The Need For God - Reason #3

The third proof of God's existence according to St. Thomas Aquinas is the need and necessity of God. When we look at the world around us, we see many things: people, trees, grass, animals, etc. From our experience, we know that these things don't last; they die throughout time. Everything in the world comes into existence and then ceases to exist. The world and everything in it is a contingent being.

At one point, we did not exist. In 1776, I did not exist to witness the formation of the United States. In 33 A.D., I was not in existence to witness Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection. We know that for every contingent being, there was a time of non-existence. 

It is impossible for things to have always existed; thus there could have been a time when nothing existed at all. From the previous proofs, we have seen that there had to be a first mover, a creator. If nothing exists, nothing cannot create something. There had to have been something out there to create the contingent beings and bring them into existence. This means that there has to be something out there that is not a contingent being - a being that just exists and does not cease to exist. 

This being exists because there is a need for it to exist. It is not created; it is the cause of creation. It is this being that we call God.

So far I have covered the first three proofs about God's existence. After I go through the next two proofs, I would like to write about some more personal experiences about my faith and possibly go into some of the things the Catholic Church believes and why.

God bless!

Your Sister in Christ,

Emily