His Word Today

A familiar common phrase, or idiom, is “good things come in small packages.” What the phrase means is often the things that have the most value or quality are small. In other words, the size of something does not always properly indicate its value.

Such is the case perhaps with the New Testament book, Philemon. This brief Pauline Epistle contains only 25 verses and one chapter. Yet like the familiar phrase, even though Philemon is a small epistle it contains sound theology particularly concerning the doctrine of forgiveness.

Philemon, the recipient of this letter, was a prominent member of the church at Colossae (vv. 1–2; cf. Col. 4:9). This local church met in his house (Philem. 2). Paul’s letter was for him, his family, and the church. It is also for us (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

The epistle identifies the Apostle Paul as its author (vv. 1, 9, 19). This claim has met very few detractors in church history. One of the reasons for this is that Philemon contains no content that a forger would have been motivated to write.

The Epistle of Philemon is referred to as one of Paul’s Prison Epistles, along with Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. It is closely connected to Colossians, which Paul wrote approximately at the same time (c. A.D. 60–62; cf. vv. 1, 16). Paul’s authorship of Philemon was unquestioningly supported by such early church fathers as Jerome, John Chrysostom, and Theodore of Mopsuestia.

What is the background and setting for the epistle? Philemon had been converted to Christ several years earlier under Paul’s ministry at Ephesus (v. 19). Due to the fact that Philemon was wealthy, he had a large enough house in which the church could meet (cf. v. 2). Philemon also owned slaves. One such slave was a man named Onesimus (lit., “useful”; a common name for slaves).

We discover that Onesimus was not a believer in Christ at the time he stole some money (v. 18) from Philemon and ran away. Like many other runaway slaves, Onesimus fled to Rome. He sought to lose himself in the imperial capital’s huge and commonplace slave population. It was through the providence of God, in circumstances not recorded in Scripture, that Onesimus met Paul in Rome and was converted to Christ.

What were the circumstances by which you were converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? It is wise to always remember what we were before our conversion to Christ. This prompts us to appreciate what we are as forgiven believers in Christ.

More to come. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

Dr. Keith A. Mathison is professor of systematic theology at Reformation Bible College in Sanford, Fla. In June 2003, Dr. Mathison wrote an article in Tabletalk Magazine entitled the Existence and Attributes of God. The following is an excerpt from that article.

For those who wish to begin digging deeply into what Scripture teaches about God, there is no better place to go than to Stephen Charnock’s The Existence and Attributes of God, published by Baker Books. At 1,150 pages, this book is not for the faint-hearted. It involves a major commitment of time and effort. But then, most things that are worthwhile do.

The book is divided into 14 discourses. In each discourse, Charnock takes one topic and exhaustively examines what the Bible tells us about it. He begins with two very helpful discourses on the existence of God and practical atheism. He takes as his starting point Psalm 14:1: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” He examines what it means to deny the existence of God and explains that many who profess belief in God with their mouths deny belief in God with their actions.

As Paul explains, “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him” (Titus 1:16). Charnock elaborates: “Evil works are a dust stirred up by an atheistical breath. He that habituates himself in some sordid lust, can scarcely be said seriously and firmly to believe that there is a God.…” The old cliché, “Actions speak louder than words,” is certainly applicable here. The essence of practical atheism is to live “as if’ God does not exist.

In the remaining discourses, Charnock discusses at great length various attributes of God: His spiritual nature, eternity, immutability, omnipresence, knowledge, wisdom, power, holiness, goodness, dominion, and patience.

One of the most edifying sections of each discourse is that in which Charnock explains the practical relevance of truly knowing and understanding a particular attribute of God. In dealing with God’s eternality, for example, Charnock explains how an understanding of this attribute helps us to overcome our fear of death. He writes: “It is impossible that the believer, who is united to the immortal God that is from everlasting to everlasting can ever perish; for being in conjunction with him who is an ever-flowing fountain of life, he cannot suffer him to remain in the jaws of death.”

