The Insult of Agnosticism

Even though all creation reveals the existence of God, many people try to feign ignorance. Today, R.C. Sproul points out the problem with agnosticism: it attempts to blame God for unbelief.

The truth that every human being suppresses is the truth of God—the truth that God reveals of Himself in nature to the whole human race. It’s the truth that God gives of Himself that’s manifest. It’s clear. It’s plain—so plain that everybody gets it. And you know why it’s clear? Because God Himself is the teacher. We can’t say here that if the student doesn’t learn, the teacher didn’t teach. That would impugn the ability and the integrity of the Almighty, who is the One in His revelation that is showing it to everybody, making it plain and clear.

I mentioned the young man I talked to at the door two weeks ago, whose friend introduced him as an agnostic. The Greek agnōsis means “without knowledge.” Τhe agnostic portrays himself as a less militant form of atheist. The atheist boldly declares, “There is no God.” The agnostic says: “I don’t know if there’s a God or not. I’m agnōsis. I am without sufficient knowledge to make a firm judgment on this matter.” The Latin there, incidentally, is ignoramus.

And I said to the young man, I said: “You say that you’re an agnostic and you’re sort of being gentle about your atheism. You think that you’re not as militant and maybe you’re hedging your bets, but don’t you realize that your agnosticism puts you at greater risk and exposure to the wrath of God than if you were a militant atheist? Why? Because not only do you refuse to acknowledge the God who reveals Himself plainly to you, but you’re blaming God for your situation, saying He has not been clear; He has not given you sufficient evidence. And so, you add insult to injury to the Almighty by your feigned lack of militance, but your hostility against God is coming through and you need to repent of it because you know as well as you know your own name that God is.”