What is nihilism?

In the French revolution at the end of the last century, the revolt against the existing governments linked itself with an uprise against Christianity; and the socialistic and anarchical movements which have followed, with however little present success, are uniformly allied with infidel and atheistic avowals as extreme as any of that time. Russian "nihilism" fulfills its name in demanding "No law, no religion — nihil!" and as the first thing, "Tear out of your hearts the belief in the existence of God." Here is forestalled the one "who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped;" nor is it a contradiction to this that one with such nihilism on his standard should exalt himself into the place of God the atheist Comte devised for his followers a new worship, with forms borrowed from Rome, and a peremptory spirit, which have gained for it from a noted infidel of the day the title of "Catholicism minus Christianity." This was his proposition, as stated by himself: "The re-organization of human society, without God or king, through the systematic worship of humanity."

1909 260 All government in the world has heretofore been of God. In the remarkable clash of opinions today, and wild projects for the improvement of the world, there has arisen a company of men more dangerous from their audacity than their number, who call themselves Nihilists in Russia, and in other places, Anarchists. The etymology of both names indicates the principles held — no government of any kind, no law, no worship, no God — nothing — nihil! Or, anarchy — without a chief, but with all that this chiefless lawlessness involves — mankind to be left to their own ungoverned impulses. And from this low-level swamp into which all evil will drain, the anarchists are deluded enough to expect that good will arise to humanity. Alas! for the neglected light of the Bible! Had they known the Scriptures they might have seen that in the varied demonstration of principles which God has wrought out on the platform of this world, man has already been tried on the very ground of no government; for that was the condition of the world before the deluge. There is no record, no trace of any government until then. Man, now that he had listened to Satan and rejected God, was allowed to display what he would come to without law and without interference. And what was the result? "The wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and behold it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them, and behold I will destroy them from the earth" (Gen. 6:5, 11-13). That was the development of fallen human nature left to itself.

Indeed, if we consider the circumstances, there seems to be a moral fitness in such a visitation at that time. For the tendency of thought already is distinctly towards Atheism. Comte's manifesto is, "The reorganisation of human society without God or king"; and that of Nihilism, "No law, No religion — nihil" — "Tear out of your hearts the belief in the existence of God."

Rights! what scale have you of rights? Listen to the voices from a lower level than you desire, which will interpret for you, and enforce their interpretation, — socialism, communism, nihilism, — dread names, not merely for the monarch, but for the man of property also, and for the law-abiding citizen. People's rights are already in terrible conflict with one another, and in their name how many wrongs may be inflicted yet! This Laodicea of politics is destined to be the rock upon which all governmental reform will end in anarchy and chaos. He who can read the great typical book of nature may read the scriptural presages upon a scroll written with lamentation and mourning and woe: "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth, distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming upon the earth: for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken" (Luke 21:25-26).

And from a lower level than before come murmurs, hoarse and threatening: socialism, communism, nihilism, anarchism — dread names, not merely for the monarch, but also for the man of property and the law-abiding citizen. "People's rights" threaten to be in terrible conflict with one another, and in their name how many wrongs to be inflicted! This is the Laodicea of politics, which is destined to be the rock on which governmental reform will surely split, and end in anarchy and chaos. "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken."

The famous novelist writes strongly. He speaks of “manifestly poisonous fruit.” He must have seen some evil things. He must have marked the sins of society, extra judges required to deal with the rush of divorce cases, the craze for nudism, business honesty at a big discount, men ready to break their word, if it does not suit them to keep it, home-ties weakened, children disobedient, men loving pleasure more than loving God, nations staggering under terrific taxes to provide munitions of war, poison gases, bombs, death-dealing inventions. With all that in view he came to the right conclusion that such poisonous fruit grew on a bad tree. The idea that the universe has no meaning works out in just this fashion: No God, no responsibility. No fall, no sin, no shame, men glorying in their shame.

A famous novelist, grandson of a well-known scientist, in one of his books confesses that he has given up his old opinion that the universe has no meaning. How any sensible man could ever have held such an opinion is past all understanding, save on the ground of strong bias. The universe has millions of proofs of wonderful design to which bias is as blind as the bat in the light of the noonday sun. Bias is not a matter of the head, but of the heart. “The fool has said in his heart, There is no God” (Ps. 14:1).

It is no wonder that men, believing this lie of the devil that man’s soul is mortal, that in their judgment there is no life beyond this present world, should act as if there were no God, no hereafter, no Heaven, no Hell. They live in the belief that death ends all, so what is better than to eat and drink for tomorrow we die. Such belief brings man lower than the very beasts of the field.

If we were left without a revelation of a God of love, and of One whose purposes will stand for ever, we should be pessimists indeed. In despair we should cry, “Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die” (1 Cor. 15:32). We should live in the present and shut our eyes to the blank future that lies ahead.

A great question, assuredly, with immense issues (some of us believe eternal issues) dependent upon it. If man is altogether mortal; if his every constituent part is capable of coming to an absolute end then farewell to all responsibility; for judgment is impossible. Man is just an animal, and no more. Accordingly, "let us eat and drink for to-morrow we die" (1 Cor. 15:32).