Can we prove the existence of God? This essay presents the evidence of the different arguments which, even if on their own do not provide a solid case, when studied as a whole they do present what is considered by many to be irrefutable evidence of the existence of God. The Cosmological Argument provides evidence that God created the universe. The Design Argument provides clues that show how the specificity of the design that emanates from the creation evidences that it is the purpose of the mind of the Creator. The Ontological Argument, for its part, provides the study of the being, which being exists, which through epistemology gives us the ways man has to know that Being, which Christians believe to be God. And fourthly, the Moral Argument will provide conviction that human conscience has been formed under universal moral rules under which man feels the real justice. For each of the arguments, the atheist cosmovisions propose arguments against them, but our conclusion will be to prove that they are not right. Neither naturalism: from nothing, everything, nor is evolution biology’s explanation: the human eye could have never evolved, neither atheism is as solid as the evidence of God, nor relativism provides a base as soon as the critical one experiences injustice in his life. Different religions, whether they may be pantheists, polytheists or partly deist cannot convince us that the world is eternal or that idols are gods, or that God, after creating, does not intervene in daily life, since the universe continues to be in balance and people living in the faith in Jesus Christ every day. To such end, we will provide the extraordinary evidences of the compilation of the Bible, the confirmation that the prophecies in the Bible are of fulfilment, we will see how its message is the hope of the nations, and how the message of the Gospel of salvation for each individual presents Jesus Christ as the prophesized Messiah, the Son of God who became man to do justice in our place and will return in His new creation.

This essay is divided into four parts and a conclusion. This section includes the first part. Following parts will be presented in due time.

 

1. ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

- The Cosmological Argument - The Design Argument – The Ontological Argument – The Moral Argument

 

2. ANTI THEIST COSMOVISIONS

- The Cosmological Argument – The objection of naturalism. – The Design Argument – The objection of Darwinism and Evolutionism. – The Ontological Argument – Objection of atheism and agnosticism. - The Moral Argument – Objection of relativism and nihilism. – Why does evil exist if God is good?

 

3. WHICH GOD EXISTS?

- Atheism, what if there is no God? – Deism, what if God created the world but has not intervened since then? – Pantheism, what if the world is God? – Panentheism, what if the world is the body of God? – Finite Deism, what is God is not almighty? – Polytheism, what if there are many Gods?

 

4.- THE GOD OF THE BIBLE

- What if the Bible is true? – Prophecies and miracles. - Jesus Christ is the only Way. - Resurrection

 

CONCLUSION. An accumulative case

 

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What is Apologetics?

Originating from the Greek word apology which means “defense” of something, in a legal sense it is to defend with arguments in favour of what is being defended, in case of Christianity it is Christian faith. In Christianity it would defend theories such as: who is Jesus? Does God exist and which God? Is the Bible the word of God and is it reliable? And it would provide data and evidence from historical, archaeological and philosophical sources, amongst others.  The apologetical methodology includes: Classic Apologetic, Evidencialism and Presuppositionalism, although some include Fideism, most see it as opposite. A fifth method is also discussed, which would use the most relevant from each method. The early fathers already used classic Christian apologetics to refute the heresies in the Councils. The Classic one focuses in reason and in the internal coherence of Christianity providing proofs that demonstrate the lack of the same of its opponents, which are usually of philosophical nature. The greatest classic apologists use the Cosmological and Teleological arguments and support themselves on Paul’s address in Acts 17. Justin Martyr, Thomas Aquinas, C.S. Lewis and Alister McGrath.

 

 

ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

 

The Cosmological Argument – or “kalam”

Everything that begins to exist, in our experience, must have a cause for its existence. The universe started to exist, had a beginning, therefore it must have a cause for it to exist. The study of infinites (potential or abstract and actual or definite) concludes that the universe had a beginning – big bang? – actual infinity does not exist. God exists outside creation, He does not depend on anything, and He can create from nothing with will. The God of the Bible is the best possible cause of the origin of the universe, and the Bible itself declares that Jesus Christ created the universe: “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. John 1:3”

 

The Design Argument

Everything that exhibits design must have a designer. Universe exhibits design, therefore it must have a designer. Observation of nature – DNA – and the universe concludes that everything that is done has complexity, purpose, impossible to have come by chance, it emanates from an intelligent mind, from an architect of the universe and sustainer of life who keeps it functioning. Professor Behe studied cells, its “engines” with purpose within a set of internal “pieces” which make life possible. Just like a PC opening programs, it was designed by intelligence. The God of the Bible is the best possible “designer” of the universe: “... being understood by the things that are made...Romans 1:20”

 

The Ontological Argument

It studies what exists, and which being exists, through reason. The most perfect being has perfect attributes. The necessary existence is a perfect attribute of the most perfect being. Thus, it must have necessary existence; its existence does not depend on anything or anybody, it has always existed and without cause. Therefore that perfect being exists, necessarily. God is perfect in every attribute, He has necessary existence. Anselm and Descartes state. Through epistemology, it provides us with the ways which man has to know that Being, which Christians believe to be God. The God of the Bible is the “necessary and perfect existence” outside the universe: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1”.

 

The Moral Argument

If objective moral values (really) exist, then God exists. Moral objective values do exist. God does exist. Morality is objective, truthful, universal, it applies everywhere and every time, whether we accept it or not. The best explanation of the existence of these objective moral principles is a supreme being who gave the moral principles that, furthermore, are within our conscience. Moral objective values exist. Conclusion: God exists. The argument is valid; the conclusion is –necessarily– true. Atheist philosophers acknowledge the argument as valid. The God of the Bible is the “absolute moral being”, righteous judge, good and merciful who exists: “If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. 1 John 2:29”.