Can the Existence of God be Proved?

We are warned against being devoured by Satan (1 Peter 5:8). We are instructed to examine ourselves to see if we be in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).

It will not be amiss then for me, motivated I trust by love for God and man, to issue a question about some statements and arguments which have come to my attention during the past few months. Perhaps later I shall consider other matters, but in this article I will consider and, I trust, refute the notion that the existence of God cannot be proved by a consideration of the world, including man.

Unless I have completely misunderstood what has been written, some have come to hold the view that the use of logic (principles of sound reasoning) is acceptable, perhaps even necessary, in scientific matters but is unacceptable in spiritual matters. This view holds that logic should be eliminated from spiritual matters and that faith should be relied upon. As a corollary to this contention, it is held that we cannot prove the existence of God but must simply accept that existence on faith.

There are several things wrong with such a contention, and I shall not be able to deal with all of them in this short article. But let it be noted that the contentions referred to imply at least the following: 1) that there is a basic conflict between reason and faith, 2) that this conflict means that the two cannot operate at all in the same realm, and 3) since we have faith in God, this means that we cannot prove His existence but must have assurance of His existence in some other way than having clear evidence which presents itself to our faculty of reason.

The truth of the matter is, however, that this is just another way of falsely or wrongly restricting the function of reason by wrongly enlarging the function of something else. There are serious implications which follow in the wake of such wrong restrictions.

If I have correctly interpreted the writings of two men, one primarily a theologian and the other primarily a philosopher, then in the past we have had at least these two wrong restrictions of reason: 1) one wrongly restricted reason by wrongly enlarging the function of faith, (This led to the famous “leap in the dark” idea of faith in God.); 2) the other man wrongly restricted the function of reason by wrongly enlarging the function of the imagination. (This led to skepticism upon the part of many people.) The two men, in spite of sharp differences in their views, seemed to have this much in common: they both held that you cannot really prove the existence of God by weighing the evidence available to man in the Universe.

In sharp contrast to the views just stated and to the view currently being advocated by some, the Bible teaches that we can prove the existence of God. Please note carefully the following passages:

 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. (Psalm 19:1). (Read more of this Psalm).

 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. (Psalm 139:14)

 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

 These passages should settle the matter for those who believe the Bible.

Thus, it is clear that properly understood faith and reason are not antagonistic to or exclusive of one another. There is evidence in the Universe to convince the honest person of the existence of God.

One final word: if a man has earned a Ph.D. degree in some field such as biology, chemistry, or physics, this degree means that he has attained a high degree of competence in that particular field. If he has competence in the field of religion, it is not because of the biology, chemistry, or physics, (though all knowledge may prove to be useful) but because he has done other study in the Bible.

I hereby issue a challenge to those who deny the affirmation of this article to explain how we come to faith: 1) in God, and 2) in the Bible as the word of God. Such might also consider what approach they would use in meeting a man who denies that God exists and, of course, that the Bible is the word of God.