Why Some People Don't Believe in God....and Why I Do.

“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them – bringing swift destruction on themselves.”

(2 Peter 2:1 - New International Version)

When I get asked why I believe in God it is sometimes hard to answer, as for me, for the last 25+ years, it’s been the case of ‘How could I NOT believe in God?’

It is a difficult concept for those who don't believe in God to understand, as many people say they need proof in order to agree with something and unfortunately, no matter what you say to these people, whatever evidence you present them with, they are always able to ‘rationalise’ their way round the concept of the existence of God, yet don’t do the same with their own beliefs.

Most people are only too willing to accept the existence of scientific concepts and theories that have no concrete proof…such as the ‘Big Bang’ or gravity. Scientists cannot prove exactly how gravity works or why it behaves the way it does, yet everyone would agree that there is a force that prevents us all flying off into space. We don't need to be able to prove something to know it exists and feel it at work.

Thinking about gravity, and what the scientists DO know, just serves to reinforce my belief in God. Scientists agree that if gravity were different, even if only a fraction stronger or weaker, then the universe as it is could not exist. In other words, the force of gravity is at the perfect strength for the universe to exist…as if it had been created that way on purpose.

“For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.”

(Colossians 1:16 - New International Version)

Also, people are all too ready to accept other ‘theories’, such as evolution, that over billions of years one single celled life form developed and changed enough to form the millions of different species of life that now exist on Earth, despite there being no concrete proof that it is the case, only scientific conjecture. Just as those who do not believe don’t want to believe that God created the world, I don’t want to believe that the world was created by random chance.

On Wikipedia it says: “in science, empirical evidence is required for a hypothesis to gain acceptance in the scientific community. Normally, this validation is achieved by the scientific method of hypothesis commitment, experimental design, peer review, adversarial review, reproduction of results, conference presentation and journal publication.”

Evolution and the ‘Big Bang’ don't meet these criteria, yet people often form concrete beliefs in them. I wonder if they do so in order that they don't have to believe in God.

There is a desire within humans to believe in something, that’s clear from the way people find it so easy to attach themselves to unproven scientific theories. There is an ability to accept that something exists without needing to understand exactly how or why it exists.

Why then do people choose NOT to believe in God? Here are a few thoughts:

1)   It would involve changing their lives. God, Jesus and the Apostles all say that we should live our lives in certain ways that may be contrary to their current lifestyles. They decide it’s easier to deny the existence of God than to accept that how they live might be wrong.

2)   Lack of knowledge – rather than look at the Bible in depth and find out what it actually says, it is easier to rely on what other naysayers have told them and that it cannot be accurate. (However, historians generally agree on the factual accuracy of the Bible as a historical document).

3)   Fear – it is a frightening concept to believe that God exists…because then you have to believe in Heaven…and in Hell. Not many people want to believe in the concept of Hell and that there might be consequences for their thoughts, words and deeds.

4)   They know that believing in God is not going to provide an easy life. Jesus said that those who believe would be persecuted and ridiculed for following Him. Those who choose NOT to believe aren't always able to accept the challenges involved in having faith.

“On hearing it, many of his disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’ Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, ‘Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you – they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.”

(John 6:60-64 - New International Version)

Why I DO believe in God

I believe that my existence is more than a chance combination of chemicals.

“For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13 - New International Version)

I know that I could not have survived the situations I have been through in life on my own as there have been times I would have given up without God on my side.

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13 - New International Version)

If there were no God then what would be the purpose of living; why are we here? I believe we are here to worship God and have relationship with Him because He loves us.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17 - New International Version)

I believe that there must be something beyond physical death…or what would be the point? If when we die there is nothing afterwards then our existences seem pointless. I believe that life can't just be about procreation.

“Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” (Jude 1:21 - New International Version)

I have felt God’s presence – I’ve seen the happiness and peace in people who know Him – I have seen the amazing things that people have achieved through prayer and know that God was with them when they reached out to Him.

“God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. “For in him we live and move and have our being.” As some of your own poets have said, “We are his offspring.” (Acts 17:27-28 - New International Version)