Some Arguments For God's Existence

The teleological one or that everything has a purpose. Design implies a Designer; order, and Orderer; purpose, a Purposer; beginning, a Beginner; intelligence, an Ultimate Mind; thought, a Thinker. We know the universe had a beginning and we must wonder who began it. The Big Bang, for instance, begs the question of who “banged” it. We know the universe is not eternal but began to exist and this implies a Beginner. Who got the ball rolling or is the First Cause because nothing can cause or create itself according to the law of cause and effect. An endless series of finite causes is impossible; it's impossible to cross infinity and infinite regress is nonsensical 

The kalam cosmological argument states that everything that begins to exist, has a cause; the cosmos began and therefore has a cause—most likely God. The existence of the harmony of the laws of nature indicate intelligent design or ID. The Anthropic Principle goes further and says that it shows the cosmos is designed for life.

But these are all secular, scientific, or philosophical arguments. The best evidence literally is that God came to earth and showed Himself in the person of Jesus, proving it by rising from the dead. He claimed to be God in the flesh, the very Son of God.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Old Earth, New Earth

 Contrary to popular interpretation, the Bible doesn’t say when the earth was created. It says merely, “In the beginning…” whenever that was, possibly billions of years or eons ago.  This isn't just a way to begin a story and it doesn't say, "Once upon a time!"  There is a possible gap between verses one and two of the chapter that could have taken this long. Note that a day with the LORD is not always twenty-four hours, such as the day of the LORD and the day of judgment.  The Bible only tells us the earth was created and who did it; namely, God. It wasn’t a fluke or accident and it didn’t evolve or create itself, impossible! 

Nothing can create or cause itself according to the law of cause and effect. Something has to be eternal for anything to exist because everything cannot have a beginning or be created, or there would be nothing now (out of nothing, nothing comes). God is seen as the First Cause or who got it all started. There can be an uncaused cause but not an uncaused effect. Since God is eternal, He can have no cause since then He would have a beginning. Everything that begins to exist has a cause; the universe began and therefore has a cause; most believably God.

The Bible assures us that even time had a beginning and was created by God as a corollary of space and matter. (cf. 2 Tim. 1:9 Titus 1:2). But don’t bet your soul on science getting it right because they have been wrong and cannot answer a lot of questions of the earth’s origin; science is know-how, not know-why. Genesis is not a science lesson and the Bible is not a scientific manual but a way to show us salvation and to know God.

There have been conflicts between science and the Bible before and the Bible has proven right. The theory of an eternal universe is untenable and it had a beginning: this implies a Beginner!  Soli Deo Gloria!

What About Sinning After Salvation?

 

1. No man can live without sin; “For there is no man that sinneth not,” (cf. Prov. 1 Kings 8:46). “There is not a just man on earth, who doeth good and sinneth not,” (cf. Eccl 7:20). “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, and I am pure from my sin?” (cf. Prov. 20:9). “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” (cf. Romans 3:23). This is known as the universality of sin.
2. Jesus is able to save us to the “uttermost” since He ever lives to make intercession for us (cf. Heb. 7:25; cf. 1 John 2;2) When we do sin, we have an Advocate to plead our case. If God marked iniquity, no one could be saved (cf. Psalm 130:2).
3. All our sins are forgiven upon salvation, past, present, and future (cf. Psalm 103:3). He throws them into the sea and deletes them: we have no permanent file! (cf. Isaiah 43:25; 44:22; Micah 7:19).
4. We are justified in God’s eyes: not made just but declared just. As God is both just and justifier and we are justified sinners (cf. Gal. 2:17). God doesn’t hold our sins against us, but does still rebuke us when we do sin to learn righteousness: “As many as I love, I chasten, be zealous therefore and repent.” (cf. Rev. 3:19). He disciplines us to learn righteousness (cf. Heb. 12:5–6).
5. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” (cf. 1 John 1:9).   Soli Deo Gloria!

Why Does God Punish Us On The Day Of Judgment?

 “For the LORD is righteous, and he loves justice “ (cf. Psalm 11:7).

