Who Created God?

Who Created God?

According to a 2015 article in the New York Times, Sunday Review, Googling for God, ten times more (49 million) searches went up for Kim Kardashian versus 4.7 million searches for Jesus Christ in 2015.  And in October 2016, Google Trends reported more searches for ‘memes’ than ‘Jesus,’ and among those searching about ‘Jesus;’ many were searching for ‘Jesus Walking Dead.’  Nevertheless, the study showed when searching about ‘God,’ the number 1 question is ‘who created God?’

There are two fundamental reasons to ask the question.  One is that it is put forth in a mocking or derogatory manner.   Thus, implying or asserting as the atheist Richard Dawkins in his book, The God Delusion, that if the Universe needed a cause, than God must have also needed a cause.  And thus Dawkins states, ‘the factual premise of religion – the God Hypothesis – is untenable.  God almost certainly does not exist… who designed the designer?’   Why is it that he says ‘almost certainly;’ is it by doubt, wonder, the reasonable evidence before him, his conscience…?

The other basic reason to ask the question is in sincerity and with wonder and curiosity wanting to understand the existence and creation and beginning of all things.  To hear, ‘in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God (John 1:1),’ arouses the human mind to wonder with questions, as does the most mysterious of all – God – Who is He and How did he come about?

It is a logical and natural progression of human thought to ask, ‘if the universe required a First Cause or Prime Mover (‘causal’ logic, ‘prime mover,’ Plato’s Timaeus; Aristotle’s Metaphysics; Aquinas’ Summa Theologica; etc.) then, would not God require one and who or what created God?  Though we will look at this later, this logic ignores that its very assumption is illogical because it would lead to a never-ending impossibility of there must have been something to cause the First Thing; a first cause to the first cause to the first cause; etc. – staying in the realm of human reasoning and not asking the important question – what is the nature of the First Cause; is it different than the nature of its Creations.

The Approach to the Answer

The prophet Isaiah said, ‘come let us Reason together… (Isa. 1:18);’ the prophet Hosea said, ‘my people are destroyed for lack of Knowledge (Hos. 4:6).’  The Apostle Peter said, ‘be ready always to give an answer or defense to everyone that asks you to give an account for the hope that you have (1 Peter 3:15).’  Thus, there is an answer available through reason and knowledge; both of which come through the Holy Spirit and Holy Scriptures.  There is an Absolute Truth, regardless of our ability to reach it, understand it or communicate it.

The Scriptures and Reason teach us that there is another level to speak of – that is the spiritual.  There are natural laws affecting the universe; natural laws that rule over and apply to Earth and its atmosphere.  Then there is God – and though He has definite attributes and a nature, it is not a ‘physical world – natural world’ nature – it is essence.

A Logical and Biblical Approach to the Answer

Taking steps to the question, helps unlock other questions and answers.

1. Do I exist?  I am, therefore I exist.  I am not a figment of imagination, because to imagine requires the mental capacity and thus physical brain to be able to imagine with and thus a being of which I am.
2. Does the Universe exist? All that I see and feel and sense, along with good reason and the teaching of the Holy Scriptures and Science reveals that indeed the universe exist; and some say is still expanding.
3. How was the Universe created? Muslims understand God created the universe (Quran Surah 2:117; 13:2); Christians understand and know that, Jesus Christ, the Son of God and “…the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature; by Him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in earth… all things were created by Him, and for Him; and He is before all things (Col. 1:13-17).”  In the beginning, Jesus, ‘the Word, was with God… “through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made (John 1:3).”

More on Creation vs. Cosmic Evolution:CREATION vs. EVOLUTION Debate Part IV

Also: CREATION vs. EVOLUTION Debate Part 1

4. Who created me? The Lord God said, “Let Us (Elohim) make man in Our image… so God created man… the sixth day… the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being… (Gen. 1:26-; 2:7).”

5. What am I? Man is a human being made of flesh and bone, and spirit and a soul.  Our body or ‘dust will return to the ground (Gen. 3:19),’ but ‘the spirit (and soul) will return to God who gave it (Eccl. 12:7).’

For more see:  SOURCES of INFLUENCE: Part IV

6. What is the Universe? The Lord God ‘made the heaven and earth,’ and ‘stretched out the heavens (Isa. 44:24).’  God created the scientific laws of gravity and motion, etc.; He numbered our days – Methuselah dying the year of the Flood at age 969; then limiting man’s age to an average of 120 years (Gen. 6:3); then, about 2,500 years ago, the psalmist said, God again limited man’s years to 70 to 80 (Psalms 90:10).   And note, to this day the average world life expectancy falls within that range.   And God likewise organized the Universe; He ‘marked off its dimensions… (Job 38:5),’ and He ‘binds the chains of the Pleiades… Orion’s belt… brings forth the constellations in their seasons and orbits… and established the laws of the heavens (Job 38:31-33).’  Thus, the psalmist said, ‘O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name… when I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers… which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him… (Psalm 8:1-4).’  ‘Many, Lord my God (Adonai Eloheinu), are the wonders you have done (Psa. 40:5).’

7. Who is God? “God is Spirit (John 4:24).”  To say, God is a massive spirit in the sense that one might say the universe is massive, some say still expanding, is humanistic thinking.  That is it is using human (English, language) words and to assign physical and natural parameters or science – worldly science, knowledge – to seek to define and understand the totality of God is at the start limiting the Truth of who He is.

In other words, God is Spirit, Almighty Omnipotent Omnipresence, yet He is still Mysterious and His ways and being are far beyond ours (Isa. 55:9).  Thus man says, ‘can you fathom the mysteries of God?  Can you probe the limits of the Almighty (Job 11:7).’  Yet, by the Spirit of God ‘we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God (1 Cor. 2:7).’  The ‘Essence’ of God is distinct from the limited essence of angels and of men.

Some, not understanding that ‘there are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one [1 John 5:7 (of the same essence)] remove the verse or change it in their translations.   Paul says, ‘great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, believed on in the world, received up into glory (1 Tim. 3:16).’  In another place he says, ‘For in Christ all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in bodily form (Col. 2:9).’

8. How did God come into existence; and was God created? So to ask, who created God becomes error or illogical to truth, because after knowing ‘God is Eternal,’ without beginning or end, you understand He has always existed as long as time.  We come to the point of reason, proofs, and yet still mystery, and by all senses and faith we know that the Lord God ‘was and is and is to come;’ we know He alone is God and Eternal.  As to the greater understandings, when we are resurrected we can ask the Almighty to explain the Mysteries of His glory and power and Being.

The Creed concerning God

Apostles’ Creed, from the early Church Elders, “I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary… I believe in the Holy Ghost… and the life everlasting.”

Then at the Council of Nicea (325 AD) the Creed was expanded to say, “We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth… We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through Him all things were made.  For us and for our salvation He came down from heaven, He became incarnate (flesh) from the Virgin Mary, and was made man (Son of God)… We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father (and the Son), who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified…”  The Nicene Creed was slightly revised and approved at the Council of Constantinople (381).