In his book Confessions of a Secular Jesus Follower (New York: Convergent, 2016) Tom Krattenmaker explains how he, despite being an atheist, regards the teaching of Jesus as “the anchor that means the most to me, the anchor I find most worthy of my trust.” (p.3).
Given that Krattenmaker doesn’t believe in God you might be curious what he does with the claim that “Jesus saves.” Well, perhaps it’s best to let Krattenmaker explain it in his own words:
Jesus saves? He can, actually, depending on what you mean. I have come to see that following Jesus can save us from a life of trivial pursuits, from a life lived in vain, from a life that misses the point. Following Jesus, I suggest, can save us from a life limited to that small and tiresome world revolving around “me” and which the almighty I can acquire.
Following Jesus, I suggest, can save us from a life wasted on living only for ourselves. (p.119)
Here I think Krattenmaker is saying something much the same as the psalmist who writes:
1 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
—Psalm 1 (NIV)
Personally, I affirm quite a few things that Krattenmaker denies. But on this I agree with him: Jesus saves us from a meaningless life devoted to the wrong things, a life which misses the point. That an atheist can see it, and even write an entire book about it, should inspire Christians to see that the Way of Jesus is far richer, and deeper, and far more meaningful than any of us have ever grasped.
References:
Krattenmaker, Tom. Confessions of a Secular Jesus Follower: Finding Answers in Jesus for Those Who Don’t Believe. New York: Convergent, 2016.