Please Help Us Keep These Thousands of Blog Posts Growing and Free for All

$5.00

The question of why anything exists at all has stirred thoughtful inquiry among believers in the God of the Bible. Although Scripture asserts that “the heavens declare the glory of God,” the logical basis for affirming that a supreme Cause stands behind creation is often explored in discussions of Christian apologetics. One of the primary topics in these discussions is the cosmological argument, which has traditionally been presented in both a horizontal (kalam) form and a vertical form. The horizontal approach focuses on an originating Cause that brought the universe into being, whereas the vertical form centers on the sustaining Cause that holds the universe in existence at every moment. Followers of Christ find Scriptural support for both of these dimensions, since Genesis 1:1 proclaims that God created all things “in the beginning,” and Colossians 1:17 observes that through the Son “all things hold together.” Such statements do not reflect a symbolic interpretation; rather, they represent a literal affirmation that a single, independent Being is responsible for the world’s existence. Hebrews 3:4 likewise says, “For every house is built by someone, but the one who built all things is God.” In the Hebrew Scriptures, the divine name is revealed as “Jehovah,” who declares that He is the eternal source of life and power for every contingent being.

Why Is There Something Rather Than Nothing?

Believers in the Bible take seriously the text’s assertion that Jehovah God formed the heavens and the earth in the beginning (Gen. 1:1). They do not regard existence as an uncaused accident or the result of multiple competing deities. Instead, they affirm that a single God made and upholds all that exists. A fundamental question addressed by the cosmological argument is the famous challenge: Why is there something rather than nothing? If the universe had a beginning, who or what initiated that beginning? If the universe did not bring itself into existence, then the cause of its existence must stand outside of it, functioning as a Being that needs no cause. The Bible aligns with this reasoning when it presents Jehovah as the One who summoned creation into existence, indicating that the Maker is not dependent on anything within creation (Isa. 40:28). He is not part of the material order that He fashioned, nor is He subject to its limitations or its need for an external cause. This resonates with the notion that a self-sufficient Being lies behind all dependent things.

The Horizontal (Kalam) Cosmological Argument

The horizontal or kalam cosmological argument traces back to ancient and medieval thinkers, including those who wrote in the Arabic tradition. It is often formulated in a way that highlights the impossibility of an infinite regress of past events. If the cosmos had a beginning, there must be a cause external to it. The Bible resonates with that view by teaching that creation had a definite start (Gen. 1:1). The chronology of the Hebrew Scriptures underscores that humanity and the physical order have not existed forever. The flood account (Gen. 6–8) and the Exodus of 1446 B.C.E. remind us that God’s hand actively guided events in history, rather than passively allowing an endless temporal chain to exist without a beginning.

Defenders of the kalam approach emphasize that something cannot arise from nothing without an adequate cause. They stress that the universe displays evidence of having come into being, necessitating an external Source. Some blend the horizontal cosmological argument with scriptural affirmations of divine creation. Passages such as Psalm 19:1 emphasize that “the heavens declare the glory of God,” pointing to a powerful Maker who inaugurated all that exists. The focus of the kalam line of thought is the reasoning that the universe had a temporal start and therefore demands a sufficient cause outside of time, which believers identify as the God revealed in Scripture.

The Vertical Cosmological Argument

The vertical cosmological argument is sometimes called the argument from the “here-and-now.” It suggests that the universe’s continued existence at this very moment must rest upon something that supplies ongoing being. This perspective is drawn from the premise that any contingent thing—a living creature, a planet, or any physical system—cannot account for its own present existence. The argument contends that no dependent entity sustains itself. The reason for its ongoing existence must be found in something that is not dependent. Colossians 1:17 affirms that “He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together.” That statement points to a sustaining Cause. While the Bible contextually addresses Jesus Christ’s role in creation, the foundation rests on the belief that the ultimate power behind the visible universe is God’s creative will.

An illustration in Scripture occurs in Hebrews 1:3, which mentions that the Son “sustains all things by the word of his power.” The principle of a vertical cause resonates with this: if the cosmos exists now, it must be upheld by something outside itself, a Being not subject to the constraints of contingent existence. Viewed within the historical milieu, this argument is classically associated with Thomas Aquinas, although the concept of a sustaining Cause is also implied by earlier Christian writers who recognized that creation depends on an ever-present source of being.

Significance of Contingency

The cosmological argument relies on the concept of contingency. A contingent being is one whose nonexistence is conceivable and whose present existence is received or dependent. This notion ties in with biblical theology, where Jehovah is depicted as the One who has life in Himself (Ps. 90:2). His existence is not contingent; He is not reliant on anything beyond Himself. The entire created order, however, is shown to be fundamentally dependent. In Job 38:4, Jehovah challenges Job, saying, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?” Such a statement underscores the idea that humans and all their endeavors rest on a prior, self-existing ground.

