The Legitimacy of the Christian Religion, 1 of 2 Treatises

By Pierce K. Kozlowski

Preface

When considering the science of sacred doctrine, a reasonable case can be made for why believers have faith in what they cannot see, namely God and his promises. To exposit the truth of sacred doctrine, four things must be done: first, let us make clear the nature of the arguments in this work; second, the audience at which this work is directed; third, the true aim of the work itself; and fourth, outline qualities of righteous worship according to scripture, and the objective of scripture. Let this first section be the preface to the rest of the work, and everything hereafter as being related to what has been said in the preface.

First, the series of arguments that follow may be claims that can be demonstrated as true by right reason, or claims that simply act as a persuasion for the cause of the Christian religion. It will be indicated as to what arguments are demonstrative or persuasive if it is not apparent in the argument itself.

Secondly, it is evident that the thinking behind sacred doctrine has become both muddled and obfuscating in the current day. Hence why it is necessary to return to first principles, so as to make sacred scripture coherent and clarifying. Just to address the surface, look no further than the confused thinking on the Holy Trinity, the notion that the effects of evil disprove the Divine essence, or that Christ calls his people to do what is morally unjust in his name . . . . etc, etc. These and many more errors shall be addressed and explained properly in the pages to come, so that everyone who reads this may attain the greatest understanding of what has been misunderstood.

Thirdly, the great minds and pious theologians that came before had endeavored themselves to the task of comprehending and expositing the truthfulness and reasonableness of Christianity, and they will be cited according to who either made the argument first or developed the argument best. The aim of this work is not to add new knowledge based on old inventions, but merely to condense and consolidate the best of what has already been invented: namely, the case arguing the truth of the Christian Religion according to divine revelation and right reason.

Lastly, it has been said, by St. Augustine, who quoted the Apostle, that there are three things that “all knowledge and all prophecy are subservient: faith, hope, and love” (1). These qualities are necessary for righteous conduct, for as St. Aquinas says, it is by these things “which we worship God” (2). Second, in relation to scripture’s objective, we must make no qualms. It has been said most eloquently, by John Locke, that properly studying and applying sacred doctrine is “believing Jesus to be the Messiah, includes in it a receiving him for our Lord and King, promised and sent from God: and so lays upon all his subjects an absolute and indispensable necessity of assenting to all that they can attain the knowledge that he taught; and of a sincere obedience to all that he commanded” (3).

Treatise on God

It can be known by the faculties of reason that there is a God. To lay forth the case for God, we must discuss three points demonstrating his existence and his attributes: first, that God is the Cause and Creator of all existence; second, that God is immaterial, perfect, infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, eternal, and unified as one; and third, that the Christian faith presupposes so far everything said as true.

1. Existence of the Divine Essence

1.1 - GOD IS THE FIRST PRINCIPLE

God is the cause of existence. Before proceeding, let us consider the terms motion and change synonymously. First, all things which are moved are acted upon by a mover. Elements of greater nobility affect elements of lower nobility, such as the Sun moving the Earth in rotation, or the heat of fire evaporating water. With that in mind, we now speak of three causes: there is the first cause, the intermediate causes or the effects of the first cause, and then the last cause (‘mover’ can rightly be used in place of ‘cause’ for these three if that helps). As such, there cannot be a series of infinite movers and things moved or an infinite regress of this kind, for as St. Aquinas says, “then all causes would be intermediate ones” (4). But an intermediate cause implies there was a prior first cause to yield the intermediate. Hence why there cannot be infinite intermediate causes with no first cause or infinite movers and things moved. It is then an axiom to reason to say that a moved element or member has an efficient cause, and it therefore follows that there is an efficient cause which is the cause of all things. This we say is God. Moreover, we know by revelation that God is the Creator of existence just as he is the Cause of all things. As it says in Gen 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” For God’s act of creating rightly makes Him creator. And in Col 1:16, the Apostle writes that “by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth…” The apostle’s use of “him” relates to the Son, who is God. Thus we are shown by instruction of scripture that it was from God that Creation proceeded, and through the Son that this act of creation occurred.