“”.. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne,” (cf. Psalm 97:2).

Are you referring to Judgment Day? “it is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment (cf. Heb. 9:27; Deut. 32:35). “God is angry at the wicked every day,” (cf. Psalm 7:11; Deut. 32:35) But for our sake, He is not willing that any should perish and is patient (cf. 2 Pet. 3:9). God’s patience with man will end and He is bound to judge the world in justice because He is holy and sin offends Him. The only ones condemned are those who reject Christ as their Lord and Savior. They need not enter into judgment for this reason, but they must repent.

God is unjust to no one and renders to every sinner no more than strict justice demands. He gives sinners their due desserts. But He tempers His justice with mercy (cf. Hab. 3:2) and doesn’t punish as much as people really deserve (cf. Psalm 103:10). There remains therefore a day of judgment the Judge of all the earth may do what is right and avenge the evil done. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (cf. Gen. 18:25).

No one will get away with sin; they either accept Christ’s forgiveness by believing and repenting or they suffer themselves. God is not obligated to save anyone or it would be justice,, not mercy. God’s mercy is available to everyone who believes and God turns away no sinners. In sum, can we believe in justice without a Judge?  Soli Deo Gloria!

Why Have Faith Instead of Reasoning?

 Faith is impossible to avoid. Faith in science or your own reason is still faith. Faith in the scientific method is also faith. It’s not faith versus reason but faith versus faith. Any system of belief begins with a presupposition that cannot be proven—a contingent fact. All knowledge is contingent--it commences somewhere with a premise.

Faith is merely trusting in what one has good reason to believe. It isn’t the same as blind faith which is for no reason. Faith is rational and not contrary to logic. You cannot disprove God either, so it’s a matter of faith to deny His existence. That’s because it’s impossible to prove a universal negative No amount of evidence will convince a person to believe something he doesn’t want to.

There is no “smoking gun” evidence either way; no amount of evidence will convince a person beyond a shadow of a doubt. But the fact is, is that there is evidence from science, scripture, history, literature, logic, philosophy, and personal testimony. “But a person convinced against their will is of the same opinion still.”

The Bible’s authority is self-attesting and appeals to no higher authority than itself; otherwise, it couldn’t be the final arbiter of truth but science or philosophy would be. You must appeal to some authority and secularists appeal to their own reason and put their faith there intentionally rather than in God. Thus, you can become a Christian without committing intellectual suicide or kissing your brains goodbye. In summation, we’re all People of Faith, faith in what is what matters and differs!  Soli Deo Gloria! 

Can I Have Doubt With My Faith?

Doubt is not a unique Christian problem, but a human one. Some believers are even congenital doubters or have cerebral doubts that weaken their faith, but they still have faith even if the size of a mustard seed. If they seek the answers from the right sources, these doubts can be answered. Doubt is not the opposite of faith, but an element of it. They can and do co-exist.

Faith is putting into action and trusting in what you do believe. Faith is knowledge in action, not having all the answers. But faith is not inert but grows for the believer and he will find out that God will eventually answer his questions. There is a doubt-faith continuum that we all fall on. Perfect certitude is not necessary for faith and that’s why it’s called faith. But saving faith is the gift of God and we find God through this grace, not our works.

We cannot believe in God in our own intellectual powers or wisdom; we need to be enlightened by God who opens our hearts and kindles faith within us There is mundane faith in God for the things of the world, using our spiritual gifts, and doing His will and then there’s saving faith: Saving faith is the gift of God but God can rebuke us for showing little or no faith in doing His will, as it is written, “O, ye of little faith… why did you doubt?” “I believe, help thou mine unbelief.”

There’s hope! Jesus can strengthen our faith and we are to pray for this. But note that our faith must be tried as if by fire and be tested to see if it’s genuine and not bogus. This is the good news: Christ doesn’t require perfect faith, but only unfeigned and sincere faith that isn’t hypocritical (cf. 1 Tim. 1:5; 2 Tim. 1:5). Soli Deo Gloria!