In addressing the much-maligned doctrine of immutability, Charnock explains how it is a profound comfort to God’s people: “What comfort could it be to pray to a God that like the chameleon changed colors every day, every moment? What encouragement could there be to lift up our eyes to one that were of one mind this day and of another mind tomorrow?”

Too many Christians think of the attributes of God as obscure, impractical doctrines. To the contrary, as Charnock observes, there are no more practical doctrines in Scripture than those that reveal to us the nature of God.

Charnock has written a book that is a spiritual gold mine. It will drive you to Scripture and to your knees in adoration of the living God who has revealed Himself in His holy Word. Men today have forgotten God. Allow the great Puritan Stephen Charnock to remind you again of who He is.

Soli deo Gloria!

Not only is there evidence for God’s existence from biblical revelation but there are also the philosophical arguments supporting the concept of God’s existence. Admittedly, these arguments may not convince those antagonistic to the Christian faith of its validity. However, they do provide a thought provoking response to those who contend that Christianity does not contain any assemblage of reasoning or logical thought. 

What then are the philosophical arguments for God’s existence? They include the ontological argument, the cosmological argument, the teleological argument, the moral argument, the anthropological argument, the religious experience argument and the argument from the existence of miracles: most notably Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead.

The Argument from Religious Experience is the argument that personal religious experiences can prove God’s existence to those that have them. One can only perceive that which exists, and so God must exist because there are those that have experienced Him.

While religious experiences themselves can only constitute direct evidence of God’s existence for those fortunate enough to have them, the fact that there are many people who testify to having had such experiences constitutes indirect evidence of God’s existence even to those who have not had such experiences themselves. The prophet Isaiah faithfully served the LORD, based upon his religious experience recorded in Isaiah 6:1-8:

“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:1-8, ESV)

We will pause in our survey of the philosophical evidences for the existence of God in order to examine Isaiah’s experience of encountering the One, True God who is holy, holy, holy.

Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

Not only is there evidence for God’s existence from biblical revelation but there are also the philosophical arguments supporting the concept of God’s existence. Admittedly, these arguments may not convince those antagonistic to the Christian faith of its validity. However, they do provide a thought provoking response to those who contend that Christianity does not contain any assemblage of reasoning or logical thought. 

What then are the philosophical arguments for God’s existence? They include the ontological argument, the cosmological argument, the teleological argument, the moral argument, the anthropological argument, the religious experience argument and the argument from the existence of miracles: most notably Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead.

The Anthropological Argument indicates that man is a unique creation by God. The Scriptures claim that man was created in the image of God(Gen. 1:26-27).

In June 2003, Dr. R. C. Sproul wrote an article entitled Imago Dei in which he accurately evaluated the modern’s world condition in rejecting the God of Scripture.  What then is the answer for a world seemingly without value because it has at large rejected the God of the Bible? The following are further excerpts from Dr. Sproul’s article.

At this point, Biblical Christianity is on a collision course with the secular culture, for it offers a radically different view of humans. First, we are not God or gods. We are creatures, indeed creatures of the dust. Second, we are not mere brutes. Though not divine, there is some sense in which we are like God. An image cannot reflect something utterly dissimilar to it. Rather, an image is a likeness of something beyond itself. It is not the original, but it mirrors the original.

Historically, theology has wrestled over the content of the image, over the issue of how we are like God. Traditionally, the point of likeness has been seen in those areas in which we share in the communicable attributes of God.

For example, God is a rational being—He has a mind and intelligence. Though our minds are limited by our creatureliness, we still have the capacity of thinking. (For centuries many assumed that animals cannot think but act only on “instinct,” a category that may be a distinction without a difference.)

Also, we understand that God is a volitional being in that He acts according to His divine will. His will is sovereign, but that does not preclude or exclude the existence of lesser volitional creatures. We also enjoy the faculty of volition as we exercise our wills in the making of choices.

