“Sherlock Holmes has nothing on J. Warner Wallace. In ‘God’s Crime Scene,’ Wallace uses the tools of a world-class homicide detective to discern whether or not clues point in the direction of a Divine Intruder. The reader can almost hear the words ‘Elementary, my dear Watson’ as Wallace evaluates the evidence for cosmic design. A highly readable resource by which seekers and skeptics can follow truth toward its origins.” – Hank Hanegraaff, bestselling author and president of the Christian Research Institute
If you are reading God’s Crime Scene with me this month you might have found chapter seven “Law and Order, Is Morality More Than an Opinion?” very enlightening and one of the best arguments for the existence of God. If there are things that all humans seem to inherently know are right, and things we inherently know that are wrong, then where did that come from? If there is a moral law then doesn’t it follow that there must be a moral lawgiver?
If we are honest most people believe in objective moral standards, yet why do we want to attribute these standard to everything but God? Secular culture today promotes the idea of relativism when it comes to morals. “Do whatever makes you happy as long as you don’t hurt someone” we tell ourselves. “Don’t judge” and “be tolerant” are mantras our culture buys into. But does that work out in the real world? Can we really do what is right in our own eyes and not affect others in some way?
My Pastor addressed this concept in a recent sermon. He said, “If someone tells you there is no absolute right or wrong (no objective moral law) then just punch him in the face. I’m pretty sure he will tell you that you can’t do that, because it is wrong! If not, then just do it again!” Most Atheists hold a relativist’s view (truth and morality are personal and subjective, “what’s true for you is not true for me”), but this falls flat when put into practice: On their view they must accept what you believe to be right (punching them in the face) as your personal moral truth and they cannot say it is wrong. They must be tolerant and not judge you. If you take their relativistic view to its logical conclusion they cannot even say that what Hitler and the Nazi’s did in the Holocaust was wrong because the Nazi’s believed it was right. Thank God that the Nuremburg trials supported an objective universal Moral Law and convicted them!
Wallace also does a great job of demolishing arguments for the origin of a moral law from places other than a transcendent God. He shows how moral truths cannot be products of illusion, or brought about by the universe, or products of individual beliefs or cultures. He even crushes the idea of morals standards being biologically determined, like atheist Richard Dawkins believes, “we are all just dancing to our DNA.”
When all the evidence is evaluated the only conclusion one can draw is that something so universal and so absolute can only come from intelligence. This intelligence must have a mind and that mind is a personal one. This personal mind must also be loving because these moral laws are caring, overarching and universally applicable. “They bind us in obligation to do what is right, good, and loving, and they are ultimately tied to a personal authority located ‘outside the room.’”
Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. Romans 2:14-15
The evidence, so far, in this ‘crime scene’ investigation by Wallace “demonstrates the existence of an intelligent intruder outside of space, time, and matter; a Divine Intruder responsible for the evidence we cannot explain from ‘inside the room.’” If I were on the jury I would vote in favor of this intruder being the God of the Bible!
As Christians we are called to give reason for the hope that we have in Christ. I believe that in the culture and times we live in today it is more important than ever to have answers, especially when it comes to our young people. I urge you to purchase “God’s Crime Scene” , by J. Warner Wallace for your home library. Encourage your young people to use it and its sources as a reference for their own research.
Through the end of August I am going to continue to post reviews of this book with some of its highlights and insights. I am planning to incorporate much of its research into my next Case for Christianity class that will include presentations of evidence for objective truth, intelligent design (via our Creator) versus the secular theory of (neo-Darwinian) evolution for origin of life, and a case for the historicity and reliability of the Bible. This class and corresponding blog posts will begin in September.
Let me know what you think: Buy “God’s Crime Scene” and join me this month by reading along. Give feedback, ask questions and share thoughts. Be someone who searches for truth.
In these posts I am going to continue to present logical reasoning and sound scientific evidence not found in the public school textbooks.
This blog will begin a new series in September 2015. If you’d like to review the previous series you can start by going back to the September 1, 2014 Introduction called A Case for Christianity: Why do we need one?
Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
Always be ready to give an answer for the hope that you have in Christ Jesus as Lord. 1 Peter 3:15