It is written:
“But Paul replied, “Honorable Festus, I am not crazy. What I am saying is true, and it makes sense.” (Acts 26:25 CEV)
Antony Flew was one of the world’s most famous atheists. He met brother Thomas B. Warren (a remarkable Christian apologist from the churches of Christ) in public debate in 1978 on the topic of atheism. Amazingly, before his death, Mr. Flew became a believer in God!
In his fascinating book, Flew describes one of the reasons why he had embraced atheism.
“In this debate, I reiterated my position that an omnipotent God could make human beings in such a way that they would freely choose to obey him. This means that the traditional free-will defense cannot evade the consequence that God predestines all things, including free choices. I had always been repulsed by the doctrine of predestination, which holds that God predestines the damnation of most human beings. An important feature of this debate was Craig’s rejection of traditional predestinarian ideas and his defense of libertarian free will. Craig held that God acts directly on effects and not on the secondary agents, and thus it was impossible for God to create a world of genuinely libertarian creatures who always do the right thing. He cited verses from the Bible that emphasize God’s desire that “all persons should be saved” (e.g., 2 Peter 3: 9). Quite recently I found out that John Wesley, whom I consider one of my country’s great sons, had led a great controversy against predestination and in favor of the “Arminian” alternative, particularly in his greatest paper “Predestination Calmly Considered.” I also understand that many exegetes today see St. Paul’s writings on predestination as referencing the role of specific individuals in the workings of the church and not their salvation or damnation.” (Antony Flew with Roy Abraham Varghese, There Is a God: How the World’s Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind, 73 (Kindle Edition); New York, NY: Harper Collins E-Books)
The religious system of John Calvin has led many away from the Creator God Who has revealed Himself through nature and through Scripture. Fortunately, Flew was able after years of study to arrive at the existence of God. He writes:
“I now believe that the universe was brought into existence by an infinite Intelligence. I believe that this universe’s intricate laws manifest what scientists have called the Mind of God. I believe that life and reproduction originate in a divine Source. Why do I believe this, given that I expounded and defended atheism for more than a half century? The short answer is this: this is the world picture, as I see it, that has emerged from modern science. Science spotlights three dimensions of nature that point to God. The first is the fact that nature obeys laws. The second is the dimension of life, of intelligently organized and purpose-driven beings, which arose from matter. The third is the very existence of nature. But it is not science alone that has guided me. I have also been helped by a renewed study of the classical philosophical arguments.” (Antony Flew with Roy Abraham Varghese, There Is a God: How the World’s Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind, 88-89 (Kindle Edition); New York, NY: Harper Collins E-Books)
Again:
“But the three items of evidence we have considered in this volume—the laws of nature, life with its teleological organization, and the existence of the universe—can only be explained in the light of an Intelligence that explains both its own existence and that of the world. Such a discovery of the Divine does not come through experiments and equations, but through an understanding of the structures they unveil and map. Now, all this might sound abstract and impersonal. How, it might be asked, do I as a person respond to the discovery of an ultimate Reality that is an omnipresent and omniscient Spirit? I must say again that the journey to my discovery of the Divine has thus far been a pilgrimage of reason. I have followed the argument where it has led me. And it has led me to accept the existence of a self-existent, immutable, immaterial, omnipotent, and omniscient Being.” (Antony Flew with Roy Abraham Varghese, There Is a God: How the World’s Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind, 55 (Kindle Edition); New York, NY: Harper Collins E-Books)
Flew’s remarkable journey demonstrates and documents how the evidence clearly points to the existence of God. Please do not be fooled by the lies of atheism.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
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