--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only proof for the existence of God…" description: "\"The only proof for the existence of God is that without God you couldn't prove anything.\" — Cornelius Van Til" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d70/cornelius-van-til-30277_existence_the-only-proof-for-the-existence-of-god_185119.png" --- # The only proof for the existence of God is that without… ![“The only proof for the existence of God is that without God you couldn't prove anything.” quote by Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d70/cornelius-van-til-30277_existence_the-only-proof-for-the-existence-of-god_185119.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d70/cornelius-van-til-30277_existence_the-only-proof-for-the-existence-of-god_185119.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d70/cornelius-van-til-30277_existence_the-only-proof-for-the-existence-of-god_185119.png) > “The only proof for the existence of God is that without God you couldn't prove anything.” [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The existence of God is inferred because without God, logical proof becomes impossible. **In simple terms:** Belief in God is seen as necessary for rational proof. Key Takeaway Consider the limits of proof when discussing faith. Themes philosophy theology logic existence faith Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical provocative When to use this quote - debate - academic discussion - personal belief - ethical decision making Key Concepts epistemology metaphysics skepticism Questions to Reflect On - Can proof exist without a divine basis? - How does this view affect moral reasoning? A Different Perspective Not everyone accepts this premise; alternative logical frameworks exist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Couldn Prove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couldn-prove-1969141/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Existence God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence-god/) [Existence of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence-of-god/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Proof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof/) [Proof Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof-existence-484701/) [Prove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prove/) [Without god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/without-god/) ## Related quotes > [For me the Beatles are proof of the existence of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-rubin/for-me-the-beatles-are-proof-of-the-existence-of-god/) [Rick Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-rubin/) > [... the wing of a fly is proof enough of the existence of God for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/the-wing-of-a-fly-is-proof-enough-of-the-existence-of-god-for-me/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [To ask for a purely intellectual proof of the existence of God is like asking for the privilege of being able to see with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meher-baba/to-ask-for-a-purely-intellectual-proof-of-the-existence-of-god-is/) [Meher Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meher-baba/) > [No evidence or proof of the existence of a God has been found in the phenomena of nature, based on experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-proteus-steinmetz/no-evidence-or-proof-of-the-existence-of-a-god-has-been-found-in-the/) [Charles Proteus Steinmetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-proteus-steinmetz/) > [“As it was before, so it was now; I need only be aware of God to live; I need only forget Him, or disbelieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/as-it-was-before-so-it-was-now-i-need-only-be-aware-of-god-to-live-i/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [It is certain that those who have the living faith in their hearts see at once that all existence is none other than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/it-is-certain-that-those-who-have-the-living-faith-in-their-hearts/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [“Your impact on others is the only proof of your existence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silje-akselberg-iversen/your-impact-on-others-is-the-only-proof-of-your-existence/) [Silje Akselberg Iversen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silje-akselberg-iversen/) > [You have to respect the existence of God. If He has given you the power to throw your weight around, then you mustn't misuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raveena-tandon/you-have-to-respect-the-existence-of-god-if-he-has-given-you-the/) [Raveena Tandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raveena-tandon/) > [“The question that preoccupied the Fathers was not to know if God existed or not - the existence of God was a "given" for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-zizioulas/the-question-that-preoccupied-the-fathers-was-not-to-know-if-god/) [John D. Zizioulas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-zizioulas/) > [The orthodox believers in God are divided into two camps, one of which maintains that the existence of God is as demonstrable as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/the-orthodox-believers-in-god-are-divided-into-two-camps-one-of-which/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [“Nothing whatsoever, not even the existence of God to His lovers, can be proved, but that every man, if he is to live at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/nothing-whatsoever-not-even-the-existence-of-god-to-his-lovers-can-be/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) > [In the christian view, the ultimate evidence for the existence of God is Jesus Christ. If there is a God, we characters in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/in-the-christian-view-the-ultimate-evidence-for-the-existence-of-god/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [The death of a child is the greatest reason to doubt the existence of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/the-death-of-a-child-is-the-greatest-reason-to-doubt-the-existence-of/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Whenever I doubt the existence of God or the Goddess, I look at horses. Only God could have made a horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/whenever-i-doubt-the-existence-of-god-or-the-goddess-i-look-at-horses/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [“To YoYo Ma: "You playing is the best argument I've ever heard for the existence of God, because I don't really believe a human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/to-yoyo-ma-you-playing-is-the-best-argument-i-ve-ever-heard-for-the/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) ## More by Cornelius Van Til > [“How shortsighted and how uncultured, then, are the efforts of believers in Christ when they seek for snatches of worldly culture for themselves