7. Evidence for God – Design Is Best Argument for God – Biblical

An instinctive awareness of God is intrinsic to every human, from the cultural elite to the most primitive tribe. Read on to learn a famous thinker’s term for the knowledge that hides deep in every human heart.

In the prequels of the Evidence for God series I outlined my answer if asked to give evidence for the existence of God. A video of a well-known creationist debater failing to adequately answer this question from a sixth-grade atheist at a Creation vs. Evolution debate stimulated this series.

Moonrise Atop West Virginia Mountain
His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen,
being understood through what has been made (Romans 1:20).

One argument I gave was the Argument from Design, also known as the teleological argument.  It’s the “Watch requires a Watchmaker” argument of chemist Robert Boyle that was later popularized by William Paley.

The Argument from Design is the best argument to give when asked for evidence of God. I have 3 reasons for making this best argument claim:
1. The Argument from Design is Simple
2. The Argument from Design is Logical
3. The Argument from Design is Biblical

These prequels
5. Evidence for God – Design Is Best Argument for God – Simple and
6. Evidence for God – Design Is Best Argument for God – Logical
explain the first two reasons. The present article explains how the Design Argument is a Biblical argument.

3. Design is a Biblical Argument

The many examples of complex design we daily see around us in nature provide strong evidence for a Creator. This “design implies a designer” argument appears frequently in the Bible. If Scripture uses the argument, then the argument must be valid. It must be a strong argument, because Scripture uses it so much, more than any other argument to point mankind to God.

This is the main reason why I think the Design Argument is the best argument for God’s existence. It’s the primary line of evidence offered in Scripture. If it’s Yahweh’s main argument, I’m happy to make it mine.

Yahweh’s creation clearly reveals His glory, power, and identity to men:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. (Romans 1:18-23)

The Apostle Paul is using the Design Argument here in Romans 1:18-23 when he says that Creation points clearly to God the Creator. To see Creation daily and yet rebelliously assert “There is no God” marks one as a fool (Psalm 14:1).

John Calvin

Sensus Divinitatis

The theologian John Calvin wrote that every man has an innate perception of the reality of God. He called this the sensus divinitatis (“sense of divinity“). Calvin affirmed the inherent awareness of God’s existence inside every human being.

“That there exists in the human mind and indeed by natural instinct, some sense of Deity [sensus divinitatis], we hold to be beyond dispute, since God Himself, to prevent any man from pretending ignorance, has endued all men with some idea of His Godhead, the memory of which He constantly renews and occasionally enlarges, that all to a man being aware that there is a God, and that He is their Maker. … There is no nation so barbarous, no race so brutish, as not to be imbued with the conviction that there is a God. … A sense of Deity is inscribed on every heart.”
(John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 3, Section 1.)

Many have disputed Calvin’s statement, but it is Biblical. The Romans 1:18-23 passage quoted above teaches that no one in his deepest heart is truly an atheist, because the knowledge of God is within every man. The Apostle Paul says that men know God through “what has been made” (Creation), but they deliberately suppress that truth. In fact, Paul says men are “without excuse” because the evidence is so clear. In fact, Yahweh Himself made it clear. In their belligerent disbelief, men become futile in their speculations (such as evolutionism) and their foolish heart is darkened.

Some people say, “Deep inside, I am not sure God exists.” Others say, “In my heart I am certain there is no God.” In those cases, something has interfered with the original instinctive awareness of God’s reality. For example, in Romans the Apostle Paul says the “heart was darkened.” For every human being the remedy is the same: humbly seek God, repent of sin, and accept the revealed truth of the Bible.

The next two articles will explore specific examples of the Design Argument in the Old and New Testaments.

Questions to Ponder

1. Why is a Biblical argument for the existence of God significant?
2. Do you agree with John Calvin that there is a sensus divinitatis (sense of Deity) within every man? Why or why not?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

Soli Deo Gloria.

This is the seventh article in the Evidence for God series that discusses the question,
“Is There Evidence for God?”
Read the prequels:
1. Evidence for God – Can You Answer a 6th-Grader?
2. Evidence for God – Design
3. Evidence for God – Experience
4. Evidence for God – Can You Prove God Exists?
5. Evidence for God – Design Is Best Argument for God – Simple
6. Evidence for God – Design Is Best Argument for God – Logical

Read the sequel for Old Testament examples of the Design Argument:
8. Evidence for God – Design Is Best Argument for God – Old Testament

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©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:4)
Wednesday July 31, 2013 A.D.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. (Romans 1:18-23)