Lesson 2

God Tells Us about Himself

Is there a God?

Psalm 14:1

•The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."

An agnostic says: An atheist says:•I don’t know if there is a god.

•There is no god.

All people can know that there is

a God.How?

Hebrews 3:4

• For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.

All people can know there is

a God1From nature (the created universe)

Romans 1:20

•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 men are without excuse.

Romans 2:15

•They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.

All people can know there is

a God1From nature (the created universe)

2From conscience (the voice within us)

Natural Knowledge of God =

What can be learned about God from nature

Natural Knowledge of God =

What can be learned from one’s conscience

Nature Conscience

tells me

there is a god who is powerful, wise and holy.

The weakness of our natural knowledge?

It doesn’t tell:

1. Who the true God is (vs. idols)

2. About one’s Savior from sin

Why does God give people this natural knowledge?

Acts 17:26-27From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

God gives people natural knowledge to lead them to

seek after the Lord and know more about him.

John 1:18

• No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

John 14:8-9

• Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.

God shows what he is really like through

Jesus Christ

John 5:39

These are the Scriptures that testify about me

We find Jesus Christ in the

BIBLE

Jesus

GOD MAN

The book

The writings

What God has made known

about himself in the Bible

Isaiah 43:11-12

I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed-- I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God.

The Bible tells us:

1. Who the true God is: the Triune God

2. Who our Savior is: Jesus Christ

What is the true God like?

Holy / Just

Unchangeable Omnipresent

OmnipotentOmniscient

Eternal

Loving

Our God is TRIUNE

TRI = THREE

UNE = ONE

Three persons in one God

Deuteronomy 6:4

Hear, O Israel:

The LORD our God,

the LORD is one.

Genesis 1:26

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

Matthew 28:19-20

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Numbers 6:22-24

The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites.’ Say to them: ‘The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.’”

2 Corinthians 13:14

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit

be with you all.

The Persons of the Godhead:

1. The Father, who is the CreatorCreator (the one who made us all)

2. The Son, who is the RedeemerRedeemer (the one who bought us back)

3. The Holy Spirit, who is the Sanctifier Sanctifier (one who sets us apart)

SON

SPIRIT

GOD

FATHER