Tanya Crevier

The Christ-Centered Mind:How do we know God exists?

“Unless you assume the existence of God, the question of life’s meaning and purpose is irrelevant.”

~Bertrand Russell

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

The Most Important Philosophical Statement?

What may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Romans 1:19-20

“Yes, we are a nation that is unenlightened because of religion. I do believe that. I think that religion stops people from thinking. I think it justifies crazies. I think flying planes into a building was a faith-based initiative. I think religion is a neurological disorder.”

Bill Maher

Religion is the problem

“Why I don’t want God to exist”• Religion is typically against moral and intellectual progress,

since “the whole truth” was supposedly revealed many centuries ago.

• The idea of a cosmic dictator who convicts you of thought-crime is distasteful.

• Atheists want to be free to do what they like, without observing a long list of arbitrary commands from a big powerful guy in the sky.

• If God exists, it seems he must be unfathomably malicious, considering all the pointless suffering he inflicts upon or allows in humans and other animals.

Explain Faith

AnswerQuestions

DefendAttacks

LIFE

APOLOGETICS

Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing wonder and awe:

the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me.

Immanuel Kant

German Philosopher

1724-1804

The Starry Heavens Above

The existence and form of the UniverseWhy is there something rather than nothing?

Why is the universe so well designed?

Why does life exist . . . especially human life?

The Universe Exists!

• Whatever begins to exist has a cause.

• The universe began to exist.• Therefore, the universe has a

cause.• The cause of the universe is God.

The Universe has a Design

• Whenever we see evidence of design, we assume an intelligent designer.

• The universe shows evidence of design.

• Therefore, the universe has a designer.

• We call the designer, “God.”

The Moral Law Within

The existence and form of Human MoralityWhy do we have a sense of right and wrong within us?

Why is this sense of right and wrong so consistent and widespread?

The Reality of the Moral Law

• An objective, universal moral law exists.• An objective, universal moral law

requires a universal Moral Lawgiver.• This universal Moral Law Giver must be

absolutely good. • Therefore, there must be an absolutely

good Moral Law Giver.

“Well, I don’t believe in the God of any revelatory system, although I am open to that. But it seems to me that the case for an Aristotelian God who has the characteristics of power and also intelligence, is now much stronger than it ever was before.”

“On the positive side, for example, I am very much impressed with physicist Gerald Schroeder’s comments on Genesis 1. That this biblical account might be scientifically accurate raises the possibility that it is revelation.”