The Ontological Argument

1. The Ontological Argument

Ontological arguments attempt to demonstrate the reality and necessity of God, using reason alone. They are based on the use of logic to draw conclusions. Below are two arguments, first a brief argument and then a longer and more precise argument.

• The Shorter Ontological Argument
  • Something exists (I do)
  • Nothing can not produce something
  • Therefore, something exists eternally and necessarily
  • God is identical to the one described in the Bible since there can only be one being of pure actuality. There cannot be two infinite beings, two absolutely perfect beings, two ultimates, or two greatest beings. The God of the Bible is the greatest. Therefore, the theistic view is true, and everything opposed to it is false.
• The Longer Ontological Argument
  • Being Is (Principle of Existence) Cannot deny it.
  • Being is Being (Principle of Identity) Identical, A=A
  • Being is not non-being (principle of non-contradiction)
  • Either being or non-being (Principle of excluded middle)
  • Non-being cannot cause being (The principle of causality)
  • A caused being is similar to its cause (Principle of Analogy). Like produces like. A being cannot give what it does not have. Efficient causes bring something into being; instrumental causes are the means.
  • A being is either necessary or contingent but not both (Principle of the excluded middle)
  • A necessary being cannot cause another necessary being to come to be. Necessary beings neither begin nor end.
  • A contingent being cannot be the efficient cause of another contingent being. Only a necessary cause can be the cause of a contingent being. Only actuality can produce actuality. Potentiality cannot produce actuality.
  • A necessary being is a being of pure actuality with no potentiality. Therefore, a necessary being has no potentiality to not exist. If a necessary being exists, then it must exist necessarily with no possibility not to exist.
  • A Being with pure actuality cannot cause another being with pure actuality. Whatever being comes to be must have potentiality to be and pure actuality has no potentiality.
  • The being that is caused by a Being of Pure actuality must have both actuality and potentiality. For this created being has the potentiality not to be, which Pure actuality does not have.
  • Every being that is caused by a being of Pure Actuality must be both like and dislike its cause. It is like its cause in its actuality but unlike its cause in its potentiality. And what is both like and unlike its cause is similar to it.
  • I am a contingent being.
    • I exist
    • I am not a necessary being since I change or come to be.
  • However, only a necessary being can cause a contingent being to exist.
  • Therefore, a Necessary Being of pure actuality exists who caused me to be.
  • This Necessary Being of Pure Actuality with no potentiality has certain attributes.
    • Cannot change (immutable)
    • Cannot be temporal (eternal)
    • Cannot be material (immaterial)
    • Cannot be finite (infinite)
    • Cannot be divisible (Simple) (has no potential to be divided)
    • Must be Personal (personal) since He made personal beings.
    • Must be all-powerful (omnipotent) is infinite and has power
    • Must be morally perfect (Holy) since it causes moral beings to exist.

Objections to the Ontological Argument.

1. The God of philosophy is not the God of the Bible.
   • First, they must be the same since they are both infinite beings, and there cannot be two infinite beings.
   • Second, they are both absolutely perfect and there cannot be two absolutely perfect beings.
   • Third, there is more than one way to approach the same object (like a mountain peak) a.) objectively or b.) religiously.
2. Philosophical arguments can’t be used to bring anyone to God.
   • First, this is untrue because the bible says they can. (Romans 1:19-29, 2:12-15).
   • Second, believing the God of reason will bypass reason to reach reasonable creatures is unreasonable. (God does not bypass the mind on the way to the heart).
   • Third, many people testify to the use of reason and evidence to bring them to God. (S Augustine, C.S. Lewis, Frank Morrison, Jay Budzisaewski etc.)
3. Depraved men cannot understand the truth about God (1 Cor. 2:14).
   • First, the text says they don’t receive it, not that they can’t perceive it.
   • Second, otherwise God is wrong in condemning them for not responding to general revelation in nature (Romans 1:19-20).
   • Third, the image of God is not erased but only marred in fallen man (Gen 9:6; Jas. 3:9).
   • Fourth, they couldn’t suppress the truth unless they knew what they were suppressing (Rom 1:18) Indeed, God said it was clear and evident to them (Romans 1:19-20).