Lecture 7: The Existence of God Major Arguments for God’s Existence Based upon Natural Theology

What is our mindset on the subject of God? When Scottish theologian John Baillie taught at Edinburgh University, he made it a practice to open his course on the doctrine of God with these words: “We must remember, in discussing God, that we cannot talk about Him without His hearing every word we say. We may be able to talk about others behind their backs, but God is everywhere, yes, even in this classroom. Therefore, in all our discussions we must be aware of His infinite presence, and talk about Him, as it were, before His face.”

Definition of God: “An eternal, uncaused, independent, Necessary Being, that hath life, power, wisdom, goodness, and whatsoever other supposedly excellency, in the highest Perfection, in and of itself.” ~ John Howe, Bancroft, Systematic Theology, 60.

Definition of God: “God is an invisible, personal, and living Spirit, distinguished from all other spirits by several kinds of attributes: metaphysically God is self existent, eternal, and unchanging; intellectually God is omniscient, faithful, and wise; ethically God is just, merciful, and loving; emotionally God detest evil, is long suffering, and is compassionate; existentially God is free, authentic, and omnipotent; relationally God is transcendent in being, immanent universally in providential activity, and immanent with his people in redemptive activity.” ~ Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 492.

Definition of God: “God is the infinite & perfect Spirit in whom all things have their source, support, and end.” ~ A. Strong, Lectures in Systematic Theology, 55.

Definition of God: “There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts or passions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the Maker and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible.” ~ Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England.

Definition of God: “The one to whom time and space do not apply, who provides and creates all, and is limited by nothing, yet personal to everyone-perfection!” ~ CBS Student: Shannon Scacewater (7/16/2008)

What is a Syllogism: Anything logical may be expressed in syllogistic form. A syllogism involves three aspects: 1. A Major Premise: All mortals things will die. 2. A Minor Premise: All men are mortal. 3. A Conclusion: All men will die.

The Cosmological Argument: A Cause at the Beginning. The universe had a beginning caused by something beyond the universe: Something cannot come from nothing. 1. The universe had a beginning. 2. Anything that had a beginning must have been caused by something (someone) else. 3. Therefore the universe was caused by something (someone) else.

The Cosmological Argument: A Cause to continue existing. Something not only caused the world to come into being (Gen. 1:1) but something causes it to continue to be (cf. Col. 1:17). Diamond is dependent on two triangles. 1. Every part of the universe is dependent. 2. If every part of universe is dependent, then the whole universe must also be dependent. 3. Therefore, the whole universe is dependent for existence right now on some Independent Being.

The Teleological Argument: Since the universe is exceedingly more complex in its operation, there must be a Maker of the universe. 1. All designs imply a designer. 2. There is a great design in the universe. 3. Therefore, there must be a Great Designer of the universe.

The Ontological Argument: The perfect being. The mere concept of God as an absolutely perfect being demands that He exist. It argues from the idea of God to the existence of God. If God did not exist, then he would be lacking one perfection, namely, existence. But if God lacked any perfection, then he would not be absolutely perfect. But God is by definition an absolutely perfect being. 1. God is by definition an absolutely perfect being. 2. But existence is a perfection. 3. Therefore, God must exist.

The Ontological Argument: “The ontological argument seeks to show that once we grasp the concept of God as the greatest conceivable being, then it becomes clear that God must exist.” ~ J. P. Moreland & William L. Craig 1. God is by definition an absolutely perfect being. 2. But existence is a perfection. 3. Therefore, God must exist.

The Ontological Argument: The Necessary Being. The Very concept of a Necessary Being demands its existence. For the very idea of a Necessary Being demands that it must exist. For if it did not exist, then it would not be a necessary existence. 1. If God exists, we must conceive of Him as a Necessary Being. 2. But by definition, a Necessary Being cannot exist. 3. Therefore, if a Necessary Being can, then it must, exist.

The Moral Law Argument: The roots of moral argument for God are found in Romans 2:12-15 in which humanity is said to stand unexcused since there is “a law written on their hearts.” Moral laws don’t describe what is, they prescribe what ought to be. 1. Moral laws imply a Moral Law Giver. 2. There is an objective moral law. 3. Therefore, there is a Moral Law Giver.

The Religious Need Argument: Is the desire to believe in God an illusion, human wishes, purely psychological, or is it factual? The desire for God does exist, not as a psychological wish, but from real existential need. 1. Human beings really need God. 2. What humans really need, probably really exists. 3. Therefore, God really exists.

The Argument from Joy: Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger; food can satisfy. 1. Every natural innate desire has a real object that can fulfill it. 2. Human beings have a natural, innate desire for immortality. 3. Therefore, there must be an immortal life after death.