The Verdict

         Today, in some circles, claiming one's self to be an atheist is seen as an intellectual badge of honor. I think it used to be more common - when someone claimed to be an atheist, it turned out that they were really more of an agnostic - meaning someone who didn't believe in God simply because they weren't really sure. - They left room for the possibility of a higher being, but they struggled with taking that leap of faith.

Now - many - even if they haven't taken the time to fully examine the Bible or any evidence - they confidently conclude that there is no God; there's no possibility that there's a God, and anyone who would believe such a thing is a fool. - So I guess that brings me to our big question, "So What", we'll just finish up and go home... No, this 'fool' has a bit more to say...

I'd like to look more at this idea that people believe, with 100% confidence, that there is...

I. No evidence for God

Now as we look at this - we need to make a distinction between evidence and proof. Evidence refers to information or facts that help us to establish the truth or existence of something. Proof is the sum of the evidence which helps to prove something. 'Proof is the final verdict that removes all doubts whereas evidence only leads one in the direction of a fact or statement.' I'll come back to that idea...

Now, all of us have had doubts at one time or another. That's to be expected. Even those who saw Jesus with their own eyes had struggles of their own. Let's look at the passage from John 20:24-29 (NIV)

Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. (25) So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." (26) A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" (27) Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." (28) Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" (29) Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

In this account, Jesus blessed "those who have not seen and yet have believed". I think we fall into that category. None of us has physically seen Jesus with our own eyes - but we believe. Sure, there are times when we doubt, just like Thomas - but doubting is very different from outright rejection. And just because we haven't physically seen God with our own eyes, that doesn't mean there is no evidence.

Even if you set aside the entire Bible and the historical fact that God came down in the person of Jesus - there is still evidence for the existence of God. But even among those who saw Jesus perform miracles with their own eyes - many of them still rejected Him. Nonetheless, I still want to do an overview of some of the evidence starting with...

A. Information and design

As intelligent human beings - we know that legitimate, organized information does not just spontaneously appear - but all of the building blocks of life, our cells, our DNA, all contain highly detailed information on how to build us. And information like that does not just appear in nature without a creative mind behind it. We may not be able to point directly to God - but we do have His handiwork, His fingerprints all over creation!

There's a prevalent idea that ancient man was 'unenlightened'. Many modern people believe that we have evolved in our thinking beyond the point of needing to explain everything around us with this idea of some Creator - with God. So we are somehow, incredibly intellectually superior to everyone else who came before us....?

It always concerns me when highly educated people rationalize away obvious facts. Organized information always demands intelligence behind it. A complex design demands a designer. The highly sophisticated creation we see all around us had to have had a designer. And even ancient man was smart enough to recognize that fact. The Bible claims (Genesis 1:1 NIV)...

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

There is evidence of God all around us. Without God, without a Creator, there is no creation. People can reject that fact, but simple scientific investigation proves that someone - something - had to have created what we see all around us. And we also understand the basic idea that 'things' have a beginning. There's a concept called 'the law of...

B. Causality

It's the understanding that everything that had a beginning had a cause. Either something caused the universe to come into existence or nothing caused it...

Scientists now believe that they can demonstrate that the universe did in fact have a beginning. The concept used to describe this event is called the 'big bang' theory where high density matter and energy coalesced and exploded and expanded out to form the known universe. But what science has yet to be able to explain - what was the 'cause' of this beginning? From where did this matter and energy come that 'exploded' and eventually created highly complex life and this highly organized universe with its natural and physical laws?

So we have to believe that both matter and energy have always been - or - a Creator of matter and energy has always been. Either way - since none of us were actually there at the beginning - it requires faith to believe either incredible concept. And while science doesn't yet have a real explanation for the cause of this beginning - the One who was there tells us it happened this way in John 1:1-3 (NIV)...

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was with God in the beginning. (3) Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

The Bible teaches us that God's Word was the creative force behind everything that was made. And the Bible also tells us that God's Word 'became flesh and lived among us'. Jesus was, is, that Word - Jesus was the 'cause', the power behind the beginning of everything! God literally 'spoke' everything into existence; He created everything out of nothing.

Now I'll admit, that sounds kinda crazy - but so does the idea of a huge explosion creating life and complex order out of chaotic gases and energy. Now - I will choose to believe the evidence of God, the Creator behind creation - but...

II. Why does it matter?

Many 'Church folk' get very bothered because of the apparent rejection of science by those who choose to believe scripture over man's scholarly theories. Many in the Church are even embarrassed when 'simple preachers' talk about scientific concepts because 'those outside of the Church' just laugh at our foolishness and ignorance. - But why is it that evidence for God's existence, proven by scientific laws, the fact that complex information in creation demands an intelligent creator, the fact that the beginning of the universe, the design demands a creator - that evidence is casually dismissed as nothing.

Why does it matter if people believe in God or not? Why do we have to argue? - I can earnestly, sincerely believe, with all my heart that I can jump off of a 30 story building and be fine. But my belief, my conviction won't change the law of gravity and save me from being killed. What we believe matters. The Apostle Paul informed his readers in Romans 1:18-22 (NIV)...

