What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible

God: A Common Objection  God  A myth?  A fairytale?  A product of our wishful thinking???

God: A Common Objection  God – a subject of ridicule

The New Atheist Movement  Atheism increasingly fashionable since 9/11  The rise of the anti-theist  “I don’t believe in God and I hate him”

The New Atheist Movement  Atheism increasingly fashionable since 9/11  The rise of the anti-theist  “I don’t believe in God and I hate him”

Christian Response?  Bad Response  “God is real because the Bible says so”  “Faith is all we need to believe in God”

Christian Response?  Good Response  “Actually, reason -> God!”  Also, we can know something about God through reason alone  3 reasons why God exists The Cosmological Argument 2. The Teleological Argument 3. The Moral Argument

The Cosmological Argument  An argument for the existence of God by our observation of the universe (cosmos)  Universe = space, time and matter

The Cosmological Argument 1. Whatever begins to exist has a cause 2. The universe began to exist 3. Therefore, the universe has a cause  Implication: the cause is outside of the universe (space, time and matter), suggesting a Creator

The Cosmological Argument  3 conceivable reasons for the universe’s existence 1. It created itself out of nothing 2. It has always existed 3. It was created out of nothing by a Creator outside of the universe (ie. outside of space, time and matter)  Can you think of any other reasons?

The Cosmological Argument  Objection #1: “Then who created God?”  If the Creator of the universe transcends space, time and matter, then God cannot be created

The Cosmological Argument  Objection #2: “Couldn’t the universe be eternal?”  Infinite number of causes & effects is impossible  The universe is losing usable energy – Second Law of Thermodynamics

Describing the Creator  Even with no Bible, we can say that the Creator is:  Spaceless  Timeless (or eternal)  Immaterial  Powerful (created all things out of nothing)  Personal (it made a choice to create something out of nothing).... the creator is not an “it”!

The Teleological Argument  An argument for the existence of God by the observation of design in the world  Greek word “Telos” means design

The Teleological Argument 1. All things designed have a designer 2. The universe shows evidence of design 3. Therefore, the universe has a designer

The Teleological Argument  Common sense  Complexity and order  Science shows us that the world is very complex, yet very orderly  Complexity and order can be seen from the microscope to the telescope  Even atheists concede that the world “appears” designed

The Teleological Argument  Evidence for design: The Simple Cell  All living things are made up of cells. Humans are made up of billions  The “simple cell” is not really that simple

The Teleological Argument  Evidence for design: The Simple Cell  All living things are made up of cells. Humans are made up of billions  The “simple cell” is not really that simple  Every cell like a computer  Power supply  Information transfer (within and outside itself)  Code interpretation  Self-copying!

The Teleological Argument  More evidence for design:  

Describing the Creator  Even with no Bible, we can say that the Creator is:  Spaceless  Timeless (or eternal)  Immaterial  Powerful (created all things out of nothing)  Personal (it made a choice to create something out of nothing).... the creator is not an “it”!  Intelligent and Creative (shown by design)

The Moral Argument 1. If God did not exist, there would be no objective moral standards 2. Objective moral standards exist 3. Therefore, God exists

The Moral Argument  Objection #1: “Moral standards are subjective”  “Don’t impose your moral values on me!”  True, only if there’s no God  Right/wrong is a matter of opinion  Hitler ‘s opinion against your opinion

The Moral Argument  Objection #2: “God is not required for objective morality”  But where is objective morality grounded on?  Only survival value, no truth value  Is dying to protect your family/country wrong?

Describing the Creator  Even with no Bible, we can say that the Creator is:  Spaceless  Timeless (or eternal)  Immaterial  Powerful (created all things out of nothing)  Personal (it made a choice to create something out of nothing).... the creator is not an “it”!  Intelligent and Creative (shown by design)  Righteous (shown by the moral law)

Romans 1 18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

Romans 1 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.