The Existence of God -Teleological Argument

The Universe Has a Design

Background-Based on Evidence, Part 1

 By Brother Ron Johnson

 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork.

Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.

There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. (Psalm 19:1-3)

There is a declaration of God’s glory that all can hear.  It occurs every day and every night in a universal language.  Man is therefore without excuse.  If he will simply observe, he will behold the wonder of God’s creation.  But man in his nature would desire to eliminate any responsibility to God and is bent toward willful disobedience.  Even children of God refuse to believe these truths for many different reasons; as in the New Testament, “…many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.” (John 12:42).  Today, being “put out of the synagogue” may mean “considered out of the mainstream of science”, but the result is the same.  Either support of the truth is silenced, or there is a continual search for the rationale for a falsehood.

Although man cannot become a spiritual being by observing nature, he must acknowledge God’s power based on the evidence.  And the evidence is abundant and becoming more abundant every day as we learn more about this universe.  For many, the consideration of the existence of the universe as an accident of material processes is a foolish thought.  For others the universe only appears to have characteristics of design.  If we are serious about understanding truth, we want as much evidence as possible for questions that impact our entire view of life and its purpose.  And, as Elder Gus Harter stated in a recent sermon, “We have good answers!”¹

Certainly the belief in the existence of God (in particular, a God that influences our lives) is fundamental, and philosophers, scientists, historians, and even lawyers have expended much time and energy in contemplating the universe, God’s word, and how it all relates to them.  As a way of examining some types of unbelief and how they may be impacted by evidence, consider three examples from the points of view of the legal, historic, and scientific.  Simon Greenleaf, a professor of law at Harvard University in the late nineteenth century and a Jew, was challenged about his lack of belief in Christ since there was so much evidence.  As an instructor of legal principles based on historical evidence, he accepted the challenge, confident he could prove his position.  But after only a year of study, he became convinced that Christ was indeed God’s son.²  He wrote a book entitled, The Testimony of the Evangelists-Examined by the Rules of Evidence Administered in the Courts of Justice.³   Sir William Ramsey, a world-renowned archaeologist, set out to disprove the historicity of the Bible through an archaeological critique of the Book of Acts.  After several years of study, he concluded, “Luke is a historian of the first rank”.  He came to believe in the authenticity of the Bible, and he wrote numerous books about his work.⁴  Hugh Ross, former professor at Caltech and an astronomy lecturer at age sixteen, had no problem believing in a God who created the universe, but saw no evidence of a God that had any impact on our daily lives.  He was curious enough to search and began an intensive study of all the world religions.  He found them all to be shallow, imprecise, and full of circular reasoning.  Then he came upon the Bible and was stunned to find the first chapter of Genesis entirely consistent with his study of astronomy, and nature, in general.  In fact, after an eighteen-month examination of the scriptures with regard to its science, geography, and history, he could not find a single provable error or contradiction.  He became convinced “that the Bible was supernaturally accurate and thus supernaturally inspired.  Its perfection could only come from the Creator himself.”  He even made a comparison of the Bible's reliability versus the probability of a sudden reversal of the second law of thermodynamics (the law of entropy, or ever increasing disorder in the universe) and determined the Bible to be, conservatively, 10⁵⁸ times more reliable.  He came to believe in the authenticity of the Bible, God’s work as the Creator, and Christ as the Son of God.  The evidence was overwhelming.⁵

There are still many today who refuse to honestly examine the evidence and, instead, hold to the theory of evolution as the doctrine of daily living.  The fundamental conflict among science, philosophy, and religion is rationalizing the reality or non-reality of a personal God.  In most of the science of today that deals with origins or life processes, an assumption is made that any concepts of a designer or theories that include a cause for “the beginning” are unscientific.  Consider Hugh Ross’ rebuttal to this approach in his book The Creator and the Cosmos⁶:

To affirm that science and theology are mutually exclusive may be convenient for materialists unwilling to defend their philosophy, but it is untenable.  Science is rarely religiously neutral.  Similarly, religious faith is rarely scientifically neutral.  Both science and theology frequently address cause and effect and processes of development in the natural realm.  Both science and theology deal with the origin of the universe, the solar system, life, and humankind.

When it comes to causes, developmental processes, and origins, two possibilities exist: natural and supernatural.  To dogmatically insist that supernatural answers must never be considered is equivalent to demanding that all human beings follow only one religion, the religion of atheistic materialism.

