Does God exist and who is God? – Evangelizing for Jesus

YES!!!

HE IS THE REASON, YOU EXIST! — The reason You breathe, see, hear, speak, taste, feel and He, is the reason you can Reason!

The fact that you exist and can ask or read this question, does actually answer the question in the affirmative.

It is important to start with the presupposition that there is One who is Supreme above all things and all life. Understand that we are finite beings and it is impossible for us finite human beings to understand all about the infinite God. The scripture says in Job 36:26 How great Is God beyond our understanding the number of his years is past finding out. We can begin to answer the question in this way: ***God absolutely does exist! He is: The Eternal, Infinite, Supremely-Intelligent, Un-caused, Non-contingent, Self-sustaining, Transcendent, Personal-creator of the universe. ***He is The source of life, Love, goodness and morality. In his attributes, God has Aseity: he is self-existent. He is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient. The Bible unequivocally declares the existence of God. Besides the Bible there are logical and scientific arguments in support of the existence of God. These arguments can help as we begin to understand Him, recognizing that our existence depends upon His necessary self-sufficient and non-contingent existence. We must understand that God is un-caused, His existence does not depend on anything but everything depends on his.

(The Leibniz argument for the existence of God.) Summarized In the words of the Christian author and philosopher Dr. William Lane Craig: “God is the necessary, un-caused, time-less, space-less, personal, creator of the universe.”

ORIGIN OF GOD?
The Bible does not explain the origin of God, it simply proclaims him. ***Nothing existed before God and there is no other God. God does not have a beginning and He has no end. He is the Beginning and The End. He is the eternal everlasting God.

As we begin to learn about God we soon become aware that he is inexhaustible. We can only begin to understand how big and unfathomable God is. God is eternal, meaning he has no beginning and no end. He exist in the past present and future. He transcends the universe, He is non-temporal and not bound within the limits of time and space. Time and space were created by him. God always is, and always will be God!

The idea of God being non-existent is a complete impossibility. The fact that we exist, makes the idea of God not existing, a completely absurd notion.
God’s existence is necessary for us to exist. Without him there could bu no existence for us. God cannot cease to exist.
The existence of the universe, life, intrinsic moral values and conscience, are all contingent upon the necessary existence of God.
The opening verse of the Bible (Genesis 1:1) begins with the unmistakable proclamation: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
God did not come into being, he was not created. Nothing caused God, ***God is the un-caused, necessarily existing, first-cause of everything.

CAN WE PROVE?
No one can prove or disprove the existence of God and He does not need to be proved. However there is evidence and reasons supporting the belief that God exist. Recognizing that much of our life activities is based on faith, we must also have faith in God believing that he does exist. We cannot do something to make him appear before us. There is no formula by which to prove his existence or non-existence. –Unbelief is confusion, magic is a deception, idolatry is delusion, faith in God is the solution–. Unlike man-made gods, we cannot open a door to a shrine and see God there on a pedestal. We do not have a photograph or a sculpted statue of God. God is not walking around on four legs eating grass or shrubbery. we cannot turn on a screen to see God there. God is not some sort of Guru or highly respected man. God is none of the images in our imaginary thoughts.

We do have the Bible which teaches us that God is a is Father, That He is a Spirit. That, God The Son; came into the world two thousand years ago and walked among men. The Bible describes the attributes of God and how he brought life and all things into being. In the Bible we have the account of God’s communication with mankind throughout the generations. With an open mind and willing heart, one can carefully and prayerfully read the Bible and God will see a heart that truly is seeking after him that he can reveal himself to. It is the case that in our life experiences we sometimes see events that have no naturalistic explanation as to why they occur but If one is able to come to a place of reflection on these things then he or she will find that the fingerprints of God’s design is just everywhere over the entire universe, nature and all life.

WE CAN’T SEE HIM, HOW DO WE KNOW WHO HE IS?
God certainly could make himself visible to the whole world if he felt it necessary, or if he so desired. In his wisdom God has appointed a day to do exactly that. If he were to do that now, then what we call faith, would not be needed and we would not be the free willed human beings he created us to be. God is a personal being who wants a relationship with his created, free willed human beings, he cannot have that with robots. God has revealed himself in difference ways, yet we must believe by faith that God does exist.

God is absolutely and maximally the greatest conceivable being. There is no possible greater being or source. God is Supremely intelligent. He is not a mortal man, woman or animal. God is not hundreds or thousands of imaginary or handcrafted idols. He is not an object or an impersonal force. God is personal, the eternal supreme being, creator of the universe and all life. God is a spirit, and he is everywhere at the same time.