The cosmological argument can be framed as follows: All contingent things in the universe require a cause for their existence. Since an infinite regress of contingent causes is not possible, there must be a first Cause that is not contingent but necessary. According to the consistent message of Scripture, that necessary Cause is the God who revealed Himself to humanity. The writer of Hebrews summarizes it simply: “Certainly every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God” (Heb. 3:4). God’s identity is disclosed as One who is outside and above all creation, the ultimate reality that explains why all else exists.

Avoiding an Infinite Regress

One fundamental element of cosmological reasoning is that an infinite regress of causes does not solve the question of existence. Pushing the problem backward indefinitely fails to supply a true explanation. If the chain of causes and effects stretches infinitely into the past, there is no final reason why anything should be here now. This concept resonates with biblical teaching. Acts 17:24–25 says that God “does not dwell in temples made by hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything,” hinting that He does not fit within a chain of dependent existences. He is self-sufficient and self-existent. Likewise, Psalm 90:2 announces that before even the mountains came into existence, “from everlasting to everlasting you are God,” affirming His eternal nature.

From a Christian perspective, the best explanation is that the self-sufficient Creator stands at the root of all that is. An uncaused Cause that necessarily exists is the decisive stopping point. Such a Being is the only reality not in need of an external source. The infinite regress concept is dismissed in Scripture by the insistence that there was a beginning to the created world. That beginning points to a timeless Source responsible for everything else.

Biblical Foundations for God as Cause

Biblical authors consistently credit God as the initiator and sustainer of creation. Genesis 1:1 states that God formed “the heavens and the earth.” Isaiah 45:18 declares that Jehovah fashioned the earth “to be inhabited,” revealing a God who deliberately brought forth living things. John 1:3 teaches that “all things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being.” The repeated scriptural assertion is that reality did not appear uncaused or through random happenstance. Rather, the power behind existence is the living God who desired to create.

In addition, certain biblical verses highlight that this creation had a start in time and continues to be upheld by its Maker’s power. The genealogical accounts of the Hebrew Scriptures anchor God’s creative acts in real human history. The genealogies in books such as Genesis set forth names and lifespans, reflecting a chronology that positions the creation of Adam thousands of years prior, not incalculable eons into the past. While Scripture’s focus is not scientific detail, the references to actual persons and events, including the flood of Noah’s day and the Israelites’ Exodus in 1446 B.C.E., underscore a historical perspective. The biblical narrative thereby rests on the assumption that the world’s present shape and circumstances trace back to an intentional act of the divine will.

The Question of Necessity vs. Contingency

Cosmological arguments frequently distinguish between a contingent being and a necessary Being. Scripture supports the idea that God alone is necessary. He refers to Himself as the “I AM” in Exodus, indicating self-existence. The rest of creation moves within the realm of possibility rather than necessity, because the cosmos could fail to exist, yet God’s nonexistence is unimaginable from the standpoint of the biblical worldview. Psalm 90:2 assigns an eternal nature to Jehovah, explaining that His existence spans from everlasting to everlasting. This sets Him above time, matter, and contingency.

John 5:26 observes that the Father “has life in himself,” confirming that His existence is not received from anyone or anything else. Though the verse references the Father’s relationship with the Son, it highlights a divine life that is inherently independent. Meanwhile, the entire universe is depicted as transient. Psalm 102:25–27 reveals that God endures the same even though the heavens themselves “will wear out like a garment.” Thus, the biblical message aligns naturally with the philosophical concept that there must be a Being whose essence is to exist, unlike all else that is dependent and changeable.

The Role of the Law of Causality

At the foundation of the cosmological argument is the principle that everything that comes to be must have a cause. Scripture presents this intuitively: “For every house is built by someone.” This principle is not a complex philosophical invention but a commonsense observation. Believers hold that since the entire realm of creation did not exist at one point, it is therefore an “effect” that must have been brought into being by an adequate cause. The law of causality is a tool that helps us see that the origin of the world is not found within the contingent realm itself.

Romans 1:20 asserts that God’s invisible attributes have been clearly perceived through what has been made. Far from being simply a matter of subjective opinion, the presence of design, order, and cause-and-effect in the world speaks to the existence of a Maker. The law of causality demands that every effect be traced to a corresponding cause. Since the universe appears to be a vast assemblage of dependent phenomena, it requires a cause that exists outside of its own sequence. The Scriptures encourage readers to recognize this logic as a reflection of Jehovah’s power and divinity.

