Dr. Cornelius Van Til

“I propose to argue that unless God is back of everything you cannot find meaning in anything…” 1

“I hold that belief in God is not merely as reasonable as other belief; it is not a little more probable, or infinitely more probable, than unbelief. I hold rather that unless you believe in God you can logically believe in nothing else.” 2

The above quotations by the late reformed apologist Cornelius Van Til explain the need for God to be at the foundation of human thought. This includes logic.

1. 1. Van Til C (1976) Why I Believe in God, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, PA, 1
2. 2. Ibid., 16

Jewish Wedding Ceremony

Scoffers have argued that Christians hold a set of scriptures (the Bible) that are just-so stories. God in the person of Jesus is the creator of heavens and Earth, but he also created marriage, the union of one man and one woman. This divinely invented institution in our day is under attack. The goal is to redefine marriage, especially by the homosexual movement, which finds the basis of their behavior in evolutionary philosophy. Because they have rejected the scriptures as factual with regards to history (creation), they have rejected the bible’s moral teachings as well (Romans 1).

It seems that more and more when talking with people about whom God is, and His characteristics, that their perception of God is more of their own making rather than what is revealed through the Scriptures. This invariably leads to a form of idolatry and total misunderstanding of who God is. The most common perversion of God’s character is to make “love” the only characteristic He has. This usually leads to these believing that God loves everybody so much He would not send anybody to hell. Just to let them see the illogical consequences of such theology an inquiry about Hitler is made. Somehow God cannot love Hitler enough, and he has to go to hell. The sad thing is few realize that what they are basically stating as their theology is that you only have to be better than Hitler to get to heaven.

The validity and power of the Scriptures does not start with faith or belief, nor does God need for us to believe in Him for Him to exist. Facts are true or false, independent of what anyone thinks. Likewise, prophesies either are true or false depending on whether they come to pass or not, independent of who believes the prophesy is valid or invalid. The unique validity of the Scriptures is evident by the fulfilled prophesy given in the Scripture. Prophecy in this case is predicting what will happen before it takes place. Here is what God says about His prophets and their prophesies: “And it shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him. But the prophet who shall speak a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he shall speak in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must belief that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.  Hebrews 11:6

Faith as defined by my dictionary is as follows: 1. unquestioning belief, 2. unquestioning belief in God, religion, etc., 3. a religion or a system of religious beliefs, 4. anything believed, 5. complete trust, confidence, or reliance, 6. loyalty; allegiance to some person or thing. Almost by definition faith is excluded from logic and reality. It’s value appears to be metaphysical, not something useful in the physical world we live in. Is that really all that faith encompasses?

For those who adhere to a literal interpretation of Genesis and believe in a young earth, scripture is the first, final, and unrivaled authority (sola scriptura) on the questions of the origin of the universe, the origin of life, the origin of man, and the age of the earth. Young Earth Creationists (sometimes referred to as “YECs”) believe that the Bible is inerrant and clear in its teachings about origins. Good exegesis based upon the grammatical-historical hermeneutical approach and comparing scripture with scripture leads to the conclusion that the earth was created in six 24-hour days in the recent past. Nature viewed through the lens of scripture lends support to the recent creation view.

“But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the MostHigh.’ “

Isaiah 14:13-14 NASB

What is the reason for life, the universe, and everything else? It is a loaded philosophical question that the answer of “42” just really does not seem to answer well. It is humorous when we read the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams, to have the answer to such mysteries given in such a simplistic manner. But putting science fiction and humor aside we can give some simple answers also; they exist for very much the same reason every created thing does exist. They exist to give glory to their creator!

This is the famous horsehead nebula. Actually it is a dark nebula classified as Barnard 33. From the Astrophotography Gallery of Bobby Middleton. Used by permission

First we will review when the stars were created and by whom!

Evolutionary thinking has changed the way people have viewed not just the world and human origins but also the way they view the cosmos and everything that possibly exists within its confines.

Because most of those associated with TASC would call themselves Christians, I suspect that most of you reading this article would readily affirm that Jesus is God in the flesh, God incarnate, the so-called "Son of God," equal with God the Father.

Yet I know that many Christians struggle with the what the secular world has said about the creation account in the Bible.

Today, I would like to provide you with reason to believe.