God Issues Today: "Believing in St. Nick"

Author, educator and commentator Dr. James Denison has been pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas since June, 1998. Prior to that, he was pastor at churches in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as Midland (at First Baptist) and Mansfield, Texas.

March isn't usually time for Santa Claus, but these are not usual times. Today's Wall Street Journal tells us about the increase in traffic cameras around the country, as cities look for ways to raise revenues. One town in Illinois installed a camera near an area mall and issued $1-million in fines in three months. Angry motorists are putting up Santa Clauses to block the cameras, using sprays that are supposed to blur license numbers and Web sites which warn of camera locations.

To atheists, believing in God is like believing in St. Nick — he's a useful symbol, nothing more. As you know, it was my privilege to take part in a debate last Saturday with Christopher Hitchens, the well-known atheist. In light of that experience, I have been thinking with you [these last few days] about the reality and relevance of God's existence.

We can argue from evidence for biblical authority or Jesus' divinity, but skeptics may well counter that such evidence is not proof. A second response is to argue that it is reasonable to believe in God, without trying to prove our assertion. This we can certainly do. While arguing from creation to Creator or design to Designer does not prove that God exists, such thinking is clearly logical. Skeptics may not agree that we are right, but they cannot prove that we are wrong.

This fact is of some significance. It would obviously be a veto to our faith if we could not demonstrate that faith in God is at least rational. I would have a hard time getting you to join me in worshiping Martians, since no evidence could persuade you of their existence (I hope). But we can argue logically that God made and designed the world. Even if skeptics credit atheistic evolution as the explanation for life as we know it, they cannot prove that they are right or that we are wrong.

Once we have shown that believing in God is reasonable, we can invite people to step from evidence into experience. As with all relationships, a relationship with God becomes self-validating. I know that God exists because I have experienced him. His existence was reasonable before I met him, and compelling now that I have.

Then we can ask: What else do we want God to do to prove himself? How could he have done things differently? He made a world which bears remarkable evidence of creative power and designing genius. Even if we explain life through adaptation, that very adaptation can be seen as part of his brilliant plan. The evidence is compelling, but when we enter into a personal relationship with God, he becomes both real and relevant to us. What have you done to step closer to your Father today? We'll continue on Monday
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Note: Many of you have asked where you can view a video of Saturday's debate. Christian Book Expo officials tell us that it will be posted on "Tangle" (formerly GodTube) in the next few days. I am grateful for your interest.