Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Ps 25:5

Who Is God?BABSF

Feb 27th, 2010

Biblical Doctrine Topics to Study• Systematic Theology – Determining what bible teach us about any

given topic.– Emphasis on What God wants us to believe and know.

• Major Biblical Doctrines. (What the bible teaches about a topic)– Doctrine of God (Attributes, Trinity, Creation. Providence, prayer,

Angels, Satan, Demons)– Doctrine of Christ

• Person of Christ, Atonement, Resurrection and ascension. – Doctrine of Man

• Creation of Man, Male and Female and roles, Sin– Doctrine of the application of redemption

• Grace, Election, Gospel Call, Regeneration, Conversion, Justification and Adoption, Sanctification, Death & intermediate states, and glorification.

– Doctrine of the Church• Nature of the Church, Baptism, Lord’s Supper, Gifs of HS

– Doctrine of the future• Return of Christ, Millennium, Final Judgment and eternal punishment, new

heaven and earth

General Thoughts• We have all wondered if God exists?

– Most Americans (69%) strongly believe that God exists. • Goal is to Study the nature and character of God of the

bible. (We will all be theologians)– Study done with complete humility and trepidation.– A sinful and finite being seeking to define God seems futile and

arrogant. – It might be easier to define infinity!– Created being trying to define the Creator that is infinitely

greater.

• Agenda:– Quick thoughts on the existence of God – logical approach.– Attributes of God.– We are called to “know” God.– Responsibility for Intimacy with God.

Does God Exist• Some 50 years ago Atheists and many scientists said:

– Everything, which has a beginning, has a cause, and anything that existed forever needs no cause.

– The Universe had no beginning and existed forever.– Therefore the universe needs no cause (no God).

• Some 50 years ago Theists and some scientists said:– Everything that has a beginning, has a cause, and anything that

existed forever needs no cause. (Same as atheists)– God had no beginning and existed forever.– Therefore God needs no cause. Evidence of God.

• Discovery of the Red Shift By Hubbell and the theory of the Big Bang confirms biblical teaching.

– Only logical explanation is a self willed creator who was the cause of the universe.

– True science will point to God so no need to fear.

Does God Exist• My Experience with a Friend In High School.

– Shame of saying I believe in God just to be safe proved to be a good logical argument for existence of God.

• Logical approach – Toss Coin– Min of 50% probability for existence of God. – One has to be omnipotent to claim God does not exist.

• Rest of the Evidence increases probability (tips scale). – Cosmological

• universe was caused by eternal and transcendent being.– Teleological

• Intelligent designer with purpose. (General Revelation)– Complexity and order of creation can be random.

» Ex: All Cell is so complex with Machine that create things in sequence. » Information (3 billion letters of info per cell) – Chip Design

– Oder for the Universe and why does the universe follows laws.

– Moral Argument• Moral law requires moral lawgiver.

– Biblical Evidence• All of the above along with evidence in the bible and personal

experiences tips the scale for God. • Only a “fool” does not believe that God exhibits.

Possibility of Known God?

• Can we fully understand God?– He is an infinite being and we are finite. How can we even

understand?• Ps 145:3- His greatness no one can fathom. • Ps 147:5- mighty in power, his understanding has no limit. • David said his knowledge is too wonderful to me, (Ps 139:6) • His riches, his wisdom, judgment and way (Rom 11:33) are

all beyond our ability to understand fully.

• We can know some things but not everything. – Thank God for General and Special Revelation

• It is possible to know true things about God.• We can know some things about his attribute without

knowing God exhaustively. (Ex: Wife) – Thank God for his Son JC (Picture of God).– We will never run out of things to know about our God.

Revelation From God

• General Revelation: Knowledge of God revealed through his magnificent Creation.

• Special Revelation: Knowledge of God revealed in God’s Word.

Category of Attributes• Incommunicable

– Attributes that are only unique to God.– Impossible for the created beings to posses.

• We can never reach divine state as taught by other religions.

• Communicable– Character we poses to some degree since we were

created in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27)• Things God expects in us.

– God’s capability is incomparably greater then what we can do.

• He is perfect and we are sinful by nature.

Omnipotent God• God is Omnipotent: ( Jer 32:17,27; Mt 19:26; Lk 1:37;Ps 147:13-18)

• All powerful and has ultimate authority over all things and creatures.

