There Is a God

In days and centuries past, men understood and acknowledged that there was a God, even if they chose not to obey Him (Act 17:23; Rom 1:20–22; cf. 2Co 4:4). But in today’s modern, so-called “enlightened” society dominated by public opinion and the science of man, we must reassert that foundation before we can even begin with the Gospel message. Therefore, know that “there is a God” (Psa 58:11; Dan 2:28; cf. Gen 1:1; Deu 4:29; Psa 14:1–3; 19:1–3; 53:1–3; 90:2; 115:15; 145:18; Pro 1:7; 3:5–7; 9:10; Isa 55:6; Jer 29:13; Luk 12:5; Joh 1:18; Act 17:22–29; Rom 1:20–21; 1Co 8:6; 1Th 1:9; Heb 11:6; 1Jn 4:8; Rev 3:20; 4:11). There are no other gods (little g; Isa 44:8; 45:5–6, 18, 21–22; 46:9; Deu 4:35, 39; 32:39; 1Ki 8:60; 1Ch 16:26; Psa 96:5; Joe 2:27; 1Co 8:4; 1Ti 1:17; 2:5; Rom 1:20–25). God is not a force, a feeling, or an “it”; He is a spiritual being of immense holiness, righteousness, love, purity, power, and intelligence far beyond anything we can comprehend (Isa 6:3; 55:8–9; Pro 3:19; Rev 4:8; 1Pe 1:16; 1Jn 4:8–10).

God introduces Himself in the very first verse of the Bible (Gen 1:1) and is identified by the word “Elohim,”[1]^, [2] which conveys the quality or nature of being divine—that is, having the essential nature of deity. His name is given as “YHWH”[3] (Gen 2:4; Exo 6:2–3) in the original Hebrew texts of the Old Testament (OT).[4] It is also written as “Yahweh,” “Jehovah”/“Jehovah,” and “Lord” in various English translations (Gen 2:4; Exo 6:2–3).[5] God’s name is also given in idiom form as “I AM WHO I AM” or simply “I AM” (Exo 3:13–14; cf. Joh 8:58).[6]

He alone is “holy” (Lev 19:2; Rev 4:8; Act 7:33; 1Pe 1:16; Isa 6:3; Psa 11:4; 29:2; 103:1), perfect, omnipotent (all powerful), omnipresent (everywhere present), omniscient (all knowing—past, present, and future), and eternal (Joh 1:1–2; 8:58; 17:5; Rev 1:8, 17–18; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13; Heb 1:10–12; 13:8; 1Pe 1:20; Exo 3:13–14; Col 1:17; Isa 9:6; 43:13; Psa 90:2; Pro 8:22–30; Mic 5:2).[7] There is nothing unclean whatsoever in Him (1Jn 1:5; 3:5; Jas 1:17; Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8–10; Psa 5:4; 145:17; Tit 1:2; Heb 4:15; 1Pe 1:19; Num 23:19; cf. Gal 5:9), for “God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1Jn 1:5; cf. Rom 3:4; 9:14; Mat 4:16; 17:2; Luk 1:79; Joh 1:5; 3:19; 8:12; 12:35, 46; Mic 7:8; Job 12:22). Yes, God is the great “I AM.” He is “the Lord of hosts” (see Psa 24:10; 46:7, 11; 48:8; 84:1, 3, 12; Isa 1:9). Nothing can surprise Him or catch Him off guard, and there is nothing that He doesn’t know, for “nothing is hidden” from God.[8] Furthermore, nothing is impossible with God (Mat 19:26; Mar 10:27; 14:36; Luk 1:37; 18:27; Gen 18:14; Num 11:23; Jer 32:27). He “upholds all things by the word of His power” (Heb 1:3), and it is He who created and sustains all life, for without God, there can be no life. “God is love” itself (1Jn 4:8, 16), and He is majesty defined. Amazing!

GOD IS SPIRIT

Those who mock God and refuse to believe that He exists because “science can’t prove it”[9] fail to understand that “God is Spirit” (Joh 4:24; cf. 2Co 3:17), “who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see” (1Ti 6:16; cf. 1Ti 1:17; Joh 1:18; 5:37; Mat 17:2; Rom 1:20; Col 1:15–16). He is not bound by space and time, as we are in this physical universe. Therefore, we must find God through faith, as it is written:

• “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is [i.e., that He exists] and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb 11:6; Heb 7:25; 11:27; Joh 1:18; 5:36; 10:25, 30, 32, 38; 12:38–40; 14:7–11, 20; Col 1:15–19; 2:2, 9; Rom 1:19–20; 2:15; Psa 19:1–4; Act 14:16–17; Jas 4:8);
• “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (Rev 3:20);
• “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer 29:13; Jer 24:7; Deu 4:29; 30:2, 10; Luk 11:9–10; Act 8:37; 17:27; Psa 91:15; 119:2, 10, 145; Isa 55:6–7; Hos 5:15; Amo 5:4; Zep 2:3; Joe 2:12; contrast with Mat 15:8; Psa 14:1; 53:1; 1Co 1:18–24; 2:14); and
• “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
  To all who call upon Him in truth” (Psa 145:18).

THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD

The Bible is God’s Holy Word, supernaturally given to us through human writers inspired by the Holy Spirit (2Ti 3:16–17; 2Pe 1:19–21; Heb 4:12; 1Co 2:12–13; 14:37; cf. 2Sa 23:2; Mat 4:4; Joh 14:26; 16:13; 17:17; Act 1:16; 1Th 2:13), and it was written for our benefit (Rom 15:4; cf. Pro 5:23; Psa 19:8; 119:16, 105).[10] Every word is, therefore, inspired and inerrant in the original languages;[11] Scripture is without error, without contradiction, doesn’t change, and is never broken (Psa 119:89, 152, 160; Heb 13:8; Joh 10:35; Mat 5:18; Isa 40:8; 1Pe 1:25). It is written that God doesn’t change His mind and also that “God is not a man, that He should lie” (Num 23:19; cf. Rom 3:4; Tit 1:2; Heb 6:18; 13:8; Jas 1:17), so we can trust God and know that every single syllable and word of Scripture is there for a reason and will come true.[12]^, [13] It is through Scripture that we know and understand God, along with His laws and rules for us, His plans for humanity, and our eternal destiny.

YOU MUST DENY REASON AND LOGIC TO DENY GOD

Please understand that God is not asking you to “blindly believe” in Him. He has provided much evidence and proof of His existence. In fact, the Bible provides overwhelming evidence for God (through fulfilled prophecies, etc.), and many other disciplines provide supporting evidence that what the Bible says is indeed true—through fields such as archaeology, geology, and history (both literary and world).[14] One comes to faith after a logical, rational, and reasoned evaluation and examination of all the available facts, as well as from hearing the Gospel explained (what this book is doing; Rom 10:17). In summary, God has revealed Himself to us through:

1. Evidence of creation as seen in nature (Rom 1:19–20; Act 14:16–17; Psa 8:3–4; 19:1–6; Isa 40:26; Job 38:1–42:6),
2. His Holy Word, the Bible (2Ti 3:16–17; Heb 4:12; Pro 30:5),[15] and
3. Through His Son, Jesus Christ (Col 1:15; Heb 1:1–4).

Therefore, those who deny God are doing so against an overwhelming mountain of evidence that speaks to and confirms His existence, and they are also doing so against their own inner conscience (Rom 1:18–20; Act 14:17; Psa 19:1–4; cf. Rom 2:15; Act 17:23–30), which testifies to them that “there is a God” (Rom 1:20–25).

[1] The word “Elohim” is plural, and we understand today that God exists as three Persons: Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost). Each Person is fully God and also fully One Themselves. God uses plural pronouns (Us, Our) when referring to Himself (see Gen 1:26). It is very difficult for our minds to comprehend the fullness of God as expressed by a Holy Trinity. In fact, our finite intellect cannot begin to approach God’s infinite mind or His infinite knowledge and wisdom (Isa 55:8–9). See also Wayne Jackson, “The Biblical Doctrine of the Godhead,” Christian Courier, https://christiancourier.com/articles/the-biblical-doctrine-of-the-godhead, and Wayne Jackson, “What about the Terms ‘Godhead’ and ‘Trinity’?” Christian Courier, https://christiancourier.com/articles/what-about-the-terms-godhead-and-trinity.

[2] Ĕlôhı̂ym or אֱלֹהִים in Hebrew, theos or θεός in Greek.

[3] Also, YHVH. This is called the tetragrammaton (i.e., four letters), which means “to be.” It indicates and denotes God’s self-existent, eternal nature.

[4] Hebrew: יְהֹוָה (Hebrew is read from right to left).

[5] The word “Adonai” (ădônây, meaning Lord or Master) is also used for God, which is rendered as “Lord” (standard capitalization) in English Bibles. So, for example, where you see it written “Lord God,” this reads as “Adonai YHWH” (“ădônây yehôvâh”) (Gen15:2).

[6] An idiom is an expression with a meaning that cannot be understood by the individual words. This expression could be translated as “I will become whatsoever I may become,” again denoting God’s essential self-existent, eternal nature of “being” or “He who becometh.” In effect, the expression “I AM” explains what the name “YHWH” means: God is externally self-existing.

[7] Holy means sacred and morally perfect (pure). His holiness is beyond anything we can imagine; please do not underestimate this fact. We often fail to ascribe to God His proper holiness while simultaneously grossly underappreciating how bad even the most minor of sins are when compared to a holy God. It is altogether too easy to become complacent and treat God casually and not with the honor and respect that He deserves.

[8] See the chapter “The Day of Judgment” for verse references.

[9] See the chapter “Science versus the Bible.”

[10] The Bible was written over several thousand years as God progressively revealed Himself to us along with His plan for humanity as it unfolded throughout history. See also the chapter “Choosing a Bible.”

[11] Hebrew and Aramaic (OT); Greek (NT).

[12] See the chapter “Reading and Studying the Bible.”

[13] This also includes every promise He has made to us in Scripture!

[14] See again the chapter “Science versus the Bible.”

[15] The Bible contains hundreds of fulfilled prophecies, documented miracles, and eyewitness testimonies.