In an earlier blog, I am discussing the question of God's existence and that it is possible to know that God does exist and even to know God. I also asked such questions as:
If such a being exists, can we know?
How can we know?
Has this God communicated to us in any way?
Did this Being leave any signs or hints that it exists, like a painter signing his art?
Has this Being interacted with us-- or anyone at all ---in any way?
We may also ask questions such as, “If such a being exists, is it good?
Is it benevolent towards lesser creatures or pay any attention at all?
Does this God set things in motion and then move onto something else, leaving us to our own decisions? Can we get its attention and perhaps win awards or favors? Or the opposite? That is, incur God's disfavor or wrath?
I suggest that you read the series in order and that you should start here: https://bylivingwatersministries.blogspot.com/2021/11/what-if-god-really-exists.html
We are taking a step by step approach to these questions and need to establish some foundations. We started with self-awareness and moved to the basic reliability of the five senses: seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling. With our senses to perceive the universe. This led us to these questions: Why is there something rather than nothing? Where or how did this universe with all of its complexities come from? If I exist, and I am a finite being, where did I come from?
You can read the last blog here:
https://bylivingwatersministries.blogspot.com/2021/11/what-if-god-really-exists-part-3.html
Now we can get closer to the heart of the matter. What an amazing and complex universe our five senses can perceive! With the assistance of instruments, we can peer into the deepest reaches of the cosmos and down to the smallest particles of matter. It is a universe of incredible beauty and diversity. There are unfathomably large stars and microscopic molecules. There is abundant life and harsh death. There is electromagnetism, gravity, and multiple laws of physics. The universe is ordered by such laws as the law of thermodynamics, the law of causality, the laws of life and the laws of logic.
As amazing as the universe is, it is finite, it has limits. It is most likely finite in size as well as finite in time. We, as humans, have a beginning and an end. People, animals, trees, and even stars have been observed to perish and change. The material universe, let's say matter and energy, is in constant motion. So the question is, how did it get started? Where and when will it stop? Did it have a beginning and will it end or will it forever move?
The law of Causality states that for every effect, there must be a cause. Read that carefully, again. For every effect, there must be an antecedent cause. A cause is defined as a reason for an action or condition. Something that brings about an effect.1 An effect is defined as something that inevitably follows an antecedent (a cause or an agent)2 For instance, you hit a ball with a bat (cause) and the ball moves (effect). David Hume and Immanuel Kant stated you cannot “prove” the law of causality, but all of science and life is based on this foundational law. It is assumed in all we do.
If everything in the universe seems to be finite and is in motion, then everything is basically an effect. An entity may be both a cause and an effect, but something started it all. What is the first or Ultimate Cause? There MUST be an ultimate cause. Aristotle called it the “unmoved mover.” This original (or first) cause is necessary. It is necessary in two ways. It is necessary to be the first cause for anything and everything else to exist. Without a first cause, nothing else would exist. It is necessary to bring all other things about. Secondly, it is necessary in that it cannot be an effect in any way, but must exist of itself. It must be Self-existent. It must have always existed. It must be eternal and it MUST exist.
We asked earlier, why is there something rather than nothing? There is something (that is, all the universe or everything) Because a necessary first cause must exist that is self-existent (not dependent on anything else) and it must be eternal. It is the only logical conclusion. If there ever was nothing—no matter, no energy, no forces, no God, absolute nothing ---the universe and all of creation could not exist now. It is logically impossible to be otherwise.
To summarize our thoughts so far: we have demonstrated an awareness of self and an awareness of the universe through our senses, which leads us to an understanding of all that exists must have a ultimate original cause that is self-existent and eternal. Who or what this necessary entity or first cause may be (i.e. Creator) we will discuss more in the next blog.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1 (ESV)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.” -John 1:1-3 (ESV)
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” -Psalm 19:1 (ESV)
1https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cause
2https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effect
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