Is God Real?

For those of you who have never read or studied apologetic’s this may get a little deep. But apologetic’s is real and truthful or the apologist’s claims would be put down. So take a deep breath, relax and enjoy. Maybe even have a dictionary available.

 

The key to the evidence for God is in its cumulative power. Clark Pinnock puts this in a useful word picture:

If we think in terms of a rope, we notice that it is composed of strands of twine of various lengths and tensions. If we were to unravel it and test the strength of the strands separately, we would not find any of them unbreakable. Some of them might even be rather weak. But when the strands are bound together in the network we call a rope, the result is very strong indeed. The strength of the rope exceeds the sum of the strength of the strands individually. The strength of the argument for Christianity is found, not on one argument set off by itself but in the binding together of many evidences which conspire to produce strong conviction and a convincing basis for faith.

Let us look first at some of the strong points for God from the Anthropic Principle:

1. The incredible balance of multitudinous factors in the universe that make life possible on earth points to “fine tuning” by an intelligent Being.
2. For life to be present today, an incredibly restrictive set of demands must have been present in the early universe.
3. Oxygen comprises 21 percent of the atmosphere. If it were 25 percent, fires would erupt, if 15 percent, human beings would suffocate.
4. If the gravitational force were altered by 1 part in 10⁴⁰ (that’s 10 followed by 40 zeros), the sun would not exist, and the moon would crash into the earth or sheer off into space (Heeren 196). Even a slight increase in the force of gravity would result in all the stars being much more massive that our sun, with the effect that the sun would burn too rapidly and erratically to sustain life.
5. If the centrifugal force of planetary movements did not precisely balance the gravitational forces, nothing could be held in orbit around the sun.
6. If Jupiter were not in its current orbit, we would be bombarded with space material. Jupiter’s gravitational field acts as a cosmic vacuum cleaner, attracting asteroids and comets that would otherwise strike earth (ibid., 196)
7. If the thickness of the earth’s crust were greater, too much oxygen would be transferred to the crust to support life. If it were thinner, volcanic and tectonic activity would make life untenable (ibid., 130).
8. If the rotation of the earth took longer than twenty-four hours, temperature differences would be too great between night and day. If the rotation period were shorter, atmospheric wind velocities would be too great.
9. Surface temperatures would be too great if the axial tilt of the earth were altered slightly.

 

This leads us to a very Intelligent Being such as God that keeps all of this in its proper place.

 

Statement of the Principle of Causality

The principle of causality may be stated in various ways, some more easily accepted than others. Examples include:

1. Every effect has a cause.

This form is clearly self-evident since its predicate is reducible to its subject, for an effect is what is caused. In this form, the burden of proof shifts to showing that something (like the “world”) is an effect. Other ways to state the principle are not immediately self-evident but are reducible to it.

2. Every contingent being is caused by another.
3. Every limited being is caused by another.
4. Everything that comes to be is caused by another.
5. Non-being cannot cause being.

 

First Principles and God’s Existence

Given that something exists (which is undeniable) by causality (and the principle of analogy), the existence of God can be demonstrated. In each case, of course, the burden of proof falls on the minor premise, not the premise that is the principle of causality.

Everything that comes to be has a cause. Using this statement of the principle of causality, the existence of a First Cause can be demonstrated as follows:

1. Everything that comes to be is caused by another.
2. The universe came to be.
3. Therefore, the universe was caused by another.

 

Of course, one must show that the universe came to be. This the theist does by science and philosophy.

Another way to prove the existence of God uses a different statement of the principle of causality:

1. Every contingent being is caused by another.
2. The universe is contingent in its being.
3. Therefore, the universe is caused by another.

 

Here too the burden of proof is on showing that the universe as a whole is contingent. Likewise, the universe could cease to exist. It must have a cause to account for why it exists rather than does not exist.

