"the CHRISTIAN atheist"

Believing in God but living like He doesn't exist

Standing between hypocrisy’s masks and the transforming light of the cross. “If we believe in God, let us live like it.”

Karen Brown's notes from her sermon delivered at KCIW on September 13, 2026

• In my flesh, I do not want to share this message. In my flesh, I know there are many sitting here that will be mad, frustrated, upset, etc. However, I have no doubt whatsoever this is the message God gave me for today!!!

• In my Spirit, I pray today we hear something that pushes us, challenges us, and disturbs us. I hope we grow up, get honest with God, shed our hypocrisy and try our best to live a life that brings glory to God.

• We claim to know God, but our actions and daily choices deny Him. If people are looking, do they know we are a Christian? We are disobedient and often unfit for doing anything good (Titus 1:16) THE MESSAGE-"Everything is clean to the clean-minded; nothing is clean to dirty minded unbelievers. They leave their dirty fingerprints on every thought and act. They say they know God, but their actions speak louder than words. They are real creeps, disobedient, good-for-nothings."

• There are atheists who deny the existence of God, don't pray, don't read the Bible, don't go to church, etc.

• Yet there are Christian atheists everywhere!! We go to Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, and all services. We attend services a lot here yet break every commandment like they don't exist! I'm not just talking about the 10 on the rafters.

• We use words like God is good, give our lives to Jesus then have sexual acts in public-right under gazebos with 20 people watching...have sex with multiple people...we use God's name in vain...we lie to each other...do things we would not do if our mothers or even Chap were watching! We get angry when people hold us accountable for our mistakes or expect us to keep our word.

• Christian atheists are those of us who daily and intentionally live like hypocrites or non believers.

• We can say we believe in God and don't know Him. If we are truly seeking Him we do not stay stuck.

• James 2:19-even demons believe in God, but they also tremble because separated from Him. THE MESSAGE--"Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That's just great! Demons do that, but what good does it do them? Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands?"

• I John 2:3-4-"We know we have come to know God if we obey His commands." THE MESSAGE-Here's how we can be sure that we know God in the right way: Keep His commandments! If someone claims 'I know Him well' but does not keep His commandments, he is obviously a liar! His life does not match his words. "people, who say I know Him, believe in Him but don't do what He commands is a liar and truth not in him. Harsh? Straight and honest...I want the best for us.

• A relationship with God will flow out in daily attitudes and actions. Looking good doesn't mean our inside is good.

• God is interested in our heart-our attitude toward Him, our actions pleasing to Him and we have peace and less stress and blessed because we live in His plan for us.

• It may sound simple yet reading the Bible daily will bring His presence to impact every area of our lies.

• As we keep coming to church, singing worship songs, hearing sermons....are we coming to know God more?

• If the answer is yes...we WILL change! We won't come to church or a study at night just to sneak a 10 second kiss in a corner, or rub elbows, or keep an eye on each other because there is no trust! A relationship with God gives us power to heal from our pasts, forgive others, and change what seems unchangeable about ourselves.

• We say "God's not fair-we brought sin into the world He created for us and we keep sin alive in the world still today.

• Affairs happen, diseases happen sexual and physical abuse happens, car accidents happen, drowning, even long prison sentences....but people have brought them all in.

• There is pain, loss, etc. in the Bible also from Job, Paul, Abraham, Jesus!

• It is a good thing God is not fair!!! We may not be here. We have all done things to receive the punishment of sins which the Word says is death. We should say thank You God for not being fair!!! But grace!!!

• We say we believe in God then think we don't need to change or can't change.

• The word says repentance changes us. What is the definition? Can't keep doing same sins on purpose!!! It grieves the Holy Spirit!!!

• Romans 6:12-14 "Sin shall not be your master." Yet we let "things" not God be our life! THE MESSAGE-"From now on think of it this way; Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang onto every word. You are dead to sin and alive in God. THIS MEANS YOU MUST NOT GIVE SIN A VOTE IN THE WAY YOU CONDUCT YOUR LIVES!!! DON'T GIVE IT THE TIME OF DAY. DON'T EVEN RUN LITTLE ERRANDS THAT ARE CONNECTED WITH THAT OLD WAY OF LIFE. THROW YOURSELVES WHOEHEARTEDLY AND FULL TIME-REMEMBER, YOU'VE BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD! -INTO GOD'S WAY OF DOING THINGS. SIN CAN'T TELL YOU HOW TO LIVE. AFTER ALL, YOU ARE NOT LIVING IN THE FREEDOM OF GOD.

