How We Got Our Bible Lesson 4: Arguments For God's Existence

1. The Bible does not attempt to prove God, but accepts His existence, i.e., “In the beginning God . . .” (Gen. 1:1).

2. “I could no longer disbelieve.” –Sheldon Vanauken

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Five Self-Evident Truths

(That do not need proof)

1. There is a God with complete power and control.

2. There are laws that are universal and absolute.

3. Man has the ability to know things to the degree that he directly observes them.

4. Truth does not contradict itself but is consistent and corresponds to reality.

5. The mind accepts what is logical and rejects that which is illogical.

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3. The Cosmological Argument of nature reveals God’s power and personality.

a. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown [it] to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible [attributes] are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:18-20).

b. Argument from a pile of bricks.

c. The argument: (1) every effect must have a cause. (2) The effect depends upon its cause for its existence. (3) Nature can’t be produced from nothing.

d. Philosophers say the logical explanation for the world is a Prime Mover or Uncaused Cause, or First Cause.

e. If the First Cause was not free to act, then it is the result of some other cause. It is not the First Cause.

f. The First Cause must be eternal, i.e., uncaused.

g. Therefore, First Cause must have free will to originally choose to create the world, i.e. He has personality.

4. The Teleological Argument: design in the world reveals a designer.

a. By design is meant, (1) First Cause has a blueprint or design before the process begins. (2) First Cause selected the proper means - laws - to accomplish the results He desired. (3) First Cause used means according to His independent and all powerful nature to accomplish His design.

b. Illustration of brick wall.

c. A denial of order in the universe is a denial of uniformity and a denial of laws and/or principles.

5. Anthropological Argument: human nature comes from a God with personality.

a. The intellectual part of man could never come from non-intelligence.

b. Man’s intelligence comes from First Cause, and since First Cause possesses personality, i.e., freedom to choose, then man got his personality from First Cause.

c. Since man can control matter and modify matter with his mind, then the mind is greater than matter, while the reverse is not true.

d. First Cause is best explanation of man’s freedom.

6. Ontological Argument: our thoughts of God suggest He is there and our ability to think is the product of His creative process.

a. Man thinks of a perfect being, since he can’t think of anything more perfect than God, there must be a God that gave him his thoughts.

b. Since man cannot think of anything that doesn’t exist, then there must be a God to correspond to his idea – Anselm.

7. Argument from congruity:

a. The existence of God is in harmony (congruity) with all the facts. Therefore God can exist.

b. Since there is a lack of provable facts that God does not exist, the rational mind accepts His existence.

c. A person must believe in the Cosmological Argument for God’s existence or accept the fact that matter is eternal. A person must believe in the Teleological Augment from God’s existence, or accept the fact that everything was fashioned by random chance.

d. If a person cannot answer these arguments, he must accept them. If a person cannot disprove God, he must accept Him -Immanuel Kant

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Please contact me at eltowns@liberty.edu and tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.