The Cosmological Argument

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
-Genesis 1:1

All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
-John 1:3

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him.
-Col 1:16

Cosmological arguments are arguments that look back to find the first cause of something and show that it would have to would have to be a necessary first cause what we observe now. Here are some of the more well known cosmological arguments but is not an exhaustive list of all the cosmological arguments.

For example Thomas Aquinus had his 5 ways to show the existence of God three of which are Cosmological arguments.
The First is the Argument from Motion which goes:
1) Nothing can move itself.
2) If every object in motion had a mover, then the first object in motion needed a mover.
3) This first mover is the Unmoved Mover, called God.

The Second Way is the Causation of Existence
1) There exists things that are caused (created) by other things.
2) Nothing can be the cause of itself (nothing can create itself.)
3) There can not be an endless string of objects causing other objects to exist.
4) Therefore, ther must be an uncaused first cause called God.

The Third Way is Argument of Contingent and Necessary Beings.
1) Contingent beings are caused.
2) Not every being can be contingent.
3) There must exist a being which is necessary to cause contingent beings.
4) This necessary being is God.

God as the temporal first cause refers to God as the beginning as set in a set of causes (so he is the chronological first cause) for example if we watching a set of dominoes fall the first cause would be the finger that tips the dominoes outside that dominoes that makes the first one fall resulting rest falling.

If someone were to object and say that we have infinitely long set of dominoes falling then is no first cause then our response we show that has to be cause because we see the effect. We would have an infinite set of falling dominoes without a cause. If we are seeing certain time of large set of causes we know something proceeded it we cannot have cause with effect.

Another interesting variation of the Cosmological argument comes from William Lane Craig who uses the Big Bang in his form of the cosmological argument. The Big Bang points to the fact that there was once a time when the universe did not exist. So something outside the universe had to cause the Big Bang because there was nothing in the universe to cause it because it did not exist. This cause must be God.

God as the logical first cause is a second form of cosmological argument. This second approach is an attempt to prove the existence of God that is the first cause in the logical sense of the word first (Faith & Reason pg 125). The word first refers to preeminence or position. To describe God as the logical first cause is to view as the ultimate cause of condition of everything that exists. Returning to the dominoes example the floor or table the dominoes stand on is a the necessary condition for the dominoes in order to have the dominoes fall. The floor or table is the first cause in logical sense because without there would be not place for the series to fall. This relates to God because the world is ontologically dependent of God. For example: God minus the world equals God. The world minus God equals nothing. To describe God as the first cause is to say more than he is the efficient first cause that started the causal series but also the ultimate ground without which the world would not and could not exist.
___________________
Most of this post is dependendent on a summary I did of material found in
Faith & Reason by Ron Nash

God's Self Revelation To Man Part 2

Romans 1:18-32
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Theses verse tells us what more can be known about God through his general revelation. Verse 19 talks about how the whole human race has had the knowledge of God . It also goes on to say that it plain to them because God has made it plain to them. God has not left anyone in the dark concerning his existence. God is not hiding nor trying keep a low profile. God is not trying to make sure you do not find him. Just the opposite verse 19 says “ God has made it plain to them”. Not only that he exist but even his attributes are apparent, “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” No one has an excuse because the truth of God is plainly evident, not only that, his eternal power and divine nature always have been evident since the creation of the world. Verse 21 says this about mankind's knowledge of God, “For although they knew God”, mankind has the knowledge of God. Now lets see what man has done with this knowledge look at veres 28, “ since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God “. Notice that mankind has had knowledge of God. Being clueless is not the default position, not knowing is not the default position. We have to choose not acknowledge God. Though we are born with the knowledge of God (in a certain sense) we willing and volitionally give it up. Look at verse 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.,verse 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen., verse 28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done., verse 32 Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. The reason someone does not believe in God is not because God has made his existence unclear but people choose not to. They in their sin nature choose themselves over God and deny him and worship the creation and not its creator.

What I want to point out here is the truth of God is something that has to rejected not discovered; and man in his sinful nature is very willing to do just that! Also that people are not theological or philosophically neutral concerning God. People do not objectively look at the truth and without the intervention of the Holy Spirit they suppress the truth! So when you present a certain argument all things are not equal! People not legitimately consider an argument due to their spiritual bias. Sin has affected everything in the human race especially our thinking. So is it strange that a particular person would not accept an theistic argument? No! This is because Romans 1 is true remember “their hearts are darkened”, “they exchange the truth of God for a lie”, “they suppress the truth”! That is why people are not neutral about the things of God, they actively resist them. That is also part of God's judgment on them for rejecting the truth;that they do not comprehend what would otherwise be very apparent.

