Have you ever had a witnessing conversation with an atheist? As Christians, it’s important that we be ready to give an answer for our faith (1 Peter 3:15). However, most atheists have several arguments they will use to explain their position. How should we defend our faith when we talk to atheists? We need to study basic apologetics, which means defending the faith with arguments and discourse.
Here are 4 proofs of the existence of God that you should know.
1. The Kalam cosmological argument
In the 3rd and 4th century B.C., philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato argued that everything that happens or exists that must have a cause. If you looked far back enough into history, you would find that cause. As a deist, Aristotle argued that the First Cause was God.
In the Middle Ages, Muslim philosophers developed a similar argument called the Kalam Cosmological Argument. The basic premises are as follows.
Whatever begins to exist has a cause of its existence.
The universe began to exist.
Therefore, the universe has a cause of its existence.
Scientists agree that the universe cannot be eternal. It must have had a beginning at some point in the past. According to William Craig’s website, in 2003, three scientists named Alan Guth, Arvind Borde, and Alexander Vilenkin proved that any universe which was constantly expanding could not be eternal. It required an absolute beginning. As Christians, we would point to God as the Cause of the universe’s existence.
2. The genetic variety of life forms on earth
If a biologist were to list all the different species on earth, it would take him or her a very long time! Even with one genus, such as the dog family, there is a remarkable variety of species.
Where did all these species come from? According to evolutionary philosophy, they developed over millions of years as creatures gradually changed into different species and types. Evolutionists point to examples of simple genetic variation (a bird changing its beak or feather colour) and propose that, with enough time, these changes could add up to a bird changing into a fish.
God did place an incredible amount of genetic information into each creature’s genome. From generation to generation, a creature can have genes turned on or off, lose genetic information, display previously hidden genetic information, and exhibit “new” traits. However, mutations can also cause disease and loss of function.
Creation scientists tell us that genetic changes in an organism are simply not capable of producing large-scale evolution. Birds cannot turn into fishes. And monkeys cannot turn into men. For more resources on this topic, contact us at the local church’s prison ministry.
3. The laws of nature
If you’ve ever taken a physics or chemistry course, you understand some of the laws of nature. For example, gravity pulls things toward the centre of the earth. According to the second law of thermodynamics, the entropy (or disorder) of any isolated system will always increase.
This explains why old barns decay, walls fall down, and organized systems get messed up. Also, the sun, moon, and stars operate on observable laws and principles. The earth rotates at a constant rate, which gives us predictable day, night, and seasons.
Why does the universe operate according to laws? Blind chance could not produce the intelligence necessary for these laws. As Christians, we point to an intelligent Designer- God.
4. The uniqueness of Jesus
If you study the historical person of Jesus, you will find that He is unlike any other founder of a religion. Only He claimed to be God Himself. Only He rose from the dead. You can visit the tombs of Mohammed, Confucius, or Buddha. But only Jesus’ tomb is empty!
In addition, both the New Testament and contemporary secular accounts provide historical proof for Jesus’ existence. His miracles were well documented—healing the sick, raising the dead to life, giving sight to the blind. Over 500 people were eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ.
One of the best proofs for the existence of God is the historical Christ.
Let’s Chat:
Which of these proofs is your favourite? Do you feel better equipped now to share your faith with atheists and searching people? Contact us at the local church’s prison ministry for even more resources on sharing your faith.
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