Some people look at faith in God as something that is regulated to “personal belief.” In other words, you can believe something if you want, but it’s not really real. The Bible’s view of faith is quite different. Faith is not something you believe without evidence for the object of its existence. Rather, biblical faith is based squarely and solidly on evidences. Biblical faith is not nebulous. Nor do we don’t measure God by a ruler. Rather, we measure God by the impact he has on his creation. In fact, measuring God is not all that dissimilar to measuring black holes. Yes. You read that right.
Scientists studying black holes cannot see the object of their study. By definition, the gravity of black holes is so great that even light cannot escape its grasp. Without light traveling from an object to us we cannot see it. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. When we observe the environment around a black hole and see the orbits of stars and other matter and behavior that matches the predicted nature of those objects then we can surmise from the evidences that a black hole is present. The evidence is considered to be strong enough that we can say, without reservation, that a black hole exists at that point. It is a virtual certainty.
So too, there are evidences provided in the scripture and our lives that testify that God is real. Let me share with you four of those evidences (though the evidences listed are not limited to these four, they are the strongest evidences for God’s existence).
First, creation presents evidence that God exists.
I’m especially partial to DNA evidence of God’s existence. There is more ordered information in a DNA molecule than there is in an encyclopedia. The evidence is ordered and meaningful, and not random or without purpose. Information can only come from intelligence. There are other forms of testimony in creation for a Creator, but I personally think that biological information presents some of the strongest evidence for the existence of a Creator.
Second, the eyewitness testimony of God’s existence in scripture.
The Bible is not primarily a book of philosophy. It contains many genres of literature, two of which are narrative and testimony. There are multiple instances recorded by eyewitnesses who saw God with their own eyes. These include Moses, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and John. These men described in detail, completely independent of each other, descriptions of God as they saw him. In addition, we have the testimony of the Gospel writers who observed and walked with Jesus. Their eyewitness testimonies are also written independent of one another, yet collaborate one another beautifully. If facts in court are established by multiple eyewitnesses and DNA evidence, then why not accept such testimony for God’s existence?
Third, Bible prophecy presents unique evidence for God’s existence.
It’s one thing to predict a future trend but it’s another thing altogether to accurately predict events, names, places, and times for specific future events—and to do so with perfect accuracy. The Bible does this, many times, and in great detail. The circumstances of Jesus’ birth, life, and resurrection were spelled out in detail in the Old Testament hundreds, even more than 1,500 years before he was born. The reign and circumstances of King Cyrus of Persia’s relationship to Israel were predicted more than 200 years in advance. The name and violent actions of King Jehu of Israel were recorded generations before he was born. The circumstances of world politics, specifically of the kingdoms of Greece, Persia, Babylon, and Rome were written about in detail by Daniel, hundreds of years in advance. The disposition of Israel and Judah and their exiles were written about more than a thousand years in advance in Deuteronomy. And on the list goes on. These are just a few examples.
Fourth, the personal testimony of believers presents evidence for God’s existence.
Some might argue against this as an evidence since personal experiences can be subjective in nature. There’s no denying that. But the cumulative testimony of the thousands, even millions over the centuries bares the mark of a living Creator actively at work in people’s lives.
I’ll never forget the day the Lord called me to broadcast missions in a closed part of the world. I was stunned. Other than my wife and employer I told no one. I kept my mouth shut. And frankly, those who knew didn’t really believe me. Then four years later, without seeking it or ever talking about it, I was asked to travel to a specific closed country to research becoming in involved with Campus Crusade on radio projects. That led me to the Muslim world and eventually to my work in Mongolia—even at times when I was trying to run in the other direction. God demonstrated to me his sovereignty and will, and he made it happen in my life when I neither sought it or worked for it. He fulfilled his word to me.
If it can’t be measured, it doesn’t exist. There are different ways to measure different things. Not all things can be measured by direct observation or physically, as with a ruler or scale. But some things are known to exist by the effects they have on other things. And this testimony, even indirect as it may be, offers strong proof for God’s existence. It is not possible for God to work in the world and not leave evidence that he is the one who has done what he has done.
Tom Terry is president of Eagle Broadcasting Company in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.