Week 2- Is There A God?


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Week 2- Is There A God? Monday: Doesn’t science disprove God? "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.” (1 Corinthians 3:19) He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:17) Science has proved itself an invaluable tool, increasing our knowledge of the way things work, improving our health, and helping us solve the world’s problems. Daily there are new scientific breakthroughs. Unfortunately, science is limited. The scientific process is confined to the natural (or material) world—what we can observe with our five senses in the here and now. Would we use a telescope to observe the patterns of history? Would we apply the Laws of Thermodynamics for a better understanding of Shakespeare? What science has done is show the astonishingly intricate and complex inner workings of organisms. It has proven that without certain, defined rules held in perfect order, neither the universe nor anything it contains would be able to exist. Scientific theorists have provided us with the foundation to ask bigger and better questions—and some have even made an argument for intelligent design. Far from disproving the existence of God, science has underscored the need for us to ask these questions and to seek appropriate tools to equip us in our search for him. Science provides many answers but as it is bound to the material world, it cannot satisfy all of our questions. Consider This: 1. If science is limited to the realm of the physical, how might you gain further knowledge and understanding about spirituality or about God himself? 2. Based on your own experience, what do you sense is true about the spiritual realm? Do you believe you have a spirit? Why or why not? Take Action: One of the main ways Christians are taught to seek further knowledge of God and themselves is through prayer. Consider praying through your questions before God this week. Take note of what you learn and experience through this practice.

Week 2- Is There A God? Tuesday: Is there a God? The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (Psalm 19:1) For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20) “The very impossibility in which I find myself to prove that God is not, discovers to me his existence.” — Voltaire To some, God’s existence is as obvious as the nose on their face. To others, it can seem frustratingly elusive. To still others, God’s existence is an impossibility. Well, we can’t all be right. So which is it? On the one hand, if there is a God, it gives us meaning and hope. On the other hand, it means we are morally accountable to someone higher than ourselves. We all already have a bias for or against God. Maybe you have hope that there is a purpose behind your suffering and you want there to be a reason for it all. Or maybe you just want to subscribe to the thought that you only live once—so live it up now in any way you can. The problem, of course, is that we all have to admit that it’s impossible to prove or disprove the existence of God. In fact, the only thing we can do is identify evidence for or against a particular view. Yet there are some things that we all experience—beauty, morality, desire—that do seem to indicate the existence of something higher than our own little lives. We are complex creatures in a complex world, wrestling with the same fundamental questions. We all seek to fill a void in our lives that provides a purpose to our existence. In the end, each of us must take the data available to us, sift through it, and make an informed decision. Is there a God which fills the void perfectly? Consider This: 1. What is the biggest obstacle you face in terms of coming to grips with the idea of the existence of God? Why? 2. What implications would the existence of God have on you personally? Name both the positive and the negative. Take Action: Search your heart and honestly categorize yourself as one who does or does not want there to be God.

Week 2- Is There A God? Wednesday: Who cares if there’s a God? For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20) God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. (John 4:24) Whether we like it or not, each of us has a vested interest in whether or not God exists, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Picture a man who invests every cent he has into starting a small business. It’s a high-risk venture. If it succeeds, the profits could exceed his wildest expectations. But if it fails, he could end up bankrupt and destitute. It would be ludicrous for such a man to have an attitude of total indifference toward his investment. Yet that is exactly the attitude many take regarding the existence of God. Some argue that they never personally invested anything in the question of whether or not God exists. They plead neutrality, preferring to sit on the sidelines, refusing to choose one team or the other. But the reality is that while we are alive, we are all playing the game. Every day of our lives, we make a decision for or against God. The wager has already been made. As the seventeenth-century French thinker Blaise Pascal once said, “We’re already committed.” With God, the stakes are extraordinarily high. He demands whole-hearted devotion from us. He doesn’t just want our Sunday mornings or 10 percent of our paychecks; he wants our entire lives. If we are willing to make that kind of investment, we will reap an everlasting reward. Consider This: 1. Can humans ever really opt out of life or not care about anything? Why or why not? 2. If eternity is as real as this life on earth, how are you going to opt in? What does that look like in terms of coming to grips with the idea of God? Take Action: Read one of the following recommended titles: The God Question by J. P. Moreland; The God Who Is There by Francis Schaeffer, or Intellectuals Don't Need God and Other Modern Myths by Alister E. McGrath.

Week 2- Is There A God? Thursday: What is a “soul”? Do I have one? Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28) Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5) The question of the soul is a matter of great mystery and debate. Discerning the truth requires an open mind and heart. Philosophers make a wide range of assertions regarding the existence of a soul, its nature, and how we can know whether it––or we––exist. Many scientists firmly conclude that there is no spiritual realm, only material: once your body dies, you die. However, almost all world religions concur that humans have a spiritual dimension as well as a physical one. Some claim the human soul is immortal; going through cycles of reincarnation until it one day escapes its ties to the flesh and enters nirvana. Religions such as this also believe in a universal soul, like a river or life force that flows through all living beings with no individual distinction. Christianity teaches that God, the divine creator, is the only eternal Spirit. Every other “soul” or “spirit” was created by God. These souls have a definite beginning but were created to live eternally––either in God’s presence or separated from it, depending on whether or not an individual put their trust in him. Many will claim they can prove the existence of their soul and much of one’s understanding of this matter is based on faith alone. Consider This: 1. How can you develop a more robust understanding of the soul? What sources have you studied? Which ones most resonate with you? 2. Have any of your sources provided you with uncontroversial proof that a spiritual realm exists? 3. What do you need to experience, read, or know to believe in the existence of your soul? What role does faith have in your process? Take Action: “Faith is a function of the soul.” Write the best definition you can come up with for “soul.” Now, write the best definition you can come up with for “faith.” Assess whether you agree or disagree with that statement.

Week 2- Is There A God? Friday: If there is a God, is he/she/it involved in the world? “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” (Proverbs 16:9) “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17) I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ (Isaiah 46:10) The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. (Hebrews 1:3) The God of the Bible is intimately involved in his creation, sustaining it every moment. He has even entered it by taking on human flesh. A common metaphor used for God is “Grand Watchmaker.” The watchmaker meticulously designs all the springs and gears of his timepiece, configuring them in just the right way to accurately tell the time. His skill and intelligence are evident in his product. Once the watchmaker winds up the watch, however, he walks away and the watch will run by itself. This is the default understanding of many who profess belief in God. They think that God simply set the world in motion, but he is not active in it, nor does he really care about it. But then the question is: Why would God go to the trouble of making everything in existence only to turn his back on it all? The Bible presents a very different picture of God. This is a God who upholds the universe by the word of his power (Hebrews 1:3) and who answers our prayers (Matthew 7:11). This is a God who even entered into our mundane existence by taking on human flesh and identifying with our weaknesses so that we could have a relationship with him (Hebrews 4:15-16). Surely, this is a God who cares deeply about his creation. Consider This: 1. If God were a “watchmaker,” what would that make us? Considering that we are not merely “gears” or lifeless parts of a machine, what does this mean for our relationship with our maker? 2. Where do you think you might see evidence of the hand of God in the world around you? 3. If God is as relational as he describes himself in the Bible, how should we respond? Take Action: Observe the machines and technology around you and think of what it takes to maintain and repair them. Now consider the cosmic ecosystem that swirls around you, the earth with its countless organisms and intricate systems. Think of what it would take to sustain that!