We can demonstrate the existence of an Uncaused Causer by the faculty of reason and can confirm the existence of an Uncreated Creator through divine revelation. For if God is uncaused, he is necessarily uncreated. It is therefore clear from the foregoing that there is an efficient cause for all things, and by sacred scripture, we can identify this efficient cause as creator, and as God.

2. Attributes of the Divine Essence

Upon demonstrating the existence of an efficient cause, who is said to be God, we must inquire into the manner of His attributes: immateriality, perfection, infinitude, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience, and eternity.

2.1 - INCORPOREALITY

God is immaterial. Before proceeding, let us introduce the terms potentiality and actuality, or what could occur versus what is occurring. First, as demonstrated previously, God is the first cause of motion and the first mover; if he is uncaused, he is also unmoved (1.1). Second, material substances can only move in so far as they are moved by another. So, while material bodies contain the potential for motion, an unmoved immaterial being like God does not (5). The reason there is no potential in God is that there is nothing prior to him since he is the first cause of motion. If there were potential in God, he would not be the first principle (6). So, if only material bodies can be moved, then God is not a material body because he is immovable. This is also revealed in sacred scripture, for as it is written in John 4:24, “God is spirit.” That is to say, God is entirely spiritual and not bound by any physical composition. It is for this reason that the Israelites had been commanded by God not to commit acts of worship to idols “in the form of anything,” Ex. 20:4, for as the Messiah went on to say, “those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

2.2 - PERFECTION

God is perfect. First, as previously demonstrated, God is not material because those substances have potential, for God is actual and thus immaterial (2.1). Now, when something has potential, it is evident that it lacks perfection, for as St. Aquinas says, “a thing is perfect in proportion to its state of actuality” (7). It’s been shown that God is both uncaused and unmoved and that there is no potential for Him to be caused or moved by another. Therefore, God is the most actual, and therefore the most perfect. Second, all perfections which are imparted onto something exist in the thing that imparted the perfection. For example, a mathematician is educated in mathematics before teaching the student. In the same way, God was the first cause, conferring a certain perfection in all other things. Therefore, it follows that “all the perfections of things need to preexist superabundantly in him” (8). Or, as Hugo Grotius says, “it follows, that whatever Perfection are in the Effects, were first in the Cause, so that it could produce any thing endued with them; and consequently they are all in the first Cause” (9). While reason can reach what is true through tedious inquiry, divine revelation is very clear: there is no question as to God’s perfection, for as it is written in Matt 5:48, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” That is, when the people of God strive to obey Christ’s commands, they are persuing the perfection of God. For it can be said, that those in the Son reach their final end in the perfection of the Father; for the Father required the law, and the Son fulfilled it. So then, through the Son, we are made perfect before the Father.

2.3 - INFINITY

God is infinite. First, let us speak of the terms matter and form, or material substances and how those substances are shaped, e.g., statues adopt the form of men but are crafted from the material stone. While God cannot be a material substance, he also cannot take the form of a material body. This is because God is both immovable and the prime mover, and cannot be moved essentially or accidentally. Therefore, since there was no mover or cause prior to God, he is necessarily self-existent (10). Second, upon establishing this necessary self-existence, we can now speak of God’s infinity. We’ve demonstrated that God is pure act with no potential (2.1), that he is not a material substance (2.2), and that he cannot assume a material body. However, it has been said by St. Aquinas that “an actuality is limited only by the potentiality that receives it” (11). However, God’s actuality is not limited in this way because there is no potentiality in Him, and thus no potentiality to be received. For this reason, because God is not limited, he is said to be infinite.

With regard to sacred doctrine, it is said in 1 Kings 8:27, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!” The term ‘house’ is used synonymously with ‘temple,’ and the temple was mentioned to indicate where the name of God had been (1 Kings 8:29), not as the only place where God dwelled. Therefore, God’s act of dwelling is not to be taken to mean that he can be confined to the temple anymore than to heaven or earth. This is why the “highest heaven” cannot contain God, for as the sacred writing professes, the divine essence is not limited by the finitude of matter or composition, and is rightly said to be infinite for this reason.