• Are we even listening to the Holy Spirit? All of us who raised our hands and truly believe in God have the Holy Spirit.

• Yet, we make choices ignoring the Holy Spirit promptings of right and wrong. The Word says the Holy Spirit will guide us not control us. There is no force involved. It is our choice to do right or wrong. If we listen, the Spirit will guide in big and small decisions. Holy Spirit is in our mind, emotions, and consciences.

• How does our conscience differ from guidance of the Holy Spirit?

• Let us look at it this way...our conscience is like a computer. A computer is programmed to respond in specific ways to specific information. Also it responds to info based on the commands it is programmed to follow.

• God has programmed His moral code into every heart. We are born with it just like we are born with a sinful flesh. When we act wrong., the conscience sends a no to the brain, says go when right.

• Romans 2:12-15 the message-"If you sin without knowing what you are doing. God takes into account. But if you sin knowing full well what you are doing, that is a different story entirely. Merely hearing God's law is a waste of your time if you don't do what He commands. Doing not hearing is what makes the difference with Go."

• Our thoughts should point out good actions and decisions because when we become a Christian, a change began to occur in our conscience.

• A sense of right and wrong becomes more because the Holy Spirit renews us (I Cor. 2:10-13)

• Of course, it depends on what we feed in our lives...the flesh or the Holy Spirit! If we continue to feed the flesh by doing things I mentioned earlier, we are in danger of losing the Holy Spirit guidance altogether! We grieve our Spirit enough, we do not hear from it any longer!

• However, if we read the bible, attend worship, for the right reasons, memorize scripture so we can fight off temptations, pray...the Holy Spirit uses all that to help us change.

• WE CAN'T PLAY WITH OUR CHRISTIANITY OR MOCK GOD AND THE LOVE GOD GIVES US THROUGH CHRIST AND THE HOLY SPIRIT and expect change!

• If we are serious about living for God, there are certain actions, behaviors, choices that DO NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Get a concordance and look up the words...inherit, kingdom...and you will find many things that keep us from it.

• We say: "but I keep getting tempted" well the mind is subject to the will!!! We control what we choose to think about.

• We keep our minds from evil thoughts by choosing to focus on good (Phil. 4:8)

• We have smell, touch, feel, taste, hear senses and while we may not control everything that comes into those, we can control how we will think about things and act on them.

• David saw Bathsheba by chance. It could have ended there. Instead, he chose to send for her, want her, etc.

• We need a God filter, think about the moral consequences, or take a second and ask ourselves is this who i really want to be...do I want to be the woman that allows someone to touch me in public, etc

• 1 Cor. 15:33-34-we can't keep acting out of ungodly impulses, desires, lusts and expect good in our lives THE MESSAGE-Bad company ruins good character. Think straight. Awaken to the holiness of life. No more playing fast and loose with resurrection facts. Ignorance of God in times like these is a luxury you can't afford. Are you not embarrassed that you let a thing go on as long as you have?

• We choose to serve our passions and desires without regard to our future or the consequences we pay. We choose to be held down by false thoughts and lies.

• John 5:6 Do you want to get well? This is talking to us not just that man.

• If we are dealing with lust, don't go to places for the sole purpose of kissy feely, poor boo.

• We may believe in God but are we pursuing happiness (physical, mental, emotional or sexual) at any cost? CHAP says sidewalk into the chapel-don't bring the yard past that.

• Prov 14:12...THE MESSAGE-"There is a way of life that looks harmless by having a god time, but all that laughter will end in heartbreak." We are like donkeys; chasing carrots because we constantly pursue what we believe will satisfy us. We get that kiss in the corner leaving church services at night especially...we have those few minutes in a shower with someone or multiple someone's, do sexual things under the gazebo in front of others...do these really satisfy? NO! Because some people doing it are fighting as soon as they get finished use their fists, spit on each other in the next few minutes.

• Wrong beliefs do not make life right! Our pursuit of "happiness" does not give us a license to sin and is often based on a lie! Women with husbands out there, and a girlfriend in here! Women not even homosexual being one in here, etc.

