Arguments for and against the existence of God (last updated: 14th January 2021)
Why do so many people today believe there is no God?
It is essential that we address this issue that has plagued us since the first men and women walked the Earth because if God is merely a figment of man's imagination then the creation story is likewise.
So what are some of the reasons for embracing the faith of unbelief?
1) If there is no God I am free to think what I like and do what I please as I am not answerable to, or constrained by, a higher authority. It sets me free to do whatever I like with impunity. There is no meaning to sin!
2) The Ten Commandments are meaningless since they originate from a non-existent God, therefore I can break the law if the need arises without feeling any guilt. I just have to make sure that I don't fall foul of the law in the process. (Man's law not God's).
3) I don't anymore need to rely on prayers if I become ill, for example, because modern medicine can cure most illnesses.
4) Whether I believe in God or not I will die one day. There is no escaping that!
5) God doesn't stop wars from happening and all the suffering that goes with them. There is so much hate in the World.
So what are the counter arguments?
1) Unique in the animal kingdom we are born with a conscience and I feel bad when I have done something wrong. I wonder where this instinct comes from? Those who have taken the step of faith say they feel set free which is the opposite of what the atheist would say.
This should come as no surprise however:
John 8:
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him,
“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
So wonder no more!
2) We should not deride the Ten Commandments as they are so embedded in the society civil law that they form the bedrock, and define the lifestyle, for everyone living in the Western World. We have relative peace and stability in our society as a result.
3) People seem to derive great comfort in prayer. There are countless stories coming down through the ages of people being healed of incurable diseases as a result of prayer. Even non-believers pray when the going gets tough. I wonder why?
4) The Christian God offers Eternal Life after death to those who believe in Him. What could be better than that?
5) It is wicked people (unbelievers) who start wars. True believers would not go down that road today unless coerced into action to save their loved ones, or to help liberate their Country from an aggressor. History and the Bible show that God is always on the side of the innocent and the victims of aggression. This has been amply demonstrated by the final outcome of both recent World Wars. The Christian God according to the Bible is a God of Love and that love is unconditional. People everywhere seek love. This sets the human race apart from the rest of creation. I wonder why our need for love is so great?
6) A growing number of researchers now believe we are born with a moral compass. They believe babies arrive with an innate sense of morality, and while parents and society can help develop a belief system in babies, they don't create one. So where does this innate sense come from I wonder? Paul in Romans 2:14,15 threw light on this very issue 2000 years ago without the benefit of modern science to back up his claim:
[14] Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law.
[15] They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.
7) All of these arguments point to the truth of the Bible.
In particuler consider Genesis 1:27 (NIV)
'So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.'
What better way is there to explain human intellect? It is laughable to claim that a random mutation in some unknown creature gave rise to it at some point in pre-recorded history. We know that mutations only serve to damage the genome not miraculously produce, at a stroke, a creature with intellect far, far superior to that of any other creature on Earth. Who has by far the greatest intellect I wonder, and why would He not endow His special creation with a modicum of His own nature and power?
8) The Bible tells us that Satan exists and is a force for evil in the World. So is there any evidence to support this remarkable claim? The press bring us stories of his evil influences on men and women on a daily basis, and we are all vulnerable to his attack. We cannot escape the fact that there is a spiritual force for evil in the World and it was God who revealed this truth to us as a warning. Finally, it could be argued that Satan's greatest and most cherished achievment of modern times, perhaps of all time, a deception extraordinary, was convincing the public that the God of the Bible is of no consequence because He didn't create anything.
These are just some of the answers for and against faith in God. Accepting the message of the Gospel and the words of the Bible as a whole is a matter of choice. There is no coercion. God wishes the best for His children but He does not force them to obey His wishes although He could so easily do so. This demonstrates His nature, one of kindness, patience, understanding and above all else love for His creation. Parents of young children exhibit the same characteristics as Father God. I wonder why? Who knows? Perhaps He created us in His own image!
How could I say there is no God
When all around creation calls
A singing bird, a mighty tree
The vast expanse of open sea
