top of page
Search
Writer's pictureEdward D. Andrews
Sep 1010 min read

Can the Cosmological Argument Prove God's Existence?

What Is the Cosmological Argument?


The cosmological argument is one of the most ancient and widely discussed arguments for the existence of God. Its basic premise is rooted in the idea that everything that exists must have a cause, and since the universe exists, it too must have a cause beyond itself. This cause, according to the argument, must be God.


There are different forms of the cosmological argument, with two of the most prominent being the horizontal or kalam cosmological argument, which reasons back to the cause of the beginning of the universe, and the vertical cosmological argument, which reasons from the current existence of the universe to its sustaining cause. While these two forms have different starting points, they both argue for the existence of a first cause—an uncaused cause that is responsible for the existence of the universe.


The foundation of this argument rests on the principle of causality, which asserts that everything that exists has a cause. Nothing can bring itself into existence, so there must be something beyond the universe that brought it into being. In theological terms, this is understood to be God, the Creator, as Genesis 1:1 affirms: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."



How Does the Horizontal Cosmological Argument Work?


The horizontal cosmological argument, or the kalam cosmological argument, is concerned with the beginning of the universe. It reasons that since the universe began to exist, it must have a cause. This argument has been used extensively by Christian apologists to counter the idea that the universe came into being by chance or existed eternally.


The argument is structured as follows:


  1. Whatever begins to exist has a cause.

  2. The universe began to exist.

  3. Therefore, the universe has a cause.


This simple syllogism leads to the conclusion that the cause of the universe must be something beyond time, space, and matter—something that exists eternally and is not bound by the limitations of the physical world. This cause, Christians believe, is God, who is described in the Bible as eternal and uncreated (Psalm 90:2: "Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God").



What About the Vertical Cosmological Argument?


The vertical cosmological argument, on the other hand, addresses the ongoing existence of the universe. It reasons that the universe not only had a beginning but that its continued existence requires a sustaining cause. The universe is contingent—it depends on something else for its existence—and cannot exist on its own.


This argument can be summarized as follows:


  1. The universe exists.

  2. It is contingent (dependent on something else for its existence).

  3. Therefore, there must be a necessary being that sustains the universe.


This necessary being must be independent, eternal, and capable of sustaining the existence of all contingent beings. In Colossians 1:17, Paul speaks of Christ in this way: "He is before all things, and in him, all things hold together." Here, Paul asserts that Christ is the sustaining force of the universe, the one who ensures its continued existence. Without this sustaining cause, the universe would cease to exist.



How Do Early Philosophers Approach the Cosmological Argument?


The origins of the cosmological argument can be traced back to ancient Greek philosophers like Aristotle and Plato. Aristotle, in particular, developed the concept of the unmoved mover, which became a cornerstone of the cosmological argument. Aristotle reasoned that everything in motion must have been set in motion by something else, but there must be a first mover that is not moved by anything else. This first mover, he concluded, is the cause of all motion in the universe.


While Aristotle's concept of the unmoved mover was not identical to the Christian concept of God, it laid the groundwork for later Christian thinkers to develop the argument in a theological context. Aristotle's first mover was impersonal and not involved in the world in the way the Bible describes Jehovah. However, the Bible reveals a personal God who is actively involved in His creation. Isaiah 40:26 says, "Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing."


Plato also contributed to the cosmological argument through his concept of a demiurge or divine craftsman who shaped the universe. Like Aristotle, Plato believed in a first cause, but his understanding of God was limited and impersonal. The Bible, however, teaches that God is both the Creator and sustainer of the universe, personally involved in the lives of His people (Psalm 121:2: "My help comes from Jehovah, the Maker of heaven and earth").



How Did Medieval Thinkers Develop the Cosmological Argument?


During the Middle Ages, Christian thinkers like Anselm and Thomas Aquinas built on the work of the Greek philosophers and further developed the cosmological argument. Anselm is best known for his ontological argument, but he also presented a cosmological argument in his work, the Monologion. Anselm argued that everything that exists must have a cause, and there must be one ultimate cause that is responsible for the existence of all things. This ultimate cause, he argued, is God.


Thomas Aquinas, one of the most influential theologians of the medieval period, presented a more systematic version of the cosmological argument in his famous "Five Ways" in the Summa Theologica. Aquinas' first three ways are forms of the cosmological argument:


  1. The argument from motion: Everything in motion must have been set in motion by something else, and there must be a first unmoved mover, which is God.

  2. The argument from efficient causes: Everything that exists must have been caused by something else, and there must be a first uncaused cause, which is God.

  3. The argument from contingency: Everything in the universe is contingent and depends on something else for its existence. Therefore, there must be a necessary being that is not contingent, and this being is God.