2.4 - OMNIPOTENCE

It is made clear from the foregoing that the infinity of God makes Him infinitely powerful. As St. Aquinas says, “the power of anything is proportioned to its essence” (12). In this way, a thing may act in accord with the manner in which its essence exists. Therefore, because God is essentially infinite, as established previously (2.3), his power is also infinite. Moreover, nothing else outside of God can be infinite in essence, for all things proceed from God in the sense that they come after the first cause. As demonstrated earlier, only the first cause is unmoved, and that which is unmoved is infinite. And if only God’s essence is infinite, then it is also the same with his power.

Furthermore, it is written, in Gen 17:1, “I am God almighty.” The Hebrew word ‘El Shaddy,’ used in the original text, is a name relating to God and emphasizing his power, referring to the divine power that will allow Abram to father a child with his infertile and older wife Sarai. It is also written, in Matt 19:26, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” For just as the rich man cannot shift his allegiance to God, it is only through God that such a shift can occur, as seen with the conversions of men like Zacchaeus and Joseph of Arimathea. And it is these contexts to which the passages refer, with the infinity of God’s power made manifest. For that which is impossible for the lower creature is made possible through the essence of the highest, God almighty.

2.5 - OMNIPRESENCE

If the nature of something is infinite, it rightly belongs to that which is omnipresent. God fills every place without occupying or displacing the space as a material body, for as previously demonstrated, God is not a material substance, nor can he assume the form of one (2.1-3). This does not change the fact that God is still filling all spaces with his essence, power, and substance, without displacing or excluding the presence of other material bodies. This is also necessary, for as St. Aquinas says, “He is in every place as giving it existence and locative power” (13). For it is said, in Jer 23:23, “Do I not fill heaven and earth? Declares the Lord.” Contextually, the Lord is “at hand,” bearing witness to sin and false prophecy, and filling all creation to perform these operations. This particular argument is not considered as being demonstrative through reason alone like the former arguments, but it is no different from the previous arguments in the sense that scripture is the final authority on these matters, regardless of where reason is able to stand on its own.

Moreover, it is also clear from the foregoing that just as God is in all places, he is in all things. Now, there must be an agent capable of directly acting with power upon the intended object, in the same way, there needs to be a contact of some kind between a mover and the thing moved in order for motion to occur. This describes God’s act in things, and on the contrary, God is not in things as part of their essence or as an accident. Moreover, it is necessary that God be in all things, for as St. Aquinas says, “He is in all things giving them being, power, and operations” (14). This is known by the fact that God is his own being, which is deduced by the fact that he is self-existing, as demonstrated before (2.3). With this, we consider that if God is the cause behind the essence of another being, and that the essence of that being proceeded from God, then it is God who must attend to it “according to the mode of it’s being” (15). It is also written by the prophet Isaiah, “O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done in us all our works,” Isa 26:12. The sacred text is acknowledging a bright future through salvation. But it is through and by God alone that salvation is possible, for it is he who chooses and guides us according to his will. And lastly, it is only by God’s hand that any good works proceed from us, for all goodness proceeds from the first and highest good.

2.6 - OMNISCENCE

We proved earlier that God is immaterial, which means he is also infinite (2.1). An immaterial being, which is also the first being, is unmoved and therefore cannot be a moveable or material body. In lacking a body and being the first cause of motion, there would be no potential for motion prior to or in God. Therefore God’s actuality cannot be limited by potential, and he is therefore unlimited in essence. The principle here is that the closer a thing is to immateriality, the closer it is to a certain infinity. Therefore, God is the only true infinite being, as already proven (2.3). With this in mind, we claim that God is all-knowing and that his knowledge is most perfect; for as St. Aquinas says, “it is clear that the immateriality of a thing is the reason it is cognitive; and according to the mode of immateriality is the mode of knowledge” (16). As an example, a plant does not possess cognition since it is wholly material, nor does it possess intellect. However, something with cognition can receive information without matter, and the intellect itself is cognitive and thus free from matter also. Now, because God is the most immaterial, and the most infinite in cognitive powers as a result, he is also the most knowledgeable. We can also say that in proving the infinity of God’s essence, wherefrom we derived his power and presence as being infinite (2.4-5), we may also do the same with his knowledge and understanding, which is most perfect and to an infinite degree (17).

