EVIDENCE FOR GOD’S EXISTENCE
Romans 1:18-25
BLIND FAITH?
If
you ask any rational person above the age of twelve whether they believe in the
Tooth Fairy, Easter bunny, or Santa Claus you’ll probably get a strange look or
lighthearted laugh. Mature people know
these characters are just myths made up to entertain children.
However,
if you asked the same group of people whether they believe in Bigfoot, UFO’s,
or the Loch Ness Monster, you’ll get a wider variety of answers. In this case, many people aren’t as sure of
their beliefs. After all, plenty of
adults claim to be eyewitnesses, and there are even small amounts of evidence
these mysteries may be real.
When
asked whether they believe in God, some people believe He is just a myth
invented by weak people. Some believe
that it is unreasonable to believe in God because He cannot be seen. In a world where decision making is so
dependant upon our senses it is hard to put faith in something that doesn’t
pass the test of taste, hearing, touch, smell, or sight.
Although
some things pass the test of our senses more than others, not everything we
believe in does. There are many things
we cannot see, yet we know they exist because of their effects. We cannot see love, but we know it exists
because of what we feel inside and how we see people act. We cannot see wind, but we hear the sound it
makes and can feel it against our faces.
We cannot shake hands with George Washington, but we can read what
others have said about his accomplishments in books.
If it is reasonable to believe in unseen things based
upon evidence of what they have done, then it is reasonable to believe in God.
God doesn’t need
to be seen in order to be believed.
However, even though as Christians, we walk by faith and not by sight,
there is plenty of evidence that He exists.
It isn’t evidence that has been planted, or made up, or so complicated
that we need to be policemen, scientists or biologists to interpret. Romans 1:18 says that the truth about whether
God exists isn’t foggy or questionable, it is clearly seen. Psalm 111:2 says that the works of the Lord
are great and they can be studied if you want to.
PROVE IT
Before believing
in anything - demand evidence.
Imagine
being on trial for murder when the only evidence against you was someone’s
claim that you were guilty. During your
trial, the prosecution produced no eye witnesses, no DNA evidence, no videotape
of the crime, no fingerprints, and no murder weapon. Based upon the time the murder was committed,
you know that you were hundreds of miles away at the movie theater.
Even though you confidently proclaimed your innocence,
the jury decided to find you guilty anyway.
Before sentencing, the judge asked the jurors how confident they were
that you committed the murder. Answering
for the jury, the lead juror replied, “We have the same amount of confidence
this person committed the crime as we would in flipping a coin one million
times and having it come up heads each time.”
After hearing the jury’s verdict, the judge agreed, “Sounds good enough
to me!”
·
What would your
reaction be if a story like this were true?
Everyone recognizes it isn’t right to send a person to
prison without enough proof. In order
for a jury to convict someone of a crime, evidence must be presented, and the
jury must believe it proves the person is guilty. Jury members are told it is normal to have a
small amount of doubt in their minds since they didn’t witness the event
personally. In the
You
already have a pretty good sense as to what is reasonable and what isn’t. You recognize there is a reasonable chance a
coin could come up heads ten times in a row, but know it is foolish to believe
the coin could come up heads one million times in a row (unless it was using a
two-headed coin).
When
it comes to questions like, “Does God exist”, or “How did life begin”, you
shouldn’t merely believe the word of a teacher, scientist, or pastor – you
should use evidence to make a good decision.
If you want to find evidence for the existence of God you can do it by
looking around. You don’t need to be a
brilliant scientist, private investigator or religious person - anyone can
observe characteristics of things on the earth, then, come to a reasonable
verdict.
GO BACK TO THE SOURCE
Long
before the advances of modern science, people observed that everything in this
world was created from something else, either from some living thing or from
one of earth’s resources. Even today, we
recognize that all types of “matter” have a beginning and an end. A loaf of
bread doesn’t just appear on the store shelf, it comes from a bakery. At the bakery, a baker uses several
ingredients to make the bread, one of which is flour. Flour is made from some kind of plant, like
wheat. Wheat is grown by planting wheat
seeds.
