Lesson 12 – Proof vs. Evidence
Are you enjoying the topics, learning, and excited to learn more? I truly hope so. Let’s
go. In this discussion, we will explore the concepts of proof and evidence.
Let’s pray.
Lord, thank you for everything you do for us and all our blessings. I pray that all those
who need to hear this message will find the truth, believe in you, and maintain that belief
for life. For those who do not know you yet Lord, I pray that you will open their eyes and
influence them to become seekers and find the Holy Spirit. Help us to understand what the
real burden of proof is to believe in something, and how to make reasonable conclusions
that properly inform our belief system. Please bless this lesson and let your words speak
through me that everyone needs to hear. Amen.
Often in my discussions with nonbelievers, I hear them say, well you don’t have any
proof that God exists or that Christianity is true. In most cases, they are trying to say that
certainty is a requirement for belief in something. It may be a means to refute Christianity
and God or at least an attempt to silence us. If you do not know how to address the concept of proof, you could be defenseless against the charge.
I’m sure that they know that if by proof they mean certainty, that is too high a burden to
defend a concept, fact, or belief. By claiming we have no proof of God, it can be an attempt
to stop us in our tracks. No matter what we say, they can say that is not proof. It may be a
tactic to allow them to continue to willfully deny God. Sometimes, more recently, you may
hear that extreme claims require extreme evidence. But why would that be? It is likely just
another attempt to make our defense more difficult and easier for them to say it is not
enough for belief. Many scientific claims such as black holes and imaginary time and the
multiverse are very extreme claims yet lack extreme evidence. Sufficient evidence is the
only burden to believe in something. There are very few beliefs or facts that have absolute
certainty.
Let’s further examine these ideas of proof and evidence.
The dictionary.com definition of proof is “evidence sufficient to establish a thing as true,
or to produce belief in its truth.” We do have that for Christianity. We also have that for
many, but not all, scientific concepts. I would add here that, in my opinion, we do not have
that for atheism, the multiverse or Darwinian evolution, just to name some big ones. But
we do not have certainty for most beliefs or theories.
I think what this discussion should really be about is evidence. What is evidence?
Evidence is whatever facts you have that support your claim. We have tons of evidence that
supports our claim that Christianity is true. That is the essence of what this series is all
about.
Sometimes in my discussions with nonbelievers, they will substitute evidence for proof, and claim, you don’t have any evidence for God or that God created the universe. But this
is a misunderstanding on their part. There is plenty of evidence that supports our claims.
But again, what they are really trying to say is we do not have any certainty. But they have
no certainty of their nonbelief in God either. In fact, upon scrutiny, there is much more
reason to believe in God than to not believe. And eternity is at stake. Whether or not
Christianity is true is the most important question for everyone. Don’t forget that or
underappreciate the importance.
This claim about proof is typically a nonbeliever attempt to short circuit the discussion
from the beginning and put an unfair burden on us to prove something that is unproveable.
Of course, they have no proof that God does not exist if we want to turn it back on them.
And that is why the neo-atheist claims atheism is not that they believe there is no God, but
rather a lack of belief. They do have beliefs but do not want to acknowledge them otherwise
they have to defend them. It is easier to say that we are the ones making the claims and
therefore we have to defend our claims. But they should have to defend their claim as to
why they have no belief about God. Is there not enough evidence? Do they not want to
believe? Have they not examined the evidence? They should have reasons for not having
a belief just as with any other belief of any kind. Again, all this is a tactic to avert having
to defend their own beliefs while putting the burden on us. It is too difficult for them to
defend their beliefs, so they avert the discussion. Don’t let yourself be sucked in to this
type of false argument. Simply explain the difference to them.
Proof means sufficient evidence to show something is true.
Evidence is anything that supports your claim. Take care until you return for the next
lesson.
