Why Do You Believe In GOD? ...

Last night i was standing at my kitchen counter making a sandwich when out of the blue this question just exploded in my spirit ...

[b][color=FF0000]"Why do you believe in God?"[/color][/b] ...

i couldn't stop thinking about it till i came up with some answers, and i couldn't wait to post this question on SI ...

[b][color=FF0000]If you had to give explanation of "why YOU believe" in the Judeo-Christian GOD, in His existence, what would you say?[/color][/b]

The evidence of God's creation.
My conscience. God has written His Law on my heart.
The Holy Spirit. He convicts me of sin, and convinces me of Righteousness and Judgment.
The Holy Bible. His Word tells me He exists.

That's all.

Bravo sis Melissa! ... i didn't want to lead out answering ... :-D

These after some thought are my reasons ...

1 - From a purely spiritual and supernatural sense (apart from anything having to do with me) via Rom. 9 i believe i believe in Him, because i'm predestined by Him to believe as a chosen "vessel of mercy" ... ([i]Not gonna get drawn off topic here in another long drawn out dispute about predestination, this is just my own personal belief ok[/i])

2 - In a more natural sense i believe in Him because from a child my parents taught me to ...

3 - But as i became a "saved" adult (analytical by nature) the main reason i believe in Him is because of His book the Bible ... Not so much because of all that's written tho it too is a huge part of my reasoning, but moreso because of the 12,000+ years story line of scripture from the first creative day till present, as well as the continuous redemptive plan story line from Genesis to the Revelation which engulfs not only our time but the future ... My analysis was even more reinforced in my research and writing of The Called and God On Earth ...

In my mind only the supreme Judeo-Christian God of the Bible could have managed such a perfect cohesive feat, using so many different writers, over such a great span of time, to gift to us who believe now but have not seen ...

In my walk with God He doesn't appear to me visibly, hasn't physically sent Gabriel or any other angel, He doesn't speak to me audibly, and tho i thouroughly believe He communicates with me spiritually in motivation of my life i can't prove it in explanation to anyone as why my belief in Him ... But i can and do give explanation regarding the Bible as afore stated ...

His Word and plan in all it's historical consistency is my "proof" of Him, His existence, and why i believe in GOD ...

Now what's even more interesting a young man on my job whom i've been discussing our Lord/the Bible with asked me this very question at lunch ... Praise Him for preparing our way!

Dear Rahman,

The answer is simple: because God is actively involved with my life. I am a living testimony of God. I have my initial testimony of how Christ saved me and changed me. Then, I have regular testimonies of God working in my life on a regular basis. My wife is one such testimony.

God is with me, and it shows in my life. Not because of anything I have done or do, but because God is able to work through me freely. People who spend a considerable amount of time with me see this. They see my prayers answered, and see God at work in my life. They see me fall into life struggles, then see God deliver me.

It was God working in the life of my brother that brought me to salvation. The greatest proof of God I had ever encountered was the change in my brother. The biggest thing that struck me was his answered prayers. I said to myself, "I must be praying to the wrong God because God does not answer my prayers."

When we look at others from the bible, it was God working through them that helped people believe. Joseph, for example, was made second in command over Egypt, not because Joseph was good or smooth. It was because through Joseph God interpreted a dream. The Pharaoh could see that God was with Joseph, and because of that, he was assigned such a high position. Joseph was a prisoner. This proved to Pharaoh that God was with Joseph because Joseph certainly couldn't have done it on his own.

God is proven in and through His people. Likewise, our faith is proven through God working in our lives.

In Hebrews 11:1 (KJ), Paul says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Faith is the evidence of things not seen. Have you ever wondered how that can be? How can faith prove the work of the spirit?

When we have faith in God, He can work in us. And it is God working in us that He is proven. This often comes in the way of trials and tribulations. Every time God delivers us from a trial or tribulation that we could not get out of ourselves, then God is glorified. We place our faith in God, and when God is faithful to fulfill His promises in us, then our faith is proven.

This is why I believe in God. Because I have seen Him change people's lives. I have seen Him save sinners. I also experience Him at work in my own life.

In love,
Blake

In my mind only the supreme Judeo-Christian God of the Bible could have managed such a perfect cohesive feat, using so many different writers, over such a great span of time, to gift to us who believe now but have not seen ...