Others have sought to establish the image of God (imago Dei) in our status. Just as God exercises full dominion over the created order, He has delegated to human beings a lesser dominion over the animal world and the earth. In this role, we function as vicegerents of God, or as His appointed deputies.

Still other attempts have been made to locate the image in our human capacity for “I-Thou” relationships. Karl Barth spoke of man’s uniqueness in his being made homo relationis. Just as the persons of the Trinity enjoy an eternal relationship among themselves, so we find our significance in our male/female relationships.

Finally, the question of dignity is tied to the Imago Dei. From a Biblical perspective, human beings do not have inherent or intrinsic dignity. In other words, our dignity (which is real) is not eternal or self-existent. Rather, we have dignity that is extrinsic—it comes to us from without. We have dignity because God assigns dignity to us. He has taken the initiative to stamp His image upon us.

That we bear the image of the God of glory is an unspeakable blessing. But with this elevated status comes a weighty responsibility. We were made to glorify God—to reflect the character of God. That duty comes in the divine mandate: “You shall by holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Lev. 19:2).

It is our ability to reflect the holiness of God that has been shattered by the Fall. Sin distorts the image of God. When the deputy sins, the Regent Himself is slandered.

But even with the Fall, by which the image is marred and the reflection of the Creator is clouded and besmirched, the image itself is not destroyed. Even in our fallenness, the communicable attributes of God are made manifest.

The only hope is for God to restore the shattered image of God in man. He has provided the only means in the person and work of Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:21-26; 8:28-30).

Soli deo Gloria!

Dr. R.C. Sproul was founder of Ligonier Ministries, founding pastor of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Fla., and first president of Reformation Bible College. He was author of more than one hundred books, including The Holiness of God.

Not only is there evidence for God’s existence from biblical revelation but there are also the philosophical arguments supporting the concept of God’s existence. Admittedly, these arguments may not convince those antagonistic to the Christian faith of its validity. However, they do provide a thought provoking response to those who contend that Christianity does not contain any assemblage of reasoning or logical thought. 

What then are the philosophical arguments for God’s existence? They include the ontological argument, the cosmological argument, the teleological argument, the moral argument, the anthropological argument, the religious experience argument and the argument from the existence of miracles: most notably Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead.

The Anthropological Argument indicates that man is a unique creation by God. The Scriptures claim that man was created in the image of God(Gen. 1:26-27).

In June 2003, Dr. R. C. Sproul wrote an article entitled Imago Dei. The following are excerpts from that thought provoking column.

There are few theological controversies more crucial than that which rages over the question of the nature of humanity. In our age, we face a real threat of the “abolition of man.”

Modern thinkers have an overwhelming desire to wrench our understanding of ourselves out of any connection with the God of the Bible. But anthropology is married to theology. Take God out of the equation, and the question of the nature of man (anthropos) is left to stand or fall on its own. When God is driven into exile or vanquished altogether, people follow suit, for we are made in God’s image. The image-bearer loses his significance the moment the One whose image he bears is eclipsed.

Thus, the message every young person gets today in the name of science and advanced education is that he or she is a cosmic accident, a grown-up germ that has emerged fortuitously from the slime, garbed temporarily in the guise of intelligence and intentionality (which are really myths that obscure the truth of sheer physical causes). This intelligent animal (homo sapiens) is said to share the destiny of the snail and the octopus, the abyss of nothingness.

Thus, man is reduced to a brute of insignificant origin. And modern culture has embraced this animalistic view of human beings in the arenas of science, law, public education, the arts, and business.

While there is great rancor today over such issues as gender equity and sexual orientation, the deeper question is voiced by the cynic, who asks simply, “Who cares?” What difference does it make whether males exploit females or whether the beast is heterosexual or homosexual in its orientation? We don’t get excited about the sexual proclivities of worms, so why care about those of people? If, indeed, people are sophisticated animals, bestial in their fundamental constitution, then ultimately it doesn’t really matter much whether towers collapse on them or snipers pick them off one at a time.

