God: How do we know God exists?
There is proof for the existence of God. However, I have found that if there is a desire for God not to exist, no proof will be sufficient to cause that person to accept the FACT that He does exist. Any ONE of a number of things will prove to be sufficient evidence of His existence. If someone is genuinely seeking God, much evidence to confirm that belief is always available. I offer two things of many for your consideration.
Proof #1: The Law of Cause and Effect
For every effect there is a cause. This means the very existence of all that is in the universe bears evidence that there is a Cause. That Cause is God! Someone may then say, “Who caused God?” The answer: God is the Uncaused Cause. God is outside the framework of all creation. He is not a part of the creation. He has always been! That is why FAITH is essential in this matter.
Some people claim they must have something more than just faith to believe there is a God. However, those same people, at various times in their lifetime, have accepted the existence of a lot of things solely based on faith. When we were children, we accepted all kinds of things strictly on faith. We had no rational understanding at all regarding those things, but we accepted them and their existence without any empirical proof at all. For instance, you were once told there was a certain city. You had never been there to see it, but you accepted that as true knowledge strictly on faith. You do that even today. You have done the same thing with countless other things. However, in this case, we are talking about something far more important. We are discussing God, your Creator. He does exist! But, like everything else, you must accept that truth by faith.
Some will say they will only believe in something if there is some material evidence. However, you will find that these same people accept as true knowledge all kinds of other things they have not known by observation or experience. Again, the problem with people who claim they do not believe in God is that they do not WANT to believe in God. The heart of the problem is that they know that such belief will make them ACCOUNTABLE to Him, and that is something they do not WANT. The Bible makes a clear statement about this principle of cause and effect, as well as the outcome for people who choose to reject the existence of God.
Romans 1:19-21
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. [Emphasis added]
Proof #2: The Design of the Creation Demands a Designer.
The Bible speaks plainly of this principle.
Hebrews 3:4
4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. [Emphasis added]
The universe displays an amazingly complex level of interdependency which logically leads to the conclusion that there must be a Designer. The fact is that there are too many “coincidences” of such “just rightness” for these things to be coincidences. The earth is “just the right” distance from the sun; it contains “just the right” mixture of chemicals and gases to sustain life; people have “just the right” ability to breath these gases; and so forth. The list of these “coincidences” is endless, making it impossible for everything to have come together by chance. There MUST be a Designer. That Designer is the God of all creation. Many before us have marveled at the intricacies of God’s wonderful design.
Psalm 8:3-9
3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
There are many other Bible passages that speak of the majesty of God’s creation.
Isaiah 40:25-26
25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
Isaiah 40:22
22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
Job 26:7
7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.
Psalm 19:1-2
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
Therefore, it is ultimately by faith that we accept the obvious about Who created all these things.
Hebrews 11:3
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
The very first verse in the Bible settles this matter once and for all.
Genesis 1:1
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
The creation demands a Designer. That Designer is God!