As thinking human beings, we may pause to reflects on these questions: why are we here? Are we just dust or are we human beings created with conscience and eternal souls accountable to our creator? If we pause to observe the beauty and splendor of nature, even there we can recognize the marvelous work of God. The Bible says:

“The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows his handiwork.” Psalm 19:1.
“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20.

WHY DO WE SEEK TO KNOW GOD?
The reason we human beings ask and seek answers about God, connects with the fact that God created us with free will and in his own image. The breath of life we breathe is directly from God our creator. Though separated through sin, we are drawn by a connection to God our creator. Some may stubbornly continue to deny the existence of God but such persons deep within themselves must in some way, know that there is someone greater who is the source of life. A conscious thinking human being cannot just exist out of nothing with no purpose for existing.

WHAT MORE CAN WE KNOW ABOUT GOD?
How should we perceive of him? God is Love, He is the true essence of love. God’s love is unconditional and extended to everyone who desires his love. God is immutable-he does not change. God is compassionate, God is a jealous God- he guards his own and will not share his glory. God is Father for all who trust in him, God cares, God communicates with mankind, God hears and answers our prayers, God is faithful holy and righteous. God is fair and just, God is not respecter of persons, God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, God wants all to come to repentance, God is merciful and gracious, God forgives sins, God is true, God does not and cannot lie, God protects and defends all who trust in him, God is not oblivious to suffering, God will judge the wicked, God will reward the righteous and faithful. God has a plan for humanity and the world.

God in Jesus Christ, came into the world to save humanity from the consequences of sin. At the consummation of all things, God in Jesus Christ, will return in power, glory, and in judgment. In his appointed time God will make new and right all that has gone wrong against his will. God is still in control. (see scriptures) Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:21;27, Genesis 5:1, Isaiah 45:18, Malachi 2:10, Deuteronomy 4:32, Psalms 148:5, 1st Timothy 3:16, Matthew 5:45, Ephesians 3:9, John 3:16, Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2, Psalms 33:1,6, Psalms 19:1, John 1:3, John 4:24, Colossians 1:16, Isaiah 40:21-23;28, Isaiah 66:2, Psalms 14:1, Romans 1:20, Psalm 14:1, Psalms 53:1, 1st Timothy 1:17 1st Timothy 6:16,

LOGICAL, SCIENTIFIC AND REASONABLE ARGUMENTS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD.
The Bible proclaims the existence of God and reveals the account of how he created the universe including all life-forms. In getting to know God, we must believe that the Bible is His inspired word. Besides the Bible, there are also logical, scientific and reasonable arguments for His existence. Still we must be mindful that arguments should not replace the fact that we can get to know God personally in a personal relationship with him. The way this happens is through faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God.

Arguments: In his arguments for the existence of God, the Christian philosopher and author: Dr. William Lane Craig, presented five good reasons, supporting the belief that God exists.

“The hypothesis of the data that God exists, explains a wide range of human experience. If God does not exist then there is no absolute standard of right and wrong good or evil.” Author: Dr. William Lane Craig.

FIVE GOOD REASONS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD: explained by Dr. William Lane Craig.

God is the best explanation of the origin of the universe.
God is the best explanation of the fine-tuning of the universe.
God is the best explanation of the existence of objective moral values and duties.
God is the best explanation for the historical facts concerning Jesus of Nazareth.
God can be personally known and experienced.

Argument for First Reason:
Scientists of the past, thought that the universe was eternal. However modern scientist considers that hypothesis to be incorrect and now believe that the universe had a beginning a finite time ago.

Astrophysicists believe that it was billions of years ago in an event they term: The Big Bang, when the universe came into existence. They maintained that at that moment, all matter, energy, space, and time suddenly without any cause and out of nothing and by nothing .

We know that nothing produces nothing and therefore it is far more logical to believe that the universe, came into existence by a cause and that that cause, is Transcendent. Far beyond what is physically normal.

The Transcendent cause, that caused the universe to come into being, can only be one that is un-caused. It would have to be non-physical, immaterial, non-temporal (timeless) since time and space was caused (created) by it. It must be changeless, powerful and personal. This is in order for a temporal effect to become a permanent timeless cause. The Transcendent cause would then have to be personal, able to choose in creating, regardless of any conditions. All that to say this: the cause of the universe is a personal, Transcendent creator who can only be God.