Is there then no use for philosophical arguments because man in his sin cannot see God? No! Even though man may reject he cannot get past the fact that God has left his imprint on man. Gensis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” and Ecc 3:11 says “He has also set eternity in their heart”. This shows that man was created with God's imprint, so in a certain sense he intrinsically knows his creator since he bears his image and was created to know him this is another form of general revelation and also is the biblical grounds for certain a-priori arguments which point back to the truth that God has inscribed on our hearts. Therefore arguments like the moral argument ,the transcendental arguement, and Plantinga's idea that belief in God is a “properly basic belief” or maybe even certain ontological arguments have a grounding in a biblical wordview. These philosophical arguments can then be used with a sinner who denies the truth to point them their own Sensus divinitatis. This what John Calvin called people's God implanted tendency to accept belief in God

A potential question that then may arise is: “well if we had the truth imprinted in us why is not every one a theist?” The answer is Romans 1:27 “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Men in their sin nature choose themselves over God and abandon the truth of God. God also gives them over to their sinful desires as an act of judgment against them.

Another question you may ask is “how is the truth that God have imprinted himself on human heart even evident in those who openly deny God? “

Let me first answer this by saying until about 5 years and some months ago I was an atheist. Though I professed not believe in God, I still bore evidence that showed that I was made to be the imageo dei (the image of God). I did not believe in morals being relative but I had no way to ground morals in my naturalistic/nihilistic worldview. I also was not content with the idea that you live, you die, and the end. Although, I wanted to be content with that idea I was not. In my atheism I also had a personal hate for God and the things of God. If God was just a faulty idea that most people had why should that result in a personal hatred. For example, I don't agree with vegetarianism but I don't take the idea of vegetarianism personally and hate it in a personal way. But I did with God. This does not make too much sense when do not believe he exists. Anyway these are not the only ways to show that God's imprint is on those that deny God but is just examples that show that even people who deny God can not escape being the imageo Dei.

This concludes my two posts on general revelation as biblical grounds for philosophical arguments for the existence of God. I also believe in using personal experience as way to show the existence of God and is biblical justifiable I will say more on that when I come to it. This post though explored many topics was to show biblical grounds for a-priori arguments for the existence of God. The next post will actually begin the presentations of arguments for the existence of God, starting with the cosmological argument.
__________________
For futher reading see:
Faith & Reason (especially chapters 8 and 9) by Ron Nash
There Are No Real Athiests! by Dave Mullins

God's Self Revelation To Man Part 1

Editor's Note: This post is not an argument for the existence of God. This is the first of two posts that show how God has universally revealed himself to mankind. (This was orginally going to be one post but I decided to divide it into 2 posts.) These two post look to biblically ground what kind of philosophical arguments are consistent to use with what God has reveal about himself in the Bible. So this for Christians to show what kind of philosophical arguments are consistant with how God said he has revealed himself to mankind.

One interesting topic that most Christians probably do not think about is how has God said he has revealed himself. This is what this post will be taking a look at. Most Christians have come to believe in him because they have met him personally in the person of Jesus Christ. This though is not the only way to know that God exists, or else the only theists would be Christians. God has revealed himself to all of creation . So someone can know that God exists before coming to know him. In this post I will show how God said he has revealed himself. Please note that I am not currently trying to make an argument for the existence of God (so if you ready to debate wait) and I am not saying that God exists because the Bible says so. I am NOT saying God exists because the Bible says there is a God and I am know the Bible is God's word because the Bible says so. I am NOT making a circular argument for the existence of God. I believe the Bible is the Word of God because God the Holy Spirit has revealed that to me and it has also been confirmed to me by historical and archaeological evidence. The authority of scripture is a presupposition that I hold.(But NOT using to as argument for existence of God.) This post looks at how God has said he revealed himself. This post and next one that will follow it is then for Christians to show them what kind of philosophical arguments should be used that are consistent with the way God has chosen to reveal himself to all the world. It also shows that any argument for God has to be grounded in God’s revelation. There are actually wrong ways to assert that God exists. For example, Mormons would try to prove the validity of the the Mormon faith by the “burning bosom test.” If we were to offer up arguments that are inconsistent with God's self revelation that would give people pretexts for denying God. I may say that you can know that God is real because they found holy grail and if that was the only argument I would offer then I would be be resting the grounds for my faith on the wrong thing. Thus people will think you have no reason to believe what you believe if they can disprove your faulty argument or premises and they deny the reality(illegitimately) that God exists based on a silly argument. For example, I may say I know 1+1 =2 because everyone has two thumbs. Someone who may want to argue with will find someone no thumbs and say I have no reason to believe to 1+1 =2. But reality is 1+1 =2 but you have not given your opponent reason to believe and thus have given him an opportunity to deny your right conclusion based on your false methodology. It also does much to discredit you even when you may be right. So its important not present faulty arguments or somehow give impression the God is somehow ontologically dependent on you having a good argument for his existence. The existence of God is unaffected by arguments. God exists apart from anything. His existence is not contingent on anyone's ability to prove it. But if we were to proffer faulty arguments it would give someone an excuse to dishonor God and ridicule you for your belief. It also would be dishonoring to God for not using showing people what has said about himself. So what could be better than using arguments that are consistent with what God has said about how he has already revealed himself? Thus before I begin my arguments for the existence of God I am going to start by looking to see how God has said he has revealed himself.

