Most people claim to believe in “God” but how can we even know He exists? According to a survey last month (June 8, 2011) 92% of Americans believe in God- a number that has not changed much at all since 1940- when Gallop Polls started tracking this. As you look over “8 evidences” for God’s existence, I challenge you to pick your top three (in order) and be able to explain why you think those arguments are the strongest.
The definitive word in the Bible regarding atheism is this: “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1. In Romans 1 we see that God has revealed Himself clearly to us through creation and has made Himself “evident” to us so that we are “without excuse” (1:20). In fact, He’s made His presence known “within” us (1:19).
This is why I believe that every atheist is constantly trying to push the thought of God out of his mind. I liken him to the man who went out and bought himself a new boomerang and he almost killed himself trying to throw away his old one. Rick Warren recently tweeted, “I don’t believe in atheists. Therefore, there is zero possibility they exist.”
Before we begin our study of theism you must remember that you can’t prove God scientifically- science says that in order for something to be proven it must be repeatable. Even history, by its nature can’t be repeatable. You can’t prove a lot of things by science. BUT there is a lot of evidence that points to the clear existence of God.
8 Evidences for the Existence of God
1. The search for something more There is something within all of us that sense there is something or Someone beyond us.“There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.” – Blaise Pascal
2. Cause and effect There can be no effect without a cause. Every effect must have a cause. All of us (and all of the Universe) are effects and God is the Cause. Eventually you come to an “Uncaused Cause”- GOD. Think about it: Can a computer suddenly come out of nowhere? Can matter suddenly exist from non-matter? Can life appear from non-life? Can something come from nothing? It is scientifically impossible.
3. Order and design We see order and intelligent design throughout our world and the Universe. I could choose a million examples but I’ll offer one. Did you know that because water has a high specific heat your body is able to remain at a constant temperature? As a result you r body can better absorb heat. If water had a low specific heat you would “boil over” with the least amount of activity. 71% of the earth’s surface is covered with water. The oceans serve as the earth’s thermostat and keeps the planet cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The distance of the earth from the sun, the tilt of it’s axis, the speed of it’s orbit, all make life possible on our planet. The slightest degree of change in any aspect of the position in space would kill us all in no time.
4. Meaning and purpose All of us are seeking meaning and purpose in life. Where does this come from? Consider a few famous people who wrestled with the meaning of life:
“What is life for? To die? To kill myself? To wait till death comes? I fear that even more. Then I must live. But what for? To die? And I could not escape that circle.” Leo Tolstoy
“Life is a dirty trick, a short journey from nothingness to nothingness.” Ernest Hemingway
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” –Solomon, Ecclesiastes 1:2
It was C. S. Lewis who said, “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” It seems that God Himself has created us with a kind of “homing devise” and our hearts will not rest until we find our rest in Him.
5. The moral argument If there is no God, where does our sense of right and wrong from? Is that just an evolved state of consciousness? Without an ultimate source of morality how do you explain a basic universal sense of right and wrong?
6. Love and emotion If God does not exist how do explain love? If it is not from God (the Author of love) then what are your options? Is love an animal instinct? Is it an evolved emotion or a chemical reaction? How can you explain great acts of love, mercy, and compassion apart from a love God?
7. Jesus Christ Of course the greatest proof of God’s existence is the fact that He actually came here and told us that He exists. Jesus said that if we have seen Him, we’ve seen God. He said that He and God are One. To see Him was to see God. To believe in Him was to believe in God and to reject Him was to reject God. Jesus revealed, not only that God exists, but He also showed us Who God is and what He is like. Read these verses:
- Hebrews 1:1-3
- John 1:1-4, 14
8. Changed lives Billions of lives have been changed by the power of God (including mine). God has proven His existence by revealing Himself. He desires to prove His existence and His love for you as well if only you will come to Him by faith. Believe and then you will receive greater and greater understanding. Which of the three evidences do you think are the most powerful? Which one would you choose above the others? If “changed lives” were used as proof of God’s existence and if you were brought to trial as evidence, would you be found guilty?