Prepared with a Reason: Lesson 2

Overview

Ontology: What Exists, and Where Did It Come From?

Ontology is the branch of philosophy that asks what exists and where it came from. While for many centuries this question was answered in harmony with belief in the supernatural, the last three centuries have seen an erosion of that compatibility. Three worldly assumptions in particular press against the Christian confession, and each can be answered from Scripture.

Assumption 1: There is no God. This is the foundation of naturalism—the view that the natural world is all there is. Yet roughly 92% of Americans still believe in some kind of God or higher power; true atheists (who deny any form of theism) and agnostics (who claim insufficient knowledge) are relatively few. Scripture explains why: Psalm 14:1 says, "Fools say in their heart, 'There is no God.'" And Romans 1:18–20 declares that God's eternal power and divine nature are clearly perceived in what He has made, leaving people without excuse. Notably, creation points to a Creator but does not by itself define who He is—Scripture must reveal Him. A helpful test: if God were merely a human invention, we would never have invented the God of the Bible. Every other religion is built on works-righteousness; only Christianity proclaims grace. Watch also for the rising group of "nones," who don't necessarily reject God but lean on personal experience and intuition. When someone is described as "spiritual," ask kindly, "What do you mean by that?"

Assumption 2: Matter has always existed. The "big bang" is offered as the organizing event of pre-existing matter—but note the word theory, since no scientist observed creation. Only God did, and He has told us what happened. Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:7 reveal an eternal God who personally and intimately created human beings in His image and formed man from the dust. In Job 38:4, the Lord asks Job, "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?" Before God said, "Let there be," there was nothing—no floating pre-existent matter, only God Himself.

Assumption 3: The universe balances itself out (karma). Phrases like "trust the universe" or "what the universe is trying to tell me" reveal a belief that an impersonal force evens the scales. Karma comes from Hinduism and Buddhism and is thoroughly works-righteousness, bound up with reincarnation—neither of which is biblical. Scripture's principle that we reap what we sow is not karma; it is the moral truth of a personal God. Jesus Himself warns against drawing direct lines between specific disasters and a person's standing with God. In Luke 13:1–5, He refuses to call those killed by Pilate or by the falling tower of Siloam worse sinners than others, and instead presses every hearer: "Unless you repent, you will all perish."

Pastoral application. Phrases like "there is no God," "it was just the big bang," or "I believe in karma" are not merely conversational filler—they are ontological claims, and they are open doors for witness. Listen for them. Ask gentle clarifying questions. Then point to the God who is truly there: the Creator who spoke all things into being, who made us in His image, and who, in Christ, has come not to weigh our works but to save sinners by grace.

Transcript

O mighty God, you spoke all things into existence by your mighty Word. 3s

Fusur of us and the children you entrust to our care from the errors of our age. 9s

Keep us vigilant against the enemy who seeks to trap us in teachings that lead us away 17s

from Christ Jesus. Embolden us to be faithful witnesses of your Word that by the working 24s

of your Spirit others would come to know your love and grace in Jesus' name. Amen. 32s

Well welcome back as we continue on in this examination here prepared with a reason. 41s

We're taking a look at various worldly assumptions and we're applying a scripture to those worldly 47s

assumptions. We're saying, okay, here's the assumption and what does the scriptures have to say 54s

with regard to those assumptions. Last week we took a look at the subject of epistemology. 59s

Epistemology. Epistemology has to do with what is truth and how can we know it? 67s

And we looked at some assumptions that abound in the world with regard to the subject of epistemology. 76s

For example, we looked at the assumption that there is no such thing as objective truth. 84s

That's an assumption with regard to epistemology that the world can offer and does offer. 91s

That there's no truth outside of ourselves that stands apart from us. But that all truth is 100s

simply relative. That was the second assumption. That truth is relative to each individual. 108s

So you hear that in phrases where people will say, you're truth, I got my truth and we just need 115s

to accept everybody's truth. And then the third assumption in the world is that truth is a 123s

social construct. A social construct in the sense in understanding that truth is formed by 131s

consensus. So a worldly assumption with regard to epistemology is that truth is formed by a 140s

consensus, a social construct. And so I've kind of used the phrase in the past, this is a 151s

corollary to it of statistical morality, where you'll say, well, the majority of people believe this 159s

about this moral issue, therefore, because the majority believe this about this moral issue, 167s

then that must be the truth. You see, that's a social construct. And it's born out of a 175s

lack of understanding of objective truth. It's born out of a lack of a biblical authority 182s

understanding. So we took a look at all three of those assumptions. We also examined how those 188s

three assumptions are influenced by what is called humanism. Humanism has to do with human beings 196s

being the measure of everything. So one decides what it is that is true and a human being or human 204s

beings will decide that instead of God deciding that we examined biblical responses of how the 213s

scriptures negate all of those worldly assumptions. Well, today I want to talk with you about the 225s

subject of ontology, ontology. And the subject of ontology has to do with the questions of what 232s

exists and where did it come from? What exists and where did it come from? 245s

Ontology is a branch out of what is called metaphysics. And metaphysics is a branch off of philosophy. 255s

