Dictionaries :: God (Without)

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

God (Without):

cp. Eng., "atheist," primarily signifies "godless" (a, negative), i.e., destitute of God; in Eph 2:12 the phrase indicates, not only that the Gentiles were void of any true recognition of God, and hence became morally "godless" (Rom 1:19-32) but that being given up by God, they were excluded from communion with God and from the privileges granted to Israel (see the context and cp. Gal 4:8). As to pagan ideas, the popular cry against the early Christians was "away with the atheists" (see the account of the martyrdom of Polycarp, in Eusebius, Eccles. Hist. iv. 15, 19).