We also know this to be true, for as it says in, 1 John 3:20, “God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.” With the conviction and guilt of sin in the human heart, it must be recalled that God is greater and will deliver his people from retribution to salvation in Christ. Most perfect is God’s knowledge, for he knows when these guilts overcome us through the operations of his infinite understanding. It is also said, in Pslm 147:5, “Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” For it is God’s understanding that made Him able to direct and perform his plan for Jerusalem and his people. Thus, an understanding beyond measure, or an understanding of infinite quality which cannot be measured metrically, rightly belongs to God and God alone. Hence why it is said that God is all-knowing.

2.7 - ETERNITY

In proving the existence of an immoveable first cause, which is perfect, powerful, ubiquitous, knowledgeable, and to an infinite degree, we reach the final quality. God is eternal and is his own eternity. First, we must show that God is immutable in the sense that he cannot be changed. Being the first cause of motion, there is only actuality in God, with no admixture of potentiality. Now a thing has potential in so far as it can be changed, but we have shown that God is actuality (2.2), and is altogether unchangeable. As it is written, “For I the Lord do not change,” Mal 3:3.

Now, it follows that something which is entirely immutable is altogether eternal. This is because there is no succession in God, for only things subject to motion undergo succession, but God is immutable and cannot be subject to motion. Under these conditions, it is then said, by St. Aquinas, “whatever is wholly immutable can have no succession, so it has no beginning, and no end” (18). Accordingly, God is simultaneously whole since he cannot undergo succession, and he is eternal since he has no beginning nor end. Lastly, God is his own essence to the extent that he is necessarily self-existent, as proved before (2.3). So, to the extent that God is his essence, he is also his own eternity. For it is written, “from eternity to eternity, you are God,” Pslm 90:2. And it is for this reason that God is the “dwelling place” and refuge for “all generations,” for God himself is eternal.

2.8 - COMPLETE UNITY

By unity, we mean to say that God is one. First, God’s essence is the same as his existence. As we just said, God is pure act with no mixture of potency. Being the first cause, that means God’s essence is the ultimate actuality. Natural motion tends towards ultimate actuality just as every motion goes from potentiality to actuality. The highest actuality, therefore, is the act of existing itself since it must be the most desired object. For as St. Aquinas says, “the ultimate actuality is existence itself” (19). Thus, if the essence of God is pure actuality, which is existence, then God’s essence is his existence. Now, the essence of something cannot be shared by many. Just as many people may share a name, they themselves all have their own singular essence. For as St. Aquinas says, “if an essence should be individuated by itself and not by something else, it cannot belong to many things” (20). In this same way, God’s essence is individuated by itself as he relies on no other thing for his existence, for God is necessarily self-existent (2.3). Thus the divine essence cannot be shared or divided into many and excludes a plurality of gods. Second, it is clear that a self-existent being is not part of “any Kind or Species of beings, but as actually existing, and is therefore a single Being” (21). In the case of many gods, there would be no necessary existence to any of them, effectively excluding any number of gods outside of one. Lastly, there also could not be a plurality of gods, for it is said by Hugo Grotius, that “if there could be two or more Gods, free Agents, acting according to their own Wills, they might will contrary to each other; and so One be hindered by the Other from effecting his design” (22). However, hindrance contradicts the notion of an infinite essence, which as already demonstrated (2.3), rightly belongs to God. Thus, God is one. For it is written, in Isa 44:6, “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.”

3. Legitimacy of the Divine Essence and Divine Attributes

3.1 - OF EVERYTHING SAID SO FAR

In considering everything thus far, we acknowledge God’s existence, and his attributes according to the manner of his existence. In discussing the latter, we established the qualities of God’s essence by first discerning what he is not, for it cannot be known who God is just as it cannot be known how God is, but rather what God is not and how he is not. For as the Theologian has said, “His essence, indeed, is incomprehensible, utterly transcending all human thought” (23). It has also been said, “To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare him with?” Rom 11:33. To show God can be known to the extent that we know what he is not, we discover the following: God is immaterial in the sense that he is certainly not a body; he’s perfect in the sense that he is certainly not imperfect; he’s infinite he in the sense that he’s certainly not limited; he’s all-powerful, all-present, and all-knowing in the sense that he is certainly not the opposite; and he’s eternal in the sense that he does not have a beginning nor an end. The truth of these statements can be ascertained and demonstrated as absolutely true according to right reason, and they can be confirmed as true by the light of divine revelation, which on certain matters, such truth would otherwise go undiscoverable with reason alone.

