Circular Thesis

There is, apart from all other evidence, also cosmological evidence for God's existence. It affirms that everything that exists has a cause. And when you see God as this cause and can recognize and accept it, then you have the evidence and reason for your existence. This is however too insignificant for the unbeliever, the critic or the atheist. Rather than accepting that someone (who wanted to and could) created a beginning, they maintain that something came into existence from nothing. The “problem” with this is that one has to take this beginning as fact, in other words you must accept that the cause, the point of origin and the effect was and is already in existence. Therefore God! This is what one calls a circular thesis, with which one is confronted time and time again when basing some personal, established (spiritual) circumstance on this and arguing and explaining it. This thesis then culminates into the senseless question of who then created God? Is this a weak point in the Word of God? No, on the contrary. If God wanted us to recognise and perceive Him unquestionably and with total clarity, He would have ensured that we had irrevocable proof, which even the greatest doubter would recognise and accept. However, it is also not the case that we are not able to recognise God. We see this in Romans 1:19-20 “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shown it unto them. 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” The essence is in revelation. This is, that before we are able to recognise God, we have to have faith, without which we are unable to please God. Hebrews 11:6 “But 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.” God does not allow Himself to be explained in a rational and logical manner, but is only recognisable through revealing Himself to us. And that entails much more than merely believing something which in itself achieves nothing (James 2:19). This principle, or rather this will of God, is also seen in the biblical sense in Jesus' answer to Peter.

We read this in Matthew 16:15-17 “He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven.” It can also be said that the meaning and purpose of the professed circular thesis, which the unbeliever wants to accept as evidence of incredibility, is the fact, that in the same way that God stands at the beginning of everything, faith also needs to stand at the beginning, to bring about the recognition of the truth and of God in the revelations emanating from faith. And then, when Christians divulge that they are indeed saved, redeemed and adopted, it is also something that outsiders only see as circular argument logic. However, it is nevertheless and because of it, the truth. It is the substance of salvation and forgiveness of our sins, the consequence of which is God's grace in the Gospel, and which is and remains an inherent reality to all those who believe. Paul wrote in Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.” In this manner, the end and goal of our faith (our eternal hope) is known. The Holy Spirit in fact confirms the circular thesis in itself is in Christ Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). Therefore such a person (a child of God) cannot be torn from God's hand. In John 10:29-30 we read “My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are One.” We, as Christians cannot wish for a better beginning and a better ending. God placed Himself in the world for our salvation and His glory. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:11 “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Amen!

Jörg Bauer