Does God exist?

The existence of God is a foundational truth in the Bible, presented as a self-evident reality and affirmed through creation, revelation, and personal relationship with Him. The Bible provides numerous evidences and descriptions of God’s existence, pointing to His power, nature, and role as Creator and Sustainer.

Biblical Affirmation of God’s Existence

God’s Existence Is Assumed
The Bible begins with the assumption of God’s existence, without attempting to prove it.
- Genesis 1:1 (NIV):
  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
God Reveals Himself Through Creation
The natural world testifies to God’s existence, power, and divine nature.
- Psalm 19:1-2 (NIV):
  “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 reveal knowledge.”
- Romans 1:20 (NIV):
  “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 people are without excuse.”
God Exists as the Sustainer of Life
God not only created but also sustains all life.
- Acts 17:28 (NIV):
  “For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.'”
God’s Existence Is Evident in the Moral Law
Humanity’s innate sense of morality reflects the existence of a divine moral Lawgiver.
- Romans 2:14-15 (NIV):
  “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. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness.”

Philosophical Arguments Supported by Scripture

The Cosmological Argument (Cause and Effect)
Everything that begins to exist has a cause. The Bible presents God as the First Cause of the universe.
- Hebrews 3:4 (NIV):
  “For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.”
- Isaiah 42:5 (NIV):
  “This is what God the Lord says—the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it.”
The Teleological Argument (Design and Purpose)
The intricate design and order of the universe point to an intelligent Designer.
- Job 38:4-7 (NIV):
  “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?”
- Isaiah 45:18 (NIV):
  “For this is what the Lord says—he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited.”
The Moral Argument (Sense of Right and Wrong)
Humanity’s universal sense of justice and morality reflects God’s character.
- Micah 6:8 (NIV):
  “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Personal Revelation and Relationship

God Reveals Himself Through His Word
The Bible is God’s self-revelation, pointing to His existence and character.
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV):
  “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”
- Psalm 119:105 (NIV):
  “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
God Reveals Himself Through Jesus Christ
Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God’s existence and nature.
- John 1:14 (NIV):
  “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
- Colossians 1:15-16 (NIV):
  “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.”
Personal Experience of God’s Presence
Many people encounter God personally through prayer, worship, and transformed lives.
- Psalm 34:8 (NIV):
  “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”
- John 14:23 (NIV):
  “Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.'”

Faith and Evidence

Faith in God’s Existence
Faith is essential in recognizing God, but this faith is supported by evidence in creation, Scripture, and personal experience.
- Hebrews 11:6 (NIV):
  “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.”
God’s Existence Is Known Through the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit testifies to God’s reality in the hearts of believers.
- Romans 8:16 (NIV):
  “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

Conclusion

The Bible affirms that God exists and reveals Himself through creation, Scripture, Jesus Christ, and personal relationship. While His existence may require faith, it is supported by evidence observable in the natural world, the moral law, and the testimony of lives transformed by His presence.

Psalm 14:1 (NIV):
“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.'”
Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV):
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”