And metaphysics has to do with examining things that are outside of natural science, 267s

outside of natural science. Sometimes that's called the supernatural. So those are things like God, 275s

heaven, that is outside the scientist purview to prove the existence of God because 285s

they will maintain the scientific method and observation and all of that. So ontology then is the 296s

topic of what exists, where did it come from? It's a branch off of metaphysics, which is a branch 304s

off of philosophy. Now for many centuries ontology and the supernatural were quite compatible. 315s

It's in the last three centuries where you see an erosion with regard to that. And assumptions 330s

in the subject of ontology that the world can give. Here's number one. 341s

There is no God. There is no God that is a worldly assumption. The argument is made that the idea 352s

of God is something that simply comes from human imagination. Now just a little aside here, 370s

we're going to get into this a little bit more obviously. Just a little aside on this. 380s

If God was the product of imagination, would we invent the God of Scripture? The answer to that is 387s

no. Because when you look at every other religion outside of Christianity, they're all based upon what 398s

works righteousness. Eat your peas, you get dessert. Now that's a good parental technique. Sure, 407s

that's a good parental technique. It's also words righteousness. Not saying parents, you shouldn't 421s

do that, right? But it works righteousness. Work really hard in the company and maybe then you can 426s

move up. Work really hard and then you can advance. We understand works righteousness. So also does 435s

all the religions of the world except one Christianity. Every religion in the world outside of 443s

Christianity is based upon works righteousness. You look at every single major religion. It's all 456s

based upon works righteousness. Whatever concept of God that the religion has or the higher power or 465s

anything like that, whatever concept of an afterlife or heaven, it's all based upon the premise 476s

that if you do really good, then you can earn your way into whatever the concept is of an afterlife 484s

or heaven. So if we were going to, if religion is simply a construct of the imagination, 493s

we would never invent the God of Christianity. We never would. We would out of our sinfulness, 501s

invent exactly what all the false religions have invented. A religion based upon, 510s

I'm a really good person, therefore, I will spend forever then or whatever your concept is of 518s

in that particular religion of an afterlife, I have made it into afterlife. So one of the 526s

assumptions in the world in the subject of ontology which looks at what exists and where did it come 534s

from? One of the worldly assumptions is there is no God and God is simply a fabrication of 542s

the human imagination. Naturalism 551s

is a scientific view, a philosophy, scientific and philosophic view that works under the assumption 565s

that the that the natural world is all that all that exists. No God. Naturalism is just a term you 575s

can put on it related here obviously to there is no God. Now interestingly, 92% of Americans believe 586s

that there's a God. Now what kind of God, those 92% that's a whole other series, right? 601s

But 92% of Americans believe in God or a higher power. There's actually very few atheists and 613s

agnostics. There's very few atheists and agnostics. What's the difference? Atheists, they reject any 623s

form of theism. They reject any form of an understanding of God. Let's take a look at Psalm 141. 632s

Good way to find the Psalms is just go to the the middle of scripture. You're going to land on one of them. 643s

Psalm 141. 653s

Fools say in their heart there is no God. 663s

The corrupt, they do abominable deeds. There's no one who does good. Fools say in their heart. 667s

There is no God. The Hebrew word there is Nebal and it can also mean senseless. 674s

So an atheist will deny any possibility of the existence of God. An agnostic looks at the whole 684s

God question and says, well, I'm just not convinced. So there's a lack of conviction. 693s

An agnostic is really a position of neutrality where they'll say, well, maybe there's God or maybe 701s

there there isn't. The Greek word is agnosis, which means without knowledge. So an agnostic will say, 708s

well, maybe he asked, maybe, maybe, maybe no, there's insufficient knowledge. 717s

There really are very few atheists and agnostics. The scripture gives us a clue why. Let's go to the book of 724s

Romans chapter 1. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and then Romans. Romans chapter 1. 733s

