Nihilism approaches every aspect of a worldview in one main simple way: the idea of nothing. There is nothing. Nothing matters. Nothing exists. Life, in other words, is without meaning, purpose, hope, morality, or value. This is a difficult worldview to live by or for ordering one’s life. Typically, elements of Nihilism can be embraced alongside other prominent worldviews.
Biblical Theists believe in the personal, triune, sovereign God of the Bible who created the universe. Nihilists do not believe in a god or in any other transcendent being that created the world or that sustains the world. The only thing that truly exists is matter.
Unlike Biblical Theism which imbues human existence with meaning and value, those who embrace Nihilism see no purpose in life. It denies the possibility of knowledge and value. Rather than being created by God in His image (imago Dei) with inherent worth and dignity, Nihilists see humans as merely existing day to day. While humans experience emotions and have thoughts, these things are considered to be random chemical reactions within the brain and have no real purpose. Nihilists often experience depression, hopelessness, and suicidal tendencies. In a profound way, Nihilism is more an emotional response to life than a set of ideas upon which to base one’s life.
While Biblical Theists base moral and ethical decisions on objective standards rooted in Scripture, Nihilists believe there is no standard for ethics because the idea of ethics does not truly exist. An individual has no real way of knowing if what they are experiencing is reality or not because they are just a part of a larger machine. Biblical Theists have hope through Christ, share the purpose of knowing, loving, and serving God, and deem success on earth to be consistent obedience to God. However, Nihilists have no reason to seek hope, no sense of success because everything is meaningless, and view their life’s purpose to be minimizing pain and maximizing pleasure – although both of those outcomes are viewed as meaningless, as well. In fact, Nihilists doubt whether they can even trust their own mind.
The hope that sustains the Biblical Theist is experiencing eternity in the presence of their loving Creator in a situation of joy and celebration. Death is therefore not something to be feared but is a gift gratefully received. In contrast, Nihilists do not believe in the soul, judgment, a savior, or any kind of life after death. They believe that they cease to exist and there is nothing after death.