Apologetics-Deeper- Week 2
The existence of God
Prayer
Understanding alarm
Recap
You will remember that last week we talked about what apologetics is. Can anyone remember what we said?
· Apologetics is a form of evangelism
· Apologetics is mainly concerned with defence of our faith
· Apologetics should be used appropriately, with gentleness and respect
Colossians 4:6
Arguments For the existence of God
The argument from a beginning
1. Everything that ‘begins’ to exist has a cause
2. The universe began to exist
3. Therefore the universe has a cause
What’s being asked here is where did everything come from? Did it all just pop into being from nothing? So someone might say to you everything started with the Big Bang to which you might reply what caused the Big Bang? When you say to them that God caused the Big Bang, that God kicked everything off you’ll probably be met with the reply: what caused God, where did he come from? The answer is God didn’t come from anywhere, God has always existed, he never began to exist so he doesn’t need a cause.
If you think about point one it seems obvious, you began to exist because your parents had a special hug. So no one in their right mind would say this is wrong. What they’ll probably say is that the universe has always existed, that its always been here. You can reply to this by pointing out that the universe began to exist at the Big Bang, which scientists say was the beginning of everything, planets, space, time, everything. Then you can ask, what caused the Big Bang?
The cause must be:
1. Timeless
2. Space-less
3. Immaterial
4. Eternal
Why? If God created the time, then he must be outside of time. If God created space then he must be outside of space. If God made materials he can’t be material. So God has always been around, outside of time and space. He must also be a person because things that think are the only non-physical things that can do anything or cause things to happen.
The argument from design
Give the watch analogy first, maybe quote Paley. Point out that it’s the same with the universe.
1. The appearance of design in the universe is due to either chance, necessity or design
2. It is not due to chance or necessity
3. Therefore the appearance of design in the universe is indeed due to a cosmic designer or mind.
When we talk about chance, we’re saying that the universe just came together randomly. But this is so unlikely it fails to be a good explanation
Another explanation of the fine-tuning of the universe is saying it had to be like this. But if that’s the case then why? Things could have happened differently, you had a choice when you decided to come to deeper tonight, you didn’t have to, but you did. It’s the same with the universe, it didn’t have to be like this.
The argument from good and bad
1. If objective moral values exist then God exists
2. Objective moral values exist
3. Therefore God exists
This argument says that for there to be a good and bad, we need a good and bad giver, someone who says good is good and bad is bad. Without God there is no ultimate person saying that something one thing is good and another bad. So without God we have no good or bad. When Hitler killed all those Jews in World War 2, someone can say I make up my own good and bad and I think Hitler was bad, but then some people think Hitler was good. If everyone decides their own good and bad then that’s the same as not having any good and bad. But if we believe in God we have someone who has the power to tell us what is truly good and truly bad, people who don’t believe in God don’t have this. When something is clearly evil they can’t say that it is because on their world view there is no good or evil. This isn’t to say that Atheists can’t be good or bad, they can! But for Christians we can say that something is good or bad that isn’t our opinion, because we have a moral lawgiver. Someone who knows what true goodness and badness are! So with this argument we have to point out that certain things are really bad, if the non-believer agrees we can then point out that the only thing that justifies this judgement is God.
There other arguments, you don’t have to understand these arguments to know that God exists, these arguments don’t even have to be true. ( but they are)
2 Corinthians 10:5
Putting these arguments in our evangelism
Remember, someone in need does not necessarily want to hear arguments for God’s existence we would be better to be loving and sensitive than logical and cold in this type of situation.
In our own faith
We must also remember that arguments are useless without faith. Our faith is not based on arguments but on a relationship with God. Of course arguments are not useless, they are incredibly persuasive, but we must take a step of faith and enter into a relationship with God to fully understand our true purpose and salvation through Christ.
(Q and A )
Response
Prayer Time
Next week we will be learning whether we can trust the Bible and looking at the historical reliability of Jesus Resurrection.
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