Of course, if one desires to show that this cause of the universe is intelligent or moral, then the principle of analogy must be used to show that effects resemble their efficient cause. For example:

1. Effects resemble their causes in their being.
2. The universe manifests intelligent design in its being.
3. Therefore, the universe has an intelligent Designer.
4. Since the principle of causality is a fundamental principle of reason, it must apply to reality. Otherwise, one ends in a self-defeating position that what is known about reality cannot be known. The principle of causality is a principle about reality. When it says “Non-being cannot produce being,” being means what is real and Non-being what is not real.
5. There is No Need for a Here-and-Now Cause. Some critics argue that even if there may have once been a cause of the beginning of the universe, there does not need to be one now. Either such a Cause has gone out of existence, or else it may still be in existence but is not required for continually sustaining the universe.
6. The theistic God demonstrated by the cosmological argument cannot have caused the universe and then subsequently ceased to exist. The theistic God is a Necessary Being, and a Necessary Being cannot cease to be. If it exists, it must by its very nature exist necessarily. A Necessary Being cannot exist in a contingent mode any more than a triangle can exist in a five-sided mode.
7. A Necessary Being must continue to cause its contingent being(s). A contingent being must remain contingent as long as it exists, since it can never become a Necessary Being.  But this is the only other alternative for a contingent being other than going out of existence is to remain a contingent being. But if a contingent being is always contingent, then it always needs a Necessary Being on which it depends on its existence. Since no contingent being holds itself in-existence, it must have a Necessary Being to hold it from going into nonexistence—-at all times.

Therefore, another proof that God exists. 

 

Lewis’s Moral Argument. The most popular modern form of the moral argument for God was given by C.S. Lewis in “Mere Christianity”. He not only gives the most complete form of the argument in the most persuasive way but also answers major objections. The moral argument of Lewis can be summarized:

1. There must be a universal law, or else:

Moral disagreements would make no sense, as we all assume they do.

All moral criticisms would be meaningless (i.e., “the Nazis were wrong,”).

It is unnecessary to keep promises or treaties, as we all assume that it is.

We would not make excuses for breaking the moral law, as we all do.

2. But a universal moral law requires a universal Moral Law Giver, since the source of it:

Gives moral commands (as law givers do).

Is interested in our behavior (as moral persons are).

3. Further, this universal Moral Law Giver must be absolutely good.

Otherwise all moral effort would be futile in the long run, since we could be sacrificing our lives for what is not ultimately right.

The source of all good must be absolutely good, since the standard of all good must be completely good.

4. Therefore, there must be an absolutely good Moral Law Giver.

God must exist!

 

 

Clark Pinnock puts this in a useful word picture:

If we think in terms of a rope, we notice that it is composed of strands of twine of various lengths and tensions. If we were to unravel it and test the strength of the strands separately, we would not find any of them unbreakable. Some of them might even be rather weak. But when the strands are bound together in the network we call a rope, the result is very strong indeed. The strength of the rope exceeds the sum of the strength of the strands individually. The strength of the argument for Christianity is found, not on one argument set off by itself but in the binding together of many evidences which conspire to produce strong conviction and a convincing basis for faith.

Moreover, as Pinnock continues: “The evidences that speak for the Christian message are publicly accessible and I believe impressive.” Anyone can check them out.

The fact is, we need no more proof of the Christian message than God has given. Even if God provided more explicit evidence than He does—say, dramatic miracles such as those in Moses’ day—it would still not convince some people to turn their lives over to Him. In the story of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19–31), the rich man, who finds himself in the Place of Torment, argues that “if someone from the dead goes to his [five brothers], they will repent” (v. 30). But the reply is, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets [which is God’s Word], neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead” (v. 31). Isn’t this exactly what Jesus did? He rose from the dead to prove his deity (Rom. 1:4) and that He is Savior of the world (Acts 17:31). Yet people persist in rejecting Him.

Enough evidence is available to convince even the most relentless skeptic who’s willing to go with the facts. But no amount of evidence will convince someone who is determined to resist God. The evidence is there, but, ultimately, the decision to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior is a moral and willful decision. Astrophysicist Hugh Ross illustrates this well:   Several months ago I spoke at a prestigious American university to a group of about forty science professors. I presented much of the information that appears in the pages of this book [The Creator and the Cosmos]. Afterward, I conversed with four physics professors and asked their response.