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, (19) since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. (20) 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 men are without excuse. (21) For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. (22) Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools...

To those who choose to reject the existence of God, no amount of evidence will matter. And it's not really even about the evidence itself, but through exploring that evidence - finding Jesus. It's a matter of choosing to seek God, through faith, even when you don't have all the answers. The writer of Hebrews said (Hebrews 11:6 NIV)...

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Unfortunately, when people reject the evidence of God's existence, everything they believe based on that faulty premise is false. You have to begin with an...

A. Accurate foundation

Understanding the evidence of God's existence in all of creation is essential to everything else we believe. How can I attempt to teach from God's Word if a person doesn't even believe in God? How can I address sin, or repentance, or salvation, or grace without God?

Let's even take this outside of the Church. For those who would rather not be a part of the Church - does it matter to them? Without God - there can be no morality. Without God - who's to say what's right or what's wrong? Without God there is no higher authority than ourselves - so why would it be wrong to do 'whatever we feel like' as long as we aren't really hurting anyone?

Morality that is based on the foundation of God's Word is unchanging. God's values are unchanging. Society changes all the time - what used to be taboo is now celebrated. Think about it - many believe I could get drunk, engage in sex outside of marriage, cheat on my wife - but if I did all that while wearing a mask, getting my vaccine, supporting local business and recycling - I could then still be considered a 'good person'.

I am of course not against those things - but new morality becomes based on what society says rather than on God's Word.

Without God, even for those who deny God's existence, they would have no real foundation for such things as democracy, no foundation for freedom. Without God - why should people be treated equal under the law? Just because I say so...? Without God - why would it be wrong for one person to own another as property? Without a recognition of God given rights - there can be no liberty; there can be no freedom.

But yet, many continue to ignore the evidence and reject God. And that's why society continues down the path of moral relativism, and hurting and confused people continue to suffer under the 'slavery of sin'.

How do you convince someone that Jesus is God's Son sent to save them from an eternity in Hell when they don't even believe in God? 'No Father' equals 'no Son' - and 'no Son' equals the reality of...

B. Lost people

And it's never been a matter of 'I'm right' and 'they're wrong' as if 'winning an argument' saved someone's soul.

Last Sunday, I talked about the effects of grabbing high voltage wires. Pretend you and I walk up to a fence with a sign that says "High voltage". I say, "I believe that sign". You say, "I don't." We argue, I make all sorts of fine sounding, logical points - you counter - we go back and forth. But in the end - you get mad at me and you say, 'I'll prove it!" and you grab the fence and you get electrocuted. Turns out I was right - congratulations to me! Yay!!!!!

No! I'm not celebrating - you're dead! At that point, it's not a matter of who was right - it's a matter of what is true, not who believed what.

So I choose to accept the truth from The One to whom the evidence points - the One who was there in the beginning - and He said (Matthew 7:13-14 NIV)...

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. (14) But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Whether people believe it or not - many people will end up in Hell with the reality of complete separation from God and from all of His blessings. And at the end, many of the same people who proudly reject the existence of God will believe that they are good people and ask, 'But why would a good God send me to Hell?'

God doesn't send anyone to Hell - you choose it by rejecting Him. God has revealed Himself in His creation. God came down in the person of Jesus to save each and every one of us! Jesus established His Church to proclaim His message. God has done everything but force you to accept Him. And He doesn't want that - He wants you to respond to all that He has given you, to respond to Him in love.

Those who choose to deny God's existence, to deny Jesus - that is their God given freedom to do so, whether they understand the irony of that or not. Everyone has a choice - to accept God or reject Him. But those of us who have accepted God - we still have a choice. What do we choose to do about those who are lost?

Do we get angry with them for mocking our beliefs? Do we sit and complain about them amongst ourselves? Do we just write them off as foolish, as a lost cause? - Or - do we pray for them, reach out to them and try to show them the very real love of Jesus Christ?

So What?

I stated at the very beginning - 'Proof is the final verdict that removes all doubts, whereas evidence only leads one in the direction of a fact or statement.' Jesus is the proof of God. The fact that He defeated death and came back to life - that's proof, a historical fact. But many still deny the evidence and reject the proof. God provided the evidence; it's up to each individual to personally decide the verdict...

There is a Heaven and there is a Hell. Many will end up in Heaven and a great deal more will end up in Hell. Do we live our lives like those facts matter? Do we do more than just attending a Church service, in person or online, or do we actively share the message of Jesus? And as I stand here - I can look out and think about a whole lot of you who do just that; who respond to God's grace in your life by reaching out to others.

And I know that we can't reach everyone in this world who rejects God. I understand that. But among the large number of people who do not make it to Heaven - many of those people will be people that you personally know; people with whom you have a personal relationship. Some of those people may be your family members. What will you do this week to change their eternity?

God is real - there is evidence of Him all around. And the evidence of His grace and mercy is proven by the fact that He has accepted us as His children. Begin that conversation with someone you know - talk to them about God; talk to them about Jesus. Make a difference in their life!