Answering Some Atheists Who Claim That They Used to Be Christians

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I remembered years ago when I read an atheist blog who admitted he used to be a Christian. What he meant that he used to be a Christian is that he was once a Roman Catholic. The average world today considers Roman Catholicism as well as other pseudo-Christian groups to be Christian when they aren't. Another atheist said he used to be a Christian until he read the Bible and found passages that horrified him. But there's one truth in that and that's those who criticize the Bible most are those who read it least. They haven't seen the context of events like why God ordered the destruction of evil civilizations. 

The "God's Not Dead" movies are somewhat lacking but this scene really makes think of atheists who claim they were once Christians. In this clip, notice how Professor Radisson claims that he used to be a devoted Christian. Just because someone came from an Evangelical background or family doesn't mean they're Christians. They may just be false converts. The parable of the sower explains the three types of false converts: stony ground, thorny ground and shallow ground hearers. There was not enough space for root to let real conversion take place. Many people today think they're Christians because they go to church, read the Bible or do what Christians do but you're not a Christian unless you've truly been born again or as the Greek goes to be born from above. If Professor Radisson were truly a Christian the event of his mother's dying when he was twelve years old may have discouraged him but he would have not totally fallen away into becoming an atheist.
Mark 4:16-18
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 

Many get into "Christianity" because they think it has something for them. It's pretty much like Judas Iscariot where for three and a half years he was with the disciples but he never truly gave his life to Jesus. Many followed Jesus but soon decided to move away because He wasn't leading a revolution. Jesus' teachings to love one's enemies instead of leading a revolt against the Roman occupation must have further driven the crowd away. The worse is that when He warned that the Christian life is not an easy life. Many think that Christianity is all but a happy crowd but when they find out it isn't they move away. Some of them end up becoming atheists after they supposedly were part of Christianity. But the Bible calls them as false converts. Many have said a prayer or walked the isle but if they never repented then they were never converted to start with.
1 John 2:19 
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

It's not just "once saved always saved". Instead, true salvation results to the perseverance of the saints. The teaching itself is not that salvation is through persevering but true salvation results to perseverance by the grace of God. Christians may get discouraged but they never become ex-believers. If you see a person who says they used to be a Christian that person is lying. Christianity is not just a religion but it is also a relationship with God the Father through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Once you're in God's Kingdom there's going to be changes. Not only will your lifestyle change from sinning to serving but you can't undo your physical rebirth and go back to your sinful and/or self-righteous lifestyle.

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