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Countless people throughout time have wondered: “Is there a
God?” There are nearly as many opinions on this subject as there have been
people who have lived on this planet.
For this reason, many people feel confused or uncertain about whether or
not God exists, and if so, what that actually means for us humans.
Many people have rejected the notion of the existence of a
God or a higher being altogether. Still
others acknowledge that there may indeed be some kind of higher being who
exists in the universe, although they do not know who or what this being may
be, or what form he/she/it may take.
Others choose to reserve judgment for a number of reasons, including
waiting for more evidence (one way or another) to present itself.
The problem is that many of those who search for God tend to
reject scripture out of hand as a reliable source of evidence. I imagine that this is because they assume
that religious texts are essentially biased.
However, this forces them to look for evidence that is inconclusive at
best. There are many who point to the
workings of the natural world, and of creation as evidence of a divine
presence, but there are just as many people who point to the same evidence to
say there is not a god. There are some
who try to use a process of logic to reason their way to God, but once again
there are many who would argue that logic suggests that there is no God. Even some religious people might argue that
God is beyond our ability to grasp through human reason alone. I mention all of this in order to demonstrate
the evidentiary value that scripture can have in an honest and open-minded
investigation into the existence of God.
If scripture is supposed to be the principal way in which
God chooses to reveal himself to the world, then it stands to reason that it
must have a great deal to say about Him and the reality of His existence. If one truly and honestly wishes to consider
all of the evidence, then it makes no sense to discount, ignore, or reject what
is written in scripture, which (if you think about it) is one of the main reasons that
we even suspect that there may be a God in the first place.
One might ask, why does it matter whether or not there is a
God? The existence of God
matters because basic questions about right and wrong, and of what is and isn’t
true, depend on our understanding of God. Moreover, how we define truth, and
what constitutes right and wrong, depend on the existence of a god. If there is no God, there is no objective
right and wrong, and there is no objective standard of truth. What you think is true and right may differ from what I think, and there would be no way to determine whose idea of truth and right is the best
or most important. Life would have no meaning beyond the drives and instincts
programmed into us by nature and instinct. Knowing that God is real is important because his existence means that we came from somewhere
before this life, we have a purpose in this life, and we are going somewhere
after this life.
“All of us need to know God more fully in order to love Him
more deeply and obey Him more completely. As both Old and New Testaments
declare, “The first of all the commandments is … thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with
all thy strength: this is the first [and great] commandment.”
How grateful we are for all the scriptures, especially the
scriptures of the Restoration, that teach us the majesty of each member of the
Godhead” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Grandeur of God,” Ensign, November 2003).
This article is not intended to be a detailed philosophical
argument about the existence of God.
Rather, my intention is to look to the scriptures to see what holy writ
has to say about the existence of God, and how we can know for ourselves that
there is a God. Along the way, I hope to
address the following questions: Is there a God? If so, what is He like? If there is a God, what does that mean for
you and me?
I.
Mosiah
4:9 Believe in God; believe that he is,
and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he
has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man
doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.
Hebrews 11:6 But
without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must
believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Our journey to find God must necessarily start with
belief. An important step in developing
the required belief is by accepting that the evidence contained in the
scriptures concerning the existence and reality of God is valid and worthy of
consideration.
There are certain aspects of existence, and of the nature of
God which you and I may not fully comprehend.
Furthermore, God may ask us to do (or refrain from doing) certain
things, and we may not fully comprehend the reasons for doing (or not doing)
that thing. Part of having faith in God is to acknowledge that God knows and
understands more than we can possibly know and understand from our limited
mortal point of view.
Isaiah 55:8-9 For my
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
II.
2
Nephi 2:14 And now, my sons, I speak
unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he
hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in
them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.
The scriptures contain many witnesses that there is a God
who directs the affairs of this world, and who is personally interested in its
occupants. Moreover, the scriptures
themselves, and the fact that they exist, are a testimony that there is a God. Not only do the scriptures record
interactions between God and men throughout history, but they are also a
powerful mechanism by which God can change men’s hearts and lives (and has
changed them throughout the ages), through the operation of the Holy Spirit.
III.
1
Corinthians 8:6 But to us there is but
one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
Ephesians 4:6 One God
and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
We worship God the Father. Although we consider God to be
the author of all things, the scriptures teach that the Lord Jesus Christ
created all things (physically), under the direction of the Father.
