Oct 11
11
Over the next three to four weeks, we will be discussing a variety of philosophical and evidential arguments for the existence of God. It’s important to understand that the Bible encourages us to believe purely on faith as well as from historical evidential facts and philosophical arguments. After Jesus’ resurrections he appeared before Thomas the “doubter” and said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Jesus praises those who have no physical evidence and still believe, but only a few verses later John records that Jesus performed many more signs beyond what were recorded “so that [we] may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing [we] may have life in his name” John 20:30–31(ESV). Therefore, while evidential facts and signs should not be the sole basis for our faith, scripture encourages us to have a reason and hope for why we believe what we believe.
It is also important to mention that no amount of evidence or logical arguments can convince an individual that there is a God, that man is sinful, and that man is in desperate need of a savior, etc. It is only by the grace of God and the working of the Holy Spirit that awakens an individual’s heart to see the gospel truth and the need for Christ’s blood for the forgiveness of sins. While it is the grace of God that awakens the heart of an individual, our logical and evidential facts for the existence of God, Christ as savior, etc, can be a means by which Christ uses to draw a person to Himself.
This week we will be discussing the cosmological or first cause argument for the existence of God. The premise of this argument goes as follows:
- There exist things that are caused (created) by other things.
- Nothing can be the cause of itself (nothing can create itself.)
- There cannot be an endless string of objects causing other objects to exist.
- Therefore, there must be an uncaused first cause called God.
I’m looking forward to Thursday and am excited to see the direction our Lord takes us!
-Phil
