Truth Magazine

By Stephen P. Willis

“Who made God?” What a good question! It is one that is raised when people think about theological and philosophical things. It is one asked by little children as they try to get a grasp on spiritual matters and the world around them. I know, I asked it as a youngster myself when I was probably seven years!

Like a few others, I am a contact for Steve Rudd’s “Interactive Bible”Web Page on the Internet (www. bible.ca). Recently I received this question from one who visited that site: “Hi! My daughter has asked me a question to which I have no answer. Who created God, if he created the world and all on it? Thanks.”

I received the question during the December school break and I was also reading some of Anselm’s works in a recent publication of his Major Works, so I put off answering him for a time. Below is basically the answer I sent to him; I have reworked it a bit and added a few notes to publish it here. I was trying to address the matter for both the child who asked, and the grown-up who had to think about how to answer. Maybe this is useful for Truth Magazine readers as well.

An Introduction to the Reply

I hope you don’t think I forgot about this question. True, I’ve put off answering it for a bit. One reason was it arrived during the time my kids had off from school, and I was trying to spend a little more time with them than at my computer. But another reason is the question itself. It is a great question. It has a great answer, but as you indicate, one which is difficult to express. And it is important that the answer and the way we answer is the right way that will guide our children into faith.

Let me begin with a personal story. I said it is a great question. I asked it myself when I was young. My dad, Cecil Willis, who passed away a couple years ago, was a preacher. I remember at one church (Brown Street in Akron, Ohio), when I was pretty young, that it was decided that for a time, they’d put a question box in the foyer of the church building for religious or Bible questions. I had my question: “Who made God?” For several weeks they announced that there was a question box and that those with a question should submit it. Every time they asked, I rewrote the question and put it into the box. I expect I did so about ten times (or more?)! I was anxious for an answer! Well, finally a night came when Dad was going to start answering some of those questions, and his first one was mine: “Who made God?”

The funny thing is, I don’t have a real recollection of the sermon. You know, just last year I obtained all Dad’s sermons. I hadn’t thought of it before, but maybe I just have the lesson he presented. I do know the lesson I learned either then or later: Nobody made God. Of course, as you noted, this is difficult to explain to a young one. I expect I had the same question after the sermon as before. Even though I believe and teach that nobody made God and that he is the eternally existing one, I have continued to have an interest in the “arguments” about the existence of God. I know how the question affected me when I was young and I want to be able to answer in such a way that some can get past that question better than I did — if possible.

Following that interest, one other reason I was putting off answering you was because of a book I was reading and another I was about to read. Both dealt with the question of God. One was The Quest for God: a personal pilgrimage, written by Paul Johnson from a Roman Catholic point of view. Another, which I had in a pile to read was Anselm of Canterbury: The major works. Years ago I came across one of the most thought-provoking les- sons on the existence of God written by Anselm (See his Proslogion 2). It’s now called the “Ontological Argument.” I had always wanted to read more, and finally found this book, published in 1998 by Oxford World Classics. I really wanted to read both — and possibly another by Aquinas who made four arguments for the existence of God. I knew I couldn’t wait that long to answer you, but did want to get into the Anselm book first.

So, I have been reading the book and all the while, knowing that what I was reading dealt with the answer to your question and mine from long ago. I guess I finally felt I must get back to you with something. I realize that whatever I might write may leave you or your child about where I was after Dad’s sermon, but I hope that it will provoke you to keep trying to teach your child, and that whatever I may write may be helpful to your daughter  in her spiritual life.

The Reply: Nobody Made God

So, “Who made God?” Nobody. God is the creator of all other things. God didn’t even create God, for God has existed for all time, even before there was what we call time. God is eternal. We are not eternal, so it is very hard for us to grasp the idea of what it is to be eternal. The Bible starts with the assumption, no — the fact, that God existed before anything else was created: “In the beginning, God . . .” (Gen. 1:1). A point corresponding to this is the fact that Jesus is also eternal, since he is God, the Son, also called the Word: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

