IN DEFENSE OF CHRISTIANITY: THE PROOF OF GOD
RC © 2007.
In a television debate between a Christian and an Atheist, the Atheist mocked “absurdities” of Christianity; the Christian, in response, earnestly countered each point. No one “won”, and surely none of the audience were moved to alter their views either way. Debating atheism on its own terms seems puerile, and a possible approach to the debate might be, in effect, a sermon on the principle of faith:
One truth is certain: We are going to die. Then, if Atheists are correct, we are annihilated; if Christians are correct, we step across the threshold of a never-ending eternity. That possible eventuality is worth reflection; and as miserable and unfair as life is for many, it would be very sad if this life were all.
Atheists cannot prove there is no God and no eternal purpose for life. Categorically. If they prove wrong things people say about God, it does not prove there is no God. Even if they prove wrong—or think they can—things people who wrote the Bible or other scriptures said about God, it does not prove there is no God. However, since it is essentially impossible to prove a negative, the burden of proof rests on Christianity to prove there is a God, not on Atheism to prove there is not. I accept that burden—but there is a catch: The burden of proof really rests with God, and he requires you seek proof by faith. If he chose, God could prove his existence conclusively, but the purpose of life is to develop faith; there is no other way.
Atheists renounce faith, and embrace science. The scientific method is certainly effective, and the world has progressed immensely on the basis of it. Relying on science, Atheists attack what they view as inconsistencies in religion. If we are consistent with that rule, however, science fails the same test! Of hundreds of significant examples, I will cite three: 1] Based on the “Big Bang” theory the expansion of the universe should be slowing, because of gravity. When science found it is accelerating, they postulated it is something they call “dark energy”. 2] The theory of relativity, which explores the largest things in the universe, contradicts the quantum theory, which studies the smallest. Einstein could not resolve it, and no one since can. 3] Modern Darwinists are adamant against God, but the scientific fact that life evolves does not prove there is no God, who is the source of life. Evolutionists dispute it, but Darwin can be “proven” false by his own admission. He wrote, and it stands to reason, that natural selection would be disproved if it could be shown that two features of an organism had to evolve simultaneously to provide a survival advantage. A simple case: Science has discovered a one-celled animal that has an internal “motor” that can rotate 100,000 rpm, and reverse itself in one-quarter revolution. An amazing feature that, alone, is useless. There is, however, an attached “shaft” that extends through the cell wall, and a tiny flagellum that serves as a “propeller”. All three of those features would have to evolve simultaneously to provide the organism any advantage in survival.
The point is not to attack science, but to show Atheism is hypocritical: It attacks alleged inconsistencies as “proof” religion is false, by using science which, itself, is full of inconsistencies. Inconsistency is the nature of life; we are all striving to learn. The fact religionists may teach incorrect things about our spiritual world—and they do—is no different from scientists teaching incorrect things about our physical world. Christianity claims God is perfect, but humans are not, and proving wrong a statement someone has made about God does not disprove God. The Apostle Paul said that despite all our efforts to understand the things of God in this life we “continue to see through a glass, darkly”. God intends this to be so; it is necessary to his requirement that we live by faith and develop faith throughout our lives. There will always be much we do not understand—and even question. There is much of the mind of God we cannot understand, because he is infinite and we are finite, but he will give us all we need to trust and follow him, if we seek him in faith.
Mark Twain quipped that faith is “believin’ what you know ain’t so”. I think we can all agree it would take that kind of so-called “faith” to believe the nonsense my opponent claims Christianity teaches. There is a technique of argument known as “Strawman”: If you can’t counter your opponent’s position honestly, you misstate it, and argue against and ridicule that misstatement, trusting no one will catch the deception. I will not try to answer all my opponent’s strawmen, but for illustration I will mention one: He claimed science has proven humans have existed for at least 100,000 years, but Christianity supposedly teaches it was only 2000 years ago that God finally recognized the need for a “Savior” to come and teach his “dogma” to a relatively small number of the totality of humankind who could be “saved”. He then suffered a “gory human sacrifice”.