Scriptural Testimony to a Finite Universe

While the Bible is not a scientific textbook, it does speak unambiguously about creation having a start. Genesis 1:1 marks a definite beginning, and the genealogies and historical details situated thereafter indicate that human history has not run on perpetually. In 587 B.C.E., the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:1–10), showing that the biblical story anchors God’s interactions with His people in literal events. The tangible reality of an unfolding timeline points to a God who began the universe for a reason. Isaiah 42:5 identifies Jehovah as the Creator of the heavens and the One who stretches them out, forming the earth and giving breath to the people upon it. This biblical perspective counters any notion that the cosmos had no start or that it generated itself.

Because the Scriptures depict an ordered process (the creation of Adam and Eve, the genealogies leading to Noah, the rise of nations), they confirm that the present state of the universe is neither infinite nor eternal. Rather, it is part of a grand plan that includes repeated references to the “foundations of the earth” (Isa. 48:13). Therefore, from a biblical standpoint, the cosmos points to the necessity of a beginning, a moment when God brought everything into being.

The Concept of a Sustaining Cause

Christians who adhere to the vertical cosmological argument maintain that the universe depends on its Creator not merely for its start but for its continual existence. Scripture describes an ongoing, active relationship in which Jehovah upholds creation. Acts 17:28 declares that “in him we live and move and exist.” Colossians 1:17 reminds us that in Christ “all things hold together,” indicating an ever-present sustaining power. These statements lead to the understanding that the cosmos, being contingent, remains dependent every moment on a self-existent God.

If creation could exist by its own power, it would not need an external force to remain. Yet the biblical portrait is that nothing can preserve itself. Jesus notes in Matthew 6:25–30 that even the lilies of the field depend on God’s providential care. The theological principle is that finite, changeable beings require an infinite, unchangeable Being as their foundation. The immediate application for believers is that all aspects of life continue only because a higher Cause provides them.

God’s Self-Revelation and the Cosmological Argument

Although the cosmological argument attempts to establish the necessity of a first Cause or a sustaining Cause through logical reasoning, Scripture asserts that the ultimate affirmation comes from God’s own revelation. Jehovah speaks through His inspired Word, showing that He stands outside creation, not dependent on it. Isaiah 46:9–10 says that He declares “the end from the beginning,” underscoring His sovereign authority over time and events. Exodus 3:14 records His statement, “I AM WHO I AM,” identifying Himself in terms of self-existence. The biblical testimony converges with the philosophical argument: because there is a creation that does not explain itself, there must be a Creator who exists in and of Himself.

Such reasoning aligns with passages in which God challenges the idols of the nations to demonstrate whether they can create or foretell the future (Isa. 41:21–24). The biblical writers insist that only the living God, Jehovah, truly stands as the explanation for all else. Deuteronomy 4:39 affirms that “Jehovah is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other.” This exclusivity makes sense if He is the necessary foundation of all being. Believers who explore the cosmological argument see it as coherent with God’s self-revelation in His Word, not merely as a human construct.

Confirming a Single, Independent Creator

One of the consistent results of the cosmological argument is the conclusion that there can be only one ultimate cause of the universe. If there were multiple such beings, they would limit or depend on each other in some way, forfeiting the status of being absolutely independent. The Scriptures declare a singular God. Deuteronomy 6:4 teaches that “Jehovah is one.” Isaiah 44:6 insists that besides Him there is no God. The reasoning is straightforward: only one Being can be purely self-existent, unbounded, and required for the existence of everything else.

In the earliest pages of Scripture, a single God calls creation into existence by His word (Gen. 1:3). This theme is sustained all through the biblical narrative. Even in a world that often worshiped many gods, Israel’s faith stood out as it declared one sovereign Creator. That uniqueness underscores that Jehovah is not merely the greatest among many but the only true Source of being. The logic of the cosmological argument bolsters that claim, as it rules out the plausibility of multiple independent causes.

Answering Modern Objections

Some object that the cosmological argument merely pushes the question back one step: If God created everything, who created God? Yet the argument specifies that a contingent being must have a cause, while a necessary being requires no external cause. Scripture explicitly depicts God as existing from eternity to eternity (Ps. 90:2) and thus not subject to the notion of a beginning. Another objection is that an infinite regress of causes might be theoretically possible, but believers see this as inconsistent with both Scripture and reason, since it offers no ultimate explanation for why anything exists. The biblical record, with its emphasis on a definite beginning, teaches that the chain of cause and effect had a starting point. God Himself is the self-existent Being who originated the cosmos.

