Our Bible study group recently entertained some provocative thoughts in our discussion of the Biblical foundation that God exists. In the course of our discussion, we studied several passages of Scripture that touched on the teleological, the cosmological and the moralistic arguments for God’s existence. In Psalm 8, David marveled at God’s wonderful creation and how that everything in it pointed to a Creator. The fact that something exists leads one to believe that the thing did not create itself. David sees an order in the created objects, the moon and stars are in their places. David accepts that God has no beginning or ending, but that He created all things.
The Bible never explains where God came from or how He came to be. To the Biblical writers, knowledge of the existence of God is foundational. To them, and to believers, God’s existence is so plainly evident and foundational that it needs no proof or evidence (See Romans 1). The Bible simply asserts God’s existence as presumed fact, as in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Those who do not believe in God must start with the opposite presupposition, that God does not exist. By making such an assertion, the unbeliever is left struggling with evil. For the Christian, we know the exact nature of evil because it is defined by the very nature of God who is by nature perfect and good. Anything that is not perfect or from God is by nature evil. Many unbelievers deny the concept of evil altogether since by recognition of evil one must recognize One that determines universal Truth and universal Good. For the believer, this is not a problem. But for the unbeliever, who determines what is good and what is not good? Society? Government? Self? Who defines evil?
I am often amazed, and even dismayed by the number of Christians who spend relatively small amounts of time in the reading and study the Bible. A perverse brand of anti-intellectualism seems to be rampant in many Christian circles. I even encountered a believer who made this statement: “I don’t want to read the Bible for myself, much less study it. I just want the preacher to tell me what to believe and do.” It is not our place to rely on cunning arguments or well-thought debates to convert the lost, we must leave that up to God. However, every believer should know what he believes and why he believes it; and the believer should not be afraid of an intellectual approach to Scripture, but he should embrace it. Paul the Apostle reminds us in Romans 12:1-2 to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Study your Bible. Study it with intensity, and be prepared to discuss your faith with those outside the faith.