"What Are You Holding Onto?" A Grace-Filled Response to the Seeking Skeptic
When the rich young ruler approached Jesus with the question, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”(Mark 10:17), he was met with a response that went beyond the surface. Jesus addressed not just his question but the heart condition underlying it: his attachment to wealth, which hindered his ability to fully trust God.
Now imagine Jesus encountering a modern-day skeptic, an atheist who asks, “If there is a God, what would it take for me to believe in Him and have eternal life?” Unlike the rich young ruler, this person questions not just what must be done but whether God even exists. How might Jesus respond?
Through Scripture, we gain insight into how Jesus might lovingly, truthfully, and personally engage such a seeker. This is not merely hypothetical—it’s a conversation that resonates with many today.
The Atheist’s Question: "What Would It Take for Me to Believe in God?"
To an atheist seeking proof of God, Jesus might begin by meeting them where they are, much like He did with Thomas after the resurrection (John 20:24-29). When Thomas doubted, Jesus offered tangible evidence—His scars—but also pointed him to a greater truth: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
For the skeptic, Jesus might gently say:
“You search for proof, yet proof alone cannot satisfy the longing of your heart. You have made reason your god, but reason has its limits. Eternal life is not found in what you can prove but in whom you trust. Will you let go of the demand to fully understand and take a step of faith?”
Exposing the Heart: A Call to Surrender
Just as Jesus lovingly confronted the rich young ruler’s attachment to wealth, He might address the atheist’s reliance on intellect and demand for control. Jesus could say:
“You want proof that God exists, but tell me—what will you do if you find Him? Will you trust Him? The proof you seek has already been given: the heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1), and I have revealed the Father through My life, death, and resurrection (John 14:9). Yet you stand at the door, unwilling to let go of your conditions. What is holding you back from trusting what you already know in your heart?”
Paul’s words in Romans 1:20 affirm this truth: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” The atheist may not lack evidence as much as they resist surrendering their autonomy.
The Loving Invitation
Rather than focusing solely on intellectual evidence, Jesus often invited individuals into a relationship of trust. For the atheist, He might extend this gracious invitation:
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). You seek rest for your mind through answers, but I offer rest for your soul through relationship. Eternal life is not found in proof but in knowing Me, the only true God” (John 17:3).
Jesus’ response would center on the heart, not just the head. He would redirect the skeptic’s focus from acquiring knowledge to receiving a Person—Himself.
A Step of Faith: The Challenge to Let Go
Much like the rich young ruler, the atheist faces a choice. Jesus might say:
“If you want eternal life, it requires surrender. Not of wealth, but of control. You must release your demand for proof and trust in the One who has already proven His love for you. While you were still a skeptic, I died for you (Romans 5:8). Will you let go of your conditions and take the first step of faith?”
This reflects the profound truth of Hebrews 11:6: “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
Faith does not negate reason but transcends it, bridging the gap between finite understanding and infinite truth.
Compassionate Truth: An Invitation to Seek
Jesus might also encourage the skeptic to seek God with sincerity, promising that such a search will not be in vain:
“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
This seeking is not merely an intellectual exercise but a heartfelt pursuit of truth. As Jesus said in John 7:17, “Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether My teaching comes from God or whether I speak on My own.”
A Question of His Own
As He often did, Jesus might conclude the conversation with a question to provoke deeper reflection:
“If I showed you all the proof you asked for, would you trust Me? Or is your unbelief rooted in something deeper than lack of evidence?”
This question is akin to Jesus’ probing of the rich young ruler: “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18). It shifts the focus from external demands to internal surrender.
The Ultimate Proof: The Cross and Resurrection
Finally, Jesus might direct the skeptic to the greatest evidence of God’s existence and love: the cross. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).
“I gave My life so you could have life. I rose from the dead to conquer sin and death. You want proof of God? Look at Me. Trust in Me. I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
Conclusion: A Grace-Filled Invitation
If Jesus were to meet an atheist seeking proof, He would approach with compassion, meeting their intellectual questions while gently guiding them beyond reason to faith. He would expose the heart’s attachment to control and invite the person into the freedom of trust. Just as He called the rich young ruler to let go of wealth and follow Him, He would call the atheist to release their conditions and embrace His truth.
The question Jesus asked the rich young ruler resonates with every seeker, believer, or skeptic: “What are you holding onto that keeps you from trusting Me?”
This is the invitation Christ extends to all of us: “Come, follow Me.”