Does God Exist

Does God Exist?
Written by Dr. Buddy Young copyright 2001 WTBSM

The Bible Doesn't Attempt To Prove God Exists

The Bible makes no attempt to prove the existence of God, but rather presupposes that the God of the Bible has always and will always exist. Genesis 1:1 states, "In the beginning God . . . ." John 1:1,2 states "In the beginning was the Word. . . the Word was God."

The central message of the Bible is that man can have a personal relationship with God through His Special Revelation, Jesus Christ. The problem the Bible addresses is can God be known, not does He exist.

The Problem We Face in Arguing God's Existence

In the New Testament, we find very few Atheists, but in our world today we are faced with a flood of Atheistic philosophies and ideas. Often we are asked to do what most early Christians never did, argue the existence of a Theistic God.

Three Possible Answers to the Question

NO            This is the Atheistic Answer
MAYBE    This is the Agnostic Answer
YES           This is the Theistic Answer

Confronting the NO or ATHEISTIC Answer

Definition of an ATHEIST:

The term comes from the GK. prefix a, meaning no or not and the noun,
Theos, meaning god or God.

An Atheist is one who believes there exists positive evidence that there is NO GOD
or gods. Other names include: Humanist, Materialist, Naturalist, and Positivist.

Arguments presented by Atheist:

If everything needs a cause to exist, so does God.
God is not a necessary being, so any statement about God is meaningless and not necessary.
If God is all powerful, He could destroy evil, and if there was an all good God He would destroy evil. Evil exists so an all good, all powerful God does not.
If God were all powerful He could create a stone He couldn't lift.
God is an illusion created by men; He is nothing more than a projection of our imagination.
The Universe needs no designer to direct it to an ultimate goal or purpose, the universe is random.

Moving the ATHEIST To he AGNOSTIC view

Atheist must know everything to deny God:

The basic statement of an Atheist is "I know there is no God!" The believer at this point might ask for proof that there is no God.

Upon hearing the proofs for the non-existence of God, the believer moves the Atheist to see that to affirm the belief that there is no God, one must have all knowledge.

The best way to do this is to draw a circle and label it all Knowledge. Then ask the Atheist to mark in the circle the extent of their knowledge.

At this point you could suggest that since their knowledge is limited, it might be better to affirm, "I don't know whether God exists," rather than "I know God does not exist."

It is important to affirm that the Knowledge of God's existence doesn't necessitate Total Knowledge, but combines evidential knownlege and a personal conversion experience.

Confronting the MAYBE or AGNOSTIC View

Definition of An AGNOSTIC:

The term comes from the GK. prefix a, meaning no or not and the noun, gnosis, meaning knowledge.

An Agnostic is someone who believes that there is insufficient evidence to prove or disprove the existence of God.

The Major Problem For the AGNOSTIC:

"Is there sufficient evidence to Prove the existence of God?"

The problem is not easily addressed, like Thomas they are saying "Unless I shall see . . . I will not believe." (John 20:25). God in all His power is capable of just such a thing, but God's primary method of revelation is through the evidence both Biblical and extra-Biblical and through the power of the Holy Spirit, illuminating the truth of God.

Sufficient evidence is available to prove the existence of God, but this evidence CAN NOT be demonstrated with the kind of certainty to force one to believe. When someone affirms the existence of God they do so on the basis of the evidence available and the illumination of the Holy Spirit which produces believing faith in the heart and mind of the individual.

Dealing With the Arguments Raised By Agnostics

The basic arguments presented by the Agnostic are identical to those of the Atheist. We can answer these objections through:

Philosophical Arguments
Biblical Evidence
Our Personal Conversion Experience

Basic Philosophical Arguments For God

ONTOLOGICAL Argument:

The something of which nothing is greater is God. Because this greater object
is conceivable, it exists.

Degrees of PERFECTION Argument:

    The object we can think of which is more perfect and complete than any other with
    the same qualities, is the source of these good, and perfect things in other beings.
    This being is God.

