The Ontological Argument: What It Claims

The ontological argument is a philosophical argument for the existence of God that attempts to prove God’s existence solely through reasoning about the concept of “being” itself. The original form was articulated by Anselm of Canterbury in the 11th century, and it has been modified and debated for centuries. Anselm argued: “God is that than which nothing greater can be conceived. It is greater to exist in reality than merely in the understanding. Therefore, God must exist in reality.”

Unlike arguments based on cosmology (such as the first cause) or teleology (design), the ontological argument is a priori, meaning it does not rely on empirical evidence or observation. Instead, it works from definition and reason alone. Critics, including Immanuel Kant, have attacked its internal logic, but the argument remains influential, especially among classical theists and rationalist theologians.

As evangelical Christian apologists who stand on the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, we must weigh this argument both philosophically and biblically. It is not enough that an argument could be logically consistent—it must align with the revealed truth of the Word of God and not contradict the historical-grammatical understanding of Scripture.

Clarifying “Being”: Biblical Ontology

The ontological argument depends heavily on the concept of “being.” Ontology, the philosophical study of existence, asks questions like: What does it mean to exist? What kinds of things exist? Is there a necessary being upon which all other beings depend?

Scripture affirms that God is a necessary being, not contingent, not created, not dependent. Exodus 3:14 records Jehovah saying, “I am who I am.” This statement is not vague mysticism—it is a profound ontological declaration. God is self-existent, uncaused, independent, and eternal. The Hebrew phrase “Ehyeh asher ehyeh” conveys absolute being. God is not becoming; He is being—unchanging, infinite, and necessary.

Unlike all created beings who are dependent and finite, God alone exists a se, from Himself. The ontological argument is ultimately trying to articulate this truth: that the idea of a most perfect being implies existence as a necessary attribute. But we must not lean solely on philosophical inference. Scripture already teaches this foundational truth.

God as a Necessary Being: Philosophical Coherence

A “necessary being” is a being whose non-existence is impossible. This is in contrast to contingent beings, who depend on something else for their existence. The ontological argument claims that if one can conceive of a greatest possible being—one that is maximally great in all respects (including omniscience, omnipotence, and moral perfection)—then such a being must exist, because existing in reality is greater than existing only in the mind.

This logic attempts to reason that God’s non-existence would be a contradiction of the concept of God Himself. This aligns with the theological teaching that God is not a creature among creatures but is the foundational ground of all being. As Colossians 1:17 says of Christ, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

Biblical Precedence over Human Reasoning

Romans 1:20 affirms the rational evidence for God’s existence in creation: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” This is not the ontological argument, but the cosmological and teleological. Scripture directs us first to what God has revealed in creation and His Word.

Paul does not argue from the definition of God; he argues from observable reality. The ontological argument, by contrast, begins with human reasoning about a concept of God, which can lead to distorted or idolatrous versions. This is why a biblically faithful apologetic always subjects philosophy to divine revelation.

1 Corinthians 1:20–21 warns, “Where is the wise person? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God…” The philosophical efforts of man are insufficient to bring one to saving knowledge of God, though they may point toward His existence.

The Limits of the Ontological Argument

There are key philosophical weaknesses that critics have rightly pointed out:

First, existence is not a predicate—this was Kant’s objection. Saying that something exists does not add anything to its concept. One may imagine a perfect island, but existence does not follow from that definition. Critics argue the same flaw applies to the ontological argument.

Second, it presumes that a conceptual idea (however logically complete) can bring into existence a real being. That is rationalism divorced from reality.

Third, without grounding in divine revelation, the “God” one arrives at could be a philosophical abstraction. The ontological argument, when isolated, can be misused by other religions or distorted philosophical systems to argue for a “greatest conceivable being” that is not the true God of Scripture.

Therefore, while the argument offers a rational reflection on God’s necessary existence, it does not suffice as a standalone proof. Nor should it replace the full witness of God’s self-revelation in Scripture and in the person of Jesus Christ.

God’s Being Revealed in Scripture

Biblically, we are not left to speculate about what a “maximally great being” might be like. God has revealed Himself in Scripture:

He is eternal (Psalm 90:2) – “From everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”

He is unchanging (Malachi 3:6) – “For I, Jehovah, do not change.”

He is independent (Acts 17:24–25) – “The God who made the world and everything in it… is not served by human hands, as though He needed anything.”

He is all-powerful (Jeremiah 32:17) – “Nothing is too difficult for You.”

He is omniscient (1 John 3:20) – “God is greater than our heart and knows all things.”

All these qualities confirm what the ontological argument tries to infer: that God must exist necessarily and cannot not exist. But Scripture makes clear that this is not merely an inference from human thought—it is truth revealed by God Himself.

The Philosophical Argument Subject to Biblical Authority

Christian apologetics does not reject reason or logic. Rather, it insists that all reasoning be subordinated to the truth of God’s Word. 2 Corinthians 10:5 commands, “We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”

This includes philosophical arguments like the ontological one. Though it aligns in part with Scripture’s teaching on God’s nature, it must be viewed as a secondary, supplemental tool—not a primary basis for belief. Faith does not rest on abstract concepts of perfection but on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the inspired Word, and the working of God’s Spirit through that Word.

Moreover, the true knowledge of God is not arrived at through speculative reasoning but through divine revelation. Jesus said, “No one knows the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son determines to reveal Him” (Matthew 11:27). God must reveal Himself to be known—not just thought about philosophically.

The Real Issue: Suppression of the Truth

Romans 1:18–25 clarifies that people already have knowledge of God’s existence but suppress it. The issue is not evidence or logic but moral rebellion. The ontological argument, like other theistic proofs, may help expose inconsistencies in unbelieving thought, but it cannot overcome willful suppression of truth.

Philosophical arguments can remove stumbling blocks or answer objections, but faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). A biblical apologist must never substitute rational inference for the authoritative witness of Scripture.

Conclusion: Being Anchored in Revelation, Not Rationalism

The ontological argument offers a thought-provoking reflection on the nature of God’s existence, highlighting that a “greatest conceivable being” must necessarily exist. However, its use in apologetics must be carefully framed within the boundaries of divine revelation.

The God of the Bible is not a conceptual abstraction or the endpoint of a syllogism. He is the living God who has revealed Himself in history, in Scripture, and supremely in Jesus Christ. His being is not a philosophical possibility—it is the objective, eternal, unchanging reality behind all created things.

All philosophical reflections on God’s existence must submit to what He has revealed in His Word. And while the ontological argument may stimulate rational engagement, it cannot replace the gospel, the power of Scripture, or the conviction brought about by the Holy Spirit through the inspired Word.

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