| The Existence of God |
| “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." (Genesis 1:1). |
What a tremendous statement this is. The very first verse in the Bible draws the line between
belief and unbelief. Either we believe that God is, or we do not believe that He is. If we cannot
believe the first verse in the Bible, then we cannot believe the rest of it. The Bible doesn't try to
prove the existence of God, it just states the fact. We must by faith believe in Him. The Bible
says in (Hebrews 11:1-3) “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that
the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of
things which do appear." And in (Hebrews 11:6) it says, “But without faith it is impossible to
please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him.”
Beloved, I am afraid that there are far too many who do not believe that God is, and I am also
afraid that there are many who believe that there is a true and living God, but they have the
wrong concept of Him. When I hear people refer to God as the “man upstairs” or the “old man
above,” I know that their notion of God is wrong, that their concept of God is not based on the
Word of God. It ought to be the supreme goal in our lives to know the true and living God as He
is set forth in the Bible. God Himself says in (Jeremiah 9:23-24) “Thus saith the LORD, Let not
the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the
rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and
knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness,
in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.”
If we don’t have the right concept of God we cannot truly love, worship and serve Him. We
must learn and understand from the Bible His character and perfections. We must seek to learn
all that we can about who God is, what His attributes and works are. Our concept and notions of
God must not be from the traditions and philosophies of men and of the world. The truth of God
must be formed in our minds by the Word of God. As we study and seek to know God as He
has commanded us to, He will then reveal Himself to us. Through His revelation of Himself to
our minds, we then are able to have the right concept and notion of Him, thus we are able to
worship Him in spirit and in truth.
Beloved, it’s a hard thing to say, but we see the church world as a whole today not presenting
the Biblical truths of the perfections of God. We don’t hear much about the great attributes of
God. We see God being presented mostly as a big banker or santa claus. They are presenting
God as One who compromises sin, and is wringing His hands because of the awful condition the
world is in. My friend this is not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible hates sin. God
giving His only begotten Son on the cross of Calvary is proof of that. And believe me, soon God
is going to do something about the awful condition of the world. He may be judging it more that
we think now. Many of the nations that have rejected God, and turned away from Him, are
paying the price for it now. One day soon, when the Lord Jesus comes, all things will be brought
out for all to see the power and glory of God. Always remember what the Bible says in
(Galatians 6:7). “ Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall
he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
belief and unbelief. Either we believe that God is, or we do not believe that He is. If we cannot
believe the first verse in the Bible, then we cannot believe the rest of it. The Bible doesn't try to
prove the existence of God, it just states the fact. We must by faith believe in Him. The Bible
says in (Hebrews 11:1-3) “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that
the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of
things which do appear." And in (Hebrews 11:6) it says, “But without faith it is impossible to
please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him.”
Beloved, I am afraid that there are far too many who do not believe that God is, and I am also
afraid that there are many who believe that there is a true and living God, but they have the
wrong concept of Him. When I hear people refer to God as the “man upstairs” or the “old man
above,” I know that their notion of God is wrong, that their concept of God is not based on the
Word of God. It ought to be the supreme goal in our lives to know the true and living God as He
is set forth in the Bible. God Himself says in (Jeremiah 9:23-24) “Thus saith the LORD, Let not
the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the
rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and
knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness,
in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.”
If we don’t have the right concept of God we cannot truly love, worship and serve Him. We
must learn and understand from the Bible His character and perfections. We must seek to learn
all that we can about who God is, what His attributes and works are. Our concept and notions of
God must not be from the traditions and philosophies of men and of the world. The truth of God
must be formed in our minds by the Word of God. As we study and seek to know God as He
has commanded us to, He will then reveal Himself to us. Through His revelation of Himself to
our minds, we then are able to have the right concept and notion of Him, thus we are able to
worship Him in spirit and in truth.
Beloved, it’s a hard thing to say, but we see the church world as a whole today not presenting
the Biblical truths of the perfections of God. We don’t hear much about the great attributes of
God. We see God being presented mostly as a big banker or santa claus. They are presenting
God as One who compromises sin, and is wringing His hands because of the awful condition the
world is in. My friend this is not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible hates sin. God
giving His only begotten Son on the cross of Calvary is proof of that. And believe me, soon God
is going to do something about the awful condition of the world. He may be judging it more that
we think now. Many of the nations that have rejected God, and turned away from Him, are
paying the price for it now. One day soon, when the Lord Jesus comes, all things will be brought
out for all to see the power and glory of God. Always remember what the Bible says in
(Galatians 6:7). “ Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall
he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
| The Bible teaches us that God reveals Himself in three ways. |
1. Through the Creation
Mankind can look at the creation and see that there is a Supreme Being who made all things.
Because there is design and order in the universe, there has to be a Designer and Maker. The
Bible says in (Psalms 19:1-6) “ The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament
sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth
knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone
out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a
tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as
a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto
the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.”
