A.As we begin a study of the topic of Deity, let me disclose my subjective meaning of the term “Deity.”
1.In general, “deity” is a word that can describe any god in any system of religion.
a.Typically, deities are believed to have supernatural power and authority over people.
b.Also, deities are believed to have various forms in different religions.Some are unseen spiritual beings, some are manmade idols, and some are even animals.
2.For this study, I unapologetically approach the subject of Deity with an agenda of promoting Christianity.When I say, “Deity,” I intend to denote the God of the Bible.
B.To introduce this series of lessons on the topic of Deity, let us consider the benefits of such a study.
1.A study of Deity will exalt God in our hearts and enable us to further exalt Him in the world.
2.A study of Deity will counteract the blasphemy of the world against God.
3.A study of Deity will provoke humility, submission, and gratitude in ourselves before God.
4.A study of Deity will bring us closer to God.
C.The first lesson in this series is a matter of great importance, which is the question of evidence.How can we know that there is a Deity?
1.Nothing shapes a person’s way of life more than his or her beliefs about Deity.Therefore, establishing sound beliefs about Deity is of the utmost importance to every person.
a.If the God of the Bible exists, then He is the supreme authority over all, and every person is accountable to Him.
b.If there is no Deity, then there is no supreme authority and no accountability for man.
2.Those of us who are convinced to believe in the God of the Bible should be able to demonstrate good reasons for our belief.
a.The Bible requires believers to give an account of their belief (1Pet. 3:15), so let us do so.
b.With this purpose, we seek to present a few good reasons in this first lesson.
II.THE NATURE OF THE EVIDENCE
A.Because of the nature of Deity, the existence of God cannot be directly proven by observation.
1.The nature of God is spiritual rather than physical, so we cannot detect God by physical senses.
a.Jesus said, “God is spirit” (John 4:24).
i.The word “spirit” is from the Greek pneuma, which originally meant “a movement of air.”The idea is that of something unseen.
ii.Notice that Jesus did not say “a spirit” (KJV & ASV add the article “a”), but He said “spirit” to describe the quality of God’s spiritual nature.
b.John 1:18 says, “No man has seen God at any time.”
2.This does not mean that there is not physical evidence of God’s existence (see Acts 14:17).It only means that we cannot see, hear, touch, or otherwise physically experience Deity directly by experiment.
B.Nevertheless, there are other kinds of evidence that demonstrate the existence of Deity.
1.The existence of Deity can be proven by what legal experts call “prima facie” (Latin for “first appearance”) evidence.This means evidence that is sufficient to establish a fact unless disproved.
2.In the case of Deity, there is sufficient evidence in favor of God’s existence to establish it as a reasonable, logical, and intellectual faith rather than purely subjective, emotional, and blind belief.
C.Scripture reveals that this is by design, for God desires faith from us.
1.Notice that Hebrews 11:6 says that “without faith it is impossible to please” God.
a.This means that we cannot please God without believing in unseen things, for faith is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1).
b.Also notice Romans 8:24, which says that “hope that is seen is not hope.”
2.If God made His existence evident by sight or other physical senses, then He would take away our opportunity to believe in unseen things, have faith, and thus please Him.
III.A FEW GOOD REASONS TO BELIEVE
A.Reason #1: The explanation of the universe demands a powerful, intelligent Creator.
1.The Bible does not go to great lengths to prove God’s existence.The first verse of the Bible simply assumes it – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).Yet the creation itself is the most powerful physical evidence for the existence of Deity.
a.Logic and science tell us that such complex order and organization as we see in nature cannot happen by chance.It must be the work of a wonderful mind and a powerful hand.
b.Scripture declares this to be true.Consider the following:
i.“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” (Ps. 19:1)
ii.“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…” (Rom. 1:20)
2.Those who do not believe in Deity are left without a viable explanation for the universe.
a.No one has offered a sufficient natural explanation for the origin of the universe.
i.The “Big Bang” and Darwinian evolution theories are based on bad science and false assumptions.They illogically say that everything has come from nothing.
ii.The natural law of cause and effect says that for every effect there must be a sufficient cause.Christians know that the cause of the creation is God, “for every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God” (Heb. 3:4).
b.The complex order of the natural world cannot be explained by natural means.
i.It is a paradox – nature collectively is complexly organized, but all natural things tend to become disorganized (entropy – second law of thermodynamics).
ii.There must be an unnatural force that keeps nature in order.Christians know that it is the Lord who “upholds all things by the word of His power” (Heb. 1:3).
B.Reason #2: Man’s innate sense of conscience demands a source of moral authority.
1.The existence of Deity is the only reasonable explanation for basic, instinctive morality and conscience that transcends all cultures.
a.God has installed persons in every culture with a basic sense of right and wrong, which is morality.With that goes a basic sense of accountability, which is the conscience.
b.Notice Romans 2:14-15 – “For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them.”
2.There was a time in Europe and early America when the existence of God’s higher law was well recognized.
a.The matter of lawmaking was actually considered as a science of investigating and discovering what His law was.
b.The discovery of “natural law” and the establishment of “common law” for all citizens were concepts that the framers of the Constitution of the United States understood very well, but these concepts have been mostly and willfully forgotten today.
C.Reason #3: The inclination to believe in God is universal among mankind.
1.Anthropology (the study of humans and societies) has shown that in every culture and in every age of time, people have sought for Deity.
a.This instinct for Deity has often been misdirected away from the God of the Bible, but the instinct has always been there.
b.This universal need and desire for God cannot be explained by any natural means.
2.Notice how Paul explained this instinct in Acts 17:26-27 – “He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’”
IV.CONCLUSION – DO YOU BELIEVE?
A.Certainly, there are many other good reasons to believe in Deity, and even these reasons can be more thoroughly explained and expanded.
1.Truly, these points represent only a tiny fraction of the evidence for the God of the Bible.
2.In fact, a study of the Bible itself is highly effective in proving that there must be a Deity who authored such a uniform, prophetic book composed over 1,500 years by dozens of writers.
B.Nevertheless, the reasons we have considered are quite sufficient to show that belief in Deity is a reasonable, logical, and intellectual faith.Indeed, there is a God.
