Axiomatic Evidence in the Bible
Table of Contents
Overview of Axiom
An axiom is a self evident truth or a statement taken to be true. It is typically used as the starting point for logical reasoning or foundation for understanding additional points that derive from the original statement or idea. The word comes from the Greek word axioma, meaning ‘that which commends itself as evident.’
Depending on the field of study, the term will have a slightly varied context, but still refers to the foundational point which makes the understanding of that study true. Theology, Philosophy, mathematics, and a number of other sciences use this term as its bases for the rest of its teachings.
Biblical Axiom
In biblical or theological studies, there are a number of axioms or truths that are discovered that validate the scriptures, as well as numerous axioms outside the bible that confirms its teachings.
Perception and Understanding of Truth and Reality
Since ancient times philosophers have studied the very nature of what is true, or what exactly it means for something to be true. We take for granted the fact what we observe and live through life as a series of factual events, one after another. We don’t often take the time to think about how our minds process reality, and how our minds are even able to determine that something is indeed true.
How do we know what is true?
If reality was not specifically designed to have a purpose or meaning. If the ability to properly perceive that reality wasn’t programmed into our minds, how could we perceive anything in that reality accurately.
If you attempt to remove the concept of the human brain being intelligently designed, you are left to believe it evolved as a simple random by-product of non-specific events. If our minds where not intelligently designed, we would not be able to trust the very thoughts in our own head including our own perceptions.
Consider for example the function of human thought; if everything was a random event of evolution, the processes that would have created the ability to think would have been the result of random events of non-intelligent components. If that was the case, how could we trust anything that our senses perceive? Everything including the thoughts in our head would be randomized events without direction, purpose or intelligence. If this sounds strange to you it’s because you take for granted the idea that intelligence exists.
Intelligence Exists
Intelligence is defined primarily as the ability to perceive and infer information and to process that information for use. Intelligence is synonymous with order, as it is the organization of existing pieces to form a specific design.
We are able to observe on various level, both in the physical universe and in the logical (mathematical) one, that intelligence exists. That intelligence begets intelligence and the more complex a system is, the more complex the intelligence was required to create that system. Every system in our universe reflects the creation model, a system of complexity that build one upon another to create a more complex system. The use of lesser informational bits to create a more complex system, and so fourth.
If intelligence does not exist in a system, just as we observe in nature, that system leads into chaos and falls apart, also known as the second law of thermodynamics. An intelligence is required to resist chaotic processes to create order and structure.
Intelligent Designer -> Creates Intelligence -> Gives Perception of Truth -> Bear Witness Truth Exists
(or from our perspective)
Existence of Truth -> Perception of Truth -> Requires Intelligence -> Requires Intelligent Designer
Truth is Absolute
Truth is an axiom, or the concept that there exists truth. Truth is something that is real and consistent. If we exist (are real), our existence will be true and consistent. If truth exists, it will be perceived as real and consistent. If perception is true (real) it will remain constant and true, for truth is constant.
As you can see, the idea of truth is philosophical. Its not something that fit in any scientific category, as it, itself, can never be observed and tested. It is taken as an axiom. You cannot grab truth, put it under a microscope and test it for consistency.
Truth cannot be relative, because it is absolute. If truth was not absolute, it would not be true (truth). If you say truth is not absolute, you just made an absolute statement, disproving that statement.
Human Conscience
The human conscience is a very interesting part of our psychology. A part of the person that is separate from our intelligence and emotions but is very well integral to both. People face convictions that keep them from doing things they know distinctly that they should not do. Many of which would be inversely proportional to the teachings of evolutionary thinking.
Animal especially mammals exhibit displays of what some call a conscience but it is not the same as a persons. Animals are taught and disciplined due to various practices by their owners. However people refrain from things in their life they are convicted of without ever having been taught.
As it says in the Bible that God writes the law on the hearts of the people, every country even without Biblical teachings follow the laws we see in the 10 commandments. To refrain from murder, stealing, cheating on your partner and lying. A conviction to seek the creator God and to love other people. Evolutionary teaching would state a desire to kill and steal to get ahead of all other, and reproduce wit has many mates as possible.
Moral convictions will prevent us from acting out our emotional anger, it will guilt us to show when we have done wrong. We can logically try to convince our self something may be in our best interest, but our conscience will tell that we know we are doing something wrong.
Its that internal dialog that lives along side our consciousness, or is a part of our consciousness. The part of us that contradicts our thoughts and desires, when we know something is morally wrong.
List of Additional Axioms in the Bible
There is a list of axioms that confirm the Bible and its teachings, all of which give a presupposition to our understanding of reality and our perception thereof.
- Morality – People know morally what is right and wrong – Rom 2.15
- Judgement – We are capable of Judging right and wrong – Rom 2.2
- Intelligence – Intelligence begets intelligence – Rom 1.18-20
- Awareness – People are self-aware or perceive their own existence – Ps 139.14
- Continuance – Awareness of being anchored to this reality, and we continue in it as the same conscious being – 2 Peter 3.4
- Self-Sustenance – We understand we are not alone and do not sustain ourselves, opposed to God who is the only self-sustaining one. – Exodus 3.14
- Absolutes – Intuition to understand the difference between objective and subjective realities, and that both types of reality exist. – John 14.6