does god exist?€¦ · above all his creation, and high above all other divinities, all spirits...

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Leo Kinuthia 17th June 2013

Does God Exist? Introduction

African life is rich with an awareness of the Supreme Being. Someone

has observed that there is probably no native-born African who is not

aware of the existence of God. In some countries, lorries and taxis

display a motto on the front of the vehicle which not only mentions God

but also reflects some basic truth about God. In some cultures, the

personal names of people include a name for God or a reference to God.

If there is any continent in the world where God is known and

acknowledged it is Africa. …God is known to be the Creator and

Sustainer of life. He is respected and honored as the Exalted One, high

above all His creation, and high above all other divinities, all spirits and

all men. Wilbur O’Donovan, Biblical Christianity in African Perspective

This is pretty clear to most of us gathered here today. Like the Israelites,

we do not need 1000 page thesis to prove that God exists. In Genesis 1:1

the Bible says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

It does not attempt to first introduce Him but presents Him as God, the

Creator. In fact, Psalm 53:1 says, “The fool says in his heart, “There is no

God.” What a word to describe those who deny the existence of God!

Why some readily accept the existence of God (but may differ on who

He really is), there are others who readily deny His existence. They may

not verbalize their opinion, but their “actions speaker louder than their

words.” By denying God, they deny the need for a Savior. By denying the

need of Savior, they contemplate a world without sin—only preferences

but no sin as such. If no sin, no existence of heaven or hell hence “live,

drink, and make merry for tomorrow we die”.

The greatest test for a human being in trying to describe and

understand God is to:

Created cannot properly describe the Creator

Finite can only attempt to describe the Infinite

Mortal cannot understand Immortal

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Temporary cannot describe Eternal

Limited knowledge cannot comprehend Omniscience (all-

knowing)

The best man can do is to attempt. Knowing God has this personal

perspective. “I know I know Him but I may not have the words.” It is like

love…you know you love someone but may not exactly explain what is

that you are talking about.

Does God really exist?

Illustration – The professor who dared God

An atheist professor was teaching a college class and he told the

class that he was going to prove that there was not a God. He said,

"God if you are real, then I dare you to knock me off this platform.

I'll give you 15 minutes!"

Ten minutes went by He kept taunting God, saying, "Here I am

God, I'm still waiting" He got down to the last couple of minutes

and a BIG 110kg rugby player happened to walk by the door and

heard what the professor said. The football player walked in the

class room and in the last minute, he walked up, hit the professor

full force, and sent him flying off the platform.

The professor got up, obviously shaken and said, "Wow, where did

you come from and why did you do that?"

The football player replied, "God was busy, so He sent me!"

By: Author Unknown

Does God exist? This is one of the most important questions a person

can ever consider. Your belief in the existence of God has enormous

implications on your views of life, humanity, morality, and destiny.

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Does God exist? C. S. Lewis once remarked that God is not the sort of

thing one can be moderately interested in. After all, if God does not exist,

there's no reason to be interested in God at all. On the other hand, if God

does exist, then this is of paramount interest, and our ultimate concern

ought to be how to be properly related to this being upon whom we

depend moment by moment for our very existence.

1. If God does not exist, life is ultimately meaningless. If your life is

doomed to end in death, then ultimately it does not matter how you

live. In the end it makes no ultimate difference whether you existed

or not.

2. If God does not exist, then we must ultimately live without hope. If

there is no God, then there is ultimately no hope for deliverance from

the shortcomings of our finite existence. For example, there is no

hope for deliverance from evil. Although many people ask how God

could create a world involving so much evil, by far most of the

suffering in the world is due to man's own inhumanity to man. Or

again, if there is no God, there is no hope of deliverance from aging,

disease, and death. …There is no afterlife beyond the grave.

3. On the other hand, if God does exist, then not only is there meaning

and hope, but there is also the possibility of coming to know God and

His love personally. Think of it! That the infinite God should love you

and want to be your personal friend!

www.reasonablefaith.org

Why is knowing and relating to God a big challenge for today’s modern

person? “Knowing” here refers to deep intimacy like the sexual intimacy

between a man and his wife. It is demonstrable.

If God can be known, what then happens such that those who know Him

do not always demonstrate His love?