by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/how-shortsighted-and-how-uncultured-then-are-the-efforts-of-believers/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [ He \[Christ\] came to bring peace, to be sure, but the peace that He came to bring must be built upon the complete destruction… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/he-christ-came-to-bring-peace-to-be-sure-but-the-peace-that-he-came/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [Agnosticism is epistemologically self-contradictory on its own assumptions because its claim to make no assertion about ultimate reality rests upon a most comprehensive assertion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/agnosticism-is-epistemologically-self-contradictory-on-its-own/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [To admit one's own presuppositions and to point out the presuppositions of others is therefore to maintain that all reasoning is, in the nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/to-admit-one-s-own-presuppositions-and-to-point-out-the/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [So, as we have our tea, I propose not only to operate on your heart so as to change your will, but also on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/so-as-we-have-our-tea-i-propose-not-only-to-operate-on-your-heart-so/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [ “\[The intellect of fallen man\] may be compared to a buzz-saw that is sharp and shining, ready to cut the boards that come to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/the-intellect-of-fallen-man-may-be-compared-to-a-buzz-saw-that-is/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [When man thinks in self-conscious submission to the voluntary revelation of the self-sufficient God, he has therewith the only possible ground of certainty for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/when-man-thinks-in-self-conscious-submission-to-the-voluntary/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [Anti-theism presupposes Theism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/anti-theism-presupposes-theism/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [It is not kindness to tell patients that need strong medicine that nothing serious is wrong with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/it-is-not-kindness-to-tell-patients-that-need-strong-medicine-that/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [There are those, of course, who deny that they need any form of authority. They are the popular atheists and agnostics. Such men say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/there-are-those-of-course-who-deny-that-they-need-any-form-of/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [The picture of fallen man as given in Scripture is that he knows God but does not want to recognize Him as God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/the-picture-of-fallen-man-as-given-in-scripture-is-that-he-knows-god/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [The Bible is authoritative on everything of which it speaks. Moreover, it speaks of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/the-bible-is-authoritative-on-everything-of-which-it-speaks-moreover/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [“I hold that belief in God is not merely as reasonable as other belief, or even a little or infinitely more probably true than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/i-hold-that-belief-in-god-is-not-merely-as-reasonable-as-other-belief/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [I shall not convert you at the end of my argument. I think the argument is sound. I hold that belief in God is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/i-shall-not-convert-you-at-the-end-of-my-argument-i-think-the/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [If one does not make human knowledge wholly dependent upon the original self-knowledge and consequent revelation of God to man, then man will have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/if-one-does-not-make-human-knowledge-wholly-dependent-upon-the/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) [Explore all 17 Cornelius Van Til quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) ## More Existence quotes > [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/) [Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/) > [It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-von-hindenburg/it-does-not-seem-to-me-to-be-sufficiently-recognized-everywhere-among/) [Paul von Hindenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-von-hindenburg/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work-give-me/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Never belong to a crowd; Never belong to a nation; Never belong to a religion; Never belong to a race. Belong to the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/never-belong-to-a-crowd-never-belong-to-a-nation-never-belong-to-a/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Universities are the cathedrals of the modern age. They shouldn't have to justify their existence by utilitarian criteria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lodge/universities-are-the-cathedrals-of-the-modern-age-they-shouldn-t-have/) [David Lodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lodge/) > [Just as everybody has the vote including women, I think children should, because as a child is conscious of itself then it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/just-as-everybody-has-the-vote-including-women-i-think-children/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) [Browse all 7,646 Existence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only proof for the existence of God is that without God you couldn't prove anything.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cornelius Van Til" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/the-only-proof-for-the-existence-of-god-is-that-without-god-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Existence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/the-only-proof-for-the-existence-of-god-is-that-without-god-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d70/cornelius-van-til-30277_existence_the-only-proof-for-the-existence-of-god_185119.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d70/cornelius-van-til-30277_existence_the-only-proof-for-the-existence-of-god_185119.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d70/cornelius-van-til-30277_existence_the-only-proof-for-the-existence-of-god_185119.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only proof for the existence of God is that without God you couldn't prove anything.” — Cornelius Van Til", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Cornelius Van Til", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only proof for the existence...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/the-only-proof-for-the-existence-of-god-is-that-without-god-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/the-only-proof-for-the-existence-of-god-is-that-without-god-you/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```