Does it matter if God exists?

Throughout human history, man has been debating whether or not God exists. Why does it matter? So what if God exists? How does that affect anyone’s life? Let me answer that with a story.

Once upon a time, a lawyer was driving down the highway at 90 miles per hour. He passed through a speed trap and was pulled over by a police officer who gave him a speeding ticket. The ticket cost the lawyer hundreds of dollars.

A few weeks later, the lawyer found out he was being investigated for malpractice. The investigation ran its course, and the lawyer was  disbarred, because it was determined that he was not fit to continue practicing law. As a result, the lawyer was left without a job.

After considering his options, the lawyer crafted a plan to seek revenge on those who had disbarred him. The district attorney found out about the plan, and the lawyer was prosecuted and found guilty. The lawyer went to jail.

One day the lawyer was sitting in jail pondering his predicament when he had a massive heart attack and died. What happened to the lawyer next? Is there a living being out there who transcends our earthly existence and who holds people accountable after death?

As we go through life, there are people in authority who make and enforce laws. If we disregard the people in authority and disobey their laws, there are consequences. When we ask whether or not God exists, we are asking whether or not there is a living being out there who transcends our earthly existence, who has the power to give us rules to follow, and who has the power to hand out rewards or punishments based on our adherence to those rules.

Just as there are consequences when we disregard human authority, so too if there is a God who has rules for us to follow, then there will be consequences for disregarding His authority. Therefore, it matters whether or not God exists, because if He exists, then we should know His rules and behave accordingly, or we will suffer the consequences.