Is God merely a delusion?

TL;DR:

Believing God to be merely a delusion is itself irrational, foolish, and delusional. God has revealed His existence to humanity through the word of God, creation, and the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

The Bible states categorically that God exists, has always existed, and He brought the entire universe into existence at creation. The word of God reveals that God is eternal with no beginning and no ending (Psalm 90:2). To believe God is a figment of our own imagination is simply foolish. “Only fools say in their hearts, ’There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1). To deny the existence of God is not only delusional, but pure evil. Paul wrote that creation itself testifies to the existence of God. “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God” (Romans 1:20). Logic, nature, and experience all point to the existence of the Creator. Those who deny these fundamental ideas are without excuse; they open themselves up to many foolish ideas and deception. Roughly 2,000 years ago, God physically presented His existence in the person of Jesus Christ. “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation” (Colossians 1:15).

from the old testament

God is the eternal Creator of the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1-3, Psalm 19:1).
God has existed from everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 90:2).
Fools deny the existence of God (Psalm 14:1).

from the new testament

Creation testifies to the existence of God (Romans 1:20).
Faith is to believe God exists (Hebrews 11:6).
Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15).
Multiple lines of evidence point to God’s existence and work (John 5:30–38).
God is the Alpha and Omega who is, who was and who is to come (Revelation 1:8).

implications for today

Delusion is defined as “something that is falsely believed, the act of tricking or deceiving someone.” The notion of God as a delusion gained traction with the publication a book, The God Delusion, by atheist Richard Dawkins. However, this is not a new argument. Karl Marx famously said that religion was the “opium of the people.” Sigmon Freud also believed that religious ideas were nothing other than illusions and wish fulfillment. Since faith is simply trust without absolute proof, denying the existence of God requires faith—just as believing in God requires faith. However, the Bible makes a compelling explanation for why things exist, Who made everything, and why human beings exist. The God Delusion fails to make any substantive claims and offers little more than an appeal to emotion. Atheism and agnosticism ultimately provide no counters to belief in God other than preferences. Reality often confronts us with stark choices. One of those is deciding what to do with Jesus Christ. Those who receive Him as Lord and Savior receive eternal life and a relationship with God. Those who reject Christ will die in their sins and be separated from the God for all eternity.

understand

Believing that God is a delusion is irrational and ignores the evidence of God’s existence in creation, Scripture, and Jesus Christ.
Denying God’s existence is both foolish and morally corrupt.
Faith in God provides a coherent explanation for existence, while denying Him offers no substantive or rational alternative.

reflect

How does creation around you reveal God's eternal power and divine nature in a personal way?
What steps can you take to strengthen your faith when doubts arise about God’s existence?
What in your life has affirmed your understanding of God's existence?

engage

How does Scripture challenge the claim that belief in God is a delusion, and how can we use this truth to engage skeptics?
How does the existence of creation itself confront the idea that God is merely a human invention?
How does understanding Jesus as the visible image of the invisible God shape our view of who God is and His reality in the world today?
Are arguments against God’s existence guided by facts, or opinions and preferences?