Is There a God?

QUESTION:

Is there a God? (or Does God really exist?)

ANSWER:

This question is more philosophical than theological in nature. Philosophical—because we’re appealing primarily to logic and reason rather than faith. Theology begins with the assumption that God exists and focuses on what Scripture reveals about His nature, humanity’s standing before Him and our relationship with Him. But before we can explore those truths, we must first ask the foundational question: Does God exist at all?

This question—Does God exist?—is not only foundational but also deeply personal. While theology seeks to understand God’s character, philosophy first asks whether belief in God is even reasonable. In this article, we won’t lean on sacred texts or spiritual experiences; instead, we’ll appeal to logic, evidence, and rational inquiry. Many thinkers—both ancient and modern—have tackled this question from various angles, and we’ll explore some of the most compelling arguments.

1. The Beginning of the Universe – The Cosmological Argument

One of the most powerful philosophical arguments for God’s existence is the Cosmological Argument, defended robustly by scholars like J.P. Moreland and Dr. William Lane Craig.

It starts with a simple premise:

Everything that begins to exist has a cause.
The universe began to exist.
Therefore, the universe has a cause.

This cause, Craig argues in his Kalam Cosmological Argument, must be outside time, space, and matter—eternal, immaterial, and uncaused (Craig, Reasonable Faith, 2008). Moreland, in Scaling the Secular City (1987), explains that the cause of the universe must be a personal, necessary being who freely chose to create.

Thus, the existence of the universe points not to nothing, but to Someone beyond the natural world—an intelligent, uncaused first cause best explained as God.

2. The Fine-Tuning of the Universe – The Teleological Argument

The fine-tuning argument asks: Why is the universe just right for life?

If the gravitational constant or the electromagnetic force were slightly different, life as we know it could not exist. Physicist Paul Davies and astronomer Fred Hoyle (though not all theists themselves) have noted the astonishing precision required in these constants.

J. Warner Wallace, in his book God’s Crime Scene (2015), compares this to walking into a room filled with clues—precision, purpose, and balance—and concluding it wasn’t an accident. As a seasoned detective, Wallace emphasizes that design is inferred when complexity, intentionality, and order are present.

This level of fine-tuning suggests that the universe was not the product of unguided chance, but of deliberate design by an intelligent Creator.

3. The Moral Argument – Objective Morality and a Moral Lawgiver

The Moral Argument is another compelling philosophical case for God’s existence. It goes like this:

If objective moral values exist, then God exists.
Objective moral values do exist.
Therefore, God exists.

Even people who don’t believe in God often live as if certain things are objectively right or wrong—helping the vulnerable is good, and acts like racism or torture are evil. But if there’s no God—no ultimate source of morality—then “right” and “wrong” are just personal preferences or cultural constructs.

J.P. Moreland puts it this way in Love Your God with All Your Mind: “The best explanation for the existence of moral obligations is the existence of a moral lawgiver—God” (Moreland, 1997). Without a transcendent source, we lose the grounding for true moral claims.

Bobby Conway, known as “The One Minute Apologist,” also points out that our universal sense of justice points to something beyond evolutionary survival instincts. We feel that certain things ought to be—not just because they help us survive, but because they are truly right or wrong.

J. Warner Wallace, again drawing from his detective work, argues in God’s Crime Scene that the existence of moral laws inside the “crime scene” of the universe suggests they originated outside of it—pointing to a transcendent Mind.

4. The Historical Argument – Did God Reveal Himself?

Beyond philosophy, many argue that God has entered into human history—and the best case for this is found in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.

Craig Blomberg, a New Testament scholar, has written extensively on the historical reliability of the Gospels. In The Historical Reliability of the Gospels (2007), he shows that the accounts of Jesus’ life are not myth or legend, but rooted in historical evidence, eyewitness testimony, and early manuscript transmission.

But why does that matter in a philosophical discussion about God?

Because if Jesus really lived, performed miracles, claimed to be God, and rose from the dead—then we’re not just talking about abstract ideas anymore. We’re talking about a historical person who verified the reality of God through His actions.

J. Warner Wallace, a former atheist who investigated the resurrection using forensic methods, concluded that the best explanation for the empty tomb, the transformation of the disciples, and the rise of the early church is that Jesus actually rose from the dead (Cold-Case Christianity, 2013). That claim is either true or false—but if it’s true, it’s the strongest confirmation that God exists and has revealed Himself.

Bonus Insight: The Case from Lee Strobel

Another key voice in this conversation is Lee Strobel, a former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and once a committed atheist. Strobel began his investigation into Christianity not to prove it true—but to disprove it. Instead, after two years of intense research, he came to believe that the evidence pointed strongly to the existence of God.

In The Case for a Creator (2004), Strobel interviews leading scientists and scholars in fields like cosmology, biology, and philosophy. He concludes that the origin and fine-tuning of the universe, the complexity of DNA, and the emergence of consciousness are best explained by a Creator rather than blind natural processes.

In The Case for Christ (1998), he applies his legal training to the historical reliability of the Gospels, the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, and the transformation of early eyewitnesses. Strobel writes:

“The great irony was that it would be the evidence itself that would convince me the Bible is true and Jesus is who He claimed to be.” (The Case for Christ, p. 265)

Strobel’s work is compelling because he models the honest skeptic—someone who asked hard questions and followed the evidence where it led. His books continue to inspire skeptics and seekers alike who are exploring the question: Does God really exist?

Conclusion: Yes, There Is a God

So—does God really exist? After considering the evidence from science, logic, morality, and history, the most reasonable and coherent answer is yes—there is a God.

The beginning of the universe, the fine-tuning of creation, our innate sense of morality, and the historical reality of Jesus all point to a Creator who is powerful, intelligent, and personal. Scholars like J.P. Moreland, William Lane Craig, Lee Strobel, Craig Blomberg, Bobby Conway, and J. Warner Wallace have all independently followed the evidence and come to the same conclusion: belief in God is not only logical—it is the best explanation for the world we live in.

But this isn’t just a matter of logic. It’s personal.

Psalm 14:1–3 warns us:

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good… All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

When we deny God’s existence, we lose our moral compass. We drift. But when we acknowledge that God is real, everything changes. Life gains clarity. Purpose sharpens. Direction emerges. We begin to seek what is good, true, and lasting—because we know we’re not just living for ourselves.

A Personal Challenge

So here’s the challenge: Don’t just ask, “Is there a God?”—ask, “Am I living as though He’s real?”

Because if God exists—and He does—then your life matters more than you ever imagined. You’re not an accident. You’re not alone. You’re deeply known and fully loved by the One who made you.

And the sooner you settle this question in your heart, the sooner you will seek God and your life can move in a meaningful, hope-filled direction.

Citations and References

J.P. Moreland, Scaling the Secular City: A Defense of Christianity, Baker Books, 1987.
William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics, Crossway, 2008.
J. Warner Wallace, God’s Crime Scene: A Cold-Case Detective Examines the Evidence for a Divinely Created Universe, David C. Cook, 2015.
Supporting scientific insights from Paul Davies (The Goldilocks Enigma) and Fred Hoyle (noted for his commentary on fine-tuning in astrophysics).
J.P. Moreland, Love Your God with All Your Mind, NavPress, 1997.
Bobby Conway, The Fifth Gospel: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John…and You, Harvest House, 2014.
Craig Blomberg, The Historical Reliability of the Gospels, IVP Academic, 2nd ed., 2007.
J. Warner Wallace, God’s Crime Scene, 2015; Cold-Case Christianity, David C. Cook, 2013.
Lee Strobel, The Case for a Creator, Zondervan, 2004.
Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ, Zondervan, 1998.