Divine hiddenness can be addressed either as an argument for atheism or as Christian doubt. I would be remiss if I were to attempt to cover the full scope of the philosophical argument for atheism in this brief essay, so I will instead give a broad overview of God’s hiddenness.
Christians with genuine hearts may ask why God seems so hidden in prayer, during times of suffering or trials, or perhaps in the lives of unbelievers, especially loved ones. Why doesn’t he make his existence more obvious?
It’s intuitive to think that if God exists, he would make his existence unmistakably known. For why wouldn’t he desire all people to know of him? However, that is not exactly congruent with what Scripture teaches. God’s desire is not to simply show us that he exists, but to develop a personal relationship with us. God desires all to be saved through faith (1 Tim 2:4). The biblical emphasis is on faith, rather than on mere belief. Paul alludes to this in Acts 17:27: “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”
It is true, God could make his existence more obvious, but what would be the result? An atheist may say something like, “if God wrote his name in the stars, then I would believe.” First, in actuality they would likely try to find some naturalistic explanation, such as pawning it off as a hallucination. Second, some folks would be put-off by God’s invasiveness. Third, it’s not up to God to scratch the itch of every unbeliever. Through his grace, God has given sufficient evidence for his existence, and it is up to each person to examine the evidence with an open heart. Fourth, if God were to write his name in the stars, while atheists may be more likely to believe that God exists, why think such an advertisement would produce more faith?
Did God’s special relationship with the ancient Jews keep them from rebelling? Obviously not. Israel had firsthand experience with YWHH and still chose to reject him. The risen Christ stood in front of Thomas—who still doubted. Even the demons knew that God exists, but nevertheless detested faith. I see no reason to suppose that if God were to make his existence as plain as the nose on your face, more people would freely come to trust in him. The contrary is purely speculative. Atheists cannot show that if God exists, he would make his existence more obvious than our present experience.
Moreover, many Christians who have an experience of God’s presence perceived as clear and obvious, whether at some revival or concert or whatever means, lose faith after some time (Mk 4:16-17). So it is not the case that a single experience where God’s presence is clear and obvious necessarily produces lasting faith. If an atheist or agnostic genuinely desires to put their faith in God but have not done so because of some intellectual stumbling block, it is consistent of the biblical God to aid that person in overcoming their unbelief.
God’s self-revelation is designed to provide sufficient evidence of his existence needed for genuine faith, while not compelling those who do not seek faith. Paul writes in his letter to the Romans,
what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (1:19-20)
So then if God’s existence is plain to us, then why do some still reject him?
[They] suppress the truth by their wickedness… For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened…. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them (1:18,21,32).
The primary reason for unbelief is not because God has failed to make his existence more obvious, but because of hardened hearts. Unbelief is not a divine issue, instead it is a human issue stemming from sin and depravity. Since unbelief is a free choice decided by those who resist God, we should expect there to be unbelief.
So how has God provided sufficient evidence for his existence? Some atheists will simply assume there aren’t any good arguments for God’s existence, resulting in their argument from hiddenness. But it turns out there are numerous good arguments and evidences for God’s existence: rational arguments, nature, and conscience (i.e., general revelation); and particular experience and Scripture (i.e., special revelation). Paul believed nature and conscience are sufficient for considering God’s existence as plain or obvious: “being understood from what has been made;” and “their consciences also bearing witness” (Rom 2:15). While I won’t dissect the rational arguments here, amongst them are scientific arguments from design, philosophical arguments ranging from causation to morality, and historical arguments from the reliability of the gospels and the resurrection of Jesus.
Keep in mind that God promises to inevitably reveal himself in a perfect light: “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 Jn 3:2). We have the hope of one day seeing our Savior face-to-face.
Contemporary theologians have honest debates on whether similar miracles, prophecy, visions and dreams still occur today. And if any two theologians agree, they likely debate over the extent. Regardless, I think we can unanimously agree that God has an active providential hand in the world today. We know that God is with us through the Holy Spirit:
‘And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth…. for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them’ (Jn 14:15-20).
It boils down to this: God will sufficiently reveal himself to all those who genuinely seek him (Prov 8:17; Deut 4:29; Jer 29:13; Lk 11:9-10). The question becomes how God reveals himself to those who do genuinely seek him. It is safe to say that God speaks in different ways according to each person. Some are persuaded by arguments, others are exclusively moved by the words of Christ, others see God’s design in nature, and so forth. All of these cases are consistent in that the Advocate is the one who is at work in us to bring that revelation to life. Moreover, Scripture provides an abundance of data on God’s presence being active in the lives of those who suffer.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Ps 34:18).
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Rom 5:3-5).
For those who love God and seek him earnestly, you will know that he is with you. In this way, neither seeing nor hearing him makes no difference. If anyone should have difficulty actualizing this, might I encourage you to pray on the passage quoted from John. Genuine Christians who question why God has not made himself more clearly known have the assurance of God’s existence and continued providential work through the Holy Spirit. God is not hidden, we just have to be willing to seek him with an open heart. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Mt 7:7-8).
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