Argument for Second Reason:
As modern scientists study the universe, the intricate complexity they find there, is incomprehensible. The notion that the universe came into being from nothing and by nothing is not only silly but truly absurd. The scientific evidence points only to one place. Clearly, the universe had an intelligent designer.

It was once thought by scientists that intelligent life-forms such as ours is something that happens simply with time and chance. However more recent scientific discoveries have found that intelligent life in the universe depends upon the complexity and delicates balance of conditions at its beginning. It is now a consensus among many in the scientific field of astrophysics, that the universe is remarkably and Incredibly fine-tuned for the existence of intelligent life. Discoveries have shown that the universe is so delicately fine-tuned and calibrated for life, that it is really beyond comprehension. There is more. Scientist in this field of study have determined that this calibration is of an incalculable number.

For a better understanding of this, The Christian philosopher Dr. William Lane Craig gave three possible explanations.

Physical necessity: they have to have the values they do.
Pure chance alone: over time, and chance/luck.
Product of intelligent design: someone has designed the universe to be life permitting.

“The first two alternatives is not very plausible the chances are so remote that they cannot be reasonably faced. I think the most rational explanation is intelligent design.”

Arguments for Third Reason:
There are some who when discussing the idea of moral values and duties, will claim that it is all relative. So If God does not exist then everything is relative and therefore there are no absolutes when it comes to morality and the values. This is an idea that is taught in institutions of learning across the world. Yet at the same, time we know that generally, people are strongly in favor of being tolerant and accepting. It is that human beings have a sense of right and wrong. Young people particularly are reluctant to judge based on someone’s differences in thought or lifestyle. They regard this as being objective, a sort of moral value and duty. The question then should be asked; where did all this sense of moral values and duties come from, if not from a Holy and righteous God? Consider the fact that morality and values cannot come from some sort of lesser species intelligence.

Arguments for Fourth Reason:
Biblical and historical facts, arguments and reasons.

Without question, the greatest and most influential person to ever walked the earth was Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Historians who have studied the New Testament and the events surrounding Jesus Christ, are generally in agreement and the consensus is that Jesus Christ of Nazareth, was a man who displayed an astonishing sense of divine authority never before seen or heard from any other person in the history of humanity.

Jesus Christ presented himself as having authority to stand and speak in God’s place.
Among the claims made by Jesus, is the radical claim, implying that in him the kingdom of God had come into human history.
He made the claim that he had come down from heaven, not to do his will, but the will of him that sent him. As he went about his work, Jesus established his ministry in which he performed great miracles, showed remarkable compassion and also a stern resolve.
He preached and taught lessons that many considered to be radically upsetting.
Jesus Christ claimed to be in the Father and that the Father was in him. *He claimed pre-existence before the patriarch Abraham.
He consistently referred to himself in the messianic term: The Son of Man *He claimed to be the way to the Father.
He claimed to be the Light of the world, The Bread of life, the Resurrection, the Good Shepherd, The Vine, The way, the Truth and the Life, The Good Shepherd, The Bread of Life, and The Door.

Jesus Christ made some of the most astounding and radical claims about himself, while showing a level of unprecedented divine authority in his statements. For the religious establishment leaders at the time, this sense of divine authority displayed by Jesus in his teachings, was considered fundamentally upsetting and radical. As a result he and his message was opposed and rejected by them.

His hour had come and they came to arrest Jesus; but it would not be before they were to learn one more things about him. His arrest, would not need before they were to learn that they could not take, him just because they wanted to, but because he allowed them to. They would learn that, neither his disciples or he himself would need to raise a hand against them. They would learn that all Jesus needed to do was to speak, if he wanted to prevent his arrest. Jesus uttered four words in a direct question and that was enough for them to find themselves falling backwards on the ground. His question: “Whom do ye seek?” but it was time for Jesus to fulfill the purpose for which he came into the world. He was eventually arrested, taken to trial and crucified. Days later he was raised from the dead, exactly as he said he would.

Jesus made many claims of divine authority but by far the most far-reaching, fascinating and radical, is that of his resurrection from the dead. This being the so and as his tomb is empty, if Jesus really did rise from the dead, then the conclusion is clear and the only meaning that could be attached is: Jesus Christ of Nazareth is unquestionably the one he claimed to be.

“I and the Father are one.”
“I am in the Father and the Father is in me.”

