When Faithlessness Becomes Sight
Paul wrote, "...for we walk by faith, not
by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). He was talking of believers in God living
by faith. One day, their faith will become sight when they behold with new eyes
the glory of the Lord. But not all men and women are believers. Some are
unbelieving atheists. They, too, will one day behold the glory of the Lord as
they face Him in judgment. I suppose we might say that at that time, their
faithlessness will become sight as they behold the One whom they have denied.
One such unbeliever we knew as Madalyn O'Hair. She was no ordinary atheist. She
was militant and even down right nasty about it. It was her campaign that ended
with making sponsored prayer in public schools illegal. I don't really have much
of a problem with that, but that case has since been used to persecute believers
who wish to study the Bible together or pray together at a public school.
Teachers have been forbidden from reading their Bibles during their free time on
school premises. Valedictorians have had their right to free speech revoked by
having their speech censored because they gave credit to God. Ms. O'Hair would
be leaping for joy if she were not dead.
But she is. The bodies have been found in Texas; hers as well as those of two
other associates. They were evidently killed for the money they had raised for
their atheist organization by one of their fellow atheists. Someone needed to
put the "fear of God" into these people. They have it now (Hebrews 10:30,31).
She was an army veteran and a graduate of law school. She was a big talker and
she said she loved a good fight. She once bragged, "I guess fighting God and
God's spokesmen is the ultimate, isn't it?" I agree - it 's the ultimate foolish
thing one can do. Her organization published much anti-god literature. There was
a poster, for example, that proclaimed "Apes Evolved From Creationists".
She was know for her debates. She was described as "unkempt" and "haggard" and
"bitter." She would curse and belittle the believers in the audience for their
"obvious" lack of intelligence.
She is gone now, along with a little over $600,000 of funds. She is in God's
hands now. Ironic, isn't it? God wanted their meeting together to be quite
different. He takes no joy in the death of the wicked, and neither should we
(Ezekiel 18:23). It could have been that she would have served Him faithfully
and He would have received her into paradise with loving arms opened wide. Even
after all the hurtful things she had done, if she would have obeyed the gospel,
her death would have lost its sting. But it had been her choice. What we do with
God is our choice as well. One day, our faith (or faithlessness) will become
sight. We shall see Him, and He will say to us either "Come, you who are blessed
of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world" or "Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been
prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matthew 25:34,41).
By Jon W. Quinn
The Front Page
From Expository Files 8.8; August 2001
