Before you read: This article is part of a larger series that builds upon itself from the foundation up, with each study building on the last. If something in this article does not make sense to you or if you believe it to be incorrect, please ensure you have read the entire series before passing final judgment. Also, be sure to visit this page’s FAQ And Objections Page
In the last study, I explained the cosmological argument. That’s just one of the many reasons we can know that God exists. I didn’t even use the Bible to make my case, because despite what some claim, you can know God exists without ever having to be told.
Romans 1:19-22
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
The Bible itself also declares that people are able to know God exists without ever opening it. Nature itself declares God’s existence, and some of His attributes are clearly seen through creation.
The very argument I made in the last study used nature itself to show that God does exist. From nature, we see that He must be eternal, since only something eternal can exist without a previous cause. He is intelligent, since only something intelligent can choose to act without prompting. He is the Creator, since without Him nothing else has a foundation. These are the first three things that can be known about God by pure observation and logic.
What Is God?
The next question we naturally ask is: What is this eternal, intelligent Creator? Let’s see if we can determine some of the attributes of God. This time I will quote from the Bible, but I will also explain how these things can be known without it.
God Is Eternal
Genesis 1:1
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
1 Timothy 1:17
17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
The first line in the Bible says, “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” In this simple statement, it declares that the heaven and the earth had a beginning, but God does not. This is the first attribute of God.
An eternal being must also be immortal. If they have an end, they are not eternal. This means God cannot die. God cannot grow old. God cannot lose His ability. He is as He always was and always will be.
This tells us something else about God as well: He is alone in His position as God. There cannot be two eternal foundations of reality. There cannot be two ultimate beings. You cannot have infinity plus infinity. To quote the cult classic movie Highlander, “There can be only one.”
Even without the Bible, these things can be known. The fact that there must be something eternal is evident in the logic of nature itself, as I explained in the last study.
God Is a Spirit
John 4:24
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Genesis 2:7
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
The definition of energy is the ability to do work. It takes many forms, and the creation of the universe would have required a massive amount of energy. So once again, we can determine an attribute of God just by thinking about creation itself. God either is a form of eternal energy or possesses eternal energy.
The Bible uses the word Spirit. But when you think about it, what is a spirit? Many have said that a spirit is a form of energy. They are correct in one sense, because a spirit has the ability to do work.
The word spirit is often closely associated with wind or breath. Once again, that makes perfect sense, because you can’t see the wind, but you can see its effects. You can’t see energy, but like the wind, you can see its effects. So we can know that God is a Spirit—an invisible, intelligent (as we established in the last study) force.
Let me make something very clear here, though. There are many types of energy. We normally think of energy as measurable, governed by physical laws, and not conscious or willful. But that is the kind of energy used for charging your phone.
This kind of energy we call Spirit is infinite, unhindered, and alive. This is more than a measurable, impersonal physical force. This is the Spirit of the living God.
Once again, this can be known without the Bible, because that which created the universe must have an eternal supply of energy.
God Owns Everything and Everyone
This God has created the universe, so it is His to do with as He wills. That means everything belongs to Him. That includes your life and mine.
He determines the rules. He makes the laws. He chooses what is and is not good. He is in charge.
There is no one else with the authority or power to judge or command Him. If all life is given from Him, who can say to Him that it isn’t His to give or take? He set the planet in motion—who can tell Him He cannot stop it? This is the fundamental reality that many have so much trouble coming to terms with: God is in control, and there is no way to avoid it.
All of this is clearly seen through creation itself. Even without the Bible, we can know these simple truths.
What the Bible Says About the Big Bang
Even without the Bible, mankind has been able to come to the conclusion that there is a God throughout history. Religions have existed in all cultures. They were not born out of a conspiracy to control people, the inability of mankind to live without answers, or anything like that. It is one of the most basic realities we come to know simply by being aware of the world around us.
Today, we still look at the world around us and ask the same questions—and we still come to the same answer. When you consider the Big Bang theory, you will find that even it points to God. It is not a theory to be feared. It is actually one of the greatest supports for God’s existence. When you compare it to what the Bible says, you find an amazing similarity.
