Before answering the question on the existence of the God of the Bible, one needs to answer first if God exists and if so, who is that God. There is either a God or there is no God. Those who cannot answer this question or “sit on the fence” are those who are not sure if there really is a God. Indeed, faith is needed whichever position one takes. However, religion or the belief that there is a God is not the only thing that requires faith. For instance, you have faith that the bus driver will take you to your destination safely. There are many other real-life situations and circumstances where faith is needed.
Does God exist? Firstly, there is an intuition in man that there is God. Through all ages and civilisations, there have been examples of man being a worshipping creature. In Acts 17:15-34, we read of how Paul was in Athens preaching to the Gentiles and he said that they were too superstitious. The city streets were paved with idols and shrines, even one to an “unknown god”. Clearly, it indicates that man since times of old has an intuition in him to worship, no matter what “god” it was. The Bible tells us that man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26) and that God had set eternity in the hearts of mankind (Ecclesiastes 3:11). This would mean that man will have the capability of thinking of eternity, to question what happens when he or she dies and to intuitively know if there is God.
Secondly, we are aware of cause and effect whereby anything that exists has a cause. If you push (cause) an object, it moves (effect). If you step on the brakes of a car (cause), it slows down (effect). As the universe began to exist at a certain point in time, it must have something that caused it to exist. There are some possibilities we can consider with regards to this. Firstly, the universe has always existed and will continue to exist. Science actually refutes that something can exist by itself and that everything comes about as a result of a cause. Secondly, the universe created itself somehow. The first law of thermodynamics which states that energy can neither be created or destroyed refutes this statement. Thirdly, the universe was created by a superior being and it is not eternal. This statement seems to be the only possibility as it is in congruence with the second law of thermodynamics whereby everything will ultimately decay and will not be eternal. Physical death is one example of this. Thus, the universe has a beginning point and it was created. Everything has a creator and God created the universe (Hebrews 3:4; Genesis 1:1). From the universe that we can observe (effect), we can know God (cause) exists.
Thirdly, let us examine intelligent design. Singapore has an ongoing trial involving autonomous vehicles on the road. Even some of the MRT trains are already running without drivers. Such intelligent designs require designers who are intellectual and well versed in engineering, electronics, programming language and much more. The earth is at an appropriate distance from the sun such that life will not be burned up due to the scorching rays of the sun. The composition of the earth’s atmosphere is just right to sustain life which is not seen in other planets. The different organs in our human body all consist of complex cells and tissues but they come together and ensure that the body can function in the manner it is supposed to do. Mankind also designed things that mimic what we can see in nature, for instance the design of a swimsuit to mimic the skin of a shark so as to reduce drag when swimming. Such intelligent designs in nature and the universe must surely indicate that there is an intelligent designer who is a supreme being and that is God.
Fourthly, mankind has a sense of morality unlike animals. This moral sense of what is right or wrong must have been planted in us by a supreme being. As such, there will be a moral law-giver who is above all mankind and that will indicate the existence of God.
Finally, there is evidence from the Bible which indicates the existence of God. The fulfilment of the prophecies in the Bible and how there is perfect harmony despite being written by more than forty different writers over 1500 years, of different occupations and places indicate that there must be someone (a higher being) who put all these together. This points to the existence of God. Just having 5 students of the same age in the same class writing on the same topic will yield different thoughts and possibly contradictions. Thus, whatever the writers of the books in the Bible wrote must surely have been inspired by God as there are no contradictions.
The God of the Bible exists and He is living today!