Why should I believe in God?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

For those genuinely seeking truth, the paramount question in life is whether God exists. If it is true that God exists, and you do not believe in Him, then you are believing a lie. Either God exists, or He does not. And there are many good ways to know that God does exist. God is the Creator of the universe, including humanity (Genesis 1, 2). The beauty and complexity of all creation testify to a Creator (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:20). Something cannot come from nothing. God’s existence is also evident in the Christ’s incarnation, His miraculous signs, and His resurrection from the dead (John 10:37-38; John 14:11; Acts 2:32-36). We should believe in God because He exists, has plans for humanity, and makes Himself known primarily through creation, His Word, and Jesus. Through Jesus coming to earth to die for our sins, we discover not only that God is real but that He loves you. Because of Christ we have hope both for today and for life beyond the grave (John 14:1-3).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). God reveals Himself as the Creator of the universe.
• Psalm 14: 1 says, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’" God has revealed Himself in numerous ways; it is foolish to go against reality.
• All creation bears witness to the fact of a Creator (Psalm 19:1-4).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• God coming in flesh through Jesus is a key reason to believe in Him. The Bible says that Jesus Christ was not just a great man; He was God in human flesh. In other words, looking at Jesus is looking at God—in all of His compassion and love and mercy and power. Only Jesus could say, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). For over two thousand years, millions of Christians have believed this truth. They have discovered Jesus’ life and teachings, and especially the truth concerning His death for us and His resurrection from the dead. Please read with an open mind and heart the eyewitness accounts of His life, as they are found in the Gospels of the New Testament.
• Jesus reassured His followers when He said "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also" (John 14:1-3).
• In John 14:6, Jesus declares, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." This statement emphasizes Jesus’ unique role as the source of truth and the means of salvation.
• Romans 1:18–20 tells us that God's existence and (many) divine attributes can be known from the things He has made.
• Those who wish to know God must draw near to Him: "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Where did we come from? Your two choices are to believe that only natural laws and forces brought everything into existence or to believe in supernatural creation. Did the universe create itself from nothing and life somehow evolve from non-life? Or did God create the universe and living beings as described in the Bible (Genesis 1)? The first option, materialistic naturalism, acknowledges that the universe had a beginning, but it does not offer a coherent explanation for how the universe was initially created (the Big Bang theory describes how the universe expanded, but it does not say how it started). Nor does naturalism offer any valid explanation for the origin of life. It takes more faith to believe in naturalism than to believe in the God of the Bible.

Believing in the Creator is foundational to learning more about Him and the purpose of your existence. Without believing in God, it is impossible to please Him or even come to Him (Hebrews 11:6). We are surrounded with proof of God’s existence, but we must respond (Romans 1:18–23). The Bible says it is foolish to disbelieve in God (Psalm 14:1). All creation bears witness to a Creator (Psalm 19:1–4).

UNDERSTAND

• God is your Creator.
• Jesus reveals God through His life, death, and resurrection.
• Faith in God is essential for living out the purpose for which you were created.

REFLECT

• How does God’s creation of the universe impact your understanding of your purpose and existence?
• What role does Jesus' life, death, and resurrection play in your belief in God?
• How does the evidence in creation and Scripture strengthen or challenge your faith in God?

ENGAGE

• What do unbelievers respond when you say that believing in God is foundational to understanding life and purpose?
• How can we better engage with the truth that God reveals Himself and requires a response?
• How does the truth of who Jesus is and the salvation He offers impact the way we understand believing in God?