How Do I Deal With "Contradictions" In The Bible?

 I don’t believe in them; this is not a state of denial, I just haven’t been exposed to any that I cannot resolve or scholars haven’t explained. I admit there are many difficult passages and hard sayings but they have been resolved if one knows the right source to seek for answers and doesn’t rely on the so-called secular experts.

My faith isn’t shaken because I don’t know all the answers and even doubt and questions can coexist with faith. Faith isn’t knowing everything but putting what you do believe into action and practicing the Bible, not just believing it. Faith is defined as doing something and trusting in what you have good reason to believe.

Most people who think there are contradictions in the Bible haven’t read it and don’t even know what its main message is. It doesn’t contradict itself, but really contradicts them. If there was perfect agreement, one could suspect collusion. I have read the Bible all my life and yet to be convinced of a real contradiction and if I saw one I probably wouldn’t lose my faith but just admit I don’t know everything and would suspend judgment until it could be answered by some scholar or biblicist I trust.

Many so-called contradictions are not that at all but just different ways of looking at the same facts or event such as when they harmonize the gospel resurrection accounts to show they don’t contradict after all. I recommend two scholarly volumes: Archer Gleason’s Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties and John W. Haley’s Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible.

In sum, most people who disbelieve the Bible for so-called contradictions, or parts that offend him, aren’t as much not believing in the Bible as believing in themselves!   Soli Deo Gloria!

Where Can I Meet God?

 I believe you mean, “Where can I find God?” ”Truly You are a God who hide Yourself, O God of Israel …” (cf. Isaiah 45:15). Christians believe in the God who is there; He is there and He is not silent! Jehovah-Shammah means “the God who is there.” Jesus name means “God is with us,” meaning that He lives in us through the Holy Spirit when we believe in Him (cf. 1 Cor. 3:16; Col. 1:27). Jesus promised to always be with us (cf. Matt. 28:20). “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you,” (cf. James 4:8). He is not far from any one of us (cf. Acts 17:27). Caveat: No one comes to the Father except through Jesus the Son. (cf. John 14:6).

Even Job wondered at God’s presence,, “Oh, that I knew where I might find Him…” (cf. Job 23:3). God promises that all those who seek with their whole heart or sincerely and not as triflers will find Him: “if you search for Me with all your heart…” (cf. Jer. 29:13; Isaiah 55:6; Deut. 4:29). Jesus even said that if we seek we shall find (cf. Matt. 7:7). God is the great Promise Keeper and is no man’s debtor, but will honor His Word. But He desires faith and not to force Himself on people. Faith pleases God (cf. Heb. 11:3). He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (cf. Heb. 11:6).

But God hides Himself (cf. Psalm 13:1; Isaiah 45:15). As for God’s whereabouts, His home and throne is in the heavens (cf. Psalm 115:3). “ But the LORD is in his holy temple…” (cf. Hab. 2:20). However, even the highest heavens cannot contain Him (cf. 1 Kings 8:27). He is not only a God at hand but afar off, for He fills the heavens (cf. Jer. 23:23–24). We cannot hide from Him (cf. Jer. 23:24; Psalm 139:7–8). His omnipresence or ubiquity means He is everywhere at one time fully (in all his deity or called His immensity).

Blaise Pascal was a Christian scholar, mathematician, theologian, scientist, philosopher who said, “What can be seen is not the manifest presence of God, nor His absence, but the presence of a hidden God.” Note that God is not playing a cosmic game of hide and seek but desires to be looked for. However, when we are saved we are found by Him: “I was lost but now am found.” “I was found by those who weren’t looking for Me,” (cf. Isaiah 61:1).

NB: Sincerity matters, but it isn’t everything; you can be sincerely wrong.

Thanksgiving As A Sacfifice

 "Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving..." (Ps. 95:2a). God isn't looking for a great sacrifice to impress Him; "...the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit." "For you will not delight in sacrifice or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering" (Ps. 51:16-17). You may feel a cleavage betwixt you and the Lord and the only thing you might need to do is to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving ("Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, bless his name!" (Ps. 100:4). "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good" (Ps. 107:1).

