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MESSAGE 2
1.
THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
A. Views Concerning God
* There are many varied views concerning the existence of God, and what kind of God exists.
Here are some key views:
1. Atheism - There is no God.
2. Agnosticism - It is impossible to know whether or not there is a God.
If God exists, it is impossible to know Him.
3. Deism - There is a “God,” but he is not involved in the affairs of his creation.
He does not intervene in the lives of men.
He “wound up” the universe, but then he left it alone.
(Voltaire, Thomas Jefferson)
4. Theism - There is a God and He is involved in the affairs of His creation.
5. Dualism - There are two equal and opposite forces or “Gods” - a good God and an evil God.
6. Polytheism - There are many gods of various levels of power and authority.
(Idolatry, Greek & Roman religions, Hinduism, Zen Buddhism)
7. Pantheism - God is everything, and everything is god.
God is in everything.
(Hinduism, New Age beliefs, Star Wars’ “Force”)
8. Monotheism - There is only one true God.
(Christianity, Judaism, Islam)
9. Trinitarianism - There is one true God Who exists in three Persons.
B. Proofs Of The Existence Of God - Apologetics
1. Definition * Apologetics is the field of study concerned with the defense of the faith.
There are two primary “schools” or approaches to apologetics:
a. Evidentiary apologetics provides arguments and proofs concerning the existence of God and the truthfulness of Scripture (e.g., Josh McDowell).
b.
Presuppositional apologetics begins with the assumption (presupposition) that God exists and that the Bible is His Word.
Its approach is to “turn the Bible loose” to do its work (Rom 10:17; Lk 16:31).
2. Biblical Assumption
* The Bible does not set out to prove God’s existence.
Instead, His existence is assumed, or taken for granted, in Scripture - Gen 1:1; Ps 14:1; Rom 1:18-20; 2:14-15
* Charles Ryrie, however, states that passages such as Ps 19 do provide arguments for God’s existence.
He concludes, “So the Bible does argue for as well as assume the existence of God” (A Survey of Bible Doctrine, Moody Press, 1972, pg.
15).
Most texts on Bible doctrine disagree with Ryrie.
Theology Proper -
3. Classical Philosophical Arguments For The Existence Of God
* Over the centuries, theologians and philosophers have tried to “prove” the existence of God.
None of these arguments is decisive, but taken together they offer strong support for the fact that God exists.
However, they also do not prove exactly what kind of God exists!
Here are some of the more well-known arguments:
a. Intuitional Argument - There is a worldwide, intuitive belief in all cultures of some type of God.
Man, by nature and without being taught, believes in some type of a God.
b.
Cosmological Argument - The argument from cause and effect.
The universe exists.
It must have had a cause.
c.
Teleological Argument - The argument from design.
The universe exhibits a purposeful and orderly design, so there must have been a designer (creator).
d.
Ontological Argument - The argument from being.
Man has an idea of an infinite and perfect Being.
We could not have come up with this concept on our own.
Therefore, such a Being must exist.
e. Anthropological Argument - The argument from morality.
Since humans exist with intellectual self-awareness and a moral nature, there must be a Creator who also has these qualities.
II.
THE NATURE OF GOD
A. Spirituality - God Is A Spirit
* God is a Spirit Being, not a physical (material) Being - Jn 4:24
* As Spirit, God does not have a physical or material body - Lk 24:39
* As Spirit, God is invisible by nature - I Tim 1:17; Col 1:15; Jn 1:18 ~
“God is above sensuous perceptions” (William Evans, The Great Doctrines of the Bible, Moody Press, 1939, pg.
19)
~ God has, at times, taken on a visible form to interact with men - Gen 3:8 (Adam & Eve); 12:7 (Abraham); Exo 33:18-23 (Moses)
B. Personality - God Is A Person
* Even though He is an invisible Spirit Being, God is still a true Person.
He is not simply a force or influence.
He has the characteristics of personhood, including intellect, emotions, and will.
~
Intellect - Isa 40:12-14, 28; Rom 11:33-34 ~
Emotions - Love (I Jn 4:16); Hatred (Pr 6:16-20); Anger (Ps 79:5)
~ Will - Eph 1:11; Heb 2:4; Jas 1:18
C. Self-Existence - God Is Not Dependent Upon Anything
* God is the uncaused Cause - nothing (no one) brought Him into existence.
He is not dependent upon anything or anyone.
He is self-sufficient.
He needs nothing or no one - Exo 3:13-15; Rom 11:33-36 Theology Proper - Page 3
D. Infinity - God Is Limitless
* God exists without limitations or boundaries.
His Being, and all His attributes, are without end - Ps 147:5; Job 11:7-9; I Kings 8:27
E. Unity - There Is Only One God
* The Old Testament clearly teaches there is only one true God - Deut 6:4; Deut 4:35; Isa 46:9
* The New Testament clearly teaches there is only one true God - I Cor 8:4-6; Jas 2:19
F. Trinity - One God Exists In Three Persons
1.
The word “Trinity” is not found in Scripture.
This doctrine was developed because of two clear teachings found in the Bible:
a.
There is only one true God
b.
Three distinct Persons are known as God - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
2. Scriptural evidences of the deity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
a.
The Trinity is implied in the Old Testament:
(1) Elohim, one of the primary names for God, is plural - Gen 1:1
(2) Plural pronouns (“us / our”) are used of God - Gen 1:26; 3:22; Isa 6:8
(3) Plural titles are used of God - “Creator” (Eccl 12:1) and “Maker” (Isa 54:5) are plural.
(4) There are indications of the Son in the Old Testament - Ps 2:7, 12; Isa 9:6-7
* The “Angel of the Lord” normally refers to Christ - Gen 22:11-15; Exo 3:2
(5) There are indications of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament - Gen 1:2; Isa 11:1-2
(6) There are indications of all three Persons of the Trinity in one passage - Isa 63:7-10 * The Lord - vs. 7 (Father)
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