ODJ: proving existence
December 4, 2011
No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us (v.12).
READ: 1 John 4:7-21
In his book The Evidence for God, philosopher Paul Moser offers a fascinating case for the existence of God. His basic argument goes like this: If there is a God, this God would need to be worthy of worship. (We can worship lesser gods like Thor, or money, but that doesn’t make them worthy of worship.) To be worthy of worship, this God would need to be loving—even to the point of loving His enemies. Such a God would want His creatures to love each other too, for love by its nature is meant to be shared.
Moser then asks a number of questions: Is there evidence for such a God in human experience? As humans clearly have a selfish inclination, what accounts for loving acts toward others? Why does our conscience often feel pricked when we’re selfish? How can people radically love their enemies? Moser suggests that these experiences are evidence for the God of the Bible, and that as we respond to God’s invitation of relationship, He transforms us as we take on His loving character, proving His existence even more.
The apostle John would agree. God’s nature is love, and all human love originates from Him (1 John 4:7-8). God’s love is so intense that He sent His Son to die for His enemies—for those who never loved Him in return (vv.9-10). God wants us to surrender to Him (v.15) and love each other as He loves us (v.11). As we do, His love will dwell in us, shaping us into His loving character (v.17), resulting in our knowing (and proving) His existence even more (vv.12,17).
We might get a glimpse of God in our conscience and through loving experiences, but God can only be ‘proven’ through a relationship with Him. Let’s prove God’s existence by knowing and reflecting Him today.
—Sheridan Voysey
Other religions include belief in gods of mercy and love. How do those gods differ from the God of the Bible? Using Moser’s arguments, how does Jesus fully reveal a God worthy of worship?
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