The Meaning of "Atheist," According to an Atheist

"Please correct the spelling. It is atheism, not athiesm. It is easier if you remember that the final part refers to 'God.' The 'A' at the beginning is a negative, so basically the word means 'without God'. G.E."

I had to read this one through a couple of times, because I found it hard to believe. G.E. is an atheist, and he is correcting someone’s spelling (he is a scientist), but at the same time he admits that the word "atheist" means "without God." This is all we have been trying to get across. The atheist is without God. Here’s what Scripture says about the subject:

"This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart" (Ephesians 4:17-18, italics added).

The atheist's life-style, his philosophy, his arguments about there being no evidence that he can see of the existence of God, fortify the truth of the above Scripture.

But it’s not just the atheist that is without God. The entire human race walk in futility, with a darkened understanding, and they are alienated from the life of God. This is why someone who hasn’t been regenerated by the Holy Spirit has no awareness of His presence--"God is not in their thoughts" (see Psalm 10:4). They breathe His air, using lungs He gave them, looking at creation using eyes He created, and not for one moment be aware of Him. It truly is ignorance and blindness of the heart. I know, because I lived that way for 22 years.

Jesus Christ came so that dying humanity would no longer be without the life of God (have immortality):

"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (Matthew 1:23, italics added). See also John 14:6.