Collinsville-Troy CHURCH OF CHRIST

The Fool Says... Part Two

-Renn Ferguson

"The fool says in his heart, 'There is not God.'" Psalm 14:1, ESV

In last week's article we began to discuss arguments for God's existence. We focused on the incredible sophistication and complexity of DNA. This week we will look at the other side of the argument. Why do so many deny the existence of God even though there seems to be ample evidence of intelligent design? Different people will offer different answers and objections. Some are scientific others are philosophical. We will focus on one of the more common philosophical objections to God - suffering.

The argument is that if God truly exists and is all loving then there should be no suffering. Since there is suffering either God does not exist, or He is not loving. How can we answer this question? Why would a loving God allow suffering?

First, I would want to consider the fact that God created us as free moral agents. Throughout scripture we see this concept. Adam and Eve had a choice (Genesis 2-3). The people of Israel had a choice (Joshua 24:15). We all have a choice. Unfortunately, many people choose evil which often has a profoundly negative impact on those around them. God gives us the freedom of choice, but we must own up to the consequences of our choices.

Second, I would want to consider that at times, suffering serves as a reminder that this life is only part of our existence. Paul wrote in Romans 8:18, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."" Often, suffering forces us to reckon with the idea that one day we will all leave this earth. No one knows when that day will be which is why we must live in constant preparation. (James 4:13-17)

Third, I would want to consider that God is able to use even some of the most terrible situations for good. This does not mitigate or negate the reality of the pain experienced by the one suffering. It means that even in our darkest times God gives us hope that something good can come from it. Notice Romans 8:28, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

Many will point to the issue of suffering to deny God's existence. However, I believe when we really understand God and the nature of this creation the argument falls short. There is a God, He is loving, and He will help you through all the sufferings of this life.

The Fool Says... Part One

-Renn Ferguson

"The fool says in his heart, 'There is not God.'" Psalm 14:1, ESV

A topic that has been of personal interest to me is science, evolution, and evidence for God's existence. While most scientist are atheistic or agnostic there appears to be many who believe in an intelligent designer. In fact, there is an organization called Discovery Institute. Many scientists from various fields are a part of this institution which argues for intelligent design. What would prompt all these men and women to go against the grain and proclaim there is a God? The evidence.

One piece of evidence is the incredible complexity that exists not only in our universe, or planet but in our very bodies. Specifically, our cells. Our cells contain DNA. DNA is an incredibly complex string of information. The closest thing we could really relate to is the coding of a computer. Computer code consists of a series of ones and zeros to create various computer programs and software, yet our DNA is vastly more complex. In fact Bill Gates said, "DNA is like a computer program, but far, far more advanced than any software ever created."

What does DNA do? Just about everything. Let's look at one example. DNA is responsible for when your teeth grow. Not just the fact that our teeth grow but specifically when they grow. When we are infants our DNA turns on a code to begin growing our baby teeth. When those teeth come in it turns the code off. Then, when we are a bit older, it turns another code on to tell our adult teeth to grow. When those are done growing, it turns the code off permanently.

To give another example of how incredible our DNA is let's look at its storage capacity. It has been discovered that a single gram of DNA can store 455 exabytes worth of information. What does that mean? Well to make it a little more relatable that is about the equivalent of 1 billion gigabytes of data. The laptop that I am using to write this article can hold 500 gigabytes. A single gram of DNA can store about 2 million times the amount of information than my computer.

This is just one of many examples of the complexity of this universe and our existence. For these reasons many people, scientists, and mathematicians have been forced to the conclusion that the only reasonable explanation of our existence is God. So why do so many continue to deny His existence? We will look at that in the next article.