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From time to time you meet–I meet–people who seem to feel that they can do well enough on their own without God in their lives. At times, such people might admit they see some benefit accruing to those who think there is a God who is interested in people; but these “I don’t need God” people dismiss what they see in the “religious” as unnecessary or superfluous.
What may get overlooked is the truth that although these “without God” people are managing well enough in their own eyes, they are devoid of things that are essential to life–at least life as it was designed to be lived. Paul describes such people as:
. . . Without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful . . .
Now I don’t think Paul is arguing that there is no understanding at all in those who don’t know God. (After all, there are some great mechanics and physicists and doctors who do know some things but who don’t know God.) But in Paul’s mind there are losses. Notice all the privatives Paul uses; these are all losses or diminished capacities of some kind.
They may have some understanding, but they don’t really understand life. They may be able to handle some things responsibly, but they are not ultimately trustworthy with the things that matter most. They might be able to extend warm affection in some circumstances, but they fall short of loving in the extravagant and gracious way God loves. They might feel compassion for some, but they will never arrive at the experience of mercy that characterizes those who share in life with God.
The sad thing is when living deprived of these qualities, the one without them might feel he or she is doing just fine without God . . . never realizing what she or he is truly missing.