When Moses was at the burning bush, being sent by God back to Egypt, he asked about God’s name so he could tell the Israelites that it really was God who had sent him. The reply was enigmatic: “I AM WHO I AM” (NASB, or “I AM THAT I AM”). Moses was to tell them that “I AM” has sent him (see Exod. 3:14ff ). This may be hard to explain to a young one. Moses no doubt had trouble explaining to the Israel. It means that God is the eternally existing one. “I ALWAYS AM” might be another way of saying it. The expression used was from the “being verb” that we learned in school, but from the Hebrew language. We might say someone was, or something will be, or even that something is. God eternally is — present tense. The Old Testament name, “Jehovah” (ASV ), or “Yahweh,” came from a variation on that Hebrew being verb. To understand God’s very name, is to begin understanding that he is the eternally existing one who needs no other to create him.

One passage explains it from our time-referenced point of view: “And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes round and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, [is] THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME” (Rev. 4:8; see 1:8). The same is said of Jesus: “Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday and today, [yes] and forever” (Heb. 13:8).

Let me approach it from another way: Everything comes from something, forever going back into time (regression) until you come to something that must be either eternal or popping into existence out of nothing on its own without an outside source creating it (if there were someone or something creating it — that some- one or something would be another generation to go back). Pretty much the two options are: eternal matter or an eternal being (God). I would point out that some scientists today actually are positing (without proof ) that maybe matter pops into and out of existence all the time and at some point when it popped into existence, all that we see came from that one pop — that happened not to go out of existence. And, that this happened all on its own, with no help from an eternal being (God). If it didn’t come into existence at some point, then matter must be eternal — assuming, as some do: if there is no eternal God. If matter is eternal, then God didn’t create it. Those who believe this would probably say that matter, in the form of humans, created God in their minds. The Bible does not teach that matter created God, but just the opposite: God created the heavens and the earth.

Of course, if matter is not eternal, the other option is that God is eternal, always existing, and that he brought everything else into existence and continues to operate on the universe by sustaining its existence. Here are some steps to think about, and perhaps when the right time comes to offer to your daughter. Which is more reasonable:

Something from nothing, or something from some- thing?

Order from disorder, or order by design and intelligence?

Life from non-life (rocks, chemicals), or life from other life?

Intelligent life from non-intelligent life or intelligent life from intelligence?

The eternal existence of a divine being, God, answers these questions more reasonably to me: He is the Something that gave rise to all else. He is the intelligent designer that gave order to our cosmos. He is the Life that gave life. He is the Intelligence that gave intelligence.

Others have offered proofs about God by saying he is the first to all things that move. Nothing first moved God. He is the first to all created things. Nothing first created God. He is the sustainer of created things. Nothing sustains God as he always is by his own nature. He is the source of goodness and ideas of goodness. Nothing had to tell God what is good. He is the source of morality. We are not able to be objective enough to generate our own morality. God is able.

Thinking about that last part, reminded me of some- thing many little children learn early in life when they were taught about prayer: “God is great. God is good.” (“And we thank Him for our food.”) To be the greatest and the most good meant he had to have no one before him in anything: time, power, mind, creation. God is first because he is God.

Now, as I said, some of that may generate more questions. Good, if it means one continues to seek God. As I mentioned, I have studied some of the “traditional” proofs for the existence of God. Anselm was one of the better ones to me. I found it in a small book, Ten Great Works of Philosophy, New American Library, 1969). Now here it is in the Anselm book I’ve obtained which goes on for more than the two and one-half pages of the other. Last year I restudied them and included Aquinas, C.S. Lewis, Descartes, Leibnitz and others. Some have taken the approach that we can believe in God from pure reason. Immanuel Kant wrote a book, Critique of Pure Reason, and in the sight of many skeptics, pretty well knocked down many of the proofs, but then offered his own proof for the existence of God from morality. To me, that proof was pretty reasonable; so much for his critique.

A class I took on the Philosophy of Religion made the point that the traditional proofs for God probably no longer convince anyone to cross from unbelief to belief. Unfortunately, in this age of materialism and skepticism, this may be so. But these arguments do strengthen our faith in God and that we can understand him from reason and the creation — as well, of course, from the Scriptures.