Not
until more recent times have scientists been able to determine what things like
wheat seeds, come from. With the
invention of special microscopes, scientists now know that it takes small cells
to produce seeds, and it takes even smaller atoms and molecules to produce
cells.
The
theory of evolution claims that the basic components of matter - atoms and
molecules - began the process of life.
This is not consistent with the evidence, however.
If each type of matter has a
beginning, then the first “thing” must not be physical and must not have a
beginning. When determining where the
first physical thing came from, the only logical conclusion is that something
spiritual and eternal created it.
The evidence shows
that matter has a beginning and end.
Therefore something spiritual and eternal must have started
the process.
Christianity
believes in a statement that is consistent with the physical evidence around
us, “In the beginning, God created…” (Genesis 1:1).
(Psalm 90:2) Before the
mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from
everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
NOW THAT’S PROGRESS!
Another piece of evidence you should
consider is that the source of each created thing tends to be greater (in complexity,
power, and value) than that which it created. An ant hill
is just a small pile of sand, but the ants that built it are more complex
living things. Modern automobiles are of
much higher quality than those built in the early 1900’s, but the abilities and
knowledge of the people who created those cars are far more impressive.
According
to the theory of evolution, the first living thing was minute and simple. As evolution occurred, each successive living
thing became greater and more complex than itself – atoms formed into
molecules, molecules formed into cells, cells formed into plants and fish, fish
transformed into animals, and animals eventually transformed into humans.
Sometimes
the phrase, “survival of the fittest” is used as evidence for how living things
progress by evolution. It is true that
within nature, the strong tend to survive; however, the things that survive
don’t change into something else. The
strongest wildebeests have been surviving lion attacks in
(Psalm 68:35) O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary.
The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be
God!
HOW LUCKY IS THAT?
If
you are a fan of certain sports, like horse racing or boxing, you may be
familiar with “odds”. Odds are a way of
using numbers to describe the likelihood that a certain event will occur. A simple way to explain odds is through the
use of a coin or dice. If you flipped a
coin one time, the odds are 1 out of 2 that you could successfully predict
whether heads or tails will be shown. In
other words, since a coin has two sides, you’d guess correctly approximately
half of the time. If you tried to
predict the number that would be shown when shaking a single die, your odds
wouldn’t be as good - only 1 out of 6, because there are six different numbers
on the sides of a die.
In
order for the theory of evolution to be true, three things are necessary:
matter, time, and chance (luck). Evolutionists
claim that matter has always existed, and over billions upon billions of years
it gradually transformed into people by chance.
Scientists who have studied organisms like cells, bacteria, and DNA,
know what it takes for living things to be produced. Many of these people have calculated the odds
of certain chemicals combining on their own to produce other living
things. For example, one scientist
describes the odds that basic chemicals could combine to randomly form a single
bacterium as 1 out of 10100,000,000,000. And, those odds only address the first event
in a long series of events that it would take to create a human.
Since
numbers like these are too difficult to comprehend, a scientist named Sir Fred
Hoyle described the odds in other ways.
One of his explanations for the likelihood of life forming on its own
was to imagine the odds of one quindecillion (10 48) blind people
playing with Rubik’s cubes and having them all solve their puzzles at the exact
same moment. Explained another way, he
said the odds are better that a tornado could travel through a junkyard and
assemble a Boeing 747 airplane than the odds of any life form evolving on its
own.
The improbable odds of life forming on its own
are evidence against evolution.
Living
organisms not only require just the right conditions to begin, but they also
require just the right conditions to continue living. How “lucky” is it that our world still
contains just the right amount of oxygen for us to breathe after all these
years? What are the odds that
gravitational pull continues to keep our earth at just the right distance from
the sun so that we don’t freeze to death or burn up?
The structured universe that sustains life is
evidence for a sovereign God.
(Psalm 8:3-4) When I consider
Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have
ordained; What is man that You take
thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?