The reason God created the heavens and the earth was to declare His existence and glory. God
made these things so that man may understand something about God, and through this
understanding worship Him, and give to Him love and devotion as Lord of all. The Bible says in
(Isaiah 40:12-23 ) “Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out
heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the
mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or
being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him,
and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way
of understanding? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small
dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not
sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before him
are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. To whom then will
ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? The workman melteth a graven
image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. He that is so
impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a
cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved. Have ye not known?
have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from
the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the
inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and
spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the
judges of the earth as vanity.”
Beloved, how could this great universe that the Bible describes here be brought into existence
unless God had framed and created it? Every planet, every star, every plant, and every thing that
exists says to us, “I have a Creator, I am witness to the eternal God.” My friends, we cannot
look at the houses we live in, the automobiles, trucks, trains, the highways and railroads, the
ships that sail on the seas, the clothes we wear. We cannot look at these things without
understanding that there were designers, builders, weavers, and architects. Who then can look at
the creation and say that it formed itself into such greatness and wonder, design and order; that it
evolved from a big bang millions of years ago without a designer and maker?
The Bible says in (Romans 1:20) “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.” Beloved, this verse plainly shows us that God
has given us sense enough to see the things that He has created, and then understand by reason
that He exists. To think that these things made themselves is against all logic and reason. You
see, all things God has created are clearly seen, thus giving us understanding that He made them.
To deny this is against all reason, and is foolish.
Because there is design and order in the universe, there has to be a Designer and Maker. The
Bible says in (Psalms 19:1-6) “ The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament
sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth
knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone
out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a
tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as
a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto
the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.”
The reason God created the heavens and the earth was to declare His existence and glory. God
made these things so that man may understand something about God, and through this
understanding worship Him, and give to Him love and devotion as Lord of all. The Bible says in
(Isaiah 40:12-23 ) “Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out
heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the
mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or
being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him,
and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way
of understanding? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small
dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not
sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before him
are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. To whom then will
ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? The workman melteth a graven
image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. He that is so
impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a
cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved. Have ye not known?
have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from
the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the
inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and
spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the
judges of the earth as vanity.”
Beloved, how could this great universe that the Bible describes here be brought into existence
unless God had framed and created it? Every planet, every star, every plant, and every thing that
exists says to us, “I have a Creator, I am witness to the eternal God.” My friends, we cannot
look at the houses we live in, the automobiles, trucks, trains, the highways and railroads, the
ships that sail on the seas, the clothes we wear. We cannot look at these things without
understanding that there were designers, builders, weavers, and architects. Who then can look at
the creation and say that it formed itself into such greatness and wonder, design and order; that it
evolved from a big bang millions of years ago without a designer and maker?
The Bible says in (Romans 1:20) “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.” Beloved, this verse plainly shows us that God
has given us sense enough to see the things that He has created, and then understand by reason
that He exists. To think that these things made themselves is against all logic and reason. You
see, all things God has created are clearly seen, thus giving us understanding that He made them.
To deny this is against all reason, and is foolish.
2. Through Man (Conscience)
The Bible says (Romans 1:19-20) “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in
them; for God hath showed it unto them. 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:” God has written it in man’s conscience
that He exists, so that man is without excuse. There is no excuse for mankind to deny the
existence of God. It is written in man’s conscience that he is a created being. Creation and
conscience work together to reveal that there is a true and living Supreme Being.
Beloved, when we let wisdom and reason from the Bible have its say, we can see clearly the
existence of God, and that He is the Creator of all things, including man. Think about it, no
person can make himself. No creature can make itself. The creation could not make itself. No
man can make himself. If every man had a beginning, then he was once nothing. He did not exist
before his beginning. If he was once nothing, then he could not have made himself, because
nothing can be the cause of something. The Bible tells us this in (Psalm 100:3). “Know ye that
the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and
the sheep of his pasture.”
You see, beloved, reason must acknowledge a first of every kind of creature. So the existence of
man must begin with a first man. This first man had to be created because he could not have
made himself. If man made himself, then why has there not been other men risen up by
themselves. If man made himself, then why does he die? If he made himself, he ought to be able
to correct that which is killing him. No, my friends, man did not make himself, God is the
Creator of man. Common reason and logic will testify to this.
God has written in our conscience that He is the Creator. If we will be true to reason, we
discover that everything created has a first cause. That first cause is God. There must be
something supreme, something greater than all, which has nothing above or beyond it. We see
that there is, it is God Himself. He is above all. There is none greater or beyond Him. He is the
fountain from which all things come. To deny the existence of God is to go against our own
conscience and common reason concerning the creation which reveals the existence and glory of
God.
God not only reveals Himself to us through creation and conscience, but there is a third way in
which God reveals Himself.
them; for God hath showed it unto them. 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:” God has written it in man’s conscience
that He exists, so that man is without excuse. There is no excuse for mankind to deny the
existence of God. It is written in man’s conscience that he is a created being. Creation and
conscience work together to reveal that there is a true and living Supreme Being.
