Is God Real? How do we know that?

In short, yes, God is absolutely real; you can be sure of that.

But how? How can you really be sure?

The answer is so simple, and yet so awesome that it will change your life.

Allow me to explain.

First, let’s start out on a firm foundation by agreeing on this following, immutable truth:

It’s impossible to disprove that God is real.

I say again, to be crystal clear on this – there is no way, no how, no possibility that anyone who has ever lived on the earth can or could ever prove that God doesn’t exist.

This is so obvious, but it’s a critical starting point.

I hope that’s obvious, but if you’re not 100%, then stop and think about it.

How could anyone ever truly know that God doesn’t exist?

You see, paradoxically, the only way to surmise that God isn’t real, would as a necessity, validate His existence.

Otherwise put, what I mean to say by this statement is that the only person who could ever positively know that there isn’t a God is… God Himself, which of course is a silly idea.

Now, it’s true that God could choose to reveal or conceal His existence as He deems appropriate, but again, there’s just no way to know that He “doesn’t exist”.

“Wow. So you’re saying that one of the two possible answers to this great question is effectively just an opinion.”

That’s correct! And, this is a very exciting place to begin! We’re getting somewhere fast.

The next step is even more exciting.

The opposite of course, is also true.

Just as simple, but just as important to establish:

If God does exist, then it must therefore be possible to prove it (or, to know it).

This is a given – in the same way that we can definitively establish the truth of the first point, this statement is clearly immutable.

Again, take a moment if necessary to come to the conclusion internally.

If God is real, then it’s possible to prove it (or, to know it).

So, now that we have one impossible (or rather, unattainable) answer, we are left with onepossible or attainable answer remaining.

Let’s therefore continue and see how far this second road leads, since we’ve exhausted the first path (i.e., God’s inexistence) as unknowable/unproveable.

(We are actually going to take something of a shortcut, since I’ve already shared with you back at the beginning that God is real, and the truth is, we really don’t need to waste another day wondering about this question)

I’m just going to come out and tell you exactly how to know that God is real.

Here it is:

You can actually know God

There are many (many) people who have once and for all proved that God exists.

This answer came to them, “implicitly”,you might say, because they have a real, living, breathing relationship with Him.

You see, God’s actually alive (sounds funny to have to say that!); in fact, He’s a person, though perhaps not a person quite like you and I. He has His own thoughts, feelings, emotions; He speaks, and performs actions – on a daily basis by the way.

Mutual existence is a prerequisite of a relationship

To bring it down to an earthly level, if I knew you – personally, that is – if I were your friend and had a close relationship with you, I wouldn’t have to “prove” or “disprove” your very existence. I wouldn’t have to ask other people if you were real, or entertain the idea that you aren’t (not for a second); it’s implicit in the fact that we have a relationship (again, sounds silly I know, but stick with me).

Is there anybody out there who knows Him?

Before I personally knew God, I knew a few people who knew Him; in fact, there is only one people group on earth who have a living, dynamic, intimate relationship with Him.

Search around, it’s true – no other group of people claim to know God like Christians do! Interestingly, as the founder of our faith, Jesus’ very words during His earthly ministry to ancient Israel were that He knew and had seen God in a way that was far beyond what anyone else on earth had experienced.

You may also know some Christians; have you identified something uniquely special about them? Do at least some of them seem to “shine” with an internal light that can’t be put out? I noticed that too before I believed.

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So, given the two available options, and our current state of awareness, what path will you begin to walk?

Will you choose to follow those people who can’t possibly ever know or verify the truth about their opinion?

Or, will you grab hold of hope, believing that one day (maybe even today), you too can be one of the most blessed (blessed means happy!) people who know, not only know if God is real, but actually know God personally?

Perhaps it’s wise to consider the question, “Do I have any legitimate reason to doubt that these people personally know God?”

Conversely, you certainly have a legitimate and very significant reason to doubt the former group, being that they can offer you no proof.

The choice seems quite obvious, but I acknowledge and appreciate that coming to the conclusion oneself can take time. It often starts with small steps, and then eventually making a decision about whether or not You will start believing. It’s the best thing you can do with your life.

How do I know this will work? It happened to me, and it’s promised to us in the bible:

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

– James 4:8a