God is so removed from everyday life. He is beyond knowledge

(agnosticism)

http://www.reasonablefaith.org/

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Wrong picture of God due to a disturbed relationship with an

earthly father – abusive, absent, and unconcerned

Spread of evil and suffering. If God exists, why does He allow evil

in the world? Why does a good God allow people to suffer?

Misunderstanding that Science proves that God does not exist

New forms of religious expressions e.g. yoga, personalized

experience with God, and materialistic.

Intellectual idolatry – the more you know and have, the less you

need God in your life

Secularism – obsession with the material world as the highest

good

Pursuit of pleasure – Sin = pleasure. If God will stop the pleasure,

then He has to be stopped

Spiritual blindness

Godless society with people that are “gods to themselves”

We must ask ourselves these fundamental questions:

1. Does God really exist?

2. If he does exist, “Who is He?”

3. If so, do we know about Him or do we know him?

4. If indeed God exists, “How can I personally have a relationship with

him?

Evidences for God’s existence

1. The Evidence of Biological Information

Duplicate copies of DNA are coiled up in each of the

100,000,000,000,000 (100 trillion) cells in your body. You have 46

segments of DNA in most of your cells. You received 23 segments from

your mother and 23 from your father. DNA contains the unique

information that determines what you look like, much of your

personality, and how every cell in your body is to function throughout

your life.

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If the DNA (46 segments) in one of your cells was uncoiled, connected,

and stretched out, it would be about 7 feet long. It would be so thin its

details could not be seen even under an electronic microscope. If all

these very densely coded information from one cell of one person were

written in books, it would fill a library of about 4000 books. If all the

DNA in your body were placed end-to-end, it would stretch from here to

the Moon more than 500,000 times! Walter Brown, In the Beginning:

Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood

You are so unique that there is only one you

Your fingerprints are not like your friends

2. The Evidence of Biochemistry

The entire cell can be viewed as a factory that contains an elaborate

network of interlocking assembly lines, each of which is composed of a

set of large protein machines. Lee Strobel, The Case for a Creator

Chemicals in your body

Conduct electricity

3. The Evidence of Astronomy

Our galaxy has approximately 250 billion stars, and it is estimated that

there are 100 billion other galaxies in the universe, each with hundreds

of billions of stars. And He’s named each one. (Psalm 147:4 He

determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.)

The universe is so vast in relation to the matter it contains that it can be

compared in this way: A building 32km long, 32km wide, and 32km high

that contains 1 grain of sand. And He’s holding it all in the expanse of

His hands.

The largest star to date, Canis Majoris, is so large that if Earth’s Sun were

replaced by it, its radius would extend beyond the orbit of Saturn. And

He merely spoke it into existence. www.Churchleaders.com

We barely understand the universe

More is yet to be discovered about the universe

http://www.churchleaders.com/

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4. The Evidence of Consciousness

Many scientists are concluding that the laws of chemistry and physics

cannot explain our experience of consciousness. Professor J. P. Moreland

defined consciousness as our introspection, sensations, thoughts,

emotions, desires, beliefs, and free choices that make us alive and

aware. The “soul” contains our consciousness and animates our body.

Lee Strobel, The Case for a Creator

We have feelings as human beings – love, hate

We have an idea of how we should be treated

Do you know you have a soul?

5. The Evidence Morality

This begins from man’s sense of right and wrong, and of the need for

justice to be done, and argues that there must be a God who is the

source of right and wrong and who will someday mete justice to all

people. Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical

Doctrine

Inbuilt sense of right and wrong

Morals based on someone beyond us

Relativism is there but there are some absolutes e.g. murder and

stealing are abhorred all over the world

The constitutions have to be based on a power that is above its

authors otherwise anyone can challenge its limitations and

freedoms

6. The Evidence of Cosmology

Every known thing in the universe has a cause. Therefore, it reasons,

that the universe itself must also have a cause, and the cause of such a

great universe can only be God. Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An

Introduction to Biblical Doctrine

Things don’t just appear from the blues

Even if we were to believe that we came from tiny particles, they

must have come from somewhere…that somewhere is God

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Cloning does not cause anything…they should start with their own

cells

How do you take someone who claims a certain gadget “just

appeared”?

