Dr. M. DeWayne Anderson

God Revealed — The Existence of God

Download

God Revealed — The Existence of God

Our goal over the next few weeks is to discover, reveal and encounter the God of the Bible. The Bible gives no defense for God’s existence, but simply declares in Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God.” The Bible does not attempt to prove or question the pre-existent God, but accepts Him as fact. The LORD our God is revealed to be much greater than our imagination can conceive. He revealed Himself as Elohim (אֱלֹהִים),  the true God. The name refers to Yahweh (יהוה), the God of Israel. After that initial introduction, the Lord God Almighty reveals Himself openly in such a way that we may know that He exists, come to know Him, and have fellowship with Him.

Psalm 19:1-2 CEV The heavens keep telling the wonders of God, and the skies declare what he has done. Each day informs the following day; each night announces to the next.

Psalm 19:3-4 CEV They don’t speak a word, and there is never the sound of a voice. Yet their message reaches all the earth, and it travels around the world. In the heavens a tent is set up for the sun.

The Christian believer bases their faith in God upon His revelation through the Bible and through His Son Jesus Christ. Various attempts are made to either know or deny His existence. Some have attempted to reveal God through the universe, nature and the creation. Attempts are made to conform God into a system of belief of the Scripture, nature or reasoning. A third group studies the existence of God as He has revealed Himself in the Bible.

The Existence of God

There are seven arguments for the existence of God.

  1. The initial argument endeavors to establish the existence of God solely through the application of logical principles. Once the concept of God is comprehended, it becomes logically impossible for Him to not exist. (Ontological Argument)
  2. The second argument attempts to prove God’s existence by the law of cause and effect. Every effect must have a cause. Since something cannot come from nothing, there must be a cause for the existence of all things. (Cosmological Argument)
  3. Since the universe has order, intelligent design, purpose, and harmony, there must be a master architect. Since God exists, we can explain all created beings. (Teleological Argument)
  4. Blind chance could not produce a being with conscience, emotion, intelligence, and will. The Bible tells us God created man in His image, (Genesis 1:26-28). (Anthropological Argument)
  5. Recognition of moral standards cannot be attributed to the evolutionary process. Moral laws prove the existence of God. (Moral Argument)
  6. A sixth argument emphasized the documented life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as evidence of God’s existence and the truth of Christian faith.
  7. A seventh argument appeals to subjective personal encounters with God through prayer and spiritual practice as compelling witness of God’s existence.

Isaiah 46:9-10 NKJV God said, “For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure.’”

We all have an inner sense that there must be a God. As a result of our own weaknesses and finite nature, we look for someone with wisdom, knowledge, and power Who can guide us through life and its circumstances.

God has revealed Himself in specific ways.

At times, He has shown Himself through special revelations to specific people. God has also revealed Himself in a general manner that can be understood and known by all people. The Bible and all creation presents evidence of God’s existence. Follow through the Bible and watch the God of creation, the God of the Patriarchs, the God of Israel and the God of the church. Watch Him at Israel’s Exodus from Egypt’s bondage and see Him deliver His people from many disasters. Behold your God in the person and work of Jesus Christ, God’s Son.

Romans 1:20 NKJV 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.

Psalm 19:1 NKJV The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.

Psalm 147:4-5 He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.

Isaiah 40:25-26 NLT “To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One. Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing.

Consider these known scientific facts.

  • Light travels at 186,000 miles per second.
  • It takes a beam of light eight minutes to cover the 93 million miles from the sun to the earth.
  • The sun is one of billions of stars in our solar system called the milky way.
  • The milky way is 100,000+ light years across.
  • There are hundreds of billions of galaxies in the known universe that is 93 billion light years in diameter.

Acts 14:17 TPT He has never left Himself without clear evidence of His goodness. For He blesses us with rain from heaven and seasons of fruitful harvests, and He nourishes us with food to meet our needs. He satisfies our lives, and euphoria fills our hearts.

God has presented Himself as the only self-existent being.

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God…”

The Lord God Almighty presented Himself alive before the creation of anything. This is the aseity of God. Aseity is from the Latin (a se), meaning “from itself” or “self-existence.” God depends on nothing but Himself for His existence and being, is completely sovereign, and is self-reliant. The ground of God’s being is within Himself; He is self-existent.

John 5:26 NKJV Jesus said, “For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,”

Everything that we have, hold and hope for is settled and has being as a result of God’s essential nature. From the power of His self-existent nature, God created all things and sustains all things. The self-existent and pre-existent God created the heavens and the earth from nothing by the power of His word. He alone is the cause for the existence of all things and everything that has been created bears the imprint and evidence of a wise and powerful Creator. The evidence of His being is witnessed in the heavens and to the minutest details of the smallest elements known to man. From the variety of the species to the details of each piece and part, the evidence clearly shows the glory of God.

God’s existence is profoundly revealed throughout the Scriptures.

This reliable evidence of God’s existence is overwhelming in His word and works.

The Scriptures reveal the existence of God in many knowable ways.

  • God is creator (Genesis 1:1)
  • God is a warrior (Exodus 15:3)
  • God is one Lord (Deuteronomy 6:4)
  • God is faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9)
  • God is too great to be described or contained (1 Kings 8:27)
  • God is gracious and merciful (Nehemiah 9:31)
  • God is good (Psalm 34:8)
  • God helps his people when they are in trouble (Psalm 46:1)
  • God is mighty (Psalm 50:1)
  • God is our rock (Psalm 62:6)
  • God is our hope (Psalm 71:5)
  • God is near everyone (Psalm 75:1)
  • God is our salvation (Isaiah 12:2)
  • God is sovereign (Isaiah 25:8)
  • God is holy (Isaiah 29:23)
  • Only God is worthy of glory (Isaiah 42:8)
  • God is our Father (Matthew 6:9)
  • God is all-powerful (Luke 1:37)
  • God is spirit (John 4:24)
  • God is all-knowing (Romans 11:33)
  • God is knowable (Ephesians 1:17)
  • God is living (1 Timothy 4:10)
  • God is King of kings (1 Timothy 6:15)
  • God is approachable (James 4:8)
  • God is judge (James 4:12)
  • God is love (1 John 4:16)
  • God is almighty (Revelation 1:8)

From the initial introduction “In the beginning God,” the revelation of God is a self-disclosure of His vast nature and character.

God has not hidden His majesty, existence, or being from His creation, but has revealed Himself in such a way that is clearly understood. He is the One True God and He exists independently of any concept, idea or philosophy of Himself. If we are to know God, He must reveal Himself to us. God is incomprehensible in nature and being for He is an infinite spirit being. Yet, He has clearly revealed His glory, power, and majesty through His creation. God has disclosed His nature, essence, works, and word. This revelation is open for all humanity to clearly see from the beginning of His creation. God has actively revealed His power and Godhead so that the whole human race may know Him. It is not correct to say that God cannot be known, but it is true that He cannot be fully known because God is infinite, transcendent, omniscient, almighty, omnipresent God. Although He may not be fully understood or comprehended, God has revealed Himself so that you may be able to know Him.

 

How do the skies proclaim God’s handiwork?

How does God’s knowledge of the stars relate to His omniscience?

Why is it important that God counts and names the stars? How can that relate to us?