Pinnacle

Is God Dead?

On orthodox Christian doctrine, the resurrection of Jesus is the pinnacle of God’s revealing of Himself to mankind through the biblical narrative. Quite simply, the resurrection of Jesus completely changes the conversation because if it is true, and the evidence indicates that it is, then the Bible skeptics of the world need to consider the enormous implications a risen Jesus ushers in.

Over the last year, we have pursued an answer to the question, “Is God dead?” by first investigating whether God even exists. The sustained argument has been presented here, article by article and piece by piece in a cumulative case fashion. A cumulative case argument is defined by Christian apologist R. Douglas Geivett as “the systematic formulation of reasons to believe that God exists, that he has a particular nature, and that he stands in relation to the world in certain definitive ways without relying directly upon sacred texts or any prophetic tradition.” In practice, a cumulative case apologetic method is a particular approach to apologetics that calls upon an eclectic combination of elements from most or all of the recognized apologetic methods.

By nature, a cumulative case approach is progressive in consolidating and strengthening the general argument by appealing to the most persuasive of those arguments, regardless of school, in a sustained progression. In that way, each argument in the cumulative case is not forced to stand alone but rather carries a small amount of weight in conjunction with a series of interconnected arguments.

Practically, a cumulative case argument is not so much unlike an attorney arguing a case before a jury and presenting layers of evidence, all pointing to the same conclusion. By utilizing the cumulative case approach throughout these articles, we have put forward a cohesive and compelling argument for the existence of God and the truthfulness of Christianity.

From the Kalam cosmological argument, we determined that there exists an uncaused, personal Creator of the universe, who, in relation to the universe, is beginningless, changeless, immaterial, timeless, spaceless, and enormously powerful. From the teleological argument, we determined that the design, unity, order, and complexity of creation imply that the universe’s Creator is a highly intelligent Designer who purposefully designed and brought the universe into being.

Then, the argument from mind led to the conclusion that the human beings that God freely chose to create consist of two substances: one material and one immaterial; one body being uniquely human, and one spirit being similar in substance to God, who is Spirit.

From the moral argument, we gleaned that the Purposeful, Spiritual Creator and Designer of the universe, God, is a Moral and Just Being who imparted moral values into the spiritual consciousness of human beings whom He created, with the expectation that they embrace and fulfill His moral standards. From all of this, we then considered a question: “If the Creator of the universe is infinitely Moral and infinitely Just, then wouldn’t we expect the Personal, Intelligent, Purposeful, Intentional Designer and Giver of the moral law to desire to communicate with the creatures He had so created?”

Everything points to this, does it not? The way human beings are constituted, the advanced attributes that we possess, our intellectual capacity, and our ability to use logic and reason at a very high level for us to have the ability, unlike any of the other animals, to think abstractly. The way we are endowed with an innate sense of morality that is unlike any other living thing. These are special, unique, and purposeful endowments; these are special attributes.

Since we are so unique in the created world, we must have been endowed with these attributes for a distinct reason. There is an overwhelming sense of accountability that sets directly within the heart of man because of these attributes that he possesses. Repeating the question: “If the Creator of the universe is infinitely Moral and infinitely Just, then wouldn’t we expect the Personal, Intelligent, Purposeful, Intentional Designer, and Giver of the Moral Law to desire to communicate with the creatures He had so created?”

To this question, we replied that there is a people group whose ancestors long, long ago, through both oral and written histories, foretold that the Creator of the universe and maker of mankind would send a Redeemer in the form of a man, to cleanse people of sin, and to restore their broken relationship with God. Christians claim that the Redeemer is the historical Jesus of Nazareth. Finally, after a thorough investigation of the historical evidence, we are strongly compelled to conclude that the claim that Jesus of Nazareth was raised from the dead is “certainly a historical fact.”

With the fact of the resurrection established by being raised from the dead, it can be said that Jesus was born of flesh, walked among men on earth, was crucified by the Romans, died, was buried, and was raised from the dead by His supernatural Father, God. This is the God of Christianity.

And, by His resurrection from the dead, the divine nature of Jesus is affirmed, including His sovereignty and divine authority regarding all matters.

Now, this is important; if Jesus has divine authority, as demonstrated by the historical fact of being raised from the dead, then it will be helpful if we can determine what Jesus thought of the biblical text. Because if Jesus trusted the Bible, then maybe we should as well. Join us next week as we take a closer look at what Jesus had to say about the trustworthiness of the Bible.

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Ty B. Kerley, DMin., is an ordained minister who teaches Christian apologetics and relief preaches in Southern Oklahoma. Dr. Kerley and his wife, Vicki, are members of the Waurika church of Christ, and live in Ardmore, OK. You can contact him at [email protected].