We'll pick up in verse 19. 744s

Let's go into 18. We'll give us more of a running start. 757s

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness. 763s

Of those who buy their wickedness suppress the truth. 771s

For what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them. 777s

Ever since the creation of the world, his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they 784s

are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse. 790s

Another way to put this book outside, have the complicated nature of creation and it only makes 799s

sense that there was a creator of this. That's why the scripture gives us a clue. 92% of Americans 806s

believe that there's some kind of God. Now notice what scripture here says is it doesn't define 818s

here who the God is. So when people say who is God or they say we believe in God, there's no definition 825s

of, or let me say it in a better way. Creation does not define who God is. It simply points to a 837s

creator. So when someone then says they believe in God, then the next question is well what God 847s

do you believe in? And scripture then defines who God is. Scripture reveals who God is. So 854s

worldly assumption, there is no God, naturalism, a scientific and philosophic view that there is 866s

no such thing as God. There's really a few atheists and agnostics. And interestingly the fastest 875s

growing religious group, and I need to put that in quotes here, are what are called the NUNTS. 883s

Now, now I'm not talking about Catholic NUNTS here. It's the NUNTS in that it's people without a 892s

religious affiliation. It's the fastest growing where people that are studying these things 901s

say is the fastest growing religious group. And the NUNTS, they don't reject the idea 908s

with regard to God. However, you know, what's the definition of God? And so often their definition of 919s

God is formed by cultural definitions with regard to God. They'll believe that God just really 929s

isn't interested or involved in their daily life. And NUNTS will place a value on their own 937s

experiences and their own intuition as being a guide for their spiritual beliefs. 947s

Whenever you hear the phrase, that person is a really spiritual person. 957s

Oh, let that sit off an alarm bell. Follow up with what do you mean by that? What do you mean by that? 964s

Because there's all kinds of stuff out there that gets thrown into that soup there. So you have 974s

to have to question what is meant by that. So here's the first assumption then of the world 981s

under the subject of ontology, under the subject of what exists. And that is there is no God. 991s

Naturalism falls underneath it. That's a scientific and philosophic view that there is no God. 1000s

The second assumption is that matter in the universe has always existed. 1008s

And what happened was there was a big bang, they will say, and this big explosion and the matter 1027s

then that existed became organized. So the big bang theory then is offered. Well, 1035s

notice the operative word there, theory. Because in a scientific method there, obviously creation is 1047s

not something that the scientists can observe. And so they put the label of theory on it. 1056s

So the assumption, since there is no God, there was just this matter that was there. And then 1064s

this explosion occurred, the matter organized. The matter organized. That's an assumption 1073s

and ontological assumption that the world can give. Here's a third assumption. 1081s

A third assumption is that the universe just kind of balances out things. 1089s

Karma. Karma. Have you ever heard the phrase, I think what the universe is trying to tell me? 1103s

There's a flag. There's a flag. Because that's the belief here that the universe balances out things. 1113s

That karma is a supernatural force that exists. Or people will say, trust the universe. 1125s

Now, scripture says, what you sow, you'll reap. That's not karma. 1143s

That's not karma. Karma goes into Buddhism and Hinduism. That's where it comes from. 1153s

It profoundly works righteousness. God is simply saying the truth that that which you sow 1159s

is at which you will reap. That is not what we're talking about here in terms of this force 1170s

of the universe where things balance out, the understanding of karma. 1180s

So let's take a look at these assumptions. Under the banner of ontology, let's take a look at what 1188s

the scriptures say with regard to these assumptions. The first one. That there is no God. 1195s

Let's go to Genesis chapter 1. Genesis chapter 1. 1203s

Verse 27. 1212s

So God created humankind in his image. In the image of God, he created them. 1226s

Male and female. He created them. Jumping over into chapter 2. 1234s

These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. 1242s

In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, when no plant of the field was yet in the earth, 1248s

and no herb of the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not caused its rain upon the earth. 1255s

And there is no one to till the ground. But a stream would rise from the earth and water the whole 1262s

face of the ground. Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed 1268s

into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Let's go down into verse 18 of 1275s

chapter 2. Then the Lord God said it's not good that the man should be alone. I will make him a helper as his partner. 1283s

So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to the man to see what he would call them, whatever the man called every living creature. That was its name. 1292s

The man gave names to all cattle and to all birds of the air and to every animal of the field. But for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. 1304s

So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man and he slept. Then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 1312s

And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 1321s

Then the man said, this is at last. 1327s

Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh, the one shall be called woman. For out of man, this was taken. 1330s

What we see in Scripture is the exact opposite of the worldly assumption that there is no God to the contrary. 1337s

We see the existence of an eternal God who personally and intimately created human beings, creating us in in his own image and setting us over creation. 1346s

With assumption number two, that matter always existed in the universe. 1360s

The only person to observe what happened in creation is God. 1372s

Okay, God was the one that observed because God was the author of it and he has given us an account of that in holy Scripture. 1380s

And what the Scriptures tell us is that there was nothing before God said let there be. 1392s

There's nothing. It was just God. Nothing existed. There was no pre-existent matter kind of floating around. 1400s