Others claim that chance or randomness might account for the universe. However, biblical texts show that randomness cannot explain the ordered complexity of creation. Isaiah 45:18 demonstrates that God formed the earth “to be inhabited,” providing careful intention. Romans 1:20 highlights that we can perceive God’s “invisible qualities” through the visible world. A random framework cannot adequately explain the intricacy and ongoing continuity of the cosmos. Believers maintain that the best explanation remains a self-sufficient God who chose to create.

Does the Cosmological Argument Support the Biblical View?

For many Christian thinkers, the cosmological argument complements Scripture’s statements regarding creation. The Bible consistently proclaims that the physical realm depends entirely on God for its origin and preservation. The argument demonstrates that reason, apart from explicit revelation, points to a first Cause or necessary Being. That conclusion dovetails well with the biblical assertion that Jehovah is “the Creator of the ends of the earth” (Isa. 40:28). Since the argument highlights the impossibility of a contingent reality explaining its own existence, it aligns naturally with a worldview that upholds a transcendent Creator.

At the same time, believers emphasize that the cosmological argument, by itself, does not establish the depth of biblical truth about God’s moral attributes, His purposes in creating, or His plan for redemption. Christians look to the full scope of biblical revelation to learn about God’s character. Nonetheless, the cosmological argument does serve as a rational testimony that God must exist. From there, Scripture supplies further insight into His love, justice, wisdom, and ultimate will for humanity.

Implications for Faith and Reason

While faith in God does not rest on argumentation alone, the cosmological argument demonstrates that Christian belief is rationally tenable. Biblical faith is not a blind leap into irrational territory; it coincides with logical considerations that the universe, being dependent, must arise from a self-existent Source. Passages like Romans 1:19–20 explain that God made His power observable in creation, so that humans would be aware of His reality. Faith is thus more than intellectual assent, yet the mind’s recognition that a personal Maker undergirds reality can draw individuals toward the God who calls them into covenant relationship.

Isaiah 1:18 includes an invitation to “come now, and let us reason together,” suggesting that Jehovah does not spurn reason. Throughout Scripture, reason is an avenue for understanding God’s work in creation and for acknowledging that He alone provides the basis for existence. Hence, for believers, reason and revelation walk hand in hand. The cosmological argument stands as a tool that dovetails with biblical revelation, giving a further basis for those who are willing to reflect on why anything exists.

A Unified Originating and Sustaining Cause

Although the horizontal and vertical forms of the cosmological argument may focus on different aspects, Scripture presents Jehovah as both the One who brought the universe into existence in the beginning and the One who upholds it now. Genesis 1:1 and Psalm 33:6 point to the originating act, while Colossians 1:17 and Hebrews 1:3 emphasize a continuing act of sustenance. These two perspectives converge in the biblical teaching that God’s relationship to His creation is not just historical but immediate. He is ever-present, supplying life and breath (Acts 17:25).

This unity of origin and sustenance reveals a single principle: The cosmos depends entirely on God from its start and for its ongoing duration. The entire biblical narrative rests on that premise. From the earliest chapters of Genesis to the prophetic visions of the future, the text consistently identifies God as the sovereign Ruler. In Isaiah 46:9–10, He declares that He accomplishes all His good purpose, highlighting both His power to create and His authority to direct. Thus, the biblical worldview and the cosmological argument stand in harmony.

Conclusion

The cosmological argument asks whether there is a rational basis for believing the universe came from a Cause beyond itself. By examining the nature of contingency, the impossibility of an infinite regress, and the principle of sufficient reason, this argument arrives at the conclusion that a necessary Being must exist. Scripture consistently corroborates that a single, self-existent Creator is behind all things, a God who both originates and sustains the cosmos. From Genesis 1:1’s bold declaration of creation to Colossians 1:17’s assertion that “in him all things hold together,” the biblical record insists that the ultimate foundation for reality is not an impersonal force or a random occurrence but the personal, all-powerful God.

For those who embrace biblical teaching, the cosmological argument can help illustrate that trust in Jehovah’s existence is not mere wishful thinking. It is grounded in the very nature of a creation that bears the signature of its Maker, a signature that points to an eternal, self-sufficient Author of all that is. The existence of dependent beings in a vast but contingent universe calls out for an uncaused Cause, and believers affirm that the God of Scripture answers that call. He stands revealed in sacred text, unveiling Himself as the one true God who alone bestows and sustains life. Hence, the cosmological argument remains a powerful reminder that “the heavens declare the glory of God” (Ps. 19:1) and that reason and revelation unite to shine a light on the origin of all things in the self-existent Creator.

You May Also Enjoy

Does Chance Truly Account for Life and the Universe?

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).