7. The Evidence of Teleology

This focuses on the evidence of harmony, order, and design in the

universe, and argues that its design gives evidence of intelligent

purpose. Since the universe appears to be designed with a purpose,

there must be an intelligent and purposeful God who created it to

function that way. Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction

to Biblical Doctrine

Earth and moon work in harmony

Different body systems – reproductive, nervous, circulatory,

respiratory, excretory, endocrine, musco-skeletal – all work in

harmony

People are designed as male and female—men designed to have

sex with women and women with men.

Seasons come in their time

8. The Evidence of Physics

One of the most striking discoveries of modern science has been that the

laws and constants of physics unexpectedly conspire in an

extraordinary way to make the universe habitable for life. Lee Strobel,

The Case for a Creator

Conditions just right for human habitation and support of life

Laws must have a Giver – who gave the law of gravity

Why doesn’t the earth, moon, and sun collide?

In conclusion, the value of these evidences, then, lies chiefly in

overcoming some of the intellectual objections of unbelievers. They

cannot bring unbelievers to saving faith, for that comes about through

belief in the testimony of Scripture. But they can help overcome

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objections from unbelievers, and, for believers they can provide further

intellectual evidence for something they have already been persuaded

of from their own inner sense of God and from the testimony of

Scripture. Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to

Biblical Doctrine

God has revealed Himself

Creation

Romans 1:18-20 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven

against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress

the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about

God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For

since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his

eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being

understood from what has been made, so that men are without

excuse.

Psalm 19:1-2 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies

proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth

speech; night after night they display knowledge.

Acts 17:26, 27 From one man he made every nation of men, that

they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times

set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did

this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him

and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

Just look around carefully. You are likely to see God in the creation.

Think about all that has been created, and you will see the fingerprint of

God everywhere. The beauty that you see should draw you to God. Ask

yourself, if a human being can make such great advancement in science,

medicine and technology, how much more can God do? Nature borrows

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from the created. Choppers like birds. Computers like brains. Robots

like people.

Human’s Inner sense of God

Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him

as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and

their foolish hearts were darkened.

We intuitively know there is a God. Even birds know the One who

provides food for them as Luke 12:24 says, “Consider the ravens: They

do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them.

And how much more valuable you are than birds!”

We may not always agree on how God looks and how He should be

worshipped, but many of us have an inner sense of God. We always look

out to something bigger than us… a Supreme Being.

Bible

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the

earth.

John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with

God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with

God. All things were made by him and without him was not

anything made that was made …”

The Bible does not contradict itself. Written by 40 authors over 1500

years, it points to the redemption of man by Jesus Christ and the

eventual consummation of the Church in heaven.

The Bible is not a scientific manual yet there is no discovery that has

contradicted its contents. It is the very voice of God to man.

Jesus Christ

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Colossians 1:15-17 Who is the image of the invisible God, the

firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created,

that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,

whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or

powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is

before all things, and by him all things consist. …”

Hebrews 1:1-3 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through

the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last

days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all

things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the

radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being,

sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided

purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty

in heaven.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Apart from Him there is no other way to

God. Acts 4:12 says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no

other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

People who reject God essentially have a problem with Jesus Christ. To

reject God is to reject Jesus Christ a license to a wicked life.

Some people claim to love God but want nothing to do with Jesus Christ.

This is ridiculous for there is no other way to know God apart from

Christ. Acts 4:12 affirms this by saying “Salvation is found in no one

else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we

must be saved.” What them makes people struggle with the Christ?

He reminds them they are sinners who must repent

He demands total surrender

He has to be Lord of all

How can we know Him?

1. We KNOW God by putting our FAITH in Him

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Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God,

because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and

that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”.

Rom 10:17 “Faith comes from hearing the message and the message

is heard through the Word of Christ". Faith in God and in His Word

comes by hearing the Word of God.

Why is faith important? The enemies of faith are DOUBT,

FORGETFULNESS; and REASON. These must be overcome or subdued.

God is not an experiment to be studied in a lab. Neither is He a

hypothesis to be supported by a doctoral thesis. He is not even a clutch

for the poor. He is not the opium of the masses to make us high so that

we can escape from reality.

He is real. Faith is the key thing that is needed. Your intellect and

academics might tell you otherwise but God resonates with the heart

more even when the mind is screaming “no”.