No, Scripture tells us it was only God. Let's go to Job chapter 38. 1409s

Right before the book of Psalms, you have Job, Job chapter 38. 1418s

We'll pick up in in verse 4. 1429s

Job here is the Lord is instructing Job picking up in 38 verse 4. 1441s

The Lord says, Where were you when I laid the foundation of your earth? Tell me if you have understanding. 1448s

Who determined its measurements? Surely you know. 1457s

Or who stretched the line upon it on what were its bases sunk? 1462s

Or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy. 1468s

Did the Lord turnstitch a hope and says, Who are you? 1481s

Who are you? 1486s

Were you there when I did all this? 1488s

And we see out of the imagination comes people's creation of God. Mark Twain said that God created 1492s

humans in his own image, biblical truth. And then Twain said, and humans being the gentle people that 1505s

they are return the favor. Interesting. See, we can have the tendency to create God in our own image, 1513s

or we can have certainly the tendency to say that, Well, there is no God. Why? Because my reason 1522s

has come up with the conclusion that there is no God, even though you look outside and you have 1527s

to infer that there is a creator, even though you have the overwhelming evidence of Holy Scripture, 1531s

even though you have the eyewitnesses of those that have recorded in Holy Scripture, 1537s

the very resurrected Christ that they saw. I mean, the evidence is overwhelming. 1542s

Overwhelming. 1550s

Assumption number two, that matter was always existed. No, Scripture says, God always existed. 1553s

There is no God, no, there is a God. Naturalism is eliminated. 1562s

Matter always existed. No, God was the author and out of nothing. God spoke. And it came into being. 1568s

Assumption number three here, that the universe balances itself out. That karma is that which reigns. 1577s

As I mentioned, karma is a belief out of Hinduism and Buddhism. 1586s

Reincarnation is not a biblical teaching. Karma is thoroughly works righteousness. 1594s

That if you work hard enough, then you come back in your next life in a better form. 1601s

So, i.e., if you come back as an ant, right? You were a really miserable person. 1608s

And now you've got to start the whole process. Let me talk about bondage. 1614s

About wondering what you're going to be when you're reincarnated. Talk about bondage, 1620s

but that's the type of religion that in our sinfulness we would invent. Why? Because we get 1627s

works righteousness. We get works righteousness. That's why we continually need to hear the gospel. 1633s

People can use karma to describe bad things catching up with people or people getting what they deserve. 1644s

Or, you know, what goes around comes around and all that. Don't use the word karma. 1651s

Don't use the word karma. If it's the wrong witness, in fact, Jesus warned against making 1657s

connections between disastrous events in people's lives and their relationship with God. He warned 1665s

against that. Let's take a look at that in Luke the 13th chapter, please. Matthew, Mark, and then Luke. 1673s

Luke chapter 13, verse 1. 1681s

At that very time, there were some present who told him about the Galileans, whose blood pilot had 1698s

suffered in this way. They were worst sinners than all other Galileans. 1716s

No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those 18 who were killed 1726s

when the Tower of Sallong fell on them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the 1734s

others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they 1739s

did. Jesus doesn't say that bad things happen to good people because we look at scripture. 1746s

There's none of us that are good, right? There's none of us that are good. Jesus isn't making the 1759s

connection like Job's counselors made when they turned to Job in all his suffering and said, 1766s

okay, Job, what did you do here? What did you do? Did all this bad stuff happen to you? 1772s

Jesus specifically does not make the connection between someone being a greater sinner and 1779s

what has been fallen then doesn't make the connection. The universe balances things out. Everything 1788s

is based upon karma. Jesus warns about making the connection between disasters, events, and people's 1799s

lives and their relationship with God. So the subject of ontology, what exists? Where did it come 1807s

from? The assumptions in the world, three of them, that there is no God, that matter always existed, 1817s

and the universe is just kind of the system of karma, and it all balances out. All of it is 1823s

refuted by scripture. When you hear phrases like this, or when you hear a phrase, such as like what 1831s

we studied last week in epistemology, where someone says, I think I think I think all truth is relative, 1840s

or the majority of the US believes this, so therefore it must be true. That's an opportunity to 1846s

witness, isn't it? When they get on the subject of ontology, and maybe they say there is no God, 1853s

or maybe they just kind of say, well, you know what I believe in? I believe in karma. 1860s

That's why I'm trying to be a really nice people to people. That's an opportunity to take the 1864s

scripture and to witness and point to the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, next week, we're going to take 1872s

a look at the subject of anthropology. We're going to look at the question, what is a human being? 1881s

Why do we exist? And are we more than animals? We'll take a look at that next week. Blessings. 1890s