What then is the answer to this realistic evaluation of a world seemingly without value because it has at large rejected the God of the Bible? Dr. Sproul will provide several biblical answers.

Soli deo Gloria!

Dr. R.C. Sproul was founder of Ligonier Ministries, founding pastor of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Fla., and first president of Reformation Bible College. He was author of more than one hundred books, including The Holiness of God.

Not only is there evidence for God’s existence from biblical revelation but there are also the philosophical arguments supporting the concept of God’s existence. Admittedly, these arguments may not convince those antagonistic to the Christian faith of its validity. However, they do provide a thought provoking response to those who contend that Christianity does not contain any assemblage of reasoning or logical thought. 

1 Peter 3:14–15 (ESV) says, “¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, ¹⁵ but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”  

What then are the philosophical arguments for God’s existence? They include the ontological argument, the cosmological argument, the teleological argument, the moral argument, the anthropological argument, the religious experience argument and the argument from the existence of miracles: most notably Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead.

The Anthropological Argument indicates that man is a unique creation by God. The Scriptures claim that man was created in the image of God.

Genesis 1:26–27 (ESV) says, “²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” ²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”  

Genesis 2:7 (ESV) says, “Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”

The doctrine of God’s image in man is interpreted in the Scriptures as the spiritual image, not the physical image. Most interpret this as referring to man’s ability to think, feel, and make conscious and rational decisions. David speaks eloquently of his own creation in Psalm 139:13-16:

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:13-16, ESV).

To a great extent, man’s behavior is learned while animals are bound by instinct. Characteristic of man alone is that he is a creature of reasoning intelligence who has the capacity of adapting means to an end, along with having a moral and spiritual consciousness.

The implications of this argument for God’s existence is that mankind as a whole, and individuals in particular, possess intrinsic value. However, it should be noted that man’s value is not self-existent. It comes from outside of him. Man’s intrinsic value comes from the self-existent God.

One author explains, “From a Biblical perspective, human beings do not have inherent or intrinsic dignity. In other words, our dignity (which is real) is not eternal or self-existent. Rather, we have dignity that is extrinsic—it comes to us from without. We have dignity because God assigns dignity to us. He has taken the initiative to stamp His image upon us.”

Humans bear the image of the God of glory. This is an unspeakable blessing. It also is a weighty responsibility. We were made to glorify God—to reflect the character of God. That duty comes in the divine mandate: “You shall by holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Lev. 19:2; I Peter 1:16).

What are the implications when the God of the Scriptures existence is denied, especially in the realm of man’s significance or value? This significant question is examined in our next post.

Have a blessed day in the Lord. May each of us reflect God’s image, for His glory.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. ² Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. (Psalm 19:1–2 (ESV)

Not only is there evidence for God’s existence from biblical revelation but there are also the philosophical arguments supporting the concept of God’s existence. Admittedly, these arguments may not convince those antagonistic to the Christian faith of its validity. However, they do provide a thought provoking response to those who contend that Christianity does not contain any assemblage of reasoning or logical thought. 

What then are the philosophical arguments for God’s existence? They include the ontological argument, the cosmological argument, the teleological argument, the moral argument, the anthropological argument, the religious experience argument and the argument from the existence of miracles: most notably Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead.

The Moral Argument is the argument from the existence or nature of morality to the existence of God. Two forms of moral arguments are distinguished: formal and perfectionist.

The Formal Moral Argument takes the form of morality to imply that it has a divine origin: morality consists of an ultimately authoritative set of commands. Where can these commands have come from but from a commander that has ultimate authority?