Though this may seem logical to you, I must caution you to beware. If you say that we can believe in God because of the bible, you are not giving credit to the cross. We can believe in God because of Christ and no other. It is the work of Christ through salvation on the cross that allows us to believe.

If a person comes to believe God because of the bible as a "feat" of God, then they do not have any faith at all. They believe in the bible and put their faith in the bible. This means, they are dependent on the authenticity of the bible and they accept the bible as Lord over their life. However, if a person believes in Christ, and He changes them, then they are dependent Him to be their Lord.

We are not saved and changed by believing in the bible. We are saved and changed by believing in God's Son. The bible may lead us to God's Son, however, it is God's Son who changes us.

Be weary of preaching the bible as the work of salvation. You could lead someone astray. You must preach repentance and belief in Christ. A person can only come to God through Christ.

If someone asks, "How can I believe in God?" and you tell them "because God gave us the bible", then you will have to prove the authenticity of the bible. But if you tell them, "because God gave us Christ" then you will have to prove the authenticity of Christ. Christ is the one who came from Heaven, born to a virgin, died on a cross, and was raised to new life. The bible, however, was written by men. Which would you prefer to prove?

I pray for the sake of this soul you preach Christ. I pray the Lord will empty your heart and head of everything, and fill your mouth with every word to say.

Preach Christ and no other. Through the death of Christ on the cross, are sins can be forgiven. Through His resurrection, we can be born again.

This truth is shown in the lives of people who have been changed. That is why we call them "testimonies" because they testify to the work of God.

If anyone seeks proof of God, do not try to prove God with the bible. Prove God by the work of the Spirit through Christ crucified. Show them lives that have been changed and answered prayers. Be the light of Christ, a living testimony of Christ.

I plead with you in the name of Christ,
Blake

1 Corinthians 1:23(KJ)
"But we preach Christ crucified"

beenblake said: 'The answer is simple: because God is actively involved with my life. I am a living testimony of God. I have my initial testimony of how Christ saved me and changed me. Then, I have regular testimonies of God working in my life on a regular basis. My wife is one such testimony.'

Great Answer, Blake! that is exactly right. We know who we were before Christ came into our lives, and how we have been transformed. It is His doing not our own!

Bro Blake you wrote;
"Though this may seem logical to you, I must caution you to beware. If you say that we can believe in God because of the bible, you are not giving credit to the cross."

---Your "caution" and "plea" are duly noted, tho i don't think this is what i said, and if that's what you got from my post it certainly isn't what i meant, as i also said "as well as the continuous redemptive plan story line from Genesis to the Revelation" ... From before the setting of the foundation of the world redemption is Jesus ---

Bro Blake you wrote;
"Be weary of preaching the bible as the work of salvation."

---Can you please point out to me where i said in my post anything about presenting the Bible as the work of salvation? ... i know who Christ is, He's the ONLY way, truth and life, and no one gets to the Father except by Him ... i'd certainly preach nothing else to anyone toward salvation ... The question is: Why do i believe in God? ... One of the main reasons for me is the Bible as the Word of God which i believe in ... Again the Bible (for me) is "the continuous redemptive plan story line from Genesis to the Revelation" ... It is the book about redemption and our Redeemer ...

Now the question comes to my mind if i would have been prone to continue in my childhood belief of God, and His redemption plan via Christ, if i didn't have the Bible? ... Hmmmm ... i guess i'll never know since i do have it, but being the analytical person that i am i wonder? ... i also know that for myself its the words of scripture hidden in my heart that often keep me going on past my doubts and fears ... How do i know Christ is with me always? ... It is written ... Hmmmm ... My dependence on salvation is on Christ, but my belief in Him (God) is strongly grounded in His written Word ...

[b]Wow ... i certainly didn't post this thread to dwell on my own reasonings for faith, but has anyone else seen in my post what bro Blake sees? ... If so please speak up, God may be trying to straighten out something in me, as i surely don't want to be misleading to anyone [/b] :-o ---

I believe in God because the antithesis of believing in God lies in complete arbitrariness and asininity. :-P

Ok, seriously, I believe in God because I know Him and He has revealed Himself to me.

------

as·i·nine
Function: adjective

1 : extremely or utterly foolish

*I did this because I had to look the word up*
;-)

I think I completely miss your point beenblake. Unless your talking about just a mental assent to the Bible. Of course that won't save you.

