Topic:
The question of God’s reality is a stopping point in many life discussions. Why is there pain or evil leads to questions about whether or not God is real. Morality and moral issues or faith crises also lead to this question. In all of these debates, God is a gentleman. He has made his case in any number of ways and lets the evidence speak for itself. God is not a tyrant or a dictator that demands belief. God has shown grace and blessing to all his creation, as Lord, there will be a day when he holds his creation accountable for believing and trusting in him or rejecting him. What evidence suggests God is real?
Facts and Biblical Evidence:
- God’s power and nature are revealed in the beauty and complexity of creation. Romans 1:20; Psalm 19:1; 97:6; Job 12:7-10
- Through Jesus, God has come to earth. John 14:6-10
- Faith is not a haphazard belief in something (i.e. God). Faith is the result of knowledge and belief that can be trusted. Hebrews 11:1
- The reliability of the Bible is evidence of God’s work across history.
- God worked in the lives of individuals and nations since the beginning of time. We can read stories in the Bible about this, but we hear similar stories of healing (physically, emotionally, spiritually) and transformation today from all around the world and people in our lives. God is still working.
- In every person there is a sense that there is something more and bigger than this universe or life. God has placed eternity on the hearts of man. Ecclesiastes 3:11
- Many people without faith in God point to relationships as the point of life. Genesis 1:26 reveals that God made us in his image with the capacity for relationship that exists within the Trinity.
- Consider the ways God has worked in your or your students’ life in the past. Acts of God (coincidences) were things worked out better than they should have, answered prayers, transformation, overcoming sin, healing from hurt, worship, and other ways God has ministered to you or your students.
Biblical Foundation:
Psalm 14:1 states that “the fool says in his heart there is no God.” This is not a compelling argument to most non believers or a good conversation point for believers to make, but from this we can consider other accounts of doubt from the Bible such as the king of Egypt who wouldn’t let the Israelites leave until God revealed himself through the plagues. Jesus’ disciples such as Peter and Thomas had doubts that Jesus lovingly responded to and showed them who he was.
Where to Start:
Is there a larger issue such as evil or morality that led to this question. Usually God’s reality is questioned in light of something else. It may be that sin has changed the way God intended things to be, or human free will has led to pain. Address these issues in light of who God is and deal with the bigger question of God’s reality if necessary.
Where to Learn more:
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