Question for the born again. I've seen a few people list themselves as ex-Christians?

Question

Do you believe it is possible for a born again Christian to become an atheist? I don't know how anyone who has experience salvation, and felt the weight of sin taken from them, could ever say there is no God. Do you agree?

Answer 1

Disagree.
Most of these have never been born again and are simply religious.
But if you think it is impossible for a Christian to apostasize, then there are about 80 verses in the New Testament that are really unnecessary.
Just 2 for you:

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned."
John 15:1-6

"If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again."

Romans 11:17-23

Answer 2

I understand both the theological reasons for maintaining that "ex" Christians can never haved been full Christians, and also the psychological reassurance that gives those who do believe.

I can only say from my perspective I was as much a Christian believer as it is possible to be. Not a thing of routine, habit or following the social norm, but born again if the term means anything.
(And yes, I'm aware of the uses and abuses of the phrase!)

But now I'm an atheist.
It wasn't an easy or casual decision. Others here have said similar.

To write off all former Christians as "never were" is easy. Far too easy.
If I wasn't, then many of most congregations may not be either.

Answer 3

Lots of people are "cultural Christians", meaning they were born into a family or culture that expects them to attend church on a somewhat regular basis. But...as the old saying goes, just because you are standing in a garage, it doesn't make you a car - anymore than attending church makes you a Christian.

I believe that if a person has a true salvation experience and has chosen to follow Jesus and trust him as their own personal savior, then you can't just "become an atheist". You may become confused, angry, disappointed, etc., and you may take your frustrations out on the God you thought was supposed to fix everything. But that's not atheism...that's willful disobedience.

Answer 4

Once someone is born again, truly, they will always be born again because salvation is not something they earned ----it was given to them, faith and eternal life. The Holy Spirit dwells in every born again believer and is given as a guarantee of eternal life. (See Ephesians)
Maybe for a time a true Christian can be deceived or maybe that person did not accept God's salvation, God's way, and was really not born again.

I am very sad to see people list themselves as ex-Christians.
The decision has to be made, either Jesus is a lunatic, liar, or indeed He is the Son of God. The resurrection with its hundreds of witnesses has to be considered in this decision.
We may not understand everything that God does or why He does it, but we do know that He is good and merciful and we have to trust Him. We know He is merciful because He made a way for us to be reconcilled to Him after we inherited the sin nature from Adam's rebellion against Him. The question is: do you really want to know the truth, and when you find it, will you accept it?

Answer 5

I do not think that a true born again believer could become an atheist. Someone who was raised in the church, and knew about Christ, could become one. Once saved, alway saved- Only God knows the heart of a person though. Someone who experienced salvation I do not think could all of a sudden say there is no God. A Christian can backslide though- which is different.

Answer 6

A truly born again Christian will have the Holy Spirit in him forever (John 14:6) so he cannot become unsaved. He has the Holy Spirit bearing witness with his spirit that he is a child of God. Whether a person is truly born again requires spiritual discernment to determine it. It therefore requires us to know in the Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit revelation to us we will not really know whether someone is truly born again in the first place before they claim to have turn away from God.

Answer 7

Look at the responses of those who claim there is such a thing as an ex-christian.
There is NO such thing as an Ex-Christian. Once God saves you, nothing can pluck you from His hand.
God knows a mans heart and my guess would be those who claim to be "ex -tian's" quite possibly were NEVER truly saved to begin with.
Gods word says "You'll know them by their fruit".
If I claim to be a Christian and I do, but then I "turn my back on God" it may be that I've backslidden. But, Gods word does not return unto Him void. If I fall away, Gods mercy and never failing love will ALWAYS bring me back.

Answer 8

Dear one - Please read Romans Chapter 11 - and pay attention to verse 21.

Yes - any pursuit that becomes and idolatry or rebellion can cause you to lose your salvation.

God DOES give us time to return - see the parable in Luke 13:6-9.

But for the most part - once you have declared that there "is no God" then you fall under Hebrews 6:4-6

"For how can those who abandon their faith be brought back to repent again? They were once in God's light; they tasted heaven's gift and received their share of the Holy Spirit; they knew from experience that God's word is good, and they had felt the powers of the coming age. And then they abandoned their faith! It is impossible to bring them back to repent again, because they are again crucifying the Son of God and exposing him to public shame.

As a Southern Baptist, I have always heard "Once Saved, Always Saved. And the ones throwing that in my face are my friends who use that as an excuse to follow the sin in their lives. (Consulting mediums, sorcery, drinking, drugging, sleeping around, you name it.)

I do believe in the verses where Jesus said nothing can take us away from Him... When we are following Him - no outside force CAN separate us. ...But WE can walk away and separate ourselves.

I grieve when a person completely rejects Christ, and I pray for their return to Him - just as I hope people pray for me when I backslide.

We're all human and we fail Him.

May God's grace lead us all back to Him - Always...

Peace.

Answer 9

I would say it would be much easier for a recently "born-again" Christian to fall off the wagon because they haven't weathered the storm. They may think that because you are born again that everything now is going to be perfect. Far from it. And when they find out they were wrong, they may also feel they were lied to and so then believe that there must be no God. I can see it happening very easily.

Answer 10

No, a true born again cannot become an atheist. If they are truly born again (saved) they would not have the heart to say they don't believe suddenly. Anyone who says that they were once Christian but not anymore or even if they tell you they were saved, but not anymore, the were never really saved to begin with. They were most likely just following a religion un-saved.