Common Objection - "If your God really existed, you wouldn't need arguments."

Twitter is an interesting place to share random musings. It seems that no matter what you post, regardless of how non-controversial or benign, it can potentially bring ridicule and scorn down upon you. I recently tweeted:

"If you have a good argument, why resort to personal attacks?"

Now, you might think that would be something all could agree on, but you, like me, would be wrong! However, among the various replies, one individual asserted:

"If your god really existed, you wouldn't need arguments."

And while I think I understand the general sentiment, from the perspective of a Christian theist, I find this objection less than compelling.

In this brief post, I will offer an argument that I believe successfully removes the teeth of such an objection.

The person who makes a claim like the one above is essentially arguing, "If God really existed, and He wanted us to know it, He would make it more obvious and arguments wouldn't be needed."1 Oddly enough, this type of objection reminds me of the late journalist, Christopher Hitchens. "The Hitch" was a master rhetorician and was well-known for his forceful attacks against his debate opponents. One such attack occurred when Hitchen's opponent would make a claim about God and Hitchens would reply, "Do you claim to know the mind of God?" And the point was not lost on the audience - "How can this mere human claim to know why God did X?" But do you see the irony? When one claims that God, should He exist, should have created a universe in which arguments are unnecessary to demonstrate His existence, they are claiming to know the mind of God! Furthermore, on Christian theism, there is no inconsistency between God existing and Him ordaining arguments as one way people might seek after Him. As a matter of fact, this is entirely consistent with what Paul tells the philosophers in Athens about God! He states:

"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. and he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him."2

Here, we see Paul informing the philosophers that it is God's desire that we seek Him.3 The further significance of these verses should not be missed. As the late Bible commentator Albert Barnes explains:

"The design of thus placing them on the earth...was, that they should contemplate his wisdom in his works, and thus come to a knowledge of his existence and character. All nations, though living in different regions and climates, have thus the opportunity of becoming acquainted with God..."4

Surely, we can all agree that when one sincerely considers some of the various arguments offered through the centuries for the existence of God, that they are, at the very least, contemplating "his wisdom in his works" in hopes they will "come to a knowledge of his existence and character."5

Therefore, arguments for the existence of God are completely consistent with the God who Christians believe has revealed Himself in the Bible and assertions that claim otherwise, in my estimation, fail. And those who claim that God should have created the universe in a certain way, are claiming to know the mind of God (and His purposes) while lacking adequate justification.6

Courage and Godspeed,
Chad

Footnotes:
1. It should be noted that the Bible itself claims that God's existence is obvious to those who are opened to Him. See Romans 1:18-23. However, for the sake of this post, I will take the position that arguments are a way to seek God and that this is completely consistent with the God revealed in the Bible.
2. Acts 17:24-27; ESV.
3. For numerous examples, see here.
4. Taken from "Barnes' Notes on the Bible," found here.
5. This is especially relevant when one considers some of the philosophical arguments offered for the existence of God aim to demonstrate that His moral perfection. In other words, arguments for the existence of God, if successful, demonstrate both His existence and His goodness (character).
6. Understandably, the skeptic may push back and say, "But you are claiming to know the mind of God!" Not exactly. We are claiming that God has revealed Himself through the Bible; therefore, we can know somethings about God, but this certainly does not give us access to all of God's thoughts and intents. And if we are right about the Bible, then this claim to some knowledge is justified.

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Common Objection - "If your God really existed, you wouldn't need arguments."

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