Let's look at a key text in Psalm 19. Psalm 19 is all about God's revelation. First in general revelation (vv. 1-6) also in special revelation (vv.7-9). Then it shows us our proper response to God revealing himself to us (vv.9-14). Let's look at verses 1-6.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.

There is a great wealth of truth to unpack in theses verses! Let's first notice how it says the “heavens declare the glory of God”. This shows us the God has used creation to make himself known. Creation is not neutral on God's existence. Look at all the verbs in in verses 1 and 2. There are: declare, proclaim, pour forth speech, display. This are very demonstrative verbs. These are words that you would use to describe what a preacher or orator does. This is what creation is doing: declaring, pouring forth, displaying knowledge! It is as creation is shouting at us! What is the subject of all of creation's loquacious orations? It is the glory of God! (v1). The heavens declare the glory of God! Creation cannot keeps itself silent about its creator. Unfortunately many Christians can. Creation is not ambivalent on God's existence. It proclaims God's glory. There is no way to say creation has any neutrality on the subject or leaves room for other discussion. The universe triumphantly says that there is God and that he is glorious! As Sire said in his title for his chapter on Christian Theism in his book The Universe Next Door we truly do live in “A universe charged with the grandeur of God”.

Verses 3-6 tells the extent of creation's loud proclamation. Verse 3 tell us “ There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard”. It does not matter your language or your culture or race. The voice of creation is everywhere and it is universal. Have you ever noticed how different cultures have different cosmological arguments. Its because the voice of God's revelation is not limited to a specific people but is universal. This idea is continued in verse 4 it says, “ Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” Nowhere in the world is creation's testimony of the glory of its God is dimmed or silenced. All of of the Earth hears creation's message of its God. It is not limited to white Europeans or North Americans. Africa, Antarctica, Asia, the Middle East, Oceania, Louisville, Jerusalem, Moscow, Washington, Bagdad, New Delhi, Tokyo, Havana, every place everywhere has the same, one, consistent, unchanged message proclaimed to it. The glory of their God! No one is exempt from knowing that God exists and that he is glorious.

So what are the implications of this when it comes to the arguments for existence of God? That God is revealed in creation. So any arguments that point to how creation points to its creator are valid and consistent with God's self revelation to us. So that means we can use various cosmological and teleological arguments for the existence of God. When we talk about how God created the world with with order it and must have been designed by an intelligent designer we realized how this shows us that the heavens really do proclaim the glory of God. Or various cosmological arguments as well testify that the heavens declare the glory of God and likewise are consistent with God's self revelation. This also shows that a-posteriori arguments are fully legitimate in pointing to the God of the Bible.

God has universally made himself known through general revelation in other ways than through creation. The next post on Romans 1 will examine that and also look at how sin has affected our ability to know God.

So funny because its so true!

Well it looks like one the regular features here at the Cutting Edge is to rip off my favorite news story from Lark News! This my favorited for the month.

