Whether you are a believer or an atheist is determined by your trust in the opening verse of the bible, Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Believers like myself have no doubt that there is a Being that can speak and breath anything into existence. Atheists do not believe such a Being exists and look for other explanations as to how the universe came into existence.
While all believers agree there is a God the Father, numerous other bible topics are discussed and debated. Exactly how old is the world? Is a year in Abraham's time the same as a year today (no one lives to 137 anymore)? Did Jacob ever find out that his 10 older sons sold Joseph, the 11th, into slavery? When exactly does a believer's soul make it to heaven? Is Jesus the only way to heaven?
A believer can follow the logic as to why an atheist reads Genesis 1:1 and says, "This is ridiculous, I am not reading any further." And a believer can understand why Methuselah, Noah's grandfather who died before the flood at age 969, may or may not have actually lived anywhere close to 353,685 days (969x365). Genesis 5:25-27 Now Methuselah lived 187 years, and fathered Lamech. Then Methuselah lived 782 years after he fathered Lamech, and he fathered other sons and daughters. So all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.
What is difficult for a believer and an atheist to understand is the agnostic. How does someone read Genesis 1:1, say "I am not sure if there is a God who created the universe” and go no further? A believer asks "if there is such a Being that cannot be empirically proven or disproven, don't you want to know more about Him?" And an atheist, who cannot prove that God does not exist, would encourage an agnostic to prove that He does.
The only way for an agnostic to get off the "Does He or doesn't He" fence is to read the bible and make an informed decision. If there is no God, believers, agnostics and atheists all cease to exist when they die. If there is a God, believers, agnostics and atheists will all be judged when they die, with believers receiving a much different fate than agnostics and atheists. An agnostic has nothing to lose if there is no God, and everything to lose if there is. Definitely worth investigating!
Most believers still want more faith, more assurance, and more God in their life. Prayer, bible study, memorizing bible verses, fellowship with other believers, serving, and even fasting all may help grow faith. But the most effective way to grow faith is to know God, and the best way to do this is to read His word, The Holy Bible. John 5:39 (Jesus talking) You examine the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is those very Scriptures that testify about Me. Faith develops and grows the same way for agnostics. Get off the fence, read the bible with an open heart and mind, seek answers to passages that are not clear, listen to what this (potential) God of the universe has to say, and pick a path.
Of course there are agnostics/atheists who have read the Holy Bible and become/remain atheists. The usual reason given is that a just God would answer reasonable prayers and not allow the tremendous suffering that has always been in the world. It is more comforting for them to believe that God does not exist, than in a God who created the heavens and earth and has a big picture plan for eternity that includes judgment. This is a path to choose. Is it yours?
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