All individuals have a life view that affects their endeavors and behavior.  Scientists are not above having cosmological chauvinism. 

However, as we will see, there are many scientists who have a broader view.

We will explore some of the evidences why we believe the universe was designed by God and what this means to us.  The Bible, of course, is always our first source.  It is the pure word of God and is our spiritual guide.  It is also accurate and correct from the viewpoint of any field of study.  There are many who have tried to prove otherwise.  Some of them have become the most ardent supporters of God’s work in creation.  In addition, it is important to realize that today is a truly exciting time from a scientific perspective because the ability to see the creation at an ever increasing level of detail, reveals more and more the reality of the designer behind the design.   These facts should encourage us to study God’s book even more fervently and praise Him for His gift of love and the beauty of His handiwork.

This is a series of five articles written by Brother Ron Johnson of Yorba Linda, California, based on the scriptural accuracy of the universe. Part 1 discusses "The Background"; Part 2 is on "The Beginning"; Part 3 is on "Proofs of Design"; Part 4 discusses "Opposing Views and the Future"; and Part 5 is "The Final Witness". One part is published each month.

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I enjoy the paper so much. I know you work a lot to get it out each time.

Love and best wishes,

Katy Collins,

Dimmitt, Texas

Seeing it's time for my renewal for the Banner of Love, I'm enclosing $20.00 for renewal for one year and some to help.

In Christian Love,

Oscar R. Hanks

Texas City, TX

Note: Thank you Brother Hanks. We are thankful you came through the surgery. Our prayers were answered. O. Richards

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These words are very belated, however, I do want to write something about a dear friend, Elder Weldon Walker. When we heard of his death we were so surprised and saddened.

We met Brother Walker and his family some 35 years ago, and they fill a very warm place in our hearts today. One of the precious memories is seeing the Walker family as they arrived at the Camp Meeting at Doss. Their children and ours, as so many others, were young and their arrival was always a bright spot. They were always so welcome through the years, and he and Sister Arlee missed very few of those and other meetings in this area.

As a preacher, Brother Walker was an example of good deportment in and out of the pulpit. His preaching proved that he was a student of the Bible, and though he was quiet and unassuming he certainly stood by his convictions. He was a faithful servant and was satisfied with the goodness of God's House.

Many times when good friends go home to be with the Lord we think of sweet times we have had together. One very special time I will mention here. In 1993 I had surgery in San Antonio. Brother Walker had the same procedure shortly before and as I was being settled in my room, the phone was ringing and it was him calling. At a time when I was so unsure about many things he was such good support, and his kind words were so reassuring. I will always remember that call and his good counsel through the years. Many in Texas have been and will continue to be the beneficiaries of his good sound preaching. We were not able to attend Brother Weldon's funeral, but heard about the good service. To Sister Arlee and all the children and grandchildren, may the God of all mercy and grace continue to be with you, and on behalf of your many friends here at the Stratton Church who loved to hear Brother Weldon preach, we love you. Pray for us.

"And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel." Elder Bill Walden

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Thank you for the good news, and especially for the informing article on "Cremation" to give to some friends.

We're renewing for two years and use the remainder for your needs.

We need your prayers. God bless you.

Brother Albert and

Sister Anne White

Gardendale, N. C.

Note: We appreciate the extra.

Here is the payment of $12.00. I enjoy the paper very much; look forward to getting it.

Mr. and Mrs. Dan Anderson

Sundown, Texas

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Memories

Twenty years ago in October 1980 a church was constituted with two widows, one retired sister whose husband was not a member, two teenagers in college, and three working members. They financed and old church building and started having worship services.

A friend Elder T. L. Pittman, told them not to start a building fund to remodel the building. He said, "Just start building." He wrote a letter to the Banner and told about the "Lonesome Little Church," previously owned by Primitive Baptist, before it went down and was sold to another denomination.

The first Norther blew the curtains almost straight out. Everyone knew that the work must begin on the building almost immediately. They voted to buy some new windows and the very next week outside donations from several churches and individuals cane in to cover the expenses. This was the first of remodeling projects. After each expense the donations from several churches and individuals came to pay for the materials. This continued until the building was completely redone, inside and out.

The members of Colorado City, Texas have never forgotten the experience with God working to furnish the materials as needed to improve the looks and comfort of the building. Within a few years He had sent around forty-five generous members to join us, and the new dining room, rest rooms, and central heating and cooling had been installed and paid for.

