{"id":966,"date":"2009-08-30T08:00:36","date_gmt":"2009-08-30T06:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.galmin.co.za\/blog\/?p=966"},"modified":"2009-08-30T07:29:57","modified_gmt":"2009-08-30T05:29:57","slug":"essential-doctrines-of-the-bible-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.galmin.co.za\/?p=966","title":{"rendered":"Essential Doctrines of the Bible (part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/strong>
\nIn the next few days we will be discussing a few fundemental issues regarding doctrines of the Bible.
\nThese will be The Existence of God, The Bible, The Doctrine of God, Angels and demons, etc. Today we start with ‘the existence of God.’<\/p>\n

The Existence of God<\/strong>
\nThe first verse of the Bible introduces God as the Creator
\nof the universe. The Bible does not try to prove that God exists;
\nit assumes His existence as fundamental. Creation itself
\nbears witness that there is an intelligent, omnipotent, loving
\nCreator (Romans 1:20).
\nThere can be only one of three explanations for the existence of the universe: (1) it has always existed (eternal universe); (2) it came into existence by its own power (self-creating universe), or (3) God created it. Accepting any of these requires a faith that transcends scientific proof. It is more plausible to believe in an intelligent, eternal, omnipotent Creator than in the eternity or self-creative ability of nonrational matter.
\nThe orderliness and design of the universe require the existence of a Designer. The incredible complexity of even the simplest forms of life shows that life did not begin by accident or blind chance. Man\u2019s moral nature reveals that he is more than an intelligent animal; he was created in the image of a rational, spiritual, moral Being. Every human child develops a conscience, and every human society has a sense of morality (Romans 2:15).<\/p>\n

How could the finite human mind even conceive of an infinite, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, and perfect God unless God imparted that concept? Every society in history has expressed belief in a Supreme Being, and modern anthropological studies show that the earliest and most fundamental religious belief is not polytheism but monotheism.
\nThe testimony of the Scriptures and the confirmation of personal experience assure us that God indeed lives and communicates with humanity. Ultimately, we accept the truth of His existence by faith (Hebrews 11:6).<\/p>\n

Taken from Doctrines of the Bible
\nby David K. Bernard<\/em><\/p>\n