Building upon the series introduction, Pastor Terrie Beede dedicates this session to exploring the foundational doctrine of God's existence, as articulated in the first article of the Calvary Chapel of Milwaukee's Statement of Faith: "We believe that there is one living and true God eternally existing in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory, and that this triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all things". He reiterates the series' anchor text, 1 Timothy 4:16, emphasizing Timothy's responsibility to both personal conduct and doctrinal instruction for the salvation of himself and his hearers.
Pastor Beede reviews the "presuppositions" established earlier—that truth exists, is knowable, and God has revealed Himself through the Bible. He clarifies that operating on presuppositions is a natural and necessary part of daily life and scientific inquiry, serving as a starting point that can later be affirmed or falsified.
The core of the session delves into four classic, extra-biblical arguments for the existence of God, often categorized as natural revelation or natural theology:
1. The Cosmological Argument: Every known thing in the universe has a cause; therefore, the universe itself must have an uncaused first cause, termed God.
2. The Teleological Argument: The intricate design and purpose inherent in the universe (cosmos) provide evidence of an intelligent designer (God), aligning with Psalm 19:1, "The heavens declare the glory of God".
3. The Ontological Argument: Humanity's universal conception of an ideal or greatest conceivable being implies its actual existence, as existence is superior to non-existence.
4. The Moral Argument: The universal recognition of an objective moral law (right and wrong) points to a transcendent source or lawgiver (God), offering clues to His character (justice, kindness).
Pastor Beede highlights the biblical basis for natural theology in Psalm 19:1-6 and Romans 1:18-20, explaining that creation universally declares God's glory and eternal power, leaving all humanity "without excuse" for not knowing God. This general witness, he explains, allows God to reveal Himself to honest seekers, even those without access to written scripture.
Acknowledging the critiques leveled against these arguments by skeptics throughout history (e.g., challenges to linear causality, appearance vs. proof of design, conceivability vs. existence, social convention vs. inherent morality), Pastor Beede concludes that while these arguments cannot scientifically prove God's existence beyond a doubt, they have never been disproven. He emphasizes that the Bible itself never attempts to prove God's existence; it simply assumes it as a self-evident fact ("In the beginning, God" - Genesis 1:1; "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God'" - Psalm 14:1).
The session culminates in the paradox of God's self-revelation: God provides sufficient evidence for a rational faith but withholds absolute, undeniable proof to preserve man's free will to choose belief and love. To force belief would negate the dignity of choice and the essence of faith. The very human compulsion to either prove or disprove God, unlike other mythological figures, serves as a testament to His active presence and the indwelling moral law. Ultimately, spiritual understanding is a work of God, as the "god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not" (2 Corinthians 4:4), and it "pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" (1 Corinthians 1:21).