Where does faith come from?

Rahman,
I read none of those things in your post at all... :)

Dear Rahman,

Maybe my worries are but foolishness. I become weary when the bible takes center place over Christ. There are some that think we believe in a book, rather than a Savior.

Again the Bible (for me) is "the continuous redemptive plan story line from Genesis to the Revelation" ... It is the book about redemption and our Redeemer ...

And this, I agree.

In love,
Blake

Thanks saints for the feedback ...

i once took a so called "ministerial test" for pastorship that said i was a tedious thinker (which also carrys over in my writing), prone to lead more from a fear of the Lord perspective than faith in the Lord, and would thereby be burdensome to most congregants in my preaching/teaching and what's expected of us as Christians ... The conclusion being that i was not a good canditate for being a pastor ... In other words no "mega-church" in my future! ... :-P

i already knew i wasn't called to pastor (thank God), but the info, especially about the 'tedious" thinking makes me keep in mind other saints who may not get my point(s) - which seems to happen often ... But i have noticed that when it comes to witnessing to the unsaved i always seem to get folk like myself, analytical, desiring concrete proof, full of lots of questions about why i'm so sure of God, and i find that witnessing from a historical point of view seems to work well with such ... Mind you tho these are the type folk that just don't seem to come to Christ without much going back and forth in debate and reasoning ... But at least unlike some who just avoid talking period, they can be engaged about what has happened and is happening from my belief in God, His plan, and His written Word ...

It's interesting that out of so many hits only four reasonings posted ... i don't say this as a
judgment, for some may not have felt an answer necessary, but i bet it made all take inventory (which is the reason for the thread) ... Why we believe in God can stand all of the esoteric answers understood amongst ourselves (saved), in fact they can become cliche' to the point of we already know (we're already in so we discern such spiritual things) ... But not so with the unsaved, for our reasonings are foolishness to them ...

This incident is giving me even more appreciation for the Bible as THE BOOK, in fact i'd say awe ... In my witnessing to the young guys on my job, one who happens to be extremely knowledgable in history, the other a real sci-fi fan (the one who asked me why i believe in God), it's the Bible that enables me to come at them both from both interests ... It's the Bible that is a real, tangible, evidence of God, that Holy Spirit enables me to come at them with ...

i sat last night and just looked at my old Ryrie KJV Study Bible, picked it up and just held it, opened it up and just looked at all His Words ... Because they are His words the Bible itself is alive ...

--- For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. - Heb.4:12

--- All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. - 2Tim.3: 16.17

--- Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God - Eph.6: 10-17

God's preparing me for something, my spiritual spider senses are more than tingling!!! ... Something new is happening to me ... i've read the afore scriptures a thousand times before, but it's like i'm seeing them in a whole brighter light ... A fully clad in the armour of God saint can take up the Sword of God, and empowered by Holy Spirit, can be used of Him to do all that these scriptures promise ... Some might think i'm tripping out here, that it's only printed paper bound into a tome, but it's much, much more to me than that ... It's the Words of God, from which as PreachParsly eluded my faith stems from ... i've always had a Bible in my life, i can't remember a time when i didn't ... i reverence God, i reverence His Words, thereby i reverence His Book, and i treat my Bible with respect because for me it's a physical representation of Him ... Old Israel had it's ark, we got our Bible (and we all can touch it) ...

i was once asked if in a fire i could only save one material thing what would it be? ... i didn't even have to think about it, i said my Bible ... i've had it all my almost 30 years of saved life, it's full of markings and notations and lessons Holy Spirit has taught me over the years ... Would i lose my salvation or faith in Christ if it were ever lost or taken away? ... Of course not - but man would i sure miss it ... i love God, and i love my old Bible! ... :-D

Bro Blake ...

One thing i've learned on SI ... If one feels led to post a thread every subsequent post becomes subject to Rom. 8:28 ... Everyone of the called led to it's reading will be affected by it to "good", whether we think so or not ...

i know your "warning/plea" post affected me to good because thru it Holy Spirit was able to show me other things that would not have come except by my reaction to your "warning/reply" ...

John 3:16 is my first favorite scripture, Rom. 8:28 is second ...

The love of Jesus in return bro! ... :-D

Bro R