• A disturbing number of us believe this equation................................................................. Better possessions + exclusive things in prison + thrilling moments + temporary relationships, etc. = HAPPINESS.................LIE!!!

• Christian atheists believe this formula!

• We all know God hates it when we pass up on real life and settle for false promises of the worldly flesh.

• Read Matthew 5 the Beatitudes---there is not one that says "blessed is the one who does something wrong in the pursuit of happiness"

• Psalm 97:12-real happiness is found in the Lord and when we find it, we understand this perhaps for the first time.

• God is pleased when we try yet we need to grow up! Go from milk of the Word to Meat of the Word!

• Can we look at what i will call the THIRD LINE FAITH?

• Line 1="I believe in God and the gospel of Christ just enough to benefit from it. I want to go to heaven. I want the benefits without changing how I live."....I have to question if believing here is enough because again, even demons believe there is a God and fear Him but don't change

• Line 2-"I believe in God and Christ's gospel enough to contribute as long as it does not cost too much. If I don't have to change too much about what makes me happy"

• Lind 3-"I believe in God and Christ's gospel enough to give my life to it". We may not be here but we should be striving for it right?

• Mt. 16:25-26 THE MESSAGE-"Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You are not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and i will show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way to yourself your true self. What kind of deal is ti to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade yourself for?

• Gal. 2:20-THE MESSAGE-"I identify myself completely with Him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress god, Christ lives in me".

• Ps 37:3-6-THE MESSAGE-Get insurance with God an do a good deed, settle down and stick to your list. Keep company with God, get in on the est period. Open up before God, keep nothing back; He will do whatever needs to be done: He will validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon."

• The DAY a parole board told me to here here...yes i could have kept asking why God? Where are you God? I could have given up but God took me to the floor an di considered the cost, decided life as it is or life as it could be. Yes we all struggle at times. The difference can be what we are feeding our flesh or our Spirit.

• I pray we choose to live out our belief in God instead of being Christian atheists.

• It takes commitment and courage to obey God in the face of challenges and temptations here. Courage to give up what our flesh likes in order to do what God asks. Courage to do things that bring unwelcome results, like me sharing this message and you getting upset with me. You think my flesh wants you ad or upset with me? Sometimes the unwelcome results are people fighting, words spewed in anger, spitting on one another minutes after leaving church and worshipping with the same hands and mouth! Right now I know I am not very popular!

• You know Satan does not want us to follow God. This is why temptation after temptation comes at us to weaken our faith and obedience.

• We have an inner compass-the Holy Spirit. WE hear the Spirit in the stillness of our hearts, with a word of conviction reading the Word or a sermon, When we do not feel peace about what we are doing--STOP!

• Heb 11:6 tells us God rewards us if we diligently seek Him...not just at church but daily, I want those rewards here on earth and in heaven. How about you?

• Eph. 4:30-sin is a powerful force, but we control it! THE MESSAGE-"Don't grieve God. Don't break His heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't' take such a gift for granted."

• We have great potential to live free and holy through Jesus Christ, but God will never force us to do what He desires for our lives He is there for every decision, every spiritual conflict. He can help us say no. WE are forgiven through Christ's sacrifice if we are truly repenting and honestly seeking His will. Forgiven, yes, but still responsible for our behaviors. Impulses can be said no to! Devil can't make us do it.

• If we believe in God let us live like it. Let's not grieve the Holy Spirit and keep in mind our ungodly behaviors break God's heart each time.

• We better SOBER UP!! When God shows up, His glory will destroy instantly. So those clinging to sin will be in trouble!

• Read the story about Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. They were good members of the early church but lied to and grieved the Holy Spirit and as a result died in church the same day!!!

• This is serious business. When we dishonor the blood of Jesus, we are stepping out from under its protective covering into Satan's territory where he can take all the shots at us he wants to!!!

• Just leave us with one more passage of scripture and that is I John 3:4-10. THE MESSAGE-"People conceived and brought into life by God did not make a practice of sin. How could they? God's seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It is not in the nature of God-born to practice and parade sin. Here is how you tell the difference between God's children and the devil's children: The one who won't practice righteousness ways is not from God, not is the one who won't love brother or sister, a simple test!