2. EXAMINING THE EVIDENCE FOR GOD’S EXISTENCE

3. “It is a dangerous thing to debate God’s existence in His presence.” Soren Kierkegaard Soren Kierkegaard

4. The Bible being the greatest revelation of spiritual truth, never attempts to prove God’s existence but rather simply assumes it. Question: For the honest seeker, is this really fair?

5. Answer: Yes. The reason being that finding God is not primarily an intellectual pursuit but rather a spiritual one.

6. The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God," They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; There is no one who does good. Psalm 53:1 Psalm 53:1

7. Knowing that God exists is something that God has hard- wired into the soul of man… Ecclesiastes 3:11 Ecclesiastes 3:11 Romans 1:18-19 Romans 1:18-19

8. “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.” I Chronicles 28:9

9. II. Five Philosophical Arguments for the Existence of God

10. 1. The Ontological (being) Argument St. Anselm (1033-1109)

11. The ontological argument is based in the very idea of God Himself. 1.If God is, “that than greater which cannot be thought.” 2.And since it is greater to exist in the mind and in reality than in the mind alone 3.Then God must exist both in the mind and in reality; 4.In short, God must be. God is not merely an intra-mental concept but an extra-mental reality as well.

12. 2. The Cosmological (meaning of the world) Argument St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

13. This argument finds the existence of God from the: 1. Proof from Motion 1. Proof from Motion 2. Proof from Efficient Cause 2. Proof from Efficient Cause 3. Proof from Necessary versus 3. Proof from Necessary versus Possible Being Possible Being 4. Proof from the Degrees of 4. Proof from the Degrees of Perfection Perfection 5. Proof from the Order of the 5. Proof from the Order of the Universe Universe

14. 3. Pascal’s Wager Blaise Pascal (1623 – 1662) Also famous for his assertion that in the heart of every man is a God-shaped vacuum that only God can fill Also famous for his assertion that in the heart of every man is a God-shaped vacuum that only God can fill

15. A philosopher and mathematician made an argument that appeals to the gambler in us. Examine the odds, what do you have to win or lose in believing in God. Believing is a better bet. The “smart money” is on God. A philosopher and mathematician made an argument that appeals to the gambler in us. Examine the odds, what do you have to win or lose in believing in God. Believing is a better bet. The “smart money” is on God.

16. Pascal’s Wager paraphrased is: “How can anyone lose who chooses to become a Christian? If, when he dies, there turns out to be no God and his faith was in vain, he has lost nothing—in fact, he has been happier in life than his non-believing friends. If, however, there is a God and a heaven and hell, then he has gained heaven and his skeptical friends will have lost everything in hell.”

17. 4. The Teleological (meaning from design) Argument William Paley William Paley(1743-1805)

18. The argument from the design of the universe. Paley’s watch argument. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:20 (We will examine this further below)

19. 5. The Transcendental Argument Logic transcends the material world and can only be accounted for by a transcendent God.

20. III. The Right Question And The Right Door

21. Since it is not possible to prove or disprove God’s existence, the question should be stated: “Is it reasonable to believe in the existence of God?” “Is it reasonable to believe in the existence of God?”

22. There are only three possible explanations for the universe’s existence. Let’s call them doors… There are only three possible explanations for the universe’s existence. Let’s call them doors…

23. Door 1Door 2Door 3 The key to the mystery of the universe lies behind one of the three doors…

24. Door #1 Eternal matter plus evolution Objection: This option violates the second law of Thermodynamics. This law states that the universe is running down, going from orderly to disorderly. Objection: This option violates the second law of Thermodynamics. This law states that the universe is running down, going from orderly to disorderly.

25. Door #2 Finite matter plus evolution Objection: This option violates the first law of thermodynamics. This law states that neither matter nor energy can be created or destroyed in nature.

26. Door #3 An eternal God created the universe Objection: Humans must then submit to God’s authority and are accountable for their actions

27. Both the Christian and the Atheist are in one way in the same boat…

28. Both the Christian and the Atheist are forced to believe and accept that the key to human existence again goes beyond human reason.

29. All must agree that all three possibilities are beyond human reason. One day a child growing up in a religious home thinks to himself, “Hey wait a minute, who made God?” One day a child growing up in an atheist home thinks to himself, “Why is there something rather than nothing?”

30. The advantage to this point: 1.The atheist unfairly places the burden of proof on the theist. 2.Occam’s razor, which states that one should not make more assumptions than the minimum needed, is negated. 3.When seen in the light of the three options, a prima facie case exists for belief in God. That is, that a body of evidence exists that makes believing in a transcendent God who created this incredible universe with apparent purpose, design and complexity undeniable.

31. Which is easier to believe? Once we begin with the proposition that all three possibilities are mind boggling and that none of the three doors set well with the human mind, then the next question is, “Which of the three propositions is easiest to believe or makes the most sense?” It is easier to accept that the complex made the simple rather than that the simple evolved into the complex.

32. Sidebar… Some people have rejected Christianity because they could not believe that miracles like the virgin birth were possible. The virgin birth is not the miracle one needs to be concerned with. How about the existence of the universe and yourself as a miracle to try and figure out?

33. IV. The Evidence For God Creating The Universe

34. The evidence for creation that the Bible offers… Remember The Teleological (meaning from design) Argument by William Paley (1743- 1805) Remember The Teleological (meaning from design) Argument by William Paley (1743- 1805) Today “Intelligent Design” is the modern term for the same argument Today “Intelligent Design” is the modern term for the same argument Although the Bible technically doesn’t offer ID as proof, it does as offer it as overwhelming evidence of God creating the universe. Although the Bible technically doesn’t offer ID as proof, it does as offer it as overwhelming evidence of God creating the universe.

35. The Bible on ID… New Testament – Romans 1:19-20 New Testament – Romans 1:19-20 a.“Clearly seen” – GK. Clearly seen" - GK. Kathorao = denotes to discern clearly b.Oxymoron – invisible / clearly seen Psalm 19:1 - "The heavens are telling..." Psalm 19:1 - "The heavens are telling..."