Here is the second episode in my five-minute series, Faith in Five. It deals with the question: ๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐จ๐ฉ, ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ’๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก? ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐๐จ ๐๐ฉ ๐ข๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ง? ๐๐๐ฎ ๐จ๐๐ค๐ช๐ก๐ ๐๐ฉ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐๐? The answer is both profound and disturbing …
MEDIA:
VIDEO: Even If God Does Exist, So What?
AUDIO PODCAST: Even If God Does Exist, So What? (Scroll down to the “Faith in Five” series)
Alternatively, you can read the script below:
SCRIPT:
Welcome back to Faith in Five: Short Answers to BIG Questions. ย In this episode, Iโm dealing with the question: If God exists, so what? In other words, even if God exists, does it really matter? Does it make any practical difference?
I want to suggest that Godโs existence changes everything.
- If God Exists, Life Has Meaning
If there is no Godโif the universe is nothing more than the accidental by-product of blind physical forcesโthen life has no ultimate meaning. We may invent subjective meaning, but there is no objective purpose behind our existence.
The atheist philosopher Bertrand Russell was refreshingly honest about this, describing human life as the product of โthe accidental collision of atomsโฆ destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system.โ If that is true, then meaning, purpose, and significance are ultimately illusions.
But if God exists, life is not an accident. We are intentionally created beings, designed with purpose. And that purpose is ultimately to know God and live in relationship with him forever.
- If God Exists, Human Beings Have Inherent Value
In a godless universe, humans are merely highly evolved lumps of flesh that have gradually crawled out of the swamp. And if thatโs true, thereโs nothing particularly special about us that distinguishes us from any other animals aside from or ability to wreck the planet and spend ridiculous amounts of time playing computer games. And concepts like human dignity and human rights are ultimately just empty social conventions with no objective basis.
But if God exists, human beings have value because they are created in His image. And that provides an objective foundation for human dignityโone that transcends culture, power, intelligence, and social utility. It explains why every single human being is incredibly precious โ including you, listening to this right now โ because you are the loving handiwork of a Creator God.
- If God Exists, Moral Values Have an Absolute Basis
The popular belief today is that everyone can determine their own truth, their own set of values and morals, and no-one can dictate those to us. Morality is subjective and truth is relative.
But if God exists, then he is our ultimate, absolute moral law-giver. We donโt get to make up the rules ourselves. We arenโt given a vote. The existence of God establishes an absolute basis for morality and it completely undercuts our desire for self-determination. This leads to the next point.
- If God Exists, We Are Accountable To Him
The existence of God changes everything. It means that we are not the self-ruling, self-deterministic beings that we thought ourselves to be. We are guests in someone elseโs universe. We are creatures who are ultimately accountable to their Creator. And one day we will appear in his presence and our lives will be evaluated. And thatโs an extremely sobering thought!
- If God Exists, Death Is Not The End
If God exists, then life doesnโt end at the grave. We will live on. And that means that how we live now in this life and how we respond to God in this life has eternal consequences.
Jesus spoke a lot about life after death and he ultimately demonstrated it by rising from the dead himself.ย If life after death is true, then surely itโs a reality we canโt ignore. We would be utterly foolish to live for this life alone, with no thought for what comes next.
So, there you have it. Godโs existence changes everything, because it means:
- life has meaning.
- human beings have inherent value.
- morality is absolute and not a matter of personal opinion
- we are ultimately accountable to God
- And death is not the end
And so I urge you to make your peace with God now, while you still can. Donโt go to your grave ignoring the God who made you.
Thereโs a verse in the Bible which says, โGod is not far from anyone, for our very existence is founded in Him โฆ And now He commands all people everywhere to turn back to Him.โ (Acts 17:27-30)
For more info, please check out other resources on my website, smartfaith.net.
Thanks for listening. Have a great day.