–  17 "Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.27 "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?

• Evident by the fact he created the universe.• Cosmos (observable) with 70x10^21 (70 sextillion) starts all created

by God. 80 billion galaxies.• With words he created them all. With such precision and beauty!

• Amazingly God restricts the use of his infinite power– Self Restrained: Power to destroy all sin but has chosen to do it

at the end of history.– God channels his power through his people – it is available and

work in us if we believe (Eph 3:20) • Test: Do you really believe God is all powerful? Is it

evident during your trials.

Omnipresent God• God is Omnipresent ( Ps 139:7-12, Jer 23:23-24, Ac 17:27-28):• Not limited by space. Present at every point in of space with his

entire being– Not being limited by space is evident from the fact he created space

from nothing. – Moses reminds us God’s rule over space “Behold, to the Lord your God

belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it” (Det 10:14)

– Ps 139:7-12Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, [a] you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you..

• God can be everywhere in the universe at same instant of time. • He is equally everywhere and capable of acting distinctly at each

place.– He can be present to bless, sustain, or to punish

• Test: When no one is looking, do you act as God id Omnipresent?

Omniscient God• God is Omniscient ( Ps 139:1-6 )

– Read Ps 139 together.• All knowing. Knows everything in and about the

Universe and beyond. – Is there a topic we are 100% knowledgeable? God is 100%

knowledgeable about everything – show at creation. – Too wonderful and lofty for my brain to attain.

• He know our actions and thoughts (1Sa 16:7, 1 Ki 8:39, Ps 44:21, Jer 17:9-10)

– We can’t hide anything from God• He has foreknowledge of future (Isa 42:9, Ac 2:23, 1

Pe 1:2)• He is not a prisoner of HIS foreknowledge

– Free to make decisions and alter his purpose in time and history. (Nu 14:11-20; 2 Ki 20:1-7)

• Test: What secrets are you trying to hide from God?

Holy God• God is Perfect and Holy: (1 Peter 1:16; Lev 11:44-45)

– Without sin & absolutely righteous. – "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to

come." (Rev4:8)• God is incapable of sin (Nu 23:19, Tit 1:2) • Since the fall of man, we are by nature sinful and evil compared to

prefect holiness of God. (Gal 5:16-17; Rom 3:23)– Isaiah was a Good man by worldly standards, but in the presence of

an absolutely Holy God we was exposed of his sins. (Is 6)• Wow to me!” I Cried. I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips.

– God also exposed the Sin of the community. – Isaiah was transformed and ready to be sent by God.

• The plan of redemption address our sinful nature through the atoning work of JC, we can be reconciled with God. Sin does not have to separate us any more.

– Faith in JC is the only way to have eternal life with God. (Act 4:12)• Test: Do you believe God is absolutely holy and with help of God

we are to strive for holiness. (1 Pet 1:13-16 )

Transcendent God

GOD

Cosmic Cube

• God is Transcendent: ( Is 55:8-9;) • Different and independent from his creation.

– Made evident at creation. Created time, space and matter.

• His being and existence are infinitely greater and higher then the created order. (Ac 17:24-25, Isa 66:1-2, 1Ki 8:27)

– Does not need his creation for anything.

• God does not need anything from mankind. (Act 17:24-25)

• He does not need us:– but he choose to delight in us and let’s us

bring joy to his heart. Is 62:3-5– but he allows us to bring him meaning and to

glorify God. (Eps 1:11-12, Rev 4:11

• Does not mean he is incapable of living among his people (Lev 26:11-12, 2 Cor 6:16)

– God that can’t be contained lives in us.

Unchangeable God• God is unchangeable (Heb 1:11-12; James 1:17)

– 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17)

• No change in God’s attributes, in his perfection, and his purpose for humankind.

– He will not change in holy attributes. • Unchanging to his promise. Keeps his promise.

(Num23:19; 1 Sam 15:29)• What he asks us to do is based on his moral character. • He does and act and feel emotions and acts on need

and diligent prayer (2Ki 20:2-6, Luke 18:1-8: Persistent Woman)

• Does not mean he never alters his purpose, he responds to human action. Ex: Allows for Repentance

• Test: Are you grateful for God’s unchanging attribute.