In the February issue of the Banner there is an article about the church at Paris, Texas, telling of their intentions to build a new church building. Old memories bring tears of joy, remembering twenty years ago of how God touched the hearts of so many churches and individuals who helped the church at Colorado City. Colorado Church intends to help every time possible when another church has a need.

We, as God's children, can serve God only by serving each other. Join Colorado City in remembering our blessings and help the Mt. Paran Primitive Baptist Church, Rt. 2, Box 229, Powderly, Texas by sending whatever donations, can as an individual or as a church body feel impressed to do.

May God Bless you,

Dan Truelove

P. S. I believe one of our early members is now the wife of Elder Harley Stripland, pastor of   Mt. Paran Primitive Baptist Church.

Come help us praise God in our Twentieth Anniversary Meeting, scheduled for 5th Sunday in October, as announced in this issue.

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I would like to thank everyone for the support to my family after the Lord called Elder Ramey home. I am very thankful for the Banner of Lord. The 17th of February would have been our 60th Wedding Anniversary.

Mildred Ramey

Alvin, Texas

Please change my address in Conroe. May God bless the staff for the Banner of Love.

Mrs. W.H. Keenan

Conroe. Texas

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Good Communication

Series 3

By Elder Hulan Bass

Further, emphasis upon these different dialects are amplified. Dorio was spoken by the Spartans, and Sparta had been a Military Nation for nearly 700 years.  To be a citizen of Sparta, tou had to be a soldier.  All the food, shelter and couthing, in fact, the entire econom of Sparta was provided through "slaves." The slaves were the farmers, merchants, workers, the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker, but the Spartan citizens were soldiers.

So, the language of Sparta was very simply comprised of a series of grunts or military commands, and is very different from ATTIC Greek. Attic Greek is one of the most literary and beautiful Greek dialects. This is the social and cultured classes such as Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripides, Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates.

Macedonian Greek is called the Mountain or "Hillbilly" Country Greek. If you were to get all these different Greeks together for a social or political or religious event, do you suppose there would be a communications problem? This was Alexander's great problem, when he merged all these different Greeks into one Panhellenic Army, it would take a genius invention to solve this major problem of communications.

Alexander then issued a Command to all these different Greeks in his Army. The command was, "All you different Greeks will now use only the Koine - common Greek language, and this one language you all will thereby have such in common. Further in his command, was this vital part - "And this new Koine common Greek language will be subject to only one interpretation.

This system of communication will never be discussed or controverted. It means only one thing per word. He never devised or invented and slang or profanity in this new language. It must be noted here, that the writers of the New testament all wrote by divine inspiration from God, as they took spiritual dictation in the Koine Common Greek. This truly was the new language common to all the people.

Therefore, it is the logical medium for this divine inspiration and revelation, as it is the most expressive and beautiful language of all time. It is without doubt, that Alexander was a vain mortal and worldly man, but a genius be the Providence of God. It was this providence through the genius of this man's invention, that brought him to world empire Ruler by 19. He was able to become victorious over all enemies, and many times with seemingly insurmountable odds, through good communications.

Now we are good soldiers of the Cross, in a battle against the evils of this world - 2nd Tim. 2:3-4. How can we be victorious? By good communications.

Now let us consider the context of several N. T. Texts. Matt. 5:37 - Jesus says, "But let your communications be, yea, yea; Nay, nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." Clearly, the language teaches that any more explanation than just a simple yes or no will invariable lead to and become evil. It had been said, "Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive."

If we strive to embellish, exaggerate, dramatize and stress any point whatsoever, by using slang or profanity, we are displaying manifestly, that we have a very limited vocabulary and a definite lack of verbal expression. We are "language anemic" and near death concerning communications.

We are grossly unable to describe our endeavors, with the use of ungodly language. The Bible has a great deal to say about cursing and / or taking god's name in Vain --- Exodus 20:7. Luke 24:17 - Again, Jesus asks - "What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?" They were communicating clearly, but sadly. Again, they were not needing to use slang or profanity to express their sadness.

1 Cor. 15:33 - Paul says, "Be not deceived; evil communications corrupt good manners." Nothing good ever comes from evil communications. Only corruption will come from evil talking. If a person was raised, trained and taught from childhood good manners, then, if and when that person first starts and begins to use slang and profanity, the goon manners are at that same instant corrupted with such evil talking.

Gal. 2:2 - Again, Paul speaks - "And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain." Much needs to be communicated about this text.