The Scriptures teach that those who come to God must believe that he is (Heb. 11:6). And that the “righteous man shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:16-17). “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). It seems to me that much of what we understand and know about God is from faith, not an unreasonable faith, but still faith none-the-less. Philosophers call this fideism (from the Latin word for faith; we get “fidelity” from that word). This is defined as, “the doctrine that knowledge depends on faith or revelation rather than reason” ( The Canadian Oxford Dictionary). Nature and the Scriptures are that revelation of God. We shall know more when faith becomes sight, that is, when we stand before him and are able to spend eternity in heaven with him.

Concluding Remarks

Now I realize that much of this is over the head of a child. You asked for help for you, so you could help her. I would just try to point out to her that God is the “I AM,” the eternally existing one, and as such he has no creator. He is the Creator of all else. And, explain to her that she will understand more as she grows in her faith and knowledge about God. Read some of the passages I mentioned above to her. You may personally wish to read more of the traditional arguments for God’s existence. You can find them in books under these headings: Philosophy (some of the names above), Theology (systematic theology) and Apologetics (why we believe what we believe). One I found on the Internet was the Kalaam Ontological Argument (try the Yahoo search engine). It was very impressive. Of course, keep reading your Bible and don’t be caught in the snares of men’s philosophy rather than living by the teachings of Christ (see Col. 2:8).

A short note on Dad’s sermon: His sermon records indicate these occurred in 1960, however, rather than

give an outline title, he only recorded: “Answered Question”.

God has commanded that all congregations appoint elders. This was not a gentle suggestion but a command, as Paul told Titus (Tit. 1:1-5). Yet today, many congregations do not have elders, saying that they have no man who is qualified or with the desire for the office.

There have been many discussions concerning the life a man must lead in order for him to qualify to be appointed an elder in the church, but nothing is written about the qualifications of his wife.

But, Is this True?

The qualifications are there if we just take the time to search the Scriptures. First, of course, she must be a Christian. No elder could properly serve a congregation if the other half of his marriage lives in the world. As a Christian, her life must be an example to the believers “in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4-12). Paul wrote this to Timothy but does it not also apply to all Christians?

1. In Word. The older women are to teach good things to the younger women — “to love their husbands, love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their husband, that the word may not be blasphemed” (Tit. 2:3-5).

2. In Love. She must love her husband (Tit. 2:4), her neighbor (Matt. 22:39), her enemies (Matt. 5:44), other Christians (Heb. 10:24), her children (Tit. 2:4).

3. In Faith. She must have faith (Heb. 11:6).

4. In Spirit. She will worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

5. In Purity. Paul told Timothy to keep himself pure (1 Tim. 5:22), and he wrote to the church at Philippi to think on things pure (Phil. 4:8).

A believing woman must be hospitable (1 Pet. 4:9; Heb. 13:2), she must resist temptation (Jas. 4:7 and 1 Pet. 5-8), her treasures are to laid up in heaven (Matt. 6:19, 20, 21); her speech is to be as the oracles (word) of God (1 Pet. 4:1l) — not lying (Eph. 4:25), not being a gossip or busybody (1 Tim. 5:13), or a slanderer (Tit. 2:2-3).

She must not be “proud and cause disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions” (1 Tim. 6:4).

Her outward appearance is to be one of humility (Jas. 4:10 and Col. 3:12), reverent in behavior (Tit. 2:3), kind and forgiving (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13). This woman must “adorn herself in modest apparel with propriety and moderation” (1 Tim. 2:9, 10), not with “fancy arranging of the hair, gold or fine apparel but her beauty is to be the hidden person of the heart, a gentle and quiet spirit” (1 Pet. 3:3, 4).

She must be content with her life (1 Tim. 6:6-8 and Phil. 4:11) and not be envious or self-seeking (Jas. 3:16). She cannot have authority over a man but be submissive (1 Tim. 2:12).

This Christian must not allow Satan into her life (Jas. 4:7) but work the works of God just as Christ did while he was on earth (John 9:4).

But wait a minute — Is not this the way that all women who are Christians are to conduct their lives? Of course, and many of these commandments apply to men also. So what makes the wife of an elder different from any other woman in the Lord’s church?

