Does God even exist?

I personally think that’s the one question that changes everything.

Are we here on purpose, or by chance?
Is there something after death, or not?
Is there right and wrong, or is it all relative?
Do truth, beauty and love have meaning? And do they make a difference?

I think all of these questions underlie a bigger one: Does God even exist?

For three weeks at Westminster, I’m exploring three of the big arguments for the existence of God.

One is the argument from the stars. It basically goes like this (and keep in mind that I’m radically condensing here): In 1929 Edwin Hubble started exploring the stars. He found that the universe was massive—and expanding. He traced this expansion back to one moment—a big explosion; a “big bang”—when all space, matter, time and energy came into existence.

When it comes to logic and the scientific method, a central idea is this: Something can’t come from nothing. Babies don’t just appear. They come from somewhere. If there’s a knock on your door, something had to cause it. So what do you find when you apply that logic to the universe?
The evidence points to an intelligent mind, a Creator, outside of the physical matter of the universe.

Frances Collins is an award-winning scientist who mapped the human genome. He says, “The Big Bang cries out for a divine explanation. It forces the conclusion that nature had a defined beginning. I cannot see how nature could have created itself. Only a supernatural force that is outside of space and time could have done that.”

All of a sudden, Genesis 1:1 doesn’t sound so strange: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Whoever you are, follow the evidence. Philosopher Alvin Plantinga says there are over 20 solid arguments for the existence of God. What I like about this one, is that tells us that our universe is here on purpose.

(And so are you.)

Asking honest, thoughtful questions often results in discovering honest, thoughtful answers.

By Matthew Ruttan

• Today’s “Up!” is based on my Sunday message called “Does God Even Exist? – Part 1: Mind Before Matter.” I really enjoyed putting it together, and I hope you enjoy it. Click here to listen. And be sure to follow along with this 3-part series.