Question 2: How doth it appear that there is a God?
Answer: The very light of nature in man, and the works of God,
declare plainly that there is a God; but his word and Spirit only do sufficiently and effectually reveal him unto men for their salvation.
So how do we know that there is a God? I mean really, how can you know for sure? I think every person has asked this question in some form during his or her life. Curious to see what was out there, I did a quick Google search on the internet. It seems that there are many well meaning and thoughtful people who want to use science and nature to prove that God exists. I applaud them in their efforts to a degree. They are merely expanding and commenting on Paul’s statement in Romans 1:19 –20,
19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
I only wish that those who invest so much time on the debate on God’s existence would focus equal or more amounts of energy on the second part of the answer to Catechism question 2. What I mean is that the first part of the answer, when viewed through Romans 1 does nothing more than raise our culpability level. It plainly says that we all know that God exists (The very light of nature in man, and the works of God) and are without excuse. We can’t stand before the Lord and say “look God, I really didn’t know about you so how can you sentence me to Hell?” When we start to focus on the second half of the answer “; but his word and Spirit only do sufficiently and effectually reveal him unto men for their salvation”, we start to really define the God we are to believe in. His existence is proven, but knowing that God exists is not enough for salvation. Thankfully He has spoken to us and told us effectually and sufficiently in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.
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