COSMOLOGICAL Argument:

    Everything in existence has a cause. If you trace things as far back as they could
    go, there had to be a first cause. This first cause would have to be independent of
    anything else for its existence. This uncaused first cause from which all other things
    are caused is God.

THEOLOGICAL Argument:

The purpose or goal to which the Universe and Mankind is moving, suggests a
designer. This designer who guides the Universe is God.

MORAL Argument:

    In every age in every society there seems to be some type of moral and ethical
    virtues. These traits seem to suggest a universal Lawgiver or source of morality, who
    writes these Universal Laws in their hearts. This Lawgiver is God.

    Probably the best of these arguments to use in discussion with an Agnostic is the
    Cosmological argument. Although none of these can in themselves "Prove God",
    the idea of a cause/effect seems to be the best.

Using the Cosmological Argument

In this argument the choice is between a series of causes which go back for eternity, or a series of causes that go back to a first eternal uncaused entity.

The basic approach to take is to suggest that only finite changing beings need a cause. Thus, the first substance or being is infinite and uncaused, not self-caused or other caused and finite. With this in mind "God" is either caused and finite, or uncaused and infinite (eternal).

If the agnostic can accept the fact that there is an eternal uncaused being or substance that exists, then it could be argued that the name of this being is "God".

Once this position has been affirmed the person has moved into a theistic position, in which they at least affirm the concept of an eternal being.

Confronting the YES or THEISTIC Answer

Just because someone believes in an eternal uncreated being, doesn't mean they believe that being is personal, can act in history, or can be known by man.

In addressing this issue we can incorporate the teleological argument, the personality of man, and the Biblical evidence.

Using the Teleological Argument

This argument implies a designer who guides his creation to its ultimate end. Not only does the Bible affirm this (Gen. 1-2), but it also states that God sustains all His creation (Ps. 104)

The Universe has purpose and order which was given by its designer (God). This designer exhibits traits of personality through the order and purpose He placed in the universe (Rom. 1,18-20).

The Personality of Men

The basis assumption that must be made is that all men are created in the image of their creator, thus any attribute of man can possibly reflect on the attributes of the Creator.

Anthropological Argument: Man appears to be able to think, reason, and choose. An impersonal object has no intellect and can not do these things. Thus, the creator must express these traits.
Aesthetics Argument: The ability to comprehend and appreciate beauty is universal. Although there is some difference in taste, there appears to be a common consensus concerning what is beautiful. The commonality reflects the aesthetic capability of the personal Creator.

Biblical Evidence For a Personal God

Regardless of whether or not someone believes the Bible is the Word of God, they would affirm that it is a book about God.

The Bible affirms that God is Eternal and Personal:

Personal is a human term that applies to God; it applies because of God's human expressions.(Grief-Gen. 6:6; Jealousy-Exodus 34:14; Laughing-Ps. 2:4; etc.)
The names of God reflect personality (Jehovah-Jira, Gen. 22:14 "the Lord provides", and El Roc, "the Lord sees," , etc.)
The supreme expression of the personality of the God of Scripture is found in His presence on the earth in the Life and person of His Son Jesus Christ. (Jn. 1:1, 1:14, 22:35, 14:6-11)

Moving To An Eternal Personal God That Is Known

When someone affirms that there is an Eternal and Personal being or God in the universe, they do not necessarily believe in the God of the Bible.

Although God has revealed Himself through His creation (Rom. 1:19-20), and through the moral ideas of mankind (Rom. 2:14-15) he can not be fully known through them.

The question remains, "Can this eternal and personal God be known and worshipped?"

The God of the Bible Can Be Known

God is either in heaven with no relationship to men, in the universe with no relationship outside it, or both apart from and related to His creation.

If we hold the latter view, then God can interact with men and still be God. The Bible says God became flesh and dwelt among us. He cane that He might provide a way for us to know Him (John 14:6).

As we come to affirm that God exists we must also realize that He is knowable only through the person of Jesus Christ as He reveals Himself through the Holy Spirit.

God exists. He is personal, eternal, and knowable.