The Existence of God

The opening words of the Bible relay the fundamental assumption of the text: “In the beginning God…” Unlike systematic theology books which have bled ink on hundreds of pages in an attempt to lay out the case of God’s existence, the Bible opens with an unabashed, bold, unquestioned claim that God simply is. Whereas Hodge spends over 170 pages filled with unbearably small print, Chaefer barely uses 50. These and countless other theologians proliferate explanations of the simple yet confounding Scriptural commencement – “In the beginning God…”

The Bible does not attempt to prove the existence of God. Instead it begins with an assumption – rather a statement of fact – then builds from there. Moses, borne along by the infallible inspiration of the Holy Spirit, recorded words that turned the worldview of the Egyptian-influenced world on its head. The religions of Egypt and the world told the children of Israel that personal gods with whom they could have contact were fallible and often petty. Behind them was the “original” god – the great unknowable god behind all gods. This god of the universe could not be known and was referred to in their myth stories as “chaos.” Moses’ writings stated that the true God of the universe was a person and he knew Him by name. To add to the shock, he recorded, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void.” The Hebrew word translated “without form and void” is the word for “chaos.” Moses essentially told the Egyptians of his day, “This unknowable chaos that you think is behind everything was a created thing – and I have a personal relationship with the God who created it!”

It was not necessary for God to list reasons why He exists in His Word. By creating man in His image, we were built to have relationship with Him. Many have historically referred to this as a “God-shaped void.” Philosophers throughout history have been astute enough to recognize there are certain things that are inherent in man – ethics, a need to know, an appreciation of beauty, a need to communicate, and a religious nature, among others. Apart from the blinding lies of our adversary Satan, these inherencies should be sextants that inevitably focus on the stellar light of God. Depraved man, due to his unwillingness to submit to a holy and righteous God, covers up and pushes down his innate knowledge of God. Paul put it like this in his letter to the Romans:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 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 understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Paul goes on to say that because of man’s inherent knowledge of God, he is without excuse. In other words, God has revealed enough of Himself in His creation that all men everywhere know He exists. Oddly enough, the Scriptural passages that deal with God’s existence speak exclusively of the foolishness of those who suppress His knowledge and deny His existence.

Rather than spend His time telling people what they already know, namely that He exists, God used His Word to record His acts of faithfulness, love, grace, and mercy to those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. The Bible does not attempt to prove God’s existence, rather it proves His character and is, in essence, His love letter to us.