That does sound absurd. It is, however, the resurrection, not the death, of Jesus that is central to his Gospel. His resurrection is the pathway by which all, including you and me—and our Atheist friend—will also finally overcome death and live again. All will have the opportunity to learn the Gospel. From the beginning of recorded time, the scriptures prophesied Jesus would live, die, and be resurrected, crowning his atoning sacrifice for all; for death, for pain, and, conditioned on faith and repentance, for the sins we all commit. Whether or not you believe that, or believe in God at all, is, of course, your choice. Choice is central to God’s plan of faith for us. In the event you choose to discover for yourself, may I explain to you briefly what Christianity really does teach, and how the truth of it may be proven?
We are searching for core truths: Is there a God? What is our relationship to him? What is his plan for us? Has he abandoned us to struggle in ignorance? To describe very briefly what Christianitybelieves: 1] God is our eternal Father. Paul said, “[Y]e are children of God, and his heirs, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ?” 2] God created this earth to develop and test us. We are given agency, and the purpose of life is to grow in faith, by learning to seek God and to choose right over wrong. 3] Life is hard. If it were not confusing, unfair, and painful there would be no opportunity to grow and develop faith. 4] God will guide us. He planted a quiet compass inside—if we will but perceive it. 5] Faith is our choice. Those who choose to trust and obey God, our Father, in faith and in free exercise of their agency, can be with him in eternity, through the grace of Jesus Christ. There is no duress—he will not violate our right to choose. 6] Jesus is our Savior. He taught that true happiness would come if we love God, love one another, repent and follow him in faith, and seek to “be perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect”. That’s a tall order! The world would surely be a wonderful place if everyone even tried to live it.
Paul declared that the things of God can be understood only through the Spirit of God, by faith. Of course there are two possible conclusions that can be drawn from that assertion: 1] Those who wrote the Bible knew that proof defied reason, and they wanted to deceive credulous people into “believin’ what [they] know ain’t so”, or 2] God does exist and faith can provide real proof—even more compelling than science—and those who refuse to believe in God have never sought him on the terms he requires. Can faith prove the existence of God? Yes! But by its very nature, as intended by God, faith is a proof you can only obtain for yourself—it cannot be proved to another. This proof of faith comes in two steps:
Step 1: The intricacy and order of all creation and all life offer physical evidence of an infinitely intelligent and powerful creator. Consider the complexity of the human body, the relationship of all its organs, the functioning of the mind, and life itself, which science cannot duplicate even in its simplest form. Darwin himself wrote: “That the eye…could have been formed by natural selection seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest sense”. It is all just too complex to seem to be chance; it should prompt you at least to search for God.
Step 2: In confirmation of physical evidence, proof of God and of your relationship to him is the personal witness of his Spirit. This is the evidence that is sure; the only evidence by which you may not be deceived. It will come only if sought—in faith—by study, and prayer, and living right. It requires honesty, an open mind, a clear conscience. When received, faith is accompanied by peace and joy and warmth and enlightenment it communicates deep into your soul. These are phenomena God has promised as a personal witness of the truth. It fills your soul to bursting with love and gratitude, and you know, absolutely know, it is from God and that he is. It must be very lonely to live without faith, and never receive that assurance.
A note of caution: Belief through emotion is powerful, and may certainly be confused with faith. But when belief comes through faith, from the Spirit of God, it can not be mistaken and it can not be denied. Certainly one becomes emotional, but God’s witness is far beyond that. Only those who have sought for and received that experience can understand and proclaim the truth of it. I know it because I have experienced it. It is said many things are mistaken for gold, but gold is never mistaken for anything else.
God has said, “Prove me and see”. It is your choice. Life is a trial; it provides continual opportunities and challenges to build and test our faith. Faith is not faith unless it is questioned and tested, and life will test it to the limit. Life seems so important because it is all we know; actually it is, in a sense, just a bump in the road of eternity. Several times in my life, in complete despair over problems no power of earth could resolve, I turned to God, and he promised relief. I knew the promise came from him, and even though circumstances were impossible I chose to trust him, in faith. When his promises were performed he proved to me, beyond question, his power, his love—his very existence. I have proved him, in faith, and I know he lives. All experiences, even—and especially—the really nasty ones, encourage growth of faith toward a never-ending eternity with God. We’ve got to learn to trust him! Will you choose faith or faithlessness?