UNIQUELY ONE
Sometimes after a hard day, I like to sit on my deck and
take in the sights and sounds in my backyard.
I live in a fairly wooded neighborhood, so there are lots of plants and
trees to see, like pines, cedars, oaks, daylilies, and orchids. The various shapes, textures, and colors of
the plants make them interesting to look at, but, outside of helping to produce
oxygen, that’s all they are good for.
As you might expect, our backyard is also home to some
local wildlife. It isn’t uncommon for me
to see birds like robins, cardinals, and sparrows; and small animals, like
squirrels and chipmunks. I also feel
fortunate, because I get to see some animals that are more rare, like rabbits,
deer, and foxes. Although I prefer to
watch the wildlife more than the plants, they don’t do anything very
spectacular either. Tomorrow I’ll
probably see another bird or animal in my backyard, but I bet it will just be
walking, running, flying, or eating.
People,
on the other hand, are an entirely different case. You could sit on any park bench, watch people
walk by, and be amazed at the differences. On the outside there are different
faces, body shapes, and hair. On the inside, there are different personalities,
emotions, and thoughts. When it comes to
abilities, people can do things like build spaceships and paint pictures. Among billions of them on the earth, you know
that no two people are alike – each one is unique, special, and has more value
and potential than any other living thing.
People have characteristics that couldn’t have
developed on their own.
The individuality of each person is evidence
for an individual, personal and spiritual God.
(Psalm 139:14) I will give
thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your
works, And my soul knows it very well.
LET’S GET PERSONAL
People
are given labels like shy, outgoing, happy, and sad because they have something
called personality. Your personality is
revealed by the way you tend to think, feel, and act. The word “soul” is also used when referring
to one’s personality. Some people cry
when they watch love stories on television, and some scream in fear at the
sight of spiders. Some people feel a
great sense of accomplishment by competing in athletics, but others prefer
classical music and a book. Some people
wake up before daylight with smiles on their faces, while other people like to
party late into the night.
Animals have personality too. Any dog owner can tell you that a dog acts
differently depending upon whether the owner is leaving for the day, or
returning home from work. Donkeys will
sometimes go where you want them, but other times even a whip won’t cause them
to budge. Some cats will sit on a
visitor’s lap and purr, but others will hide under the couch at the first sound
of a strange voice.
Plants, however, are examples of living organisms that do
not have personality. Things like grass
and trees don’t have minds to choose a course of action that is influenced by
their emotions. The growth of a flower
is only affected by the resources around it, like water, sun, and soil - not
its personality.
In
order for the theory of evolution to be true, personality would have to be
produced out of something that previously did not have personality. In other words, somehow, somewhere, when the
first animal evolved, it had a mind, emotions, and a will, even though the
thing it evolved from did not. No one
has ever produced any evidence that this is remotely possible.
Personality
is evidence we were created by a personal God.
(1 Thessalonians 5:23) Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you
entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without
blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
LOOK WHAT I CAN DO
If
you were interviewing someone for a job, you might ask the question, “What do
you see yourself doing in ten years?”
I’m sure you can imagine the job applicant responding with answers that
relate to what he enjoys, how much money he would like to make, or what kind of
social status he hopes to achieve.
Consider
for a moment how ridiculous it would be to ask your pet hamster that same
question. Even if you ignore the fact
that hamsters only live to be about 3 years old, your hamster isn’t capable of
thinking about doing anything other than what all hamsters do. The birds that live in my backyard have the
ability to build bird nests, but they continue to build them out of the same
materials, and in the same shapes and places they have for generations. There are no examples of birds filing patents
for new types of plastics they want to build their nests out of. Plants and animals don’t have the intrinsic
desire to improve their self-worth or make advancements in society.
The
history of mankind reveals something entirely different. Since the beginning of time, man has
continued to make advancements. In fact,
the rate of advancement seems to be increasing faster than ever. For hundreds of years, it was only possible
for people to communicate verbally in person, or remotely through the written
word. Today, the invention of things
like cell phones and computers has changed our ability to communicate
dramatically.
