What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.
-
Upload
brendan-allison -
Category
Documents
-
view
217 -
download
0
Transcript of What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.
![Page 1: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
THE GOD OF REASON
What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible
![Page 2: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
God: A Common Objection
God A myth? A fairytale? A product of our wishful thinking???
![Page 3: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
God: A Common Objection
God – a subject of ridicule
![Page 4: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
The New Atheist Movement
Atheism increasingly fashionable since 9/11
The rise of the anti-theist “I don’t believe in God and I hate him”
![Page 5: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
The New Atheist Movement
Atheism increasingly fashionable since 9/11
The rise of the anti-theist “I don’t believe in God and I hate him”
![Page 6: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Christian Response?
Bad Response “God is real because the Bible says so” “Faith is all we need to believe in God”
![Page 7: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Christian Response?
Good Response “Actually, reason -> God!” Also, we can know something about God
through reason alone 3 reasons why God exists...
1. The Cosmological Argument2. The Teleological Argument3. The Moral Argument
![Page 8: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
The Cosmological Argument
An argument for the existence of God by our observation of the universe (cosmos)
Universe = space, time and matter
![Page 9: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
The Cosmological Argument
1. Whatever begins to exist has a cause
2. The universe began to exist3. Therefore, the universe has a cause
Implication: the cause is outside of the universe (space, time and matter), suggesting a Creator
![Page 10: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
The Cosmological Argument
3 conceivable reasons for the universe’s existence
1. It created itself out of nothing2. It has always existed3. It was created out of nothing by a
Creator outside of the universe (ie. outside of space, time and matter)
Can you think of any other reasons?
![Page 11: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
The Cosmological Argument
Objection #1: “Then who created God?” If the Creator of the universe transcends
space, time and matter, then God cannot be created
![Page 12: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
The Cosmological Argument
Objection #2: “Couldn’t the universe be eternal?” Infinite number of causes & effects is
impossible The universe is losing usable energy –
Second Law of Thermodynamics
![Page 13: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Describing the Creator
Even with no Bible, we can say that the Creator is: Spaceless Timeless (or eternal) Immaterial Powerful (created all things out of
nothing) Personal (it made a choice to create
something out of nothing).... the creator is not an “it”!
![Page 14: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
The Teleological Argument
An argument for the existence of God by the observation of design in the world
Greek word “Telos” means design
![Page 15: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
The Teleological Argument
1. All things designed have a designer2. The universe shows evidence of
design3. Therefore, the universe has a
designer
![Page 16: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
The Teleological Argument
Common sense Complexity and order Science shows us that the world is
very complex, yet very orderly Complexity and order can be seen from
the microscope to the telescope Even atheists concede that the world
“appears” designed
![Page 17: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
The Teleological Argument
Evidence for design: The Simple Cell All living things are made up of cells.
Humans are made up of billions The “simple cell” is not really that simple
![Page 18: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
![Page 19: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
The Teleological Argument
Evidence for design: The Simple Cell All living things are made up of cells.
Humans are made up of billions The “simple cell” is not really that simple Every cell like a computer
Power supply Information transfer (within and outside
itself) Code interpretation Self-copying!
![Page 20: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
The Teleological Argument
More evidence for design: www.creation.org www.intelligentdesign.org
![Page 21: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Describing the Creator
Even with no Bible, we can say that the Creator is: Spaceless Timeless (or eternal) Immaterial Powerful (created all things out of nothing) Personal (it made a choice to create
something out of nothing).... the creator is not an “it”!
Intelligent and Creative (shown by design)
![Page 22: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
The Moral Argument
1. If God did not exist, there would be no objective moral standards
2. Objective moral standards exist3. Therefore, God exists
![Page 23: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
The Moral Argument
Objection #1: “Moral standards are subjective”
“Don’t impose your moral values on me!”
True, only if there’s no God Right/wrong is a matter of opinion
Hitler ‘s opinion against your opinion
![Page 24: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
The Moral Argument
Objection #2: “God is not required for objective morality”
But where is objective morality grounded on?
Only survival value, no truth value Is dying to protect your family/country
wrong?
![Page 25: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Describing the Creator
Even with no Bible, we can say that the Creator is: Spaceless Timeless (or eternal) Immaterial Powerful (created all things out of nothing) Personal (it made a choice to create
something out of nothing).... the creator is not an “it”!
Intelligent and Creative (shown by design) Righteous (shown by the moral law)
![Page 26: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Romans 1
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
![Page 27: What we can know about God even before opening up the Bible.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062803/56649f155503460f94c2a100/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Romans 1
20 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.