Is God real?

We can’t prove that God exists but there is evidence all around us that suggests that he does. This is an age-old question. Major moments in life like the birth of a child or the death of a loved one or experiencing a dazzling sunset or a spectacular view have often provoked people to wonder if there really is a God.

For thousands of years, people have looked at the world around them and the skies above and concluded that they are the work of a creator. Scientific advances continue to reveal the incredible complexity of the universe and how extremely unlikely it is that life should exist at all. And yet all the scientific laws and constants are in place to allow humanity to thrive. Christians acknowledge there are various theories about how the universe came to exist, but they conclude that a creator God made it happen.

What Christians believe

Christians see evidence for God in nature. For them it speaks of his character: powerful, vast, intricate, and with a special place for human beings.

A rainbow forms in the mist of the Skogafoss waterfall in Iceland.

Christians also see evidence for God in how people are made. People have an instinctive understanding of right and wrong, but where does that morality come from? The atoms and molecules from which we are made have no moral compass. Christians believe that God, who is perfect and just, is the ultimate source of that morality and he placed it in us.

Jesus Christ is an expression of God in human form. Jesus’ life was not only documented by his followers but also by non-Christian historians of the time. Reading about Jesus in the Bible is a very good way to find out what God is like. Jesus’ life was one of love, forgiveness, compassion and self-sacrifice. He hated injustice and hypocrisy and he championed the oppressed and the outsider.

‘I prayed “if you are up there and all this stuff is true and you can make me a better man, you can make me a better character, then let’s go for it” ... and things started to change.’  
Paul

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A word cloud in the shape of an apple, containing the words 'Kindness', 'Goodness', etc.

The Bible tells us a lot about God. Some concepts are not easy to grapple with: God is eternal – he has always existed and always will; God is everywhere – he is not confined to one part of his creation; God is absolutely powerful and will ultimately bring justice. Knowing God personally is a wonderful experience.

Christians believe they can experience God in their everyday lives, in the form of the Holy Spirit. He is with them in all situations offering guidance, strength and comfort. As a result, the Bible says they develop certain attributes, like fruit growing on a tree. These include love, peace, patience, kindness, joy and self-control.

You can ask God to show you that he is real. Talking to God through prayer is a good way to start.

 

If you would like to buy a longer booklet exploring this question, please go to https://www.cpo.org.uk/explore-project