Hebrews 1:1-2 GOD,
who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he
hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Colossians 1:16-17 (12-19)
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all
things consist.
Ephesians 3:9 And to
make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the
beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus
Christ:
John 1:1-3 & 10
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. The same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by him;
and without him was not any thing made that was made. He was in the world, and the world was made
by him, and the world knew him not.
D&C 76:23-24 For
we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing
record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—That by him, and through him,
and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are
begotten sons and daughters unto God.
It makes no sense for scripture to make a careful
distinction between the actions of God the Father and Jesus Christ when it
comes to the creation of the world, unless God the Father and Christ the Son
are distinct personages, who are capable of distinct and independent action.
God the Father, and Jesus Christ are not the same
entity. However, they are perfectly
united in will and intent, and with the Holy Ghost, they form the three members
of the Godhead (which is not the same as the trinity).
God is not some amorphous cloud of being, who is both
everywhere and nowhere at once. Rather,
he has a body of flesh and bone, as does the Son.
D&C 130:22 The Father has a body of flesh and bones as
tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and
bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not
dwell in us.
God’s body is a glorified body, and as such it is different
from the body that you and I have right now. The resurrected Christ also has a
glorified body; and through His atonement and resurrection, He has opened up a
way for our bodies to become glorious like his own body.
Philippians 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from
whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change
our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according
to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
I acknowledge that these teachings concerning the nature of
God, and His relationship to His son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, differ
from what is held to be traditional Christianity.
“Our first and foremost article of faith in The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is “We believe in God, the Eternal Father,
and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” We believe these three
divine persons constituting a single Godhead are united in purpose, in manner,
in testimony, in mission. We believe Them to be filled with the same godly
sense of mercy and love, justice and grace, patience, forgiveness, and redemption.
I think it is accurate to say we believe They are one in every significant and
eternal aspect imaginable except believing Them to be three persons combined in
one substance, a Trinitarian notion never set forth in the scriptures because
it is not true.” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom
He Hath Sent”, Conference Report, October 2007)
IV.
Psalms
86:15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long
suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
There have been many Gods constructed by man in self-made
religions and mythologies. What makes
the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (who is also the God of Peter and Paul) unique
and different from the rest?
The one, true God is also our Heavenly Father, and we are his
children (see Acts 17: 27-29 & Hebrews 12: 6-10). Our Heavenly Father is profoundly
interested in the welfare of His children. He is not some remote or alien being
who has no interest in us and bears no resemblance to us; Rather, He has a body,
parts, and passions. God is compassionate and longsuffering. He is not
capricious or cruel. In his mercy, He seeks
to share all that He has with all of His children.
Moses 1:39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring
to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
Because God loves us so dearly, God has given us a plan of
happiness (also known as the plan of salvation/redemption) by which we may
learn and grow and make choices that will help us to gain these great
blessings, and the joy that accompanies them.
In fact, God is characterized by love to such a degree that
John declared that “God is love” (see 1 John 4:8). John goes on to say that the principal
demonstration of the love of God was that He chose to sacrifice His only
begotten son to atone for our sins, and to conquer death for us, so that we
might gain immortality and eternal life.
1 John 4:9-10 In this
was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only
begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love,
not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the
propitiation for our sins.
John 3:16-17 For God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to
condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
The plan of salvation depends entirely on Jesus Christ, and
His atonement, which He made on our behalf.
Without His sacrifice, the plan of salvation would be for naught, and we
would never be able to gain immortality and eternal life. In other words, we would remain subject to
the bondage of sin and death (the death of the spirit, and the death of the
body respectively), which would have disastrous consequences for us, especially
in eternity.
2 Nephi 9:10-12 O how great the goodness of our God, who
prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that
monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death
of the spirit. And because of the way of deliverance of our God, the Holy One
of Israel, this death, of which I have spoken, which is the temporal, shall
deliver up its dead; which death is the grave.
And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual death,
shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, death and
hell must deliver up their dead, and hell must deliver up its captive spirits,
and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the
spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the
resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.
Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation to them
which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the
law of sin and death.