This statement is clearly claiming his divinity it is really declaring: I am God. If Jesus did rise from the dead, It would show that all these claims Jesus made were true. It would show that God the Father approves and confirmed his claims by raising him from the dead. It would show that he was truly in the Father and the Father in him. The Jewish opponents of Jesus asked him to show them a sign for his authority to do the things he did. Jesus said to them, “Destroy this temple (his body) and in three days I will raise it up again.” They did not understand that the sign he gave them was to say: I am your sign, and you will see that I am God. The historical evidence shows that the tomb is empty, because Jesus, is alive.

EXAMINING THE HISTORICAL EVIDENCE
To believe by faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ is absolutely important. In addition. there are four broadly accepted hardly, disputed historical facts surrounding the events of his crucifixion and resurrection. In the study of these events most New Testament historians agree on these as best explanation as to the resurrection.

Fact 1. The body of Jesus was honorably placed in a tomb, owned by one member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, named Joseph of Arimathea.

Fact 2. In the events following the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, his women followers returning to his tomb found it empty, on the Sunday morning after his crucifixion and burial.

Fact 3. Individuals and different groups of people at different times and places had seen and spoken with Jesus alive raised from the dead.

Fact 4. At the arrest and subsequent crucifixion of Jesus his disciples, afraid for their lives abandoned him but in a dramatic change in attitude, suddenly were displaying bold confidence in their belief that God had raised Jesus from the dead. It must also be noted that these disciples were from Jewish background, of which resurrection is something to happen in the Judgment at the end of the world. Yet they confidently believed in his resurrection and went about preaching that Jesus Christ lives. These eyewitness facts are broadly accepted by those who have studied the history of these events. (see scripture) John 2:19, Matthew 28:6, mark 16:6, Luke 26:6, John 20:25, Matthew 28:7,10, Luke 24:34, Revelation 1:18.

FIFTH REASON:
WE CAN KNOW GOD PERSONALLY.

While there are good arguments for the existence of God, it is important to understand that we also can know and experience God in a personal way. This can happen if we choose to believe and apply ourselves. In reading through the Bible we find that this was the way ancient people knew God. They are saved as they responded positively so the revelation they had of God. The arguments for God’s existence are useful tools in helping us to understand and defend our faith, however we must be mindful not to become overly focused on them as to lose track of what is the most important aspect of our faith in God. We can focus our attention on God in such way that we can know that he is speaking to us. As we continue in his word, God by his Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts.

SUMMARY OF ARGUMENTS

First: If the universe began to exist, then the universe has a cause of its beginning.

The universe began to exist.
Therefore the universe has a cause of its existence.

Second: The fine-tuning of the universe is due to either the physical necessity, chance, or design.

It is not due to physical necessity or chance.
Therefore it is due to design.

Third: If God does not exist, then objective moral values and duties do not exist.

Objective moral values and duties exist.
Therefore God exists.

Fourth: God is the best explanation for the historical facts concerning the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

There are four established facts concerning Jesus of Nazareth: (1)His Honorable burial. (2)His empty tomb. (3)The post-mortem appearances, (4)The origin of the disciples sudden belief in his resurrection.
The best explanation of these fact is the hypothesis, God raised Jesus from the dead.

The hypothesis God raised Jesus from the dead entails that God exists, therefore God exists.

Those were some logical and scientific arguments for the existence of God, as explained by author and philosopher: Dr. William Lane Craig.

Fifth: END OF ARGUMENTS. WE CAN KNOW GOD PERSONALLY. So we can argue logically, scientifically, and reasonably for the existence of God but besides all the arguments, we must understand that it is important to get to know God in a personal way, by faith in Jesus Christ. It is through a personal relationship with him that we get to know him. God wants us to know him. All he is looking for in us is hearts open and willing to receive his love, and find the true meaning for our lives.

Opinions and quotes from some of the most influential people who have studied this subject matter:

“Some sort of powerful transformative experience is required to generate the sort of movement early Christianity was”. Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson professor of N.T. and Christian Origins.

“That is why as a historian I cannot explain the rise of early Christianity unless Jesus rose again leaving an empty tomb behind him” N.T. Wright New Testament scholar.

“The best explanation of the facts, is the hypothesis that God raised Jesus from the dead”. Author and Christian philosopher. Dr. William Lane Craig.

(see scriptures) Exodus 20:1-17, Jeremiah 9:24, Jeremiah 16:21, Jeremiah 24:7, Jeremiah 4:22, Deuteronomy 6:5, John 16:3, Luke 10:27, Mark 12:30, Deuteronomy 30:10, Deuteronomy 4:29, Ezekiel 11:20, John 8:19, John 17:3, Acts 8:37, Philippians 3:10,

<<< Return to Q & A