1/12/2021 Wednesday
BIBLE BASICS
Dispensational Review
GOD THE DIVINE BEING
Can man know God?
If so, what is God like?
Introduction to Our God
▰ Theology is the name for the study of the doctrine of God.
▰ The fundamental fact of Theology is that there is a God.
▰ Theism is the belief in the existence of a personal God who is the Creator, Preserver, and Ruler of all things.
▻ What are some of the other “isms” that relate to the study of God?
▰ The Bible teaches that, “God is the infinite and perfect Spirit in whom all things have their source, support, and end.” Strong, quoted by Pardington
Can Man Truly Understand God?
▰ To understand fully the nature and existence of God is an impossible