The question of “Why do reasonable people believe in God?” can be answered simply: because God is real. This is a fundamental truth that impacts every corner of the universe. For those who profess to be Christians the reality that the Bible is fact, that Jesus rose from the grave after dying in our place, and the realization that He has complete sovereignty over the universe should be a source a encouragement and a bedrock of our lives.
Even while we understand the existence of God, there are those who do not. We have all met an atheist who finds faith in Jesus Christ as laughable and ridiculous. After these kinds of situations, you may find yourself frustrated at your inability to reason or doubting your own faith. That is why it is essential to understand and be able to prove the faith that you have. Paul says it this way,
“But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..” (1 Peter 3:15).
The Lord wants us to use our minds to honor and glorify Him. Being able to think logically about our faith is one of the most fundamental aspects of Christianity. God says,
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (Isaiah 1:18).
&
“You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5)
The Rationale for God
So how can be begin to prove God’s existence? We’ll start with three areas of knowledge that provide the necessary evidence that we need:
- Science
- Moral feelings and absolutes
- History
These three spheres include the three basic components that make up life. Science, the physical and natural world around us. History, the recorded accounts of the past. Human nature, what we know to be true about ourselves.
The Circle of Science:
– Cosmology: The Big Bang theory shows that the earth has grown from a small point, and is continually expanding. This fits into the story of creation. God created the earth from a fixed point.
– The earth is perfectly adequate for human life: if the sun had been just a little bit further away, or our bodies lacked one organ, we would die. Is this kind of precision the work of chance? Absolutely not.
The Circle of History:
The Circle of Human Nature/ Moral Feelings:
Scientists and thinkers have tried to explain away the human conscience. They rationalize our feelings of empathy, guilt, and anger with concepts such as the herd mentality. We care for others only because we’re all the same breed. This doesn’t explain enough. But a personal God does.
Obviously this post doesn’t scratch the surface, and it’s not supposed to. I hope this was a helpful quick read that you can use to discuss your faith with others.
This is a spoonful of courage,
Dr. Chuck
If you would like a more in depth resource on understanding God and the truth of His existence. Check out my book, Spoonful of Courage.
Another great resource:
I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist by Frank Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek.
