Discover From the Bible

02. About God

1 – Existence and Nature

1. Existence of God

Does God exist?

What the Bible says

Psalm 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Psalm 53:1
The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
There is none who does good.
Jeremiah 10:12

He has made the earth by His power,
He has established the world by His wisdom,
And has stretched out the heavens at His discretion.

Jeremiah 9:23-24

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

What ancient and modern philosophy says

Summary

The popular version of Post-Modernist Relativism that is promoted by the media as modern philosophy states that:
(1) there are no absolute values;
(2) moral values are determined purely by local custom and timing; what applies in one place, culture, and time may be the opposite for another place, culture, and time.  But this removes the validity of any moral values.

The ancients, however, were more discerning.
Socrates said that like Natural Physical Law there is a Natural or Moral Law, that a man has the capacity to distinguish between good and bad and is able to appreciate the moral values. Thus, ‘virtue is knowledge’ and ‘whatever is not virtuous is sin’.
Aristotle held that what was “just by nature” was not always the same as what was “just by law,” that there was a natural justice valid everywhere with the same force and “not existing by people’s thinking this or that,” and that appeal could be made to it from positive law.

If the choices we make concerning good and evil have any real meaning beyond local custom (and local custom does not give real meaning), that points to the existence of a non-material, transcendent reality.  It doesn’t prove the existence of God as described in the bible, but it shows the basis for believing in a non-material God is sound.

Romans 1:19-20

(of men) because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understoood by the things that are made, so that they are without excuse.

1.

What do you say about the existence of God?

2.

On what do you base your view?

2. Nature of God

What is revealed in the Bible about the nature of God?

John 4:24

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

John 1:18

No one has seen God at any time.

Psalm 90:2

Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

Matthew 19:26

with God all things are possible.

Jeremiah 23:24

Can anyone hide himself in secret places,
So I shall not see him?” says the Lord;
“Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.

Psalm 139:1-4

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

Leviticus 19:2

for I the Lord your God am holy

Deuteronomy 32:4

He is the Rock, His work is perfect;
For all His ways are justice,
A God of truth and without injustice;
Righteous and upright is He.

Exodus 34:6-7

The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin

1 John 4:8

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

3.

Can you prepare a list of one-word descriptions of God from each of these verses?

What Next?

Next in Basic Questions

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