Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is there a God ?
A. “But the God of the bible is not only One, but the only possible One.”
-Leo Strauss
With certainty the first question that must be asked and answered by anyone who is searching for the truth is, “Is there a God?” this is the fundamental question of the Christian Faith because if the answer to our question is “no” then the historical Jesus Christ was just a man and Christians are according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 15: 19, “…to be pitied above all men…” If there is no God we have completely wasted our time. But, if the answer after careful examination turns out to be “yes” then Christians have the most important message known to man, and you are left with the biggest decision you will ever make, a decision that has eternal ramifications, one that will change the very way you look at and live your life.
The Question, “is there a God” is one that is assumed in the scriptures from Genesis 1: 1 to Revelation 22: 1, the possibility that there is no God is not considered, that very question is so far from the biblical writers perspective and world view that they never consider the possibility, they often write about those that do not believe in God as vain (Romans 1: 20-23) or foolish (Psalm 14: 1, 53: 1) because it is so obvious to them that God exists and is deserving of worship. It must be noted that if an infinite being, is going to be known than he/it/she must choose to make himself/herself/itself known in a manner that finite beings (humans who live and die) can understand. God has indeed done that firstly in creation. God has in the visible creation made it known that he is the designer God, a helpful illustration would be for instance, the car that we see parked in the street, we know that even though we just see the car parked there it would be logical to assume that the car was driven by someone and dropped off in that spot and that the car did not come to that spot on the street of it’s own volition. Rather it came to that spot because of the purpose of someone else who was capable of driving the car. It would then also be logical to assume that if the car was put their by the purpose of someone else, that it was created for that very purpose, it would be illogical to assume that the car created itself as we know that cars do not create themselves regardless of how much time has elapsed and that someone with the capacity to design, concept and build the car must have created the vehicle with a purpose in mind. The vehicle came by firstly from a designer one who sat down and concepted the machine, secondly a manufacturer one who can create the components for the vehicle from the pistons to the tie rods, then a builder that can put the vehicle together, all of the individuals that worked on the vehicle did so for the same purpose. Regardless of how much we are used to seeing the car on the street it did not come to that spot of itself, there was many designs in getting that car to that spot. In that same sense the rocks, trees, mammals, fish, reptiles, mountains and oceans, the seasons, the sun, moon and stars, the planets, the solar system, and the whole of the universe came to be, likewise from a designer, and that the universe works together in a large scale dependency on one another. For example, around the world, we find countless sets of creatures and plants that cannot exist and/or reproduce without the other, thus invalidating the theory that these organisms developed separately over thousands of years (symbioses) (e.g. clown fish and sea anemones, yucca plants and yucca moths, termites and there parasites) all of this and far more point to a designing mind. The scripture says God’s creation spells out His presence (Psalms 8: 1, 3, 9; 19: 1-2; Acts 14: 15-17).
The second area God has made himself known is over the course of history and God’s control over the movements of people and nations, Acts 17: 24-27 says,
24, The God that made the world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25, neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
26, and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation;
27, that they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us:
(ASV)
God has through His scriptures predicted the rise and fall of many empires, in Daniel 2: 21, the scripture says (ASV), “And he changeth the times and the seasons; he removeth kings, and setteth up kings; he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that have understanding;” In the book of Daniel God predicted the rise of Persia, the coming of Greece through Alexander the Great, and the division of his Empire to his four generals after his death in 323 B.C
Daniel 8: 16-22, And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.
And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.
The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and PersiA.
And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.
(KJV)
This passage was predicted in the sixth century B.C by the author Daniel but Alexander did not conquer the world until 320 B.C. This is undeniable proof that God has a hand in the events of history, the scriptures are full of prophecies like this that have been completed to the tee. Looking back into history one can certainly see the hand of God.
The next area God reveals himself is in the human heart and conscience, we all know the difference between good and bad, right and wrong, if there was no God we would not have the capacity for moral judgment. Every decision that we make, we make because we want to do the right thing, we admire virtues like honesty, integrity and love, areas like deceitfulness, cruelty and hate are areas that we shun. The very fact that we have a moral basis points to a supreme morality, like the axioms of geometry, a part of something is less than the whole, so-to because we posses the capability as moral beings logically points to a supreme moral being. Humanity according to scripture is fallen so our morality has become skewed, we are no longer perfect as we once were in Genesis 2:, yet God has provided a way through these areas of Creation, History, and Conscience that allow his created beings that bare His image (Genesis 1: 27) to identify Him and again have a relationship with Him. I would encourage anyone that once this question of “Is there a God?” is answered for them personally to then consider the claims of scripture, and the claims of Jesus Christ… God desires to make Himself known and to have a relationship with His created beings that He loves but He leaves the decision up to us each individually. What will your decision be?
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