Humanity ’ s Inner Sense of God

1. GOD MAN Humanity’s Inner Sense of God • Everyone has an inner awareness of God. • God is known to all people through Nature. “...that which is known about God is evident within [humans]; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Rom 1:19-21)

2. God was there “in the beginning.” The Bible’s First Assumption Creation of the Heavens Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel

3. God is still around. A Second Assumption “But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. ...He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain, and brings out the wind from His storehouses. ” Jer. 10:10, 13 “Aseity” = Self-Existence

4. Definition of God According to Q. 4, Westminster Catechism: “God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.” InfiniteEternalUnchangeable Being Wisdom Power Holiness Justice Goodness Truth

5. Definition of God Actually, there can be no definition of God. • “‘To whom then will you liken Me, that I should be hisequal?’ says the Holy One.” Isaiah 40:25 • God is “wholly other,” that is, unique. GOD

6. Definition of God To speak about God, we must use analogy. • “Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.” Ps. 105:4 • God can be found. He has revealed himself to us. • He is said to have a “face”: anthropomorphic language. Analogical Language GOD

7. The Majesty of Creation The Design of Creation Existence of God NOTE: God’s own self-revelation is necessary for us to know him. We cannot know him on our own. General Revelation God’s existence is revealed in: Special Revelation “And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM’; and He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Ex. 3:14

8. Existence of God His existence is shown in theistic proofs. • Every effect has a cause. • There cannot be an infinite regress of causes. • There must be an uncaused Cause. • This being is God. 1. The Cosmological Argument

9. Existence of God His existence is shown in theistic proofs. • “Telos” means purpose or goal. • The universe exhibits intentional design. • This cannot be self-produced. • A Designer must have made the universe! 2. The Teleological Argument

10. Existence of God His existence is shown in theistic proofs. 3. The Anthropological Argument • Man is “fearfully and wonderfully made,” (Ps. 139:14), both spiritually and physically. • Our spiritual aspect points us to something beyond ourselves, and that is God.

11. Existence of God His existence is shown in theistic proofs. • Everyone has a sense of “ought,” that is, of right and wrong. • For example, most cultures understand murder is wrong. Man abhors this crime. • Where does this universal moral sense come from? • There must be an exterior Judge. 4. The Moral Argument

12. Existence of God His existence is shown in theistic proofs. • We have the idea of the “greatest being” in our minds. • What attributes would the “greatest being” have? Actual existence would certainly be one. • Therefore, the greatest being must exist. • The greatest being is called God! 5. The Ontological Argument God

13. Ontological Argument • a priori – self-evident propositions, apart from observed facts: Ontological (Anselm of Canterbury) Concept of God requires the existence of God • a posteriori – reasoning from observed facts Thomas Aquinas’ five proofs