Don Stewart :: What Should Our Conclusion Be regarding All of the Arguments Which Are Given for God's Existence?

What Should Our Conclusion Be regarding All of the Arguments Which Are Given for God’s Existence?

Does the God of the Bible Exist? – Question 19

To sum up, the following lines of argumentation give evidence for the existence of the God of the Bible.

1. The Traditional Arguments for God’s Existence Fits the Evidence We Observe

The traditional arguments for God’s existence, the cosmological, teleological, anthropological, moral, and biological show that belief in God is not contrary to observable evidence. While these arguments point to a first cause, designer and lawgiver, more needs to be revealed so that one can know which God exists.

2. The Evidence from the Makeup of the Bible Shows Its Divine Authorship

The evidence from the nature of the Bible shows that it is the God of Scripture who exists. It is only He who could arrange such a unique book as the Bible. It bears evidence of divine authorship. Indeed, only God could cause such a diverse group of authors, separated by fifteen hundred years in time, to compose a number of books which would read harmoniously.

3. Fulfilled Prophecy Shows That the God of Scripture Knows the Future

The evidence of fulfilled prophecy gives unparalleled testimony to the existence of the biblical God. Only God knows the future, and, in the Bible, God has told us what will occur. From predictive prophecy we can be assured that the God of Scripture exists and that He is in control of all events.

4. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ Proves His Identity as God the Son

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Without it, there is no Christianity. The evidence is that three days after His death Jesus was alive again. No other explanation makes any sense when all the facts are in.

5. The Changed Lives of Believers Shows It Works in Real Life

The testimony of changed lives shows that it works in real life. The Christian faith is not something that is merely theoretical. The message of Jesus is life-changing. Jesus Christ has been in the business of changing lives for the last two thousand years.

Therefore, the evidence for God’s existence is both objective and subjective. It is objective in the sense that the testimony of the uniqueness of Scripture, fulfilled prophecy and the resurrection of Christ give genuine evidence for His existence. God is only known by faith. Yet, the faith is intelligent, not blind.

The evidence is also subjective. We find that the testimony of the changed lives of those who have believed in Jesus also shows its truthfulness. It makes it clear that Christianity works in the real world.

There is something else that also must be stated. It is only the Christian who can live consistently with his or her view of God and reality. The non-Christian may deny that God exists, but cannot really live consistently with that belief.

This combined evidence gives sufficient testimony to the existence of the God who has revealed Himself in Scripture. However, these facts cannot compel someone to believe in God if they do not wish to know the truth. People still need to make their personal choice. They can follow the evidence or they can choose to ignore it. Whatever the case may be, the evidence is clearly there.

Summary – Question 19
What Should Our Conclusion Be regarding All of the Arguments Which Are Given for God’s Existence?

While evidence from the traditional arguments provides evidence for the existence of some God, it does not tell us which particular God exists. Therefore, if God exists, why should we believe that it is the God of the Bible rather than some other God?

There are separate lines of proof for the existence of the God of the Bible. This includes evidence from the makeup of the Bible. The Bible shows its composition is something only an all-powerful, all-knowing God could put together.

Another strong evidence for believing in the existence of the God of Scripture is predictive prophecy. The Bible gives numerous examples of God predicting specific future events before they come to pass. Only an all-knowing God could do this.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ gives a resounding testimony for the existence of the God of Scripture. Jesus, who claimed to be God Himself, validated His claim by coming back from the dead. God exists and Jesus is God.

Finally, there is the personal evidence, the changed lives of the followers of Jesus. From Jesus’ original disciples to millions of others through the last two thousand years, lives have been changed through trusting the risen Christ.

Each of these lines of evidence provides a strong reason for the belief that the God who exists is indeed the God of the Bible.