The Perfectionist Moral Argument sets up a problem: how can it be that morality requires perfection of us, that morality cannot require of us more than we can give, but that we cannot be perfect? The only way to resolve this paradox, the argument suggests, is to conceive the existence of God. The Bible sets forth this truth in succinctly in Micah 6:6-8:

With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:6-8, ESV)

The Moral Argument is unconsciously set forth by the “so-called” mainstream media each and every time a random shooting occurs at a school or other social setting. Especially when children are victims of violence, media commentators will state that the actions of the perpetrator were evil. The question then is how can anything be called evil if there is no contrasting standard which we recognize as the ultimate good, right or non-evil?

In order to call anything evil implies a righteous standard by which any act can be defined as evil. The righteous standard which defines, and is in contrast to evil, is God and His righteousness. Therefore, whenever society calls something good or evil, it implies an objective standard which can define something as either good or evil. This inherent sense of right and wrong comes from God. Scripture sets forth this truth.

• Then Pharaoh sent and called Moses and Aaron and said to them, “This time I have sinned; the Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.” (Exodus 9:27 ESV)

Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The LORD is righteous. (2 Chronicles 12:6 ESV)

The LORD judges the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me. Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous—you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God! My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day. (Psalm 7:8-11 ESV)

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. (Psalm 116:5 ESV)

The LORD is righteous; he has cut the cords of the wicked. (Psalm 129:4 ESV)

The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. (Psalm 145:17 ESV).

The LORD is in the right, for I have rebelled against his word; but hear, all you peoples, and see my suffering; my young women and my young men have gone into captivity. (Lamentations 1:18 ESV)

To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. (Daniel 9:7 ESV)

Therefore the LORD has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. (Daniel 9:14 ESV)

Pray for our nation which has cast off the moral righteousness of God for the immoral unrighteousness of sin.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. ² Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. (Psalm 19:1–2 (ESV)

Not only is there evidence for God’s existence from biblical revelation but there are also the philosophical arguments supporting the concept of God’s existence. Admittedly, these arguments may not convince those antagonistic to the Christian faith of its validity. However, they do provide a thought provoking response to those who contend that Christianity does not contain any assemblage of reasoning or logical thought. 

What then are the philosophical arguments for God’s existence? They include the ontological argument, the cosmological argument, the teleological argument, the moral argument, the anthropological argument, the religious experience argument and the argument from the existence of miracles: most notably Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead.

The Teleological Argument is the argument from the order in the universe to the existence of a being that created the universe with a specific purpose in mind. The universe is a highly complex system. The universe evidences design. This implies a designer. The scale of the universe alone is astounding, and the natural laws that govern it perplex scientists still after generations and centuries of study. It is a highly ordered system. It serves a purpose. It possesses design. This is in alignment with Scripture.

You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills; they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man’s heart. The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about. The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens. And goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. (Psalm 104:10-24, ESV)

God provides exactly the right conditions for the development and sustenance of life and life is a valuable thing. That this is so is remarkable. There are numerous ways in which the universe might have been different, but the vast majority of possible universes would not have supported life.

To say that the universe is so ordered by chance is therefore unsatisfactory as an explanation of the appearance of design around us. It is far more plausible, and far more probable, that the universe is the way it is because it was created by a designer with life in mind. The Bible contends that this designer, who created this world evidencing design, is God. The psalmist articulates this argument in Psalm 19:1-5.  This is also set forth in Job 38-41.

I recently took my watch to a jeweler to have the battery replaced. The jeweler used precision tools to remove the dead battery and replace it with a new one. My now functioning watch, and the all other items I observed within the jewelry store, evidence design. It stands to reason that there exists a designer for every watch, necklace and ring I saw that day. The brand names of those designers were conspicuously displayed . It stands to reason that a far more complicated universe which evidences design presupposes an intelligent designer. That designer is God.

Take the opportunity today to examine an object you possess. It may your vehicle, your watch, your home and even the furniture and appliances in your home. They all possess design. Someone designed and built them. So it is with the universe God designed and created. Give Him praise for His marvelous work.

Soli deo Gloria!