3.2 - WE BELiEVE IN ONE GOD ALMIGHTY

God is himself, he is one, and he is almighty. For it is written, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns,” Rev 19:6. With regard to the aforementioned truths in the former sections, all the sentiments therein are included in the Christian articles of faith. For according to rational principle and sacred doctrine, we’ve demonstrated three things: first, that there is a God; second, that God’s essence is intangible and perfect, powerful and knowledgeable, universal and eternal, and to an infinite degree, which we call almighty; and third, that by calling him unified, we recognize only one God. For this is why, in the Creed of faith, we declare our belief in “one God, the Father, the Almighty” (24). In conclusion, there is, truly, only one ruler of the whole universe, the first mover, and the first good, whom above we called God, who is blessed forever and ever. Amen.

Catalog of Academic References

1. St. Augustine of Hippo. On the Christian Teaching, “Dangers of Mistaken Scripture.” B.1, Ch.37, pp.22. (see also 1 Corinthians 13:13, which the Saint had been quoting)

2. St. Thomas Aquinas. Compendium of Theology, “The Aim of the Work.” pp.17

3. John Locke. The Reasonableness of Christianity. Ch.60, pp.464

4. St. Thomas Aquinas. Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics, “The Existence of a First Efficient Cause and of a First Material Cause.” pp.115 (see also Book VIII of Aristotle’s Physics, or Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae, P. 1, Q. 2)

5. St. Thomas Aquinas. Compendium of Theology, “God Cannot Be a Material Substance.” pp.25

6. St. Thomas Aquinas. Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics, “An Eternal Moveable Substance Must Exist.” pp.794

7. St. Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologiae, “Whether God is Perfect.” P.1, Q.4. pp.34

8. St. Thomas Aquinas. Compendium of Theology, “Every Kind of Perfection in Things Is in God and in Him More Eminently.” pp.28

9. Hugo Grotius. The Truth of the Christian Religion, “All Perfection is in God.” pp.34

10. Hugo Grotius. The Truth of the Christian Religion, “That there is but one God.” pp.33

11. St. Thomas Aquinas. Compendium of Theology, “God is Essentially Infinite.” pp.26

12. St. Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologiae, “Whether Anything but God Can Be Essentially Infinite.” P.1, Q.7. pp.38

13. St. Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologiae, “Whether God Is Everywhere.” P.1, Q.8. pp.40

14. St. Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologiae, “Whether God Is Everywhere.” P.1, Q.8. pp.40

15. St. Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologiae, “Whether God Is in All Things.” P.1, Q.8. pp.40

16. St. Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologiae, “Of God’s Knowledge.” P.1, Q.14. pp.56

17. Hugo Grotius. The Truth of the Christian Religion, “That God is Eternal, Omnipotent, Omniscient and completely Good.” pp.35

18. St. Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologiae, “The Eternity of God” P.1, Q.10. pp.42

19. St. Thomas Aquinas. Compendium of Theology, “God’s Essence Is Simply His Existing.” pp.23

20. St. Thomas Aquinas. Compendium of Theology, “There Is Necessarily Only One God.” pp.26

21. Hugo Grotius. The Truth of the Christian Religion, “That there is but one God.” pp.33

22. Hugo Grotius. The Truth of the Christian Religion, “That there is but one God.” pp.34

23. John Calvin. Institutes of the Christian Religion, “The Knowledge of God Conspicuous in the Creation, and Continual Government of the World.” B.1, Ch.5, pp.16

24. The Nicene Creed. (from the “Ancient Faith Study Bible,” 2019 by Holman Bible Publishers)