One of the four said he could not deny the truth of my message. The others nodded in agreement. I asked if they could see, then, the rationality of turning over their lives to Jesus Christ. Another of the four spoke up, saying, yes, they could see it, but they weren’t yet ready to be that rational.

This statement was not a brush-off. Each man went on to name his reasons for resistance. One confessed his unwillingness to give up sexual immorality. The others spoke of deep wounds inflicted long ago by people who called themselves Christians.

     When all is said and done, it seems to me that the bottom line is this: It is beyond reasonable doubt that Jesus Christ is exactly who He claims to be—the God-man Savior of the world. When the evidence is examined, and religious worldviews are compared, Christianity is unquestionably the only sustainable and verifiable option. Yet the final decision to become a Christian is necessarily a subjective one. It is a step of faith. Faith grounded on fact, but faith nevertheless.

      God thru His Son Jesus caused the Creation of heaven, the universe and the earth and everything on them, for there is no other Necessary Being who is powerful enough and intelligent enough and wise enough to do so.

God gave us many reasons through His Words in His inspired bible  to believe in Him and His Son Jesus:

1. Who He is.
2. Who His Son is.
3. Why He wanted to create a place for all His children.
4. Why He wanted to test them.
5. What His rules and commandments are.
6. What He required for His children to do to get to His heaven.
7. Where His children would go if they rebelled against Him.
8. Where they would go if they followed His will.
9. What would not happen if they did not believe in His Son.
10. That He would cause the earth as it exists today to be burned with fire and re-created to accommodate His new heaven that He will bring to the new earth after evil, death, and all rebellious individuals have been taken from the earth.
11. Then all the saints will be free of sin so God can come to live with them on the new earth in His new heaven and He can be their God and Father and they can be His children.
12. The cumulative reasons to prove that God is real and exists today is in the accumulation of the many reasons, some of which are stated above. They are strong like the many strands of a rope but they are not final—-to get over that hurdle—–one must also have faith, faith that all the evidence accumulated is true and faith that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit must exist for there to be a universe with a heaven and earth for God’s children to exist today.

 

This leads us to a very Intelligent and powerful Being such as God.

 

      You can look at it like this. There is a gap between probability and absolute certainty that must be bridged by faith. As Pascal clearly pointed out, the “alternative” to taking this step of faith, is to risk eternal separation from God—a fate far worse than death itself. If Christianity is true, it must be embraced because there is no other option.

 

Yes, God is real and alive….and He loves You.

 

May God and Jesus be our guiding lights for eternity…… And may the Holy Spirit be our brother in love and guidance…… And may Christianity be our only religion because it was sent from God thru His Son to all who believe in His Son’s holy name.

 

May the desire to pursue Your Word be with each one of us until the Lord Jesus comes for His church.

 

Love God with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul. Also, love your neighbor as you love yourself.

God is testing us every day and has given us the right to make our own choices. Do you know which ones are the right choices in God’s mind?

Fear God, love God, honor God, and trust God with all your heart, mind and soul and you will receive and experience the joy of the promises of God’s blessings in His time. And always remember to ask the Father for His help and guidance in all things.

 

Prayer:   Father, blessed is your Holy name. We praise you for your Son and the Holy Spirit. We praise You for the opportunity to be able to choose Jesus as our Lord and Savior and to be elect children of Yours. We praise you for the laws You have set down to teach us, keep our lives in harmony, learn how to treat others and how to live within your boundaries. Please bless those who have read this article for they too are seeking Your righteous truth, love, wisdom and understanding. I pray these brothers and sisters have or will come to realize that Your existence is a treasure of grace and love that You have for all Your elect children.

May God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Christianity be our guiding lights for eternity. Let it be Your will Lord not mine. Please come Lord Jesus.

 

I pray in Jesus sweet name and to His glory through the power of The Holy Spirit,

Amen.