Who glorifies God? "The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me..." (Ps. 50:23).

Remember the sobering words of Paul about those who were not thankful: "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him..." (Rom. 1:21a). Everyone has a treasure chest to thank God for in spite of his circumstances: I recall the man who felt sorry for himself because he had no shoes until he saw a man without any feet. Looks like we have no excuse. "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits" (Ps. 103:2).


Conclusion: "What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?"--being thankful is a start-- (Ps. 116:12).   Soli Deo Gloria!

Happy Thanksgiving/Hanukkah

 The scholars say that the convergence of these two holidays won't happen again for 70,000 years--what a special day! I recall that Lincoln proclaimed the feast of Thanksgiving in October of 1863 and it was fixed as the fourth Thursday in November by FDR. The Last Supper or Holy Communion, also known as the Eucharist (which means thanksgiving, by the way, in Greek) is a unique Christian tradition. Thanksgiving is our heritage (not to celebrate seems un-American). One of the first lessons we learn as children is to be thankful and say thanks, especially saying grace at dinner time (a family ritual, if you will). It is ingrained in us to think of the holiday as Turkey Day, with an afternoon of football and family get-togethers. One of the two real family holidays with Christmas.

Jesus healed ten lepers and only one came back to give thanks: He said, "Where are the nine?" Romans 1:21 talks about people knowing God (though not in a saving way, of course) and neither being thankful nor giving Him the glory--"so their foolish hearts were darkened" and consequently "God gave them up." Truly sober words and a word to the wise is sufficient. About giving thanks, what if you have a meal for a guest and he was to say afterward, "How much do I owe you?" Wouldn't you be insulted? We can't pay God back even for all eternity to do it. The psalmist says in Ps. 116:12, "What shall I render to the Lord for all His goodness to me?"

Lincoln said the greatest gift God has given a man is the Bible and he said it was the greatest cure for depression. The Great Hallel (Ps. 136) exhorts us to give thanks unto the Lord several times as does Ps. 107 ("Give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, His mercy endures forever"). Whey gives thank you might venture to ask. Just as there are benefits to being a veteran like health care and the G.I. Bill and there are fringe benefits to a job, there are benefits to being joint-heirs with Christ and heirs of God. "And do not forget all His benefits," says Ps. 103:2. We thank God for who He is and for what He has done (as recounted the history of Israel in Psalms 78 and 105, and the praises of the Great Hallel. "The Lord has done great things for us; whereof we are glad" (Ps. 126:3). Most importantly, we thank God to gain entrée into His presence per Ps.100:4, which says, "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, enter His courts with praise."

I cannot help but be reminded of the following hymn: "Count your blessings, name them one by one, and you will see what the Lord has done." We are to thank God in all things (1 Thess. 5:18), for all things (Eph. 5:20), and with thanksgiving let our requests be made known unto God (Phil. 4:6). A friend of mine has a daughter that complained about the pain in her foot and he told her to thank God for blessing her foot! What faith! God turns curses into blessings and makes the wrath of God to praise Him (Ps. 76:10). The key to a Spirit-filled walk is to be "abounding in thanksgiving" (Col. 2:7). Finally, the offering of sacrifice makes us acceptable to God (Lev. 22:29), and is considered a thank-offering or a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Jonah offered sacrifice with a "voice of thanksgiving." "The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies Me," says Ps. 50:23. In heaven, the elders and angels will offer thanksgiving to God: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen" (Rev. 7:12).

The best biblical example of contentment and thankfulness for God's provision despite matters is in Habakkuk 3:17-18: "Though the fig tree, not blossom...yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." We must learn to be content in all circumstances just like Paul in Philippians 4:13. Ever hear of the man without shoes that became thankful when he saw a man without feet? How about the father who took his son to a third world country to show them how they live to teach him gratitude, and the son was impressed that they didn't have fences! I'm sure you can think of examples galore for this blessed day.   Soli Deo Gloria!