According to the Pew Research Center, the number of atheists in our country has doubled over the last 10 years. While they still only make up roughly 4% of Americans, there are countries in Europe where 1 in every 4 people deny the existence of God. These numbers do not even include agnostics (those who deny that we can know that God exists with certainty) or those who are “indifferent” on the matter. The point is, if we are to “always be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you (us) to give an account for the hope that is in you (us)” (1 Peter 3:15), we must be able to prove the existence of God. Does God exist? How can you be sure? Consider one argument as it relates to this discussion.
Conflict proves the existence of God. Yes, however ironic that may sound, the quarrels and problems of man serve as evidence to the Divine being we know to be God. When we fight, we say things like, “I shared my toys with you, now you must share yours with me”, “You can’t steal my shoes, they belong to me”, or “You lied to me, that is not okay.” These examples may seem silly, but each of them points to the fact that we hold people to a standard of right and wrong. If these examples are not enough, all would agree that a man raping an innocent woman, parents sexually abusing their children, or the Nazi’s torturing and murdering Jews are all wrong and evil! Conflict often highlights that an objective moral standard exists. Morals do not come from man; if they did, the Nazi’s did nothing wrong because, in their own eyes, they thought they were right. No, objective morality was installed in us by Someone greater than any man. That someone is God. If objective morality exists, God exists. We know that objective morality exists; therefore, we know God exists.
If this topic interests you and you want to conduct further research, I would suggest an article like “The Moral Argument for the Existence of God,” written by our brother Eric Lyons, or brother Thomas B. Warren’s debates with Antony Flew and Wallace Matson. In our world, more and more people are denying the existence of God. May we always continue to better arm ourselves to defend Him.
-Bryce Mayfield