Trend: Youth groups forget meaning of names

SYRACUSE — When Rhett Wilson became youth pastor at LifeWay Church, he inherited a youth group name nobody could explain: GetReady 7:35. The youth group had been using it for five years, but almost the entire pastoral staff had changed and nobody could remember what it meant. "We know the youth used to have prayer early Saturday morning," says Wilson. "Maybe it means 7:35 a.m." Others surmise the 7:35 refers to a Bible verse, or to the time on Wednesday nights when the group used to meet. Wilson tasked youth group members with looking up all chapter 7 and verse 35s in the Bible. They didn't come up with anything that fits. Youth groups across the country are finding themselves in the same predicament: sometimes their names outlast their leaders and memories. Get Wi'dit 4:11 in Ft. Lauderdale doesn't know if their name refers to 411, as in where to get critical information, or a Bible verse. "I think it's Ecclesiastes 4:11," cracks the associate youth pastor. That passage reads, "And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone?" Two youth groups — The Call 5:16 and Higher 37 — have posted online requests asking former youth group members what their names mean, so they can retire them with dignity. At Youth Group 720 in Seattle, the current youth pastor confesses he doesn't know what exactly it means. "The previous guy explained it to me one time, but I forgot it," he says. "It may mean two full revolutions, or maybe it's a Bible verse. Maybe it was his membership goal." He laughs. "We still use it because it sounds skateboard-y," he says. •
_______________________________________________________________
Like I said so funny because its so true. Back when I was the Youth Minister at my church back in Ohio here are some names I had to work with through inherentance:
LifeSource-Our primary youth group meeting at tuesday nights in the evening.
Cross Training- Our Sunday night youth Bible Study.
C.O.R.E- Our once a month out reach activity. It stood for Community OutReach Event.

Call me old fashioned but I don't know why we could not called it all Youth Group. All the college minisries I was involved in also had funny names. My Crosswalk (what Southerners call Campus Baptist Ministries) changed its name to 727. That was the time we met. At Kent State our Campus Crusade changed its name to the Dive. A church for college students and 20 somethings had the name 707 after a Matthew 7:7 and also the time it met. Then it branched off into 3 services with none of them meeting at 7:07.

OhI just thought of something I could add to the list. I am now a member of 9th and O Baptist Church in Louisville which is neither on 9th or O street anymore.

Personal Update and Blog Pointing

My exams are finally over. I think I did well on them which is another plus. Now that my exams are done I can start focusing my attention on other things such as working, blogging, more reading, etc. But since many of you are wondering: what did John learn while being at his first semester of seminary? I will share a short list.

1) Apparently I am a yankee ( I used think that just meant you were a patriot. I had no idea that being “yankee” was such a negative thing.)
2) Sweet tea is really good. Its a shame we don't have that up in Ohio.
3) Apparently there some sort of war a while back called the “War of Northern Aggression”. I never heard of it before.

Anyway I am sure I'll share more as I go. Right now I am looking forward working on my series on arguments for the existence of God (which I really will get back to). I know I said that before but not that exams are done I will soon start.

But for right now at this very minute I want to introduce some new bloggers. I think I will call this BLOG POINTING from now on. In this edition of BLOG POINTING I will share with some new blogs I have been reading and enjoying. I'll start with some people I met here at SBTS.

My good friend Jonathan Forsythe has a new blog Walking with Ordinary Joe. It one of my new favorites. I always enjoyed my conversations with Jon he always puts things in a proper God ward perspective. He is also an independent thinker. I am going to miss having him around.

Another good emerging blog is Every Though Captive by Kenan Plunk. Kenan is a friend I met at church and his blog is deep and insightful. I definitely expect good things from it.

Next is the SBTS metablog. This good way to see students here at SBTS are blogging about. It is a composite of many of the blogs here at SBTS. I recently have been added to it.

Once again I want to point you to a couple blogger I previously linked. Jason Milich because he finally remembered his password and now can blog again! He is going to start a series on leadership. If anyone leadership. His blog is still the oddly named Jason the Late and the Great. ( I guess pastor in Tennessee can get away with odd names for their blogs)

Take another look at Ryan's Simmon's Jumbled Rumblings. He recently posted on the “ Eye argument” showing that complexity makes it hard to believe it evovled.
Now to point you to some old favorites:

Check out Jeremy Weaver's Doxoblogy. I think his posts on atonement are stellar and are a must read for anybody.

Russel Moore has funny article in the Henry Institute. Apparently he ticked off some witches and they now wish that we would be reincarnated as a barren woman in a patriarchal society.

Oh yeah ! And speaking of funny I recently have been enjoying all the funny pictures at Purgatorio.

Anyway happy reading! Its time for me to continue celebrating be exam free!!!!!!!!!!!