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10 Reasons to Believe in the Existence of God
You don't have to believe in God. But
here are 10 compelling reasons—offered by Radio Bible Class—for the
existence of a Creator. The choice to
believe is up to you.
The Inevitability of Faith.
Everyone believes in something. No one can endure the stress and
cares of life without faith in something that cannot ultimately be proven.
Atheists cannot prove there is no God. Pantheists cannot prove that everything
is God. Pragmatists cannot prove that what will count for them in the future is
what works for them now. Nor can agnostics prove that it is impossible
to know one way or the other. Faith is unavoidable, even if we choose to
believe only in ourselves. What is to be decided is what evidence we think is
pertinent, how we are going to interpret that evidence, and who or what we are willing
to believe in (Luke 16:16).
The Limitations of Science.
Scientific method is limited to a process defined by that which
is measurable and repeatable. By definition, it cannot speak to issues of
ultimate origin, meaning or morality. For such answers, science is dependent on
the values and personal beliefs of those who use it. Science, therefore, has
great potential for both good and evil. It can be used to make vaccines or
poisons, nuclear power plants or nuclear weapons. It can be used to clean up the
environment or to pollute it. It can be used to argue for God or against Him.
Science by itself offers no moral guidance or values to govern our lives. All
science can do is show us how natural law works, while telling us nothing about
its origins.
The Problems of Evolution.
Some have assumed that an evolutionary explanation of life would
make God unnecessary. This overlooks some problems. Even if we assume that
scientists will someday find enough "missing links" to confirm that
life appeared and developed gradually over great periods of time, laws of
probability would still show the need for a Creator. As a result, many
scientists who believe in evolution believe also that the universe in all of its
immensity and complexity did not "just happen." Many feel compelled to
acknowledge the possibility or even likelihood of an intelligent designer who
provided the ingredients for life and set in motion the laws by which it
developed.
The
Habits of the Heart.
Mankind has been described as incurably religious. In unguarded
moments of trouble or surprise, in prayer or in profanity, references to deity
persist. Those who would dismiss such thoughts as bad habits or social vices are
left with unanswerable questions. Denying the existence of God does not dispel
the mysteries of life. Attempts to exclude God from the language of civil life
does not eliminate the persistent longing for more than this life has to offer
(Ecclesiastes 3:11). There is something about truth, beauty and love that makes
our hearts ache. Even in our anger with a God who would permit injustice and
pain, we draw upon a moral conscience to argue that life is not as it ought to
be (Romans 2:14-15). Even unwillingly, we are drawn to something that is more
rather than less than ourselves.
The Background of Genesis.
On first reading, the opening words of the Bible seem to assume
the existence of God. Genesis, however, was written at a point of time in
history. Moses wrote, "In the beginning God" after Israel's exodus
from Egypt. He wrote after miraculous events that were said to have been
witnessed by millions of Jews and Egyptians. From the Exodus to the coming of
Messiah, the God of the Bible rests His case on events witnessed in real time
and locations. Anyone who doubted the claims could visit real places and people
to check out the evidence for themselves.
The Nation of Israel.
Israel is often used as an argument against God. Many find it
difficult to believe in a God who would be partial to a "chosen
people." Others find it even harder to believe in a God who would not
protect His "chosen nation" from the boxcars, gas chambers, and ovens
of Auschwitz and Dachau. Yet from the beginning of Old Testament history,
Israel's future was prewritten. Together with other prophets, Moses predicted
not only Israel's possession of the land but also her unparalleled suffering and
dispersion throughout the whole earth, her eventual repentance and then finally
her last-days restoration (Deuteronomy 28-34; Isaiah 2:1-5; Ezekiel 37-38).
The Claims of Christ.
Many who doubt the existence of God have reassured themselves
with the thought, "If God wanted us to believe in Him, He would appear to
us." According to the Bible, that is what God has done. Writing in the 7th
century B.C., the prophet Isaiah said that God would give His people a sign. A
virgin would bear a son who would be called "God with us" (Isaiah
7:14; Matthew 1:23). Isaiah said this Son would be called "Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6,
NIV). The prophet also said that this child would die for His people's sins
before seeing His life prolonged and honored by God (Isaiah 53). According to
the New Testament, Jesus claimed to be that Messiah. Under the oversight of a
Roman governor named Pontius Pilate, He was crucified on charges that He claimed
to be the king of Israel and that He had represented Himself as being equal with
God (John 5:18).
The Evidence of Miracles.
The reports of the first followers of Jesus agree that He did
more than just claim to be the long-awaited Messiah. These witnesses said He won
their trust by healing paralytics, walking on water and voluntarily dying a
painful, undeserved death before rising from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-8).
Most compelling was their claim that many witnesses had seen and talked to
Christ after finding His tomb empty and before watching Him ascend visibly into
the clouds. These witnesses didn't have anything on earth to gain by their
claims. They had no hopes of material wealth or power. Many became martyrs,
claiming to the end that the long-awaited Messiah of Israel had lived among
them, that He had become a sacrifice for sin and that he had risen from the dead
to assure them of His ability to bring them to God.
The Details of Nature.
Some who believe in God do not take His existence seriously. They
reason that a God great enough to create the universe would be too big to be
concerned about us. Jesus, however, confirmed what the design and detail of the
natural world suggest. He showed that God is great enough to care about the
smallest details of our lives. He spoke of One who not only knows every move we
make but also the motives and thoughts of our heart. Jesus taught that God knows
the number of hairs on our head, the concerns of our heart and even the
condition of a fallen sparrow (Psalm 139; Matthew 6).
The Voice of Experience.
The Bible says that God designs the circumstances of our lives in
a way that will prompt us to look for Him (Acts 17:26). For those who do reach
out for Him, the Scriptures also say that He is close enough to be found (v.
27). According to the apostle Paul, God is a Spirit in whom "we live and
move and have our being" (v. 28). The Bible makes it just as clear,
however, that we must reach out for God on His terms rather than our own. He
promises to be found, not by just anyone but by those who admit their own need
and are willing to trust Him rather than themselves.
You're not alone if you are open to the existence of God but
aren't sure you can accept Jesus' claim to be "God in the flesh." The
teacher from Nazareth promised help to those who are concerned about doing the
will of God. He said, "If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out
whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own" (John
7:17).
If you do see the evidence for the God who revealed Himself to us
through His Son, keep in mind that the Bible says Christ died to pay the price
for our sins, and that all who believe in Him will receive the gifts of
forgiveness and everlasting life. The salvation Christ offers is not a reward
for effort but a gift to all who in light of the evidence put their trust in Him
(John 5:24; Romans 4:5; Ephesians 2:8-10).
Reprinted with permission from RBC
Ministries (Radio
Bible Class), Grand Rapids, Michigan.
More
"10 Reasons" articles from Radio Bible Class:
10
Reasons to Believe in a God Who Allows Suffering
10
Reasons to Believe in Christ Rather Than Religion
10
Reasons to Believe in the Christian Faith
10
Reasons to Believe Christ Rose From the Dead
10
Reasons to Believe Real Christians Can Look Like They're Not
10
Reasons to Believe in Life After Death
10
Reasons to Believe in the Bible
10
Reasons to Believe God Became a Man
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