ࡱ> )+(7 CbjbjUU "7|7|ClXXXX d |||||| @BBBBBBS sB||B||WF||@@x$$|p VTlX$$m0$ " $Gods Existence and Nature Intro: The Bible does not seek to prove the existence of God, it rather assumes it. The Bible speaks as though Gods existence is so obvious that it is undeniable. It gives the distinct impression that man by observing the world around him, is to conclude that God is. It actually refers to those who deny the existence of God as fools. In Romans 1:19-20 the Apostle says: 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. I. Based on these verses we have what are known as the classical arguments for the existence of God. They are: The Cosmological argument, The Teleological argument, and The Moral argument. a. The Cosmological argument: This argument states in essence that the universe is an effect which must have had a cause. The law of cause and effect states that the effect cannot be greater, in size or in kind, than the causeNo exceptions to the law of cause and effect have ever been observed. It follows that every effect we see in the universe must have had a cause, and we can trace all effects back to a First Cause. The first cause of time must be greater than time, in fact eternal. The first cause of space must be greater than space, namely infinite The first cause of all the energy in the universe cannot be less than the sum total of that energy, the First Cause is omnipotent. By similar logic, we can consider all the information; not just the intrinsic properties of matter, but the genetic information in all the varied forms of animal and vegetable life, and conclude that the First Cause must be omniscient-all knowing. ( Dr. David Rosevere ) b. The Teleological argument: This argument states where there is a design, there must be a designer. Where there is purpose there must be one who purposed it. The atheist who says there is no God explains the world around him through naturalistic processes. He says, all things have come into existence by chance. He even goes so far as to say, although there is the appearance of design, it is only an appearance. c. The Moral argument: This argument states there must be a God to account for the universal sense of right and wrong among people. d. The Historical argument: This argument states that among all peoples and tribes of the earth there is a sense of the divine which reveals itself in the form of religious worship which is best explained by a higher Being who has constituted man a religious being. II. What is God like? a. Incomprehensible - God cannot be finally comprehended or understood by human beings, we can never know Him in the ultimate, final and complete sense. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and His ways past finding out! This doctrine of Gods incomprehensibility has much positive application for our own lives. It means that we will never be able to know too much about God, for we will never run out of things to learn about him, and we will thus never tire of delighting in the discovery of more and more of his excellence and of the greatness of his works. Even in the age to come, when we are freed from the presence of sin, we will never be able fully to understand God or any one thing about him. This is because of Gods incomprehensibility not our sinfulness, but his infinite greatness. Grudem b. Infinite - God is an absolute being; He is not derived from something else nor conditioned by anything else. Gods infinity suggest to us that he is the cause of everything else; all existence, all being derives from Him. The transcendence of God is another way of looking at it, He is above and beyond everything. I am that I am. c. Spiritual - God is Spirit. In His essential being God has none of the properties that belong to matter. God is invisible, without parts, without body, free from any and every limitation. d. Personal - God is a person. He has personality. He is not merely a force or an energy. The final proof that God is a person is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He said, he that has seen me has seen the Father, and I and my Father are one; therefore God must be personal, because it was a person who was speaking. #nn 3 6 P _ ` c { jBCCJ 6CJ]CJ\CJ5CJ 5CJ\CJnjk2 3 _ ` jkBCBCC 1h/ =!"#$% i8@8 NormalCJ_HaJmH sH tH <A@< Default Paragraph Font.>`. Title$a$ 5CJ\Cnjk23_ ` j k  BCBE0000000000000000000000000000C C C PCSBStartmEmE'/f r { E#XZn w~`qx  S\E33333333333k p EBrian Brodersen(C:\My Documents\sermons\Theology\God.docj BE@C0@UnknownG:Times New Roman5Symbol3& Arial"qh)i)i)i";20y 2God s Existence and NatureBrian BrodersenBrian Brodersen Oh+'0 ,8 T ` l xGods Existence and NatureodBrian Brodersenriaria Normal.dotrBrian Brodersen3iaMicrosoft Word 9.0 @L@BtT@ T@8T; ՜.+,0 hp  Calvary Chapely Gods Existence and Nature Title !"#$%&'*Root Entry F@VT,1Tableumentodoodoodood0WordDocument"SummaryInformationodo(odoododDocumentSummaryInformationo8odoodo CompObjddddjObjectPoolodoodo@VT@VTodoodoodoodo 0  FMicrosoft Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.89q