Aquinas’ arguments were deeply influenced by Aristotle, but he adapted them to fit the Christian understanding of God as the Creator and sustainer of the universe. Aquinas’ use of the cosmological argument was not merely philosophical but deeply rooted in Scripture. For example, in Acts 17:24-25, Paul speaks to the philosophers in Athens, saying, "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else."


Aquinas’ formulation of the cosmological argument continues to be one of the most widely studied and debated forms of the argument today. It provides a rational basis for belief in God, grounded in the observation that the universe is contingent and must have a cause beyond itself.



Can the Cosmological Argument Stand Up to Modern Objections?


The cosmological argument has faced significant objections over the centuries, particularly from philosophers like David Hume and Immanuel Kant. Hume questioned the principle of causality itself, arguing that we cannot assume that everything must have a cause. He claimed that we only observe causes and effects in the world, but we cannot extend this principle beyond the universe itself to say that the universe must have a cause.


Kant, on the other hand, argued that the cosmological argument rests on the idea that we can reason from the finite world to the infinite. He believed that the cosmological argument tries to apply human concepts of causality, time, and space to something beyond human experience, which he thought was illegitimate.


Despite these objections, Christian thinkers have continued to defend the cosmological argument. One way they have responded to Hume’s skepticism about causality is by pointing out that the principle of causality is not merely an empirical observation but a necessary principle of reason. It is incoherent to say that something could come into existence without a cause, as this would violate the principle of sufficient reason. Hebrews 3:4 affirms, "For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything." This Scripture underscores the logical necessity of a builder or cause for everything that exists.


In response to Kant’s objection, Christian apologists argue that the cosmological argument is not attempting to apply human concepts to God inappropriately. Rather, it is based on the observation that the universe is contingent and must have a cause beyond itself. The argument does not claim to fully comprehend God but simply to establish that there must be a first cause that is not contingent. Job 11:7 reminds us that God’s ways are beyond full human comprehension: "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?"



Does the Cosmological Argument Point to the God of the Bible?


One common objection to the cosmological argument is that, even if it proves the existence of a first cause, it does not necessarily prove that this first cause is the God of the Bible. Critics argue that the cosmological argument could just as easily point to an impersonal force or a deistic god who is not involved in the world.


However, Christian apologists argue that the cosmological argument, when combined with other evidence, does point to the God of the Bible. First, the cosmological argument shows that the first cause must be eternal, uncaused, and outside of time and space. These are attributes that are consistent with the biblical description of God. In Isaiah 40:28, Jehovah is described as "the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom."


Second, the cosmological argument is often paired with the teleological argument, which points to the design and order in the universe as evidence of an intelligent designer. This further supports the idea that the first cause is not only eternal and uncaused but also personal and intelligent.


Finally, the Bible itself presents God as the first cause of the universe. In Isaiah 44:24, Jehovah declares, "I am Jehovah, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself." This statement affirms that God is the Creator and sustainer of the universe, consistent with the conclusions of the cosmological argument.



What Is the Biblical Foundation for the Cosmological Argument?


The Bible affirms the key premises of the cosmological argument. First, it teaches that the universe had a beginning and was created by God. Genesis 1:1 states, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." This is a clear affirmation of the horizontal cosmological argument, which reasons from the beginning of the universe to a first cause.


Second, the Bible teaches that God not only created the universe but also sustains it. Hebrews 1:3 says of Christ, "He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power." This supports the vertical cosmological argument, which reasons that the universe continues to exist because of the sustaining power of God.


Furthermore, the Bible emphasizes that God is eternal and uncaused. In Psalm 90:2, we read, "Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." This description of God as eternal aligns with the conclusion of the cosmological argument that the first cause must be uncaused and eternal.


Finally, the Bible teaches that the creation of the universe points to the existence of God. In Romans 1:20, Paul writes, "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 people are without excuse." This verse affirms that the existence of the universe is evidence of God’s power and nature, which is the same conclusion reached by the cosmological argument.



Can the Cosmological Argument Be Used in Evangelism?


The cosmological argument can be a powerful tool in evangelism because it provides a rational basis for belief in God. While the argument does not reveal the full nature of God as described in the Bible, it opens the door to discussions about the existence of God and the need for a Creator. The cosmological argument can help skeptics see that belief in God is not irrational but is grounded in logic and reason.


Once the existence of God is established, the next step in evangelism is to introduce people to the God of the Bible, who not only created the universe but also offers salvation through Jesus Christ. As Paul writes in Acts 17:24-25, "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else."


In conclusion, the cosmological argument provides a strong case for the existence of a first cause, which Christians identify as the God of the Bible. It demonstrates that the universe is contingent and must have a cause beyond itself, and it points to the existence of an eternal, uncaused, and necessary being. When combined with the evidence of design and moral law, the cosmological argument can help lead people to the conclusion that the God of the Bible is the Creator and sustainer of all things.


About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220 books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).


RECOMMENDED READING


43 views0 comments

Comments

bottom of page