THE existence of God is a self-evident fact. That God is, is proclaimed everywhere. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork” (Psa. 19:11<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork. (Psalm 19:1)). “The whole earth is full of his glory” (Isa. 6).
Let any one look into the vault of heaven on a starry night, or when the moon is at its full, and sailing through the heavens, in obedience to its Creator’s laws; or gaze upon the ocean when calm or when tempestuous; or watch the varied seasons of the year from January to December; or the glorious sun rising and scattering the darkness of the night, and bringing in the light of day; or let him dwell upon the vastness of the universe, worlds on worlds, and systems on systems, all working in perfect order, and without a clash, and then say, “There is no God,” he would but proclaim of himself what David long ago proclaimed of him: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psa. 14:11<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. (Psalm 14:1)).
With the universal evidence of God about him, with such an undeniable testimony of God everywhere and on every hand, to say nothing of revelation, to say “There is no God,” is to stand out before the eyes of all convicted of being a fool.
Not only does the universe proclaim the fact that God is, but it also proclaims that everything was brought into existence with a design, a specific object in view, and that means a Designer, and that Designer is God.
The creation proclaims that God is; the design, so evident on every hand, makes manifest the Designer, and that Designer to be an infinite and intelligent Being—with a mind to which the universe is but a toy—almighty power to create, and to hold in perfect order, in obedience to the laws that He has established, the universe which He has created.
His beneficence, as well as His power and wisdom, are seen in the creation that came from His hand. True, for His pleasure they are and were created (and rightly so, too), but evidently with a view to the blessing of others.
Is not man a proof of that every day? Does he not receive from his Creator’s hand untold blessing, even when he does not recognize the Creator, nor the hand from which he takes the blessing? Who makes the sun to rise upon the evil and the good? It is God.
Who sends the rain upon the just and the unjust? Again, It is God.
Man puts in the seed, but who gave him the seed? It is God.
Who makes it to grow and spring up and bear fruit, some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundredfold? It is God.
Aye, if man only had eyes to see, and the humbleness of mind to own it, he would see the proof of God everywhere—all infinite, intelligent, personal God—God whose glory is displayed in the creation around us, but who, with a beneficent design, wishes His creatures to enjoy the blessings His hand has so lavishly spread around them.
But often, alas, man uses the intelligence that God has given him, and the very functions by which he should glorify God, to deny His existence!
It is a self-evident proposition, then, that God is; that He is a Being, infinite in power and wisdom, and as kind and good as He is powerful and wise.
This being an established fact, not by the rules of man’s carnal reasoning, but by what is seen on every hand, “for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:2020For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (Romans 1:20)), divine revelation follows as a matter of course; for we cannot deny to God, who is infinite in power and wisdom, the privilege which we claim for ourselves, that is, of communicating our thoughts to others. Man can do that with his fellow, and shall we deny to the blessed God the same prerogative?
God is not the unknown and the unknowable. Such a god is not the God that made the universe. It may be of man’s imagination, and it suits poor man, who wishes to go on living as he lists, to have such a god. But such a god in no way meets the deep cravings of man’s being; but if he admit the universal testimony of creation to the fact that God is, and that He is a Being of infinite power and wisdom and goodness, and that He is able to communicate to man His thoughts, then he has in his mind a true conception of God, and the beginning of the meeting of that need in the soul that exists in each one. He must go on to redemption, surely, to have that need fully met, but in this lies the beginning, “for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:66But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)).
If in creation we see His power and wisdom and goodness, it is in redemption, accomplished by the death of God’s Son on the cross, we see His love; for “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)).
This, and this only, meets the deep, deep need of man. God revealed in Christ, God meeting man’s need, God accomplishing redemption for man, and God exalting the One who did it: this is what fully satisfies the cravings of man’s soul. In Christ God is revealed; and in the death of Christ redemption is accomplished; and in the face of a glorified Christ the glory of God shines; and in the same glorious Person I find an object for my heart and a Saviour for my soul.
Thus is God discovered by the soul, not only as a Creator-God, but also as a Saviour-God.
Let us listen to revelation: “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of our Saviour-God; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1 Tim. 2:4-64Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:4‑6)).
It cost God but the word of His power to create the universe; “He spake and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast”; but to redeem, to save fallen man, it cost Him His only begotten Son, and what it cost the Son of God the anguish of Calvary can only attest.
“O groundless deep!
O love beyond degree!
The Offender, dies
To set the offender free!”
Again let revelation speak: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)).
It is the knowledge of God revealed in Christ, and of redemption being accomplished by Christ on the cross, and of Christ being glorified in consequence, that gives rest.
This is rest indeed; rest for the weary and troubled soul; rest pure and unalloyed.
The Saviour says, “Come unto me, and I will give you rest.”
Beloved reader, do you know what it is to possess it? Can you sing: ―
“I rest in Christ the Son of God,
Who took the servant’s form;
By faith I flee to Jesus’ cross,
My covert from the storm!”
E. A.