can work through atheists and non-Christians to acheive His will.
(2) No, that doesn’t necessarily mean they “qualify” to go to heaven. I can’t speak for the Salvation of any particular individual (including the Samaritan), particularly those whose lives preceded the death and resurrection of Christ (I’m honestly not entirely sure about the qualifications for pre-Christ Salvation). But, someone doing something according to the will of God at sometime in their lives does not, by itself, grant Salvation.
SnakeDoc
All people have a connection to the divine and all people have a mission to learn lessons. Therefore all people manifest the will of God in some way.
As Bobby sang, “You Gotta Serve Somebody.”
Not to be contentious but if God gives man free will then God making people do His will takes that away. The only reason man does evil is because he can, he’s not prevented from doing it. Conversely man is capable of doing good as well. He has a choice. (Man being editorially mentioned).
Uh, no. Not for that act alone.
Pharaoh
God Bless Geert Wilders . . . and He has.
If Mother Theresa were an atheist, would you blaspheme her?
It comes down to Good Works or Good Faith?
Some churches believe that good works alone will not get you to heaven. Some churches believe that no matter what you do, your fate is predestined by God. Christian dogma can be quite incoherent.
Reincarnation and karma ( which were accepted by the Catholic faith for hundreds of years ) are the only logical precepts that help me understand all the cruelty, inhumanity, and inexplicable unfairness ( why bad things happen to the good and innocent ) of this world.
For example, my belief in reincarnation helps me understand abortion. I know that aborted soul will be given another chance in a better home. The moral dilemma is all on the woman, and her decision will affect her karma.
I’ve never understood predestination. Does God know what we are going to do before we do it? What is the point of that? Karma is the consequence of our free will.
Sorry to get off track. Geert Wilders is a man of good works, atheist or not. Now when will Glenn Beck realize that?
In this lifetime, Wilders is an atheist, albeit a rather good one who risks his life to guide his countrymen. Not a lot of Christians can say that about themselves.
“But a non-believer, the Samaritan,”
False. The Bible never said or implied that. The Samaritans were only half Jewish and therefore were looked down upon by fullblooded Jews who regarded them as little better than dogs. That does not imply that Samaritans had no religious faith, as evidenced by the woman Jesus met at the well.
Of course God uses atheists to fulfill his will. Witness Herod, Pontius Pilate, Abraham’s illegitimate son Ishmael, etc.
It’s really a very dumb question.