I earned some raised eyebrows this morning in our Bible study on Genesis, when I declared that I cannot prove that God created us. I also cannot prove that I will live forever. More significantly, I cannot prove that Jesus rose from the dead. I made those confessions while establishing the boundaries of science and knowledge. We can sometimes find ourselves surrounded by those knowledgeable folks who think their convictions hold the position of absolute proof. Far too often scientists have insisted that Darwinian Evolution is a proven fact. I find proof elusive and idealistic, since I am not sure that much of anything can be proven. I have grown weary of those who hold a position and try to bully me into agreeing with them. God did not put me on this earth to bully others into adopting my beliefs. God did call me to be a witness, so I am more than willing to sit in the witness seat in the court of this world, in order to respond to the questions put to me. I invite questions, interrogations and cross-examinations; to which I will answer freely and humbly. I can only admit what I believe to be true: the testimony of my own changed life, my conviction that God’s revealed Word is eternal Truth, which includes the report that over 500 people witnessed the risen Lord Jesus. I cannot prove anything to anybody, but I certainly can bear witness, then leave it up to the listener to make their own decision
The Bible does not attempt to argue a classical philosophical proof of the existence of God. Instead, God's self-disclosure opens with divine existence as a primary assumption, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). The Bible, therefore, presents the truth that God is, and that He is the starting point. While there are no philosophical proofs that argue for the existence, there are plenty of passages that offer substantial evidence. While "the fool says in his heart, 'There is no God', the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands (Ps. 14:1; 19:1)." God determined to make Himself known through His creative and sustaining actions; giving life, breath (Acts 17:24-28), food and joy (Acts 14:17). God accompanies those actions with words that interpret the meaning and significance, providing an abiding record that explains His presence and purpose. God also reveals His existence in persons; speaking and acting through prophets, priests, kings and faithful servants throughout the Biblical narrative. Ultimately, God has revealed himself clearly to us through the Son and the abiding Holy Spirit.
The recorded human descriptions of God are as diverse as the religious notions and experiences of humanity. For those of us who believe that God has revealed Himself in the text of Scripture, our descriptions of the one true deity are based upon His self-disclosure. Yet, we live in a world that does not generally share this view of the Bible as a primary source. Many rely instead upon human ingenuity and perception to arrive at a much different depiction of the divine. In order for us to follow the steps of the Apostle Paul in leading them out of the darkness into the light, it is incumbent upon us to not bully others into accepting facts that we prove. I want to live my life such that in the court of this world, someone wants to hear me as a witness to life eternal, revealed truth and risen savior. If proof means establishing a fact that cannot be questioned or assailed, then I still cannot philosophically prove these things, but I sure will endeavor to provide a compelling testimony.
Suggested reading: Evidence That Demands A Verdict, Josh McDowell, Thomas Nelson Pub.