Very little, actually. First, she does have to be married — an elder must have a wife (1 Tim. 3:2) and she must have children (1 Tim. 3:4); training them up as the Lord commands (Prov. 22:6). The wife of an elder must have all the same qualities of her husband (not given to wine, not greedy, not covetous, etc., 1 Tim. 3:2, 3) for how could she be a proper helpmeet for the elder if they disagree about their way of life? Amos wrote: “Can two walk together unless they are agreed?” (Amos 3:3).

A married couple begins walking together when they say “I do” and when both are Christians they should be in unity. If this man desires the work of an elder, he must depend on his wife to support him.

The elder must have the respect of those in the world (1 Tim 3:7). His good reputation and that of his wife will set an example to those with whom they come in contact. The wife must be very patient and understanding, realizing that her husband’s time with his family will often be curtailed because of his spiritual responsibilities. She cannot be jealous of those who are taking up his time but be willing to accompany him to talk to those needing help.

Not all members of a congregation will agree with the decisions made by the elders and will grumble among themselves about this. The wives of those elders cannot respond with anger to those causing trouble but be forgiving. A wife of an elder must be able to handle the complaints and criticisms against her husband with a kind and forgiving attitude.

So, the qualifications of the wife of an elder are the same as those of all believing women with the exception of being married and having children.

All young women in the church should live as though they will one day be the wife of an elder, just as every young man should have this goal in his life — to desire the work of a bishop and focus on that as he grows in the work of our Lord. What better purpose can a young Christian have?

The most important qualifications for both the elder and his wife are: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will direct your paths”

We see much immoral behavior in society today. Con- sider the sin of abortion. When we see people willingly take the life of another for convenience sake, we truly are in bad shape as a people! This attitude of debasing the sanctity of life has now spilled over into other aspects of society. Once people got used to the idea of killing babies, it wasn’t such a stretch to consider killing the elderly and those who are considered “vegetables” or are dying of certain diseases. Now that people seem acclimated to this, we see people who are willing to kill just about anyone, so long as there is consent to it! Consider Jack Kevorkian — he will not only kill you, but will sell your organs as well (or at least try)! Like Judah in Genesis 37:26-27, there is no reason that Jack shouldn’t make a tidy profit in the process of taking your life! I mean, after all, he has the up-keep of that rusty old van to consider; lawyer bills are piling up as well, you know! Brethren, selfishness truly rules the day.

Consider smoking that kills so many by the slow, steady, deterioration of the lungs, heart, blood vessels, etc. I have seen a chart that details what happens when one quits smoking after one minute, one hour, one day, one month, etc. It is amazing to note the positive changes that occur so soon after one stops smoking. If you put these things in reverse, you then see what happens to a person when he smokes, and how quickly things deteriorate and ruin the body. The Bible teaches that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and must be respected as such. The Bible teaches that our body is not ours to ruin, maim, or kill (1 Cor. 6:18-20)! Paul said that he would not be brought under the power of any (1 Cor. 6:12). Nicotine in the cigarettes will cause one to be “hooked” for life just like any other drug. Alcohol fits in here as well. Though so many consider the drinking of alcohol to be “acceptable” under certain conditions, the Bible condemns drinking alcohol from the first drink (1 Pet. 4:3-4; Prov. 23:31-32).

Further, we notice the sin of immodest dress. Though it is acceptable in society; to dress in such a way as to cause one to lust after you is to sin. Jesus said, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” and “Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matt. 5:27-28; 18:6). Therefore, not only is it a sin to lust after another, but it is a sin to cause another to lust after you! It works both ways, you see. The Bible teaches that people are to dress in a modest way — not to overdo the clothing, or to “underdo” (if that is a word) the clothing! The Bible teaches that we are to dress modestly, with shame fastedness and sobriety (1 Tim. 2:9-10). While the immediate context deals with the women, this is a principle that equally applies to the men. By the way, how do you dress when you are in public? When you come to worship services? When you know you are in mixed company, wherever you may be? This is something serious to consider — your eternal soul rests on your answer!

Let us also think about the sin of homosexuality.