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Dr. Keith A. Mathison is professor of systematic theology at Reformation Bible College in Sanford, Fla. In June 2003, Dr. Mathison wrote an article in Tabletalk Magazine entitled the Existence and Attributes of God. The following is an excerpt from that article.

In 1983, the famous Russian author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn delivered the Templeton Address in London. In his speech, he stated: “More than half a century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of older people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened … And if I were called upon to identify briefly the principal trait of the entire twentieth century, here too, I would be unable to find anything more precise and pithy than to repeat once again: Men have forgotten God.”

Solzhenitsyn’s analysis of the fundamental trait of the twentieth century is accurate. Atheism of both a theoretical and a practical kind has run rampant.

Yet, it is not only in the world that men have forgotten God. Many in the church have forgotten Him, as well. Paul’s words to the Athenians could easily be applied to many within the walls of the church: “Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you” (Acts 17:23, KJV).

Many professing believers today are completely ignorant of the true nature of the One whom they worship. There is no understanding of His holiness or righteousness. His omnipotence, omniscience, and immutability are regularly denied or distorted by professing Christians. The doctrine of the Trinity is often misunderstood. In fact, the only attribute of God that regularly receives any sustained attention is His love, and yet even that attribute is explained in a way that contradicts the teaching of Scripture.

How can this situation begin to be changed? In the first place, the true Biblical doctrine of God must be proclaimed from every Christian pulpit. Our attention must be turned away regularly from ourselves and toward the One whom we worship. Our focus must be God, not man.

The concluding excerpt from Dr. Mathison’s article will be presented next Sunday, June 5. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

Not only is there evidence for God’s existence from biblical revelation but there are also the philosophical arguments supporting the concept of God’s existence. Admittedly, these arguments may not convince those antagonistic to the Christian faith of its validity. However, they do provide a thought provoking response to those who contend that Christianity does not contain any assemblage of reasoning or logical thought. 

What then are the philosophical arguments for God’s existence? They include the ontological argument, the cosmological argument, the teleological argument, the moral argument, the anthropological argument, the religious experience argument and the argument from the existence of miracles: most notably Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead.

The Modal Cosmological Argument, the argument from contingency, suggests that because the universe might not have existed (i.e. is contingent), we need some explanation of why it does. This is the argument of cause and effect.

The Cosmological Argument is the argument from the existence of the world. The universe exists. This implies the existence of a God that brought the universe into existence and continually sustains its existence. This philosophical argument for the existence of God comes in two forms: one modal (having to do with possibility) and the other temporal (having to do with time).

Wherever there are cause and effect possibilities, this suggests something must determine not only the reality of the effect, but also offer an explanation for the cause of said effect. Since the universe is conditional to some cause for its existence, and since there must be some reason for its existence, there must be a corresponding cause which give the universe a reason to exist. That necessary being is God.

The Temporal Cosmological Argument argues that the past is finite. The idea that the universe has an infinite past stretching back into infinity is, the argument notes, both philosophically and scientifically problematic. All indications are that there is a point in time at which the universe began to exist. This beginning must either have been caused or uncaused. It cannot have been uncaused for the idea of an uncaused event is absurd; nothing comes from nothing. The universe must therefore have been brought into existence by something outside of itself. That something, or someone, outside of the created universe is none other than God.

Dr. R. C. Sproul explains, The law of causality is one of those axioms that is indisputable. Every effect must have a cause, for an effect, by definition, is some-thing that is caused. Thus, for anything to exist, an uncaused some-thing—or someone—must exist. This “uncaused cause,” as it were, must have the power of being in itself and must be the first, primary cause of everything else. It must depend on nothing else. It must not be an effect, for if it is an effect of something else, it cannot be the very first cause that brought everything into existence. Nothing created qualifies as this first, primary cause. Only God, the eternal Creator, can be the reason why there is something rather than nothing.

Take the opportunity today to look at the all the effects around you. Creation itself evidences the reasonableness of a preceding cause. The preceding cause is none other than God.

Soli deo Gloria!