2. We KNOW God through His WORD

Lack of knowledge of the Word keeps us ignorant of God. This causes us

to limit God in every situation of our lives and we end up doing things

our way and go out of His plan. Jesus revealed Himself through the

Word - "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life" (Jn14:6).

God made it possible for us to know Him through Jesus and Jesus is

revealed to us through His Word. John 14:7,9 Jesus says "If you really

knew Me, you would know my Father as well."

1 John 1:1 – “We proclaim to you the one who existed from the

beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own

eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life”.

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Read the Word.

3. We KNOW God through experiences

Acts 4:13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and

realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were

astonished and they took note that these men had been with

Jesus.

Each of us can remember a moment that if it was not for God, terrible

things would have happened. It could be a death, an accident, a fight, or

a financial issue. We have this notion that God must have been there.

We also know God through the experience of others. Sometimes when

you are discouraged, you need to listen to others. Listen to what God has

done in others’ lives.

Effects of Failing to Know Him

Failure to know Him results in sin

Romans 1: 18-25 - The wrath of God is being revealed from

heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who

suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be

known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain

to them.

Why is knowing God made difficult? Our desire for personal knowledge of

God is generally strong, but we usually fail to recognize that desire for

what it is. We soon start a chase to fill that void with other things and

soon find out that nothing delivers the joy it seemed to promise.

Many people hunger for God but are looking for Him in sex, booze,

drugs, porn and crime. "Our Hearts are Restless Until They Rest in You"

Saint Augustine of Hippo. We run after many things and forget the One

who can meet our deepest hunger. If you really need joy and happiness,

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keep looking for him in men, women, pubs, and internet adult sites. Run

to Him.

God created us and built us for a relationship with Him. We were

created to know Him and worship Him. When we don't, we negate the

very purpose we were created for. Therefore, to live for anything else

but God, leads to spiritual decay because:

a. Sin POLLUTES our KNOWLEDGE of God

b. Sin CORRUPTS our God given IMAGE

c. Sin LEADS to a REBELLIOUS WALK

d. Rebellion DENIES us FELLOWSHIP with God

Failure to know Him exposes us to the schemes of Satan

2 Cor. 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of

unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the

glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

The devil likes it when people have no relationship with God. They are

an easy target. They have no means of external support. They get

blinded by the devil and consider God as an enemy. To such people,

slavery believes in God. They call themselves free from “hang ups” with

God.

They think they own the world and all other people are tenants. As I

have said, the devil loves such people since they have enough influence

and power to marinate the schemes of hell.

Failure to know Him leads to hopelessness

Psalm 91:1, 2 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High,

Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the

LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will

trust."

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Hopelessness is one of the causes of suicide. When people have nothing

to live for, then they lose the interest to live. They may drink and do

drugs to get some punch but in the end they live empty lives.

We all need to God so that we have a reason to live. If a marriages

breaks, what do you do? If the economy breaks down, where will you

run to? If government takes your land to build a road, where will you

run to? We can expect challenges in this life but if we don’t know God,

we shall be in trouble.

Failure to know Him leads to death

Rev. 20:15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life,

he was thrown into the lake of fire.

We can keep fighting and debating whether God exists or not. However,

when death comes it does not matter whether you believe in God or

not—you die. Period!

Without God, the Bible tells us that people end in hell. Knowing about

Him is not enough. Our knowledge of God must be seen in our actions.

Ask yourself: If you died today, would you go in heaven? If you died

today, why would God let you in?

John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes

to the Father except through me.

Beyond the physical death, there is the challenge of living an empty life

i.e. to merely exist other than living. Jesus said in John 10:10, “I have

come that they may have life, and have it to the full”. In John 15:5 He

added and said that “apart from me you can do nothing.”

Clearly, a life away from an intimate relationship with God might look

fine from a world’s viewpoint but falls short of the kind of life espoused

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in the Scriptures. Abundant life is only possible when Jesus Christ, the

Son of God is lord over our lives.

Conclusion

There is enough evidence that points to God’s existence

God has revealed Himself to man in many ways

It is possible to know God intimately

God has especially revealed Himself in Jesus Christ

A denial of God’s existence is an invitation to sin and Satan’s schemes

Reflection

If you died today, would you go to heaven?

Are you fulfilled in your life?

Do you know God intimately?

Is Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior?

does god exist?€¦ · above all his creation, and high above all other divinities, all spirits...

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