The
fact that man has made huge changes in society over the last 5000 years, while
apes have made none is pretty clear evidence.
Not only is it absurd to believe apes could transform into humans, but
it shows us that humans have been given traits that exist in no other living
thing. People have goals, desires, and
creativity, but plants and animals do not.
Creativity and purpose are
evidence we were created by God for a purpose.
(Ecclesiastes 3:11) He has
also set eternity in their heart.
(Ephesians 2:10) For we are
His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand so that we would walk in them.
THAT’S NOT RIGHT
When
examining the evidence around them, many founding fathers of the
In
other words, it was evident to the writers of the Declaration of Independence
that each person is born with something inside that acts as a guide for what is
right and what is wrong. They understood
that the process of evolution cannot create a common set of morality in people,
so they concluded that these truths must have been planted in them by a Creator
with moral principles.
Evidence
for morality is quite easy to recognize because you were born with it. As a toddler, you didn’t need to be taught to
steal toys or feel upset when your toy was taken – you just did. If someone maliciously slugs you in the face,
you feel angry. If you come home and
find someone has stolen your television, you feel violated. After learning about the murder of a college
student, you hope the offender is captured and punished. When you hear the story of a young child who
was abused by an adult, you feel compassion for the innocent victim.
We
use the word, “conscience” to signify the thing inside us that is used to
recognize the difference between right and wrong. Your conscience is like a built in compass
that attempts to provide guidance on what kind of action to take, or whether
your past behavior was admirable or shameful.
Morality
and conscience are concepts that only apply to people. Plants don’t have them because they don’t
have the ability to choose any course of action. Animals don’t have morality or
conscience either – their behavior is determined by instincts or conditioning
(training) – not by matters of right and wrong existing inside them at birth.
The
theory of evolution claims that it is possible for morality to develop on its
own, even though there is no evidence this could occur. The
evidence revealed through morality should lead you to the conclusion that
people are moral creatures because they were created by a moral God.
(Romans 2:14-15) For when
Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these,
not having the Law, are a law to themselves,
in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their
conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending
them,
·
If all laws were
abolished, would morals cease to exist?
IGNORING THE OBVIOUS
As
you have seen, there is compelling evidence in the world to suggest that we
were created by God. But, if the
evidence reveals the opposite of what evolution claims, why doesn’t everyone
believe in God? Why do people ignore
evidence that is plainly seen, in order to believe in theories they desire to
be true? God addressed this very issue
within the book of Romans found in the Bible.
People suppress the truth of God so that they can take the place
of God (Romans 1:18)
People
recognize that if it is true God created the earth and humans, then He also has
the power and right to influence what goes on in our lives. For most people, this truth conflicts with
their desire to have control. The real
reason people don’t believe in God, or develop other gods is so that they can
decide what is right and wrong, rather than feeling compelled to live according
to God’s desire.
Since
we were created by Him, one of the ways we are less than God is in our morality. The bible often uses the word “unrighteous”
when describing our spiritual condition (Romans 1:18). We prove we are
unrighteous by not being able to live up to the moral standards that were given
to us by a righteous (perfect) God.
Rather
than admitting to their unrighteousness and submitting to God, many people
prefer to live as their own god. However, Christians have examined the evidence
and responded differently. Even though
they are imperfect people, Christians have been convinced that God not only
exists, but that He takes care of their physical and spiritual needs.
WHAT IS YOUR VERDICT?
The question about God’s existence is so important because
your answer is either the first step in the hopes of a relationship with your
Creator, or the first step in living apart from Him.
God exists and He is either a rock you can stand
on for salvation, or a rock you will stumble upon as He gets in the way
of a self-centered lifestyle.
(Psalm 18:2) The LORD is my
rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
(Romans 9:33) “Behold, I lay
in
QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT
Romans 1:18-23
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against
all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in
unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them;
for God made it evident to them. 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.
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give
thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart
was darkened. Professing to be wise,
they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an
image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and
crawling creatures.”