SPECIAL REVELATION We previously said that the term “revelation” can be understood in its broad sense as a “communication from God” or its narrow sense as the “disclosure of something previously unknown.” The most important of these is the revelation of Jesus Christ. This includes the understanding that Jesus of Nazareth was more than a good man or wise teacher: … Read More
Resurrection (Part 1): Did Jesus Die, And Was He Buried In Joseph Of Arimathea’s Tomb?
REVIEW SPECIAL REVELATION In our last blog, we said that the term “revelation” can be understood in its broad sense as a “communication from God” or its narrow sense as the “disclosure of something previously unknown.” Now we want to talk about what theologians call “special revelation.” This is revelation about God that is not generally available to all people … Read More
Exclusivity: How Can You Legitimately Claim That Jesus Is The Only Way To God?
REVIEW We’ve presented five arguments for the existence of God and answered atheism’s objections about suffering in the world, God’s origin and his hiddenness. As Christians, we’ve already borne the burden of proof in presenting five arguments for God. In raising their objection about Jesus’ claim to exclusivity, it is atheism’s turn to bear the burden of proof and make … Read More
Properly Basic Belief: Is It Possible To Know That God Exists Without Any Of These Arguments?
REVIEW INTRODUCTION This blog does NOT present an argument for God’s existence. Rather, we now want to find out if it’s possible to know that God exists through direct experience and reason, without having any arguments available to us. Throughout history, most Christians came to believe in God through an entirely different and yet very legitimate, rational means: the inner … Read More
General Revelation (Part 2): What Happens To Those Who Have Never Heard The Gospel?
REVELATION General Revelation: In our last blog, we said that general revelation is the dual witness of nature and conscience that helps us understand there is a personal creator God (rather than a pantheistic God) who has embedded a moral sense in every person. Through general revelation, we obtain a general understanding about a personal, infinite God, we obtain a … Read More
General Revelation (Part 1): How Is It Possible To Know Anything At All About God?
INTRODUCTION In presenting these arguments, Christians bore the burden of proof or evidence. FIVE OBJECTIONS ANSWERED GOD’S APPARENT “HIDDENNESS” In our blog on God’s “hiddenness,” we discussed atheism’s assertion that, if there were a God, he would make his existence more obvious to us, perhaps by printing “made by God” on every molecule in the universe or by putting a … Read More
Burden Of Proof: How To Avoid The Unpleasant Task Of Presenting Evidence For “Atheism” — Should We Re-define It?
INTRODUCTION When we listen to debates on the internet, this is exactly what many of them are like. Sometimes the excuse is “You can’t prove a negative.” Sometimes they claim that “Since we don’t want to present any evidence for atheism, let’s just make atheism the default assumption.” Well, that would certainly be convenient for atheists. How about the recent … Read More
Summary Of Five Reasons And Their Accompanying Arguments For The Existence Of God
FIVE EXCELLENT REASONS TO BELIEVE IN GOD In any conversation with friends who are atheists, it’s very common to hear the refrain “there’s no evidence for God’s existence.” ______________________________________________________________________________________ FIVE ARGUMENTS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
God’s “Hiddenness”: If God Exists, Why Doesn’t He Make It More Obvious And End Unbelief In The World?
WHAT WE’VE LEARNED SO FAR: GOD EXISTS We now want to address a third objection that atheists raise concerning “God’s hiddenness.” Keep in mind that agnosticism merely says “we don’t know,” but atheism makes the claim “we know that God does not exist.” As they explain why this alleged “hiddenness” is a defeater of the arguments we’ve presented, we would … Read More
God’s “Origin”: Is The Question Of God’s Origin An Effective Argument Against His Existence?
WHAT WE’VE LEARNED SO FAR: GOD EXISTS As Christians, we’ve already borne the burden of proof in presenting five arguments for God. In raising their objection about God’s origin, it is atheism’s turn to bear the burden of proof and make their case that not knowing God’s origin somehow proves, or at least makes it more probable, that he does … Read More