A lot of young people are saying they don’t know whether they believe in God. A lot of older people are thinking the same thing. They might not admit it, but their choices reveal their thoughts. I don’t know anyone, myself included, who hasn’t questioned the existence of God. I spoke about Eden in the previous post. Brandon Heath wrote a song, Leaving Eden, about those “doubt moments.” For those of us who watch the current faith trends, there is no doubt that there is a LOT of doubt in our culture today. How do you prove the existence of God? You can’t. Can we believe in God when we can’t prove he is real? Should we follow the Bible if we can’t prove that it is God’s word? Absolutely. Here is why people have believed in God since the beginning of recorded history:
1. Because of recorded history. People have believed in God since the beginning of time! Are people more intelligent now than previous generations? Is atheism a new idea? People have always believed in God, people have always doubted God, people have always made up false gods. Historically, why did people come to believe in God and why has that belief been passed from one generation to the next? Because God is real – to those that have met him, and come to know him through faith.
2. Are the faithful deceived, confused, weak or dumb? Google the academic qualifications of famous Christians like C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, Francis Collins or James Davison Hunter. Are the faithful timid, fearful or needing a “crutch” to cling to? Google names like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther, John Wycliffe or John Calvin. Are the faithful shallow and looking for the easy explanation? Google philosophers like Saint Augustine or Thomas Aquinas. You can believe that God exists because there are centuries of brilliant individuals who have been certain of it. Who am I to argue with C.S. Lewis? (Who, by the way, became a Christian trying to disprove God’s existence!)
3. You can believe God exists even when you can’t prove it. You already believe in the existence of things you are unable to prove. You don’t doubt the existence of love, hate, greed, envy, kindness, compassion or evil – and yet you can’t “prove” any of those realities exist. You can see people’s actions, and attribute those actions to the existence of something…but you can’t prove the power of love and you can’t prove the power of God. You can however, believe in the reality of both, through experience. 1 John 4:8 says, “God is love.” You believe in the most powerful forces in the world, but you can’t prove their existence. You can believe in love and you can believe in the God who created love, and is love.
I can’t prove God exists, but I know he does. I have experienced his presence, his leadership, his strength and his peace. I am as certain of God’s love as I am of my husband’s love. Billy Graham has a famous quote about God’s existence. He said, “I can tell you that God is alive. I just talked to him this morning.” Do you want to believe in God? Talk to him. Do you already believe God exists? Use the comment section and tell us why. Then allow God to use your life today – as proof.
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