The real difference between the Big Bang theory and the Bible’s account is time and mechanism. The theory proposes a long period of time for everything to take place, along with impersonal forces making random changes. The Bible tells us it took a very short amount of time, with an intelligent force making precise changes.
Both the Bible and the Big Bang theory provide the same kind of evidence we see in nature. Both present a similar sequence of events. Both arrive at the same result. The Bible simply provides the answer for what initiated it.
Now let me point out that the theory of evolution is not the same as the Big Bang theory. It is an entirely different subject. Often, people think one theory includes the other. That’s why many Christians believe they must oppose it. But evolution is not actually part of the Big Bang theory.
So keep in mind that I am in no way promoting evolution, nor am I proposing billions of years for the creation of the universe.
Let’s look at how the Bible and the Big Bang theory are more similar than you might think.
Genesis 1:1
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Isaiah 42:5
5 Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
According to the Big Bang theory, the universe began from a single point of dense energy. Remember, the Bible calls God a Spirit, which would indicate He is a form of energy. In that sense, the Bible and the Big Bang theory align.
Christians call this original, eternal energy source God. Atheists call it a singularity. But no matter what you call it, both agree that the universe had a single point of origin.
According to the theory, this point expanded, almost like a massive explosion. During this expansion, the known universe was formed. The Bible also tells us the heavens were “stretched out.” Once again, there is agreement.
Genesis 1:2
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
According to the Big Bang theory, matter now existed. All of the elements needed to form planets were present, but there were not yet formed planets or stars. This also aligns with the Bible, which describes the earth as without form and void.
The Bible also says there was no visible light at this point. The Big Bang theory agrees:
NASA has said, “The free electrons would have caused light (photons) to scatter the way sunlight scatters from water droplets in clouds,” meaning there would be no visible light at this stage.
So far, the Bible and the Big Bang theory are in agreement.
Genesis 1:3-5
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
According to the Big Bang theory, free electrons eventually combined with nuclei to form neutral atoms. This allowed light to travel freely. This light is known as the cosmic microwave background (CMB).
The Bible also states that the next event was the appearance of light. Again, there is agreement in sequence.
It is also important to note that there were no stars producing light at this point in the Big Bang model, yet light still existed. I point this out because some claim the Bible conflicts with science by describing light before the sun. They do not realize that the Big Bang model does the same.
Even if that were not the case, it still would not make the Bible wrong. Scripture says God is light. Therefore, even without another source, He could be the source of light.
Genesis 1:6-8
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
According to the Big Bang theory, gravity began to pull matter together. This separated regions of matter and created vast spaces between them (which the Bible refers to as the firmament). Elements such as hydrogen and oxygen were forming compounds and gathering in different regions.
Both the Bible and science describe a separation and structuring process in the same general sequence. This shows the development of space and the early stages of planetary formation.
Genesis 1:9-10
9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
In the Big Bang model, gravity continued to draw matter together, eventually forming planets. Again, the Bible does not conflict with this. God uses the natural laws within the universe to accomplish His purposes. The Bible says it was by His wisdom that He created everything (Jeremiah 51:15), not by randomness or confusion.
The Bible and science describe similar processes in a similar order. However, the Bible shows us an intelligent force moving with purpose, not randomness. So the time it took for these events to take place depends on if there was or was not God ordering it.
How did ancient people, without modern instruments or advanced models, record such a sequence? Perhaps they were given the information by One who was there. Perhaps God truly has spoken to man.
All of this is evidence in itself that God exists. There are many more logical, historical, and testimonial proofs. Yet despite the evidence available, the common skeptic will still say they find the evidence for God unconvincing. So in the next study, I am going to address the real stumbling block—because it isn’t a lack of evidence.
Unit 1:4 – The Great Intellectual Trap: When the Evidence Isn’t Enough OR
Return To Christianity 101 Unit 1 – The Bible and Faith in God