The power of God’s love, especially as it is expressed
through the life and sacrifice of His Son, as it operates in our lives, is one
of the most compelling evidences for the existence, and the reality of
God. Once you have experienced the sweet
power of the atonement of Jesus Christ in your life, there can be no doubt in
your mind that there is a loving, interested God who directs the universe.
V.
Alma
30:44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast
had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign,
when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy
prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there
is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it,
yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular
form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.
Alma presents two sets of evidence for the existence of
God. The scriptures and the testimony of
“all the holy prophets,” as well as the intricate workings of the natural
universe.
As I mentioned in my introduction, it makes no sense to
discount or reject scripture as a valid source of evidence for the existence of
God. The scriptures represent the
testimony of eyewitnesses who claim to have seen or experienced God
directly. It also contains a record of
revelations given by God to prophets chosen by Him over the course of human
history. Even if you choose not to
accept these testimonies on blind faith, an honest search for God would still
require you to at least consider them.
“For, for this intent have we written these things, that
they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many
hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his
glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us. Behold, they
believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in his name, and also we worship
the Father in his name.” (excerpted from Jacob 4:4-5)
However, the scriptures are not the only evidence that one
can look to in order to discern the existence of God. As Alma says, “all things denote there is a
God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and
its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do
witness that there is a Supreme Creator.”
“Can any man who has walked beneath the stars at night, can
anyone who has seen the touch of spring upon the land doubt the hand of
divinity in creation? So observing the beauties of the earth, one is wont to
speak as did the Psalmist: ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament
sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night
sheweth knowledge.’ (Ps. 19:1–2.)
“All of beauty in the earth bears the fingerprint of the
Master Creator” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Be Not Faithless,” Ensign, May 1978, 59).
The beauty and wonder of creation is an incredible testimony
that there is a God who created the world. However, I think it is significant
that Alma first pointed to the scriptures as evidence. As I mentioned in my introduction, there are
many ways to interpret the miracle of creation, and not everyone is convinced
that the natural world represents a sign of God’s existence. Even among those who acknowledge some divine
agency behind the natural order of existence differ as to precisely what that
means.
Scripture helps to give sense and meaning to the awe and
wonder which nature inspires. It is scripture
that helps us know who and what God is, and why He does what he does. My point is, that both sources of evidence
complement each other, and work together as witnesses that there is indeed a
God, and to help us understand what that means.
However, no matter how much you study, or how much you may look for God in nature and scripture, none of that will matter if you do not obtain a witness of God through the Holy Spirit. Scripture is one way to gain access to the spirit, but there are many who study the scriptures carefully, and in great detail, and yet never manage to obtain the witness that only the Holy Ghost can bring, because they're not willing to take the next step. Thus, if you are truly committed to finding out if there is a God, you must be willing to do what it takes to gain a witness of the spirit.
However, no matter how much you study, or how much you may look for God in nature and scripture, none of that will matter if you do not obtain a witness of God through the Holy Spirit. Scripture is one way to gain access to the spirit, but there are many who study the scriptures carefully, and in great detail, and yet never manage to obtain the witness that only the Holy Ghost can bring, because they're not willing to take the next step. Thus, if you are truly committed to finding out if there is a God, you must be willing to do what it takes to gain a witness of the spirit.
Moroni 10:3-5 Behold,
I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God
that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath
been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the
time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when
ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the
Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye
shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he
will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by
the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.
D&C 20:17-19 By
these things we know that there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and
eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer
of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them; And that he created man,
male and female, after his own image and in his own likeness, created he them;
And gave unto them commandments that they should love and serve him, the only
living and true God, and that he should be the only being whom they should
worship.
There is a God, and He lives. He is mindful of each of us, and he is
profoundly concerned with our success in this life, as well as in
eternity. God’s whole purpose, His work
and His glory, is to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man. We are so important to Him, and He loves us
so much, that he sent His son to suffer and die for us, in order to overcome
sin and death for us, so that immortality and eternal life might be placed
within our reach. This is what He is all
about, and so it is not unreasonable to describe the process of coming to know
him in terms of eternal life. It matters that we know God, and that we know
there is a God, because eternal life is on the line.
John 17:3 And this is
life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom thou hast sent.
For more on the nature and reality of God check out these articles:
Both the testimonies of the prophets in the Holy Bible and the Book of Mormon testify of the Father and the Son.
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