Beloved, when we let wisdom and reason from the Bible have its say, we can see clearly the
existence of God, and that He is the Creator of all things, including man. Think about it, no
person can make himself. No creature can make itself. The creation could not make itself. No
man can make himself. If every man had a beginning, then he was once nothing. He did not exist
before his beginning. If he was once nothing, then he could not have made himself, because
nothing can be the cause of something. The Bible tells us this in (Psalm 100:3). “Know ye that
the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and
the sheep of his pasture.”
You see, beloved, reason must acknowledge a first of every kind of creature. So the existence of
man must begin with a first man. This first man had to be created because he could not have
made himself. If man made himself, then why has there not been other men risen up by
themselves. If man made himself, then why does he die? If he made himself, he ought to be able
to correct that which is killing him. No, my friends, man did not make himself, God is the
Creator of man. Common reason and logic will testify to this.
God has written in our conscience that He is the Creator. If we will be true to reason, we
discover that everything created has a first cause. That first cause is God. There must be
something supreme, something greater than all, which has nothing above or beyond it. We see
that there is, it is God Himself. He is above all. There is none greater or beyond Him. He is the
fountain from which all things come. To deny the existence of God is to go against our own
conscience and common reason concerning the creation which reveals the existence and glory of
God.
God not only reveals Himself to us through creation and conscience, but there is a third way in
which God reveals Himself.
3. Through Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit and the Bible
This is the special revelation of God. In the Lord Jesus Christ we see all the perfections of God.
The Bible says in (John 1:14) “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we
beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” The
Word was God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. He was the express image of God’s Person.
The Bible says in (Hebrews 1:1-3) “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in
time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,
whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the
brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the
word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the
Majesty on high;” The Lord Jesus was the express image of God’s person, and the brightness of
His glory. So much so, that it says in (John 14:8-9) “Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the
Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet
hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest
thou then, Shew us the Father?”
You see, the creation reveals the existence, power and glory of God, but it is the Lord Jesus
Christ that reveals all the perfections of God. He reveals the power, glory, justice, love, mercy,
righteousness, holiness and grace of God, just to mention a few of God’s perfections and
attributes. In Christ we have the full revelation of God.
The Holy Spirit reveals to the believer the spiritual things of God. We see this in (I Corinthians 2:
9-13) “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath
revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of
God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even
so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the
spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely
given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom
teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”
The Holy Spirit take the things of God and reveals them to us as we read and study the Bible. It
is through the Bible we read about the things of God. The Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit. He
is the divine Author of the Scriptures, thus God reveals Himself through His Holy Word. It is
through this special revelation that we receive a saving knowledge of Christ. We are saved
through the Preaching of the Word, which reveals the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit
uses the preached Word to enlighten the sinner of his sinful state of condemnation, that Jesus
died on the cross for the sinner's sin, arose from the grave to give eternal life to all who believe
on Him. This is the special revelation that brings eternal life to the believing sinner.
Although the proof of the existence of God is in abundance, yet there are many the world over
that say that there is no God. The question is, beloved, Where do you stand on this issue? Do
you believe in the existence of God? And what is even more important, have you been saved by
the grace of God? It is through the Lord Jesus Christ that we must be saved. Will you call on
Him now to save you?
The Bible says in (John 1:14) “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we
beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” The
Word was God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. He was the express image of God’s Person.
The Bible says in (Hebrews 1:1-3) “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in
time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,
whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the
brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the
word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the
Majesty on high;” The Lord Jesus was the express image of God’s person, and the brightness of
His glory. So much so, that it says in (John 14:8-9) “Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the
Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet
hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest
thou then, Shew us the Father?”
You see, the creation reveals the existence, power and glory of God, but it is the Lord Jesus
Christ that reveals all the perfections of God. He reveals the power, glory, justice, love, mercy,
righteousness, holiness and grace of God, just to mention a few of God’s perfections and
attributes. In Christ we have the full revelation of God.
The Holy Spirit reveals to the believer the spiritual things of God. We see this in (I Corinthians 2:
9-13) “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath
revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of
God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even
so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the
spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely
given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom
teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”
The Holy Spirit take the things of God and reveals them to us as we read and study the Bible. It
is through the Bible we read about the things of God. The Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit. He
is the divine Author of the Scriptures, thus God reveals Himself through His Holy Word. It is
through this special revelation that we receive a saving knowledge of Christ. We are saved
through the Preaching of the Word, which reveals the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit
uses the preached Word to enlighten the sinner of his sinful state of condemnation, that Jesus
died on the cross for the sinner's sin, arose from the grave to give eternal life to all who believe
on Him. This is the special revelation that brings eternal life to the believing sinner.
Although the proof of the existence of God is in abundance, yet there are many the world over
that say that there is no God. The question is, beloved, Where do you stand on this issue? Do
you believe in the existence of God? And what is even more important, have you been saved by
the grace of God? It is through the Lord Jesus Christ that we must be saved. Will you call on
Him now to save you?
|
Blessed Hope
A Continuing Ministry of Milford Cecil
A Continuing Ministry of Milford Cecil
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