Atheism, or the lack of belief in God, is on the rise globally. Various surveys and studies have shown an increasing percentage of people, especially in developed Western nations, who identify as atheists or agnostics. This trend has left many Christians wondering – why are there so many atheists these days? What does the Bible say about this phenomenon? Let’s explore some biblical insights on this topic.
The Natural Rebellion of the Sinful Human Heart
The Bible teaches that all human beings are born with a natural tendency towards sin and rebellion against God. When Adam and Eve first disobeyed God’s command in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), sin entered the human race. Since then, every person has been born with a fallen nature inclined to resist God’s authority (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12). This inward rebellion often manifests itself in outward skepticism and rejection of God’s existence.
The apostle Paul described mankind’s natural state of independence from God in Ephesians 2:1-3, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience – among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”
People’s default tendency is to follow their own sinful passions instead of seeking God. It requires God’s supernatural intervention to open blind eyes and transform rebellious hearts to willingly receive the truth about Him (John 6:44; 2 Corinthians 4:4). Those who persist in the natural state of sin will not acknowledge the reality of God.
The Work of Satan and Demonic Forces
The Bible also attributes some responsibility for the spread of atheism to Satan and demonic spiritual forces. Satan is described as “the prince of the power of the air” and “the god of this world” (Ephesians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 4:4). One of his primary strategies is to blind people’s minds to the truth about God and promote the lie that He does not exist.
1 John 5:19 tells us, “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” And 2 Corinthians 4:4 explains, “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Satan and demons actively work to deceive people into atheistic beliefs.
The Suppressing Influence of Sin
The apostle Paul also taught that one reason people reject God is because unrighteous behavior suppresses an inner awareness of God’s existence. Romans 1:18-23 outlines this progression – when people deliberately sin and defy God’s natural order, God sometimes punishes them by withdrawing a clear perception of Himself, allowing their foolish hearts to become darkened. Paul summed it up: “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21).
He described the tragic cycle this way: “Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things…they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:22-23,25). Atheism is frequently the end result of this suppression of innate knowledge of God through persistent unbelief and immorality.
The Lure of Secularism
In many contemporary cultures, secularism – excluding God and the supernatural from public life – has become the dominant worldview. Philosophy, politics, science, art and media often reflect secular assumptions that the material universe is all that exists. God is banned from schools and the public square. The Bible describes the trend this way: “…always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). When society embraces the illusion that life without God is possible, atheism flourishes.
Colossians 2:8 warns about, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” Atheism is often promoted by arguments based on hollow human reasoning, not divine truth.
Failure of Christians to Evangelize and Make Disciples
Tragically, Christians share part of the blame for the rise of atheism due to failure in evangelism. Jesus’ last command was, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). The apostle Paul confirms in Romans 10:14, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”
Every believer has a role in spreading the truth about God to the lost. If Christians neglect evangelism, the world has no access to hearing and believing the gospel. Nominal cultural Christianity cannot transform hearts – only intentional proclamation of biblical truth. When the church fails to evangelize, atheism spreads unchecked.
False Ideas About God and Scripture
Tragically, untrue perceptions about God and misrepresentations of Scripture also contribute to atheism. Rather than responding to the truth of who God really is, many atheists reject immature Sunday school misconceptions, CARTOON distortions of Christianity or hypocritical religious legalism they have encountered. They assume the Bible supports ideas that directly contradict its divine message.
It is the responsibility of Christians to confront these false perspectives by presenting the true nature of God and accurately handling the Word of God (2 Timothy 2:15). As Psalm 14:1 declares, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds.” Proclaiming the majesty and love of Christ in the full counsel of Scripture can overcome foolishness.
Warnings About Turning Away from Truth
The Bible contains many warnings against rejecting the evidence of God in creation and turning to denial or willful ignorance. Psalm 14:1 calls it “corrupt foolishness.” Romans 1:22 describes it as “Claiming to be wise, they became fools.” 1 Timothy 6:20 urges avoidance of “contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge.” Proverbs 1:7 declares, “Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Scripture diagnoses atheism as a futile rebellion against reality.
Psalm 53:1 offers this perspective, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.” And 2 Peter 3:3-5 predicts, “Scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.'” Yet God’s truth remains, regardless of denial.
Fulfilled Prophecy About Increasing Apostasy
The Bible actually prophesied times like today when “people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth” (2 Timothy 4:2-4). Scripture also warned that “the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Timothy 4:2-4).
Apostasies coincide with trends away from God: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). But God allows rebellion to reveal true hearts: “For it is necessary that temptations come…that those who are genuine among you may be recognized” (1 Corinthians 11:19). Atheism manifests the “scoffers” Scripture said would arise in the last days (2 Peter 3:3).
The Issue of Defective Worldviews, not Intellect
Importantly, the Bible does not attribute sincere atheism to deficient intellect or reasoning ability. Romans 1:21 clarifies, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” The issue is not a lack of knowledge, but willful rebellion against plainly evident truth.
In fact, Scripture records many conversations where Jesus and early apostles persuasively refuted skepticism using compelling intellectual arguments based on logic, philosophy, science and history (Luke 20:1-8; Acts 17:16-34). The problem is never intellectual capability, but volitional resistance. So divine wisdom, not intellectual weakness, motivates atheism.
God’s Response of Longsuffering Mercy and Lament
Along with exposing the corrupt motives behind atheism, Scripture also reveals God’s heart of grieved mercy toward unbelievers. God laments, “As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). And 2 Peter 3:9 explains that God’s patience means, “He is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” God longs to forge relationship with those who deny Him.
Jesus mourned over rejection, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” But mercifully, “God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance” (Romans 2:4). So divine love remains extended, hoping atheists will change their hearts and find God’s grace.
The Role of Prayer and Evangelism
How should Christians respond? The Bible calls us to compassionately engage atheistic perspectives with persuasive reasoning and gentle correction: “Speak the truth in love” and “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (Ephesians 4:15; 1 Peter 3:15). Additionally, Scripture commands intercessory prayer, asking God to remove spiritual blindness and open souls to faith (2 Corinthians 4:4).
We must also boldly and lovingly share the gospel of salvation with unbelievers, relying on the Holy Spirit’s power. Romans 10:17 declares, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” While only God can change hearts, He uses faithful evangelism to apply redemption to those previously deceived into atheism (1 Corinthians 3:5-9). Reasoned discourse, intercession and proclamation remain the antidotes to willful unbelief.
Atheism’s Tragic Emptiness
Given atheism’s inability to provide convincing answers to questions like “Why am I here?” and “How should I live?”, sincere atheists often live without meaning, purpose, ethical absolutes or hope beyond the grave. So Scripture calls Christians to lovingly expose this tragic emptiness, winsomely providing the truth and hope found only in relationship with God through Christ (Matthew 22:29; Jude 1:22-23).
As John 1:9 beautifully promises, Christ enlightens every person, so darkness cannot overcome light. With compassion and courage, believers can reflect divine light to dispel the darkness of atheism. For in God’s sovereign grace, anyone’s heart can awaken to the knowledge of Him through faith in Jesus Christ.