Atheists are born in original sin and commit actual transgressors like all of us; that is, humanity is born totally depraved and radically corrupt. The Bible says in Romans 3 and Psalm 53 that none are good and human beings commit abominable iniquity. Humans sin continually and no one is righteous. The Bible also says that if someone says there is no God, he is a indeed a fool. That is, an "unbeliever."
The claim was made that the blood of Jesus has redeemed the atheist without explicit faith in the divine Savior and Lord. The verse the pope gives is completely unfounded in its application to atheists! I suggest to you that the denial of grace alone, faith alone and Christ alone is the error here. Moreover, he interprets the Bible with eyes of a man-made tradition of modified universalism. However, the Bible teaches that mankind is to explicitly believe in Jesus for spiritual redemption (cf. Acts 4:12). No one has the spiritual ability to perform works of satisfaction for redemption. We do not cooperate or contribute to our spiritual rebirth or justification. It is all the work of God the Trinity alone. The faith we receive and that justifies from the Spirit and the Word is not from anything in us but by His work alone. I suggest to you that "human goodness" that anyone can do is incompatible with God's goodness. The moment sin enters into the picture it is impossible to please God in and of ourselves. We do not have the inherit spiritual ability to perform "good works of divine righteousness and redemption" that are without that radical and thorough pollution of abominable transgressions. Everything we do is tainted with sin. This is not the case with God: His divine righteousness is perfect and sinless. The point is, we need His divine righteousness alone as the sole foundation for how we are right with God. The active obedience of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is what earned the spiritual redemption of keeping the law of God. I suggest to you that the good an atheist does should be understood as "civil righteousness." That is, that which is impossible to meet God's standard of absolute perfection. I suggest to you that only the righteous unified merit of Jesus Christ is the good work of spiritual redemption! It is the only good work that secures spiritual salvation among the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve! This is the good news, but it seems like the pope is saying that their good deeds will outdo their bad deeds like a Muslim. I suggest to you that there is nothing so precious as the perfect work and person of our Lord and Deliverer Jesus Christ! Humans need His perfect imputed or accounted unified righteousness alone by faith alone and this is how someone is right with God. It does not come from anything but the Spirit and the Word that spiritually applies redemption to us. May God help the pope and others see the divine truth of the written Scriptures alone and not man-made tradition! Amen.
"for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls...." (Romans 9:11 NASB).