While many homosexuals are wishing for “inclusion” and “acceptance” from society (and are getting it for the most part), they need to understand that this behavior is unacceptable and is sinful. This is akin to the behavior of those who will commit adultery with one another, and never consider the fact that this behavior is only acceptable and pure in God’s sight when the man and woman are married to each other (Heb. 13:4; Matt. 19:4- 6). Homosexuality is a sin just like the other things we have talked about. One will not be in heaven if he is a homosexual (1 Cor. 6:9-11; etc.). He needs to repent of this sin and turn away from it.

What can we do? What can be done to stop the slow, steady deterioration of society? What can we do to keep people from sinking lower and lower into sin? “Make new laws!” many people cry. Some may suggest that we need more and stiffer penalties for those who smoke, drink, use drugs, etc. “We need not accept homosexuals who wish to be ‘married,’” some might say. “We need to get people like and including Jack Kevorkian behind bars, stop listening to their emotional pleas, and see that they are murdering people, ‘by consent’” others could add. These things sound good on the surface, and might curb some of the activity, but don’t people see that what we are discussing are merely the symptoms of the problem, and not the problem? Yes, it’s true!

What is the problem, then? The problem is character! People do not have the character that they once did. Brethren, if we can change the character of people, we can put an end to so many problems! What is the character of people today? As we mentioned earlier, it is one of selfishness! Me! Me! Me! When people think of themselves first, they will do those things which please/satisfy them first, and leave others to “fend for themselves.” Just think about this: Why is it that time after time in the Old and New Testaments, we read God’s warnings not to leave him, not to forsake him, nor to turn to the right hand or the left from his word? It is because when people do this, their standard will change from asking “What does God want?” to asking “What do I want?” The Gentiles, as recorded in Romans 1, “glorified [God] not as God, neither were thankful . . . changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things . . . changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator . . . their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly . . .  they did not like to retain God in their knowledge” (Rom. 1:21-28). What started them on this downward slide? It was when they stopped glorifying God as God and refused to show gratitude to him — selfishness! They thought they could do it their own way, and found out too late how wrong they were!

Sometimes changing a law in society can be a good thing, but understand the only way to truly change behavior is to change the character of a person. When one’s character is changed: (1) It is a change from the inside-out, not merely an outward change to “keep from getting caught. ”The change “inside-out” was command- ed of God’s people in Romans 12:1-2. (2) It causes one to understand that he is not the center of the universe. The Bible makes this clear as we read the comments made and questions posed by different Bible characters (Jas. 4:13; Job 7:17; Pss. 4:8; 144:3; Heb. 2:6; Gen. 18:27). (3) They will be interested in what God has to say more so than what men/themselves have to say. 1 Peter 4:11 will mean a great deal to them. Colossians 3:17, which commands us to do all “in the name of the Lord” will be followed when one’s character is changed.

As we consider the sins mentioned earlier in this lesson, we now know that these things will not be committed, nor justified, when one’s character has been changed. When one’s character is changed, he will do that which is right because he wants to, not because he has to! When we change the character of the baby-murderer or the slayer of the old, they will no longer do that, but will work to preserve the lives of the young and old, realizing their body is not theirs to “do as they please.”

When we change the character of the smoker, the alcoholic, drug addict, etc., they will no longer look to those things for a “high” (yes, smokers get a “high,” too, but in a milder way), but will strive to have their bodies pure, and their minds clear to do the work of the Lord.

When we change the character of those who dress immodestly, they will no longer do that, nor try to justify their lack of clothing (or the over-doing of such). They will not ask, “where’s the line?” but will respect what God has said on this subject, and do so willingly.

When we change the character of the homosexual, he will not say it is an “alternate lifestyle,” but realize that it is sin, and he must stop it and live right (see 1 Cor. 6:11 — the people in Corinth did this).

When we change the character of people (and our- selves), we will not need “new and stricter laws,” we will respect and obey the ones we already have! First and foremost, we will respect and obey God’s law, and we will also respect and obey the laws of the land.

When we change the character of people, they will not offer excuses for why they have failed in the past. They will move on, learning from their mistakes, and striving to be better day by day. Brethren, there are a lot of things that are determined by genetics, this is true. But one thing