The question of whether everyone is born an atheist is an interesting one that the Bible does not directly address. However, there are some biblical principles that can provide insight into this topic.
We are born with a knowledge of God
The Bible indicates that human beings are created with an inherent sense of the divine. Romans 1:19-20 states that “what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” This suggests that people have an innate awareness of God’s existence, even if they suppress or deny it.
Romans 2:14-15 also says that the requirements of God’s law are written on people’s hearts and consciences, giving them an internal moral compass. This implies that human beings have an innate sense of right and wrong that reflects divine truth.
If people are born with an innate sense of the divine and morality, it could be argued that they are not born as atheists in the strict sense of denying God’s existence. The capacity to know God seems to be intrinsic to human nature.
We are born sinful and prone to rebellion
However, the Bible also teaches that people are born with a sinful nature that is inclined to reject God. Psalm 51:5 states that “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” This indicates that humans are born with a propensity toward sin.
Ephesians 2:3 also says that in our natural state we were “children under wrath.” And Romans 3:23 declares that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” This sinful nature manifests itself through willful rebellion against God early on.
So while we may have an innate sense of the divine, our innate sinfulness predisposes us to reject the truth about God and resist His rightful authority over our lives. We are prone to unbelief and “ungodliness” (Romans 1:18). So in this sense, we are born inclined toward atheistic thinking and behavior.
God must open eyes and soften hearts
Due to human sinfulness, it requires God’s supernatural work to open our eyes to see and receive spiritual truth. 1 Corinthians 2:14 states that “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.”
We need the Spirit to illuminate spiritual truth, or else we will reject it. Ephesians 2:1-5 also describes how God makes us alive in Christ when previously we were “dead in transgressions and sins.” God must overcome our spiritual blindness with divine grace.
Jesus explained that unless a person is born again they cannot even see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). God must perform supernatural heart surgery to cut through our sinful rebellion and remove our heart of stone (Ezekiel 36:26). So in our natural state, we are predisposed to atheism unless God intervenes.
Every person makes a choice
While we may be born with a bent toward sin, the Bible is clear that every person makes a choice to follow or reject God. Joshua 24:15 presents this choice clearly: “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” God holds every person accountable for their own decision.
Romans 1:20 also says people are “without excuse” because of their denial of the plain evidence of God in creation. And Psalm 14:1 calls atheism “foolish” because the evidence should point people to God. So while we may be predisposed one way or the other, we bear responsibility for whether we embrace or reject truth about God that should be plain to see.
Parents’ responsibility to teach children
Parents have a solemn duty to teach their children truth about God from a young age. The Shema in Deuteronomy 6:6-7 expresses this well: “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Proverbs 22:6 also says to “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Young minds are impressionable, and parents must be diligent to instill the knowledge of God. This teaching should prevent any potential atheistic tendencies from taking root.
Everyone knows God exists
When synthesized, the biblical evidence suggests that all people have an innate sense of the divine that gives them knowledge of God’s existence. However, because of innate sinfulness and rebellion, people often suppress that truth. Unbelief is a deliberate choice for which each person is held accountable. Therefore, no one is born an atheist in the strict sense of the word, although we are born with tendencies that predispose us toward unbelief. But this makes the parental duty to instill faith in children all the more vital. In the end, the biblical testimony is that all people have evidence of God’s existence through creation and their conscience, so “everyone knows God exists” (Romans 1:19-21; 2:14-15). But each individual must embrace that knowledge or risk the dire consequences of denying the plain testimony of the Creator.
In conclusion, while people may be predisposed toward atheism from birth due to their sin nature, the Bible suggests that all people have innate knowledge of God’s existence that leaves them without excuse when they deny this truth. The choice to embrace or reject God remains with each accountable individual. This highlights the urgency of teaching children biblical truth about God from a young age, while their hearts are soft and receptive.