Compiled by Hulan F. Bass

Next - Series 4

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I enjoy the Banner of Love so much that I would like to mail a years' subscription to a friend of mine.

I pray that you will continue to publish the paper.

Mrs. Geraldine [Lois] Hill

Harlingen, Texas

My Dad passed away Dec. 7, 1999. Several weeks before dying, Dad began to see Jesus and the angels around us. Mom and Dad moved in with us in March '99, so that I could help with Dad, as Mom was not very well either, plus my husband , Sid, was very ill. So, the plan was for all of us to help each other and take care of Sid and Dad, with the help of outreach nurses.

Dad was such a good patient and never complained; he was happy being with his family and knowing Mom was not by herself.

When he first started seeing family angels, he would ask, Mom, did you see his brother., Myrtle and the baby? Mom said, "No, did you"? He replied that they were in the kitchen, but he had not talked to them. Then he told Mom and me, he was expecting Uncle J.D. and Aunt Iva, and about that time the door bell rang. I went to the door not knowing what to expect, but it was friends from out of town that Dad had told us was coming also.

We talked about the angels, God and all the beautiful things God had done for us in our lives.

One day Dad was especially ill, and he began to see the light. Our daughter, Peggy, a nurse, had already told us when he began to see the light, to tell him it was o.k. to go toward the light, but before I could do that, I had to ask, "Dad, is it pretty"? His answer was, "Oh, it is beautiful."

My aunt passed away in July '99 and was with us daily before her death. We came back from the funeral and Dad wanted to know where we had been. Mom said, "My sister, Stella, died and we just had her funeral." He said, "but, she can't be, I see her around my bed every day." We never did make Dad believe that Stella was dead.

Then, another day, he asked me if I sold Mrs. Flache, a long time friend and another lady anything? Since I had been in the retail business, I told him I guess I had. Mrs. Flache had been dead about ten years.

He was so anxious for God to call him home. One day he told me he needed a ticket to catch the bus at Rochester, God's bus. So, I got him an alcohol pad for his ticket, and then got on the bed beside him. He would hold that ticket up, and finally, I asked, "what are you doing Dad"? Dad said, "Well, God and P.G., my brother, was in front of us and he wanted God to see him." I said, "Dad, God will see you when he is ready for you."

He began to see all his brothers, Mom, Dad, all of Mothers' family that were all dead. He saw Sids family and angels he did not know.

One night Dad said, "Honey, if you ever prayed, pray that God will take me home tonight." Once again, I got on the bed with him and prayed, that if it was God's will, take my Dad tonight, and don't let him suffer. But still, it was not time for Dad, because he had many more angels to see. Dad always saw two angels with me all the time, and I pray they are still with me.

I told Dad one day, "God must be preparing you a beautiful place, because it's taking Him so long to come for you." Dada was almost 92 years old when he died.

When Dad was going into the coma, our daughter, Peggy, told us, "Now Pa can hear us," so Sid said, "Let's sing Amazing Grace," So, Mom, Peggy, Sid and I began to sing Amazing Grace. Dad opened his eye, a tear rolled down his cheek, and he began to mouth the words with us. God and all his angels must have been with us because, we sang two more verses.

Dad would tell us to be quiet, and would say, "Can't you hear the singing, it's beautiful", then sometimes would say, "they are praying and preaching and it's wonderful."

I can't describe all the beautiful things Dad told us about, but I can assure you there is a God in heaven and his band of angels.

Mom and Dad had been married almost 74 years and when Dad came out of his come the next morning and tried to talk to me, I said, "Don't talk Dad, you are too weak," then Mom came to the other side of the bed, and Dad looked and said, "Well, there is Mama." Those were the last words Dad spoke, He passed away the next morning, in the early hours, with his family at home, where he wanted to be with Peggy, and outreach nurses to helping him to die without pain.

I always thought that Psalms 23:4, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, was for the person that was dying; but I have learned that it's for the caretaker as well.

Dad told everyone that visited about God and the angels. We thank God for the life that Dad lived and the many miracles that was shown to us during this time.

Mom and Dad were members of the Primitive Baptist Church for 73 years.

We miss Dad very much, but we know that he is with his Heavenly Father and His band of angels.

Joyce Beauchamp Hester

Rule, Texas

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USE FOR STAMPS

Enclosed is a check for $12.00 for the Banner of Love; use the rest for stamps.

May God bless you all.

Sister Louise Hughes

Member of Odessa Primitive Baptist Church since 1953.