Eternal God• God is Eternal (Isa 57:15, 2 Pet 3:8 )

• Not bound by time, everlasting to everlasting– Day is like a 1K years and a 1K years like a day.

• Existed by his nature. Never created and never came into being.

• God created all things and he existed forever (Rev 4:11, John 1:3, Rom 11:35-36, I Cor 8:6

• God is the Alpha and the Omega. (Rev 1:8)• Unlimited and not bound with respect to time.

– Only an eternal God could have created the universe.

Triune God• Trinity ( divine nature and essence of God)• The “Trinitarian formula” is mentioned many places in the bible.

– God = GF * GS * GHS– Defined in the Great Commission (Matt 28:19)

• 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

• God is one God (Necessary in the triune)– Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. (Dt 6:4)– This Monotheistic doctrine affirms God is one God. (Isa 45:21;1 Cor

8:5-6, Eph 4:6, 1 Ti 2:5) • Manifested himself in three divine persons. (Jn 14:26)

– Examples (light: R+B+G), atom, • Each person is fully divine, equal with the other two, yet they are

not three Gods but one.– They are three persons so completely united that they form the one

true and eternal God.– Of the persons of the Godhead none is god without the others and

each with the others is God. They are equals and are one God. (Jn 10:30, Ac 5:3-4, Matt 28:18-19, Jn 15:26, 1Pe 1:2)

Triune God

• Concept of Trinity Seen Throughout The Bible.– At creation (Gen 1:1-2b) – God the father and the HS involved

in the creation story.– In the Incarnation (Lk 1:30-35) – Son of the most high,

conceived in the womb of Mary by the power of the HS.– At Christ baptism (Lk 3:21-22) – Jesus the Son received

approval from the father in the presence of the HS.– At the temptation of Jesus (Luke 4:3) – Jesus full of the HS,

recognized as Son of God by the devil, tempted to destroy his relationship with his father.

– At the transfiguration (Luke 9:35) The voice of the father spoke in approval of Jesus the Son.

– In the Atonement (Heb 9:14) – The blood of Christ was offered to God through the power of the HS for our salvation.

– Resurrection (Acts 2:32-33, Romans 1:4) – God the father raised Jesus to life, exalted him to the right and of God, and provided the HS as promised HS.

Triune God• What can we learn from the triune family?• Unity:

– The unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is seen on Jesus’ Trinitarian teaching. (Jn 14-17)

• Love– Selfless love for one another. (John 15:9)

• Submission:– The Father serves the Son. (Gives all authority to Son & bears

witness to Him) – Jn 8:18– The Son serves the Father. (Son claims nothing and gives all

glory to the Father – Jn 12:49-50– Father and Son defer to the HS. (Son claims it is better for our

good that the HS come) - Jn 16-7– The HS serves & defers to the Father and Son. (Counselor

testifies of Jesus) – Jn 15:26, John14:26

• One in will, purpose, love, and righteousness.

• The triune family is a model for the Christian family of believers.

God Is Truth

• God of Truth (Ps 31:5, Isa 65:16, Jn 3:33, Dt 32:4)• Jesus is the way and the Truth (Jn 14:6).

– Came to testify of the truth. (Jn 18:35)• HS is known as the “Spirit of Truth” (Jn14:17; 1Jn5:6)• The word of God is the Truth (Jn 17:17)• God is entirely trustworthy and true in all he says and

does. • Truth is reality as seen by God

– We need to live by HIS truth.. • God does not tolerate lies or falsehood of any kind

since it is against his nature. (Nu 23:19, Tit 1:2;Heb 6:18)

• Test: Are you willing to live by God’s truth claims.

God Is Love

• God is Love: (1 Jn 4:8; 1 Jn 4:16)– Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is

love.

• Selfless love that embraces all of humanity despite our sinful nature. (Jn 3:16, Ro 5:8)– Unconditional love for us.

• The greatest expression of this love was sending JC to die the sins of he world (1 Jn 4:9-10)– JC demonstrated his love by taking on our sins.

• He has a special love for his body (Jn 16:27)– Fathers love for body.

• Test: Have you experienced God’s love. He loved us so much he took the first step to bring us reconciliation.

God Is Just• God is Just: ( Dt 32:4; 1Jn 1:9 )

– He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

• God fairly uphold the moral order of this universe.• Because he is holy we can trust God to be just and

fair. • Many have suffered at the hands of people but God

will bring justice in the end.– He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you. (2 Th 1:6)

• Not opposed to love. God send JC as a gift of love to satisfy God’s justice.

– Confess our sins and receive forgiveness from our just God. (1 Jn 1:9)

• Test: Are you born again?– Have you repented of your sins and accepted JC as your

savior.– Call or email me if you are not sure!

God Is Faithful• God is faithful ( Isa 49:7; Ex 34:6, Heb 10:23 )

– abounding in love and faithfulness (Ex 34:6)– Hold on to the hope, “for he who promised is faithful

“(Heb 10:23)

• God will do what he revealed in his Word.– Keeps his promises and his warnings.

• His faithfulness should be great comfort to the believers and great fear of judgment for those who do not repent. (Heb 6:4-8, 10:26-31)

– God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. (1 Cor 10:13)

• Test: Are you faithful to God and others?

God is Patient• God is patient and slow to anger ( Ex 34:6, Nu

14:18, Ro 2:4, 1Ti 1:16 )– Rich in patience (Ro 2:4)– Unlimited patience shown to Paul who claims to be

the worst of sinners. (1 Ti 1:16)

• First expressed at garden. He did not destroy humanity as he has the right to do (Ge 2:16-17)

• God is patiently giving everyone the opportunity to repent and be saved (2Pe 3:9)

• Test: Are you patient and slow to anger?

God is Compassionate• God is Compassionate ( 2 Ki 13:23 )• To feel sorrow for someone else’s suffering,

with a desire to help– God shows compassion to Hazael king of Aram

even though he oppressed Israel. (2 Ki 13:23)• Unwilling to destroy or banish them because of the

covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob .

• His compassion for humanity is expressed in forgiving our sins and a way of salvation. (Ps 78:38)

• JC showed compassion when he preached the gospel to the poor, healed the blind and sick, released the oppressed.

– (Lk 4:18, Mt 9:36; 14:14;15:32;20:34, Mk 1:41)• Test: Are you compassionate to others?

God Is Wise• God is Wise ( Job 9:4; Rom 16:27; Rom 11:33)

– “His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?”

– Only Wise God. (Rom 16:27)• God always chooses the best goals and the best means to the

goal.– Wisdom is more precious then rubies (Pr 8:11)

• He knows everything but also does what brings about the best results.

• “To God belongs wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his (job 12:13)

• Wisdom seen in his creation. “How excellent is thy works”. Ps 104:24

• God works wisely in us to make us into the image of Christ (Rom 8:28-29)

• Wisdom is communicable and God will give it generously when asked (Jam 1:5)

• Test: Do you need wisdom? Pray and ask!

God is Good• God is Good (Ps 25:8; 106:1; Mk 10:18, )

– Praise the LORD. [a] Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever

• All that he created was good. – Extension of his nature.

• Continues to be good to his creation by sustaining it.

– Providence • He even provides for the ungodly (Mt 5:45, Ac

14:17)• God is especially good to his people who call

on him in truth (Ps 145:18-20)– Near to us and fulfills our desired

God Is Merciful & Gracious

• God is merciful & gracious ( Ex 34:6; Dt 4:31 )

– 31 For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant he made with your ancestors. Dt 4:31

Summary

• What are God’s attributes?

Knowing God

• Joy should come from knowing God and not possessions. He wants intimacy with us.

• The promise of the new covenant is that all shall know God.

• We will spend eternity continuing to knowing God.

• Is this mind opening!

Our Personal God • Bible says we can know God and not just

facts about him.– We all know facts about the President but we

can’t say we know him until we meet and develop a relationship.

• Richness of Christian life is a personal relationship with God and not just knowing facts.

– We serve a living and risen God. • We speak to God in Prayer and He might

speaks to us from the Word.• We obey and follow his teaching, we can

know God dwells within us. (john 14:23)

Our Responsibilities for Intimacy

• Reverence for God (Awe, Respect)

– Accept HIM and strive to live a Holy Life

• Truthfulness with God (Ps 38:9)

– God is looking for a honest heart.

• Love for God’s Word (Jos 1:8)

– Only book where the author show up.

• Seek God Through Prayer (Jer 29:12-14)

– Intimacy through direct communication

• Seek God Through Praise and Worship– Living sacrifice (Rom 12:1)

Test of Faith