Catholic Q&A
How do we know whether God truly exists?
Does God truly exist? This is a question that has been repeatedly asked ever since mankind appeared on earth. To begin with, what is it that people generally refer to as “God”? If people had an imperfect image of “God,” they may think that such a god does not exist, and that they could not accept such a god as true.
So what is God? I am of the view that people can think of God in a variety of ways, philosophically and theoretically. However, let me now speak to you candidly about the type of God Christianity teaches.
Jesus Christ often spoke of “God the Father,” and he led a life of intimacy with this God. He received all his existence from him, he always tried to do his will, and abiding by his will was his lifelong task. According to Jesus, God is the one who created this world and each one of us. He observes with pain the trials and errors that each and every person undergoes, and he invites each and every one of us to partake of his own life. Of course, God did not create human beings as dolls having no free will. It is to be hoped that human beings would freely seek out and love God, and participate in his life. Deep within the human heart God planted a longing for himself, and that is the reason why human beings are born to encounter God. It is only when we walk towards God that we acquire the affirmation and joy, that our chosen path is the correct one. However, aside from God, no matter what value you may seek to live by, you will never attain genuine happiness.
Now, how can we say that such a God exists? We cannot provide you with an objective answer to this question, such as 1+1 = 2, since it is a question related to the type of life a person leads. One cannot think or speak of God, without altering one’s way of life. The moment people start thinking that “God exists” they have no choice but to change their lifestyle, since it is an issue that entails a decision on how a person is going to live.
As long as we human beings are born into this world, we will keep on asking questions about the meaning of life. Why am I alive? For what purpose am I living? As long as you desire to live your life seriously, you have no choice but to ask those questions. Would asking such questions be considered meaningless? Is the fact that you are alive now merely some sort of a coincidence? Is it something absurd?
Or, as Christ declared, are you here because you were created by God and are destined to share in his life? If that is the way you think, then it is no coincidence at all that you are here. Before you became awake to this issue, would you have thought as follows? ‘There is a person who loves me and desires my existence. I have been called forth by that person from nothingness into existence.” If that be the case, it means you have already chosen the way of life of the Christian believers. And after you have chosen this way of life and have started walking towards God, if you feel you are experiencing an entirely different quality of life, if you feel you are living with greater hope and joy, and that you are growing much more lively, humane, and affectionate, would that not be evidence that the decision you made in choosing this particular path of life was correct?