Many people today are living their lives apart from God. Whether they acknowledge it or not, I can assure you that deep down inside they know that something is missing. Today we will talk about what a life without God looks like.
Do Humans Inherently Know God?
The Bible provides us with some interesting facts about mankind’s inherent knowledge of God. In Romans 1:19 Paul writes: “What may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.” Paul adds to this point in Romans 1:20 where he says: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead.”
What do these verses mean exactly? I’m glad you asked. Let’s look at them separately and then evaluate what these verses are saying.
Romans 1:19
“What may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.”
This verse informs us that the awareness God is inherent within everyone – both Christians and non-Christians. Regardless of whether you believe the Bible or not, God places the knowledge of Himself within the conscience of every human being.
Everything in creation reveals that there must be a Higher Power at work. Whether people deny this is true or not, the second part of verse 19 tells us that “God has shown it to them.” This means that the existence of God is basic common knowledge because GOD put the knowledge of Himself within all of us.
(When we look at verse 20, we see the explanation of how this is true).
Romans 1:20
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead…”
In John 4:24 we learn that “God is spirit.” So, because He is a spirit, God’s essence is invisible to humans. However, we DO have the ability to see the effects of God’s attributes when looking at all of creation.
So, although God Himself is not seen, His attributes are. This verse tells us that God’s attributes aren’t only seen, but they are CLEARLY seen. The fact that the word “clearly” is used here leaves no room for doubt. This means that we can be certain that God exists by looking at His creation – the earth and everything in it. Creation is what reveals God’s awesome power and sovereignty over all things.
Based on Romans 1:19-20, we can conclude that ALL humanity is inherently aware of the existence of God. This is important to understand as we continue the discussion of what a life without God looks like.
Don’t Forget… Jesus is God
Before we talk about what a life without God looks like, I want to clarify that when I talk about a life without God, that means living a life apart from Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, as well as being separated from the Father. Jesus Christ is God the Son so when we speak of One, we speak of the Other as well.
(To Learn More about the Trinity, Click Here)
So…What Does a Life Without God Look Like?
The Bible tells us what a life without God looks like. Below are six characteristics of a life without God.
Life Has No Meaning
Without a Higher Power, humans have no innate purpose or value. This means that there are no real guiding principles for anything that we do. Without God, we are just here to exist for a short time and perhaps leave a mark, but nothing significant to strive for.
The book of Ecclesiastes suggests that life “under the sun” (without God) is ultimately meaningless and lacking true fulfillment. In Ecclesiastes 1:14 it is written: “I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind.” (NLT). If we truly look at the world, we see emptiness – even the things we consider the BEST things of this world sometimes lead to disappointment.
When we separate worldly things from God, who gives us everything we have, and do not acknowledge His blessings upon our lives, those things are purposeless. In the end, it is GOD who deserves the glory and honor and all our gratitude. Failing to recognize God in our lives leads to a meaningless life.
Blind, Without Vision
Biblically speaking, “blindness” alludes to living a life without spiritual insight or understanding. This means that without God, we are unable to recognize the true meaning and purpose of life. It also suggests that we are unable to recognize the truth of the Lord and the determination of His will for our lives.
Basically, to be spiritually blind is to fail to see Jesus Christ. And not seeing Jesus Christ is failing to see Almighty God. This spiritual blindness leads to the inability to see the truth clearly because “the natural man [without God] does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)
Fearful & Anxious
A life without God is plagued with fear and anxiety. Believing in God and knowing that He is in control gives us a sense of security. Without a sense of security, we may feel vulnerable to life’s uncertainties. In addition, we can have trouble when we experience challenges in life, which could lead to ultimately facing the future with apprehension.
The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7 that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” This verse reveals us that any fear or anxiety that we may have does not come from the Lord, it comes from the enemy. The type or extent of fear does not matter, ANY fear or anxiety we may have does NOT come from God.
(To Learn about Satan’s Tactic of Using Fear, Click Here)
There is No Peace
I think it’s safe to say that we all want to live a peaceful life. However, without Jesus, it’s impossible to know real peace deep down inside. As humans, we equate living a peaceful life with having no real issues or concerns, being content with what we have or living quietly in our own little worlds.
However, what happens when all hell breaks loose? What happens when the storms of life stir up? How do people without God in their lives deal with these trials and get through them? As life gets hard and things go wrong, how do we find peace without the Lord?
The Bible tells us in Ephesians 2:14 that “For [Jesus] Himself is our peace.” Think about that – Jesus doesn’t just give us peace; He IS our peace. No matter what we face, we can rest in Jesus. This promise of peace that God makes to us is amazing.
If you’ve never experienced this peace in Jesus Christ, I must be honest, it’s hard to describe. It’s an inner “knowing” that no matter what, no matter how long it takes, everything will be okay. This peace includes being able to rest because come what may, the Lord, “He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)
Vulnerable to the Enemy
Finally, a life without God leaves us vulnerable to the enemy. The truth is, if we don’t have the Lord in our lives, we’re automatically on the side of the devil. Without God, we inadvertently give Satan permission to have control.
The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News.” (NLT) As mentioned above, those who don’t have the Lord in their lives are spiritually blind, leaving them open to the enemy’s fierce tactics.
Satan wants everyone to be in a vulnerable state. He started in the Garden of Eden and he has no plans of stopping any time soon. (To Learn More About Satan’s Influence on the World, Click Here). Whatever the devil can do to keep us away from the Lord, he will do.
Peter gives us a warning about the devil in 1 Peter 5:8 – “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Satan’s goal is to “devour” everyone he can.
There is No Excuse to Deny God
We’ve established that every human being is born with the internal knowledge of God. That means that anyone who denies the existence of God has gone astray somewhere along the path of life. Perhaps something happened that caused doubt or unbelief. Or it could be that they are so wrapped in their sin that there is no way to see God. Maybe they just don’t want to give up control.
Now, Romans 1:20 ends with a bold statement. I didn’t include the last part of verse 20 above because I feel as if it needs to be discussed separately.
Let’s look at the entirety of Romans 1:20 –
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” [emphasis mine]
Those who live their lives apart from God have no excuse to do so. This statement could not be clearer – there is NO EXCUSE to deny the existence of God. Everyone is born with the knowledge of Him, creation itself reveals Him and our very being is evidence of a Higher Power.
If you do not believe that God is real, you are blind, living a lie and ignoring that inner feeling that you know for certain something is missing. Whether you acknowledge God or not, one day you will face Him for judgement.
(Click Here to Read “What if God is Real and You Don’t Believe”)
Final Thoughts
Paul outlines the results of living a life without God in Romans 1:18-32. In these verses he gives explicit examples of what life apart from God looks like and the consequences of such.
If you have not acknowledged God or are living your life without Him right now, please click this link to read the verses – they are eye-opening.
Finally, Psalm 14:1 gives us some insight into the person who lives without God: “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
It is foolish to think that God does not exist. If you search deep within, I believe that you already know that He does. Don’t let the enemy rob you of the joy that a life lived for God brings. A life lived for God is a life well lived – a life filled with purpose and joy.
Even more important that that, don’t let the enemy keep you from the eternal life offered through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you’re unsure what Jesus did for you, Click Here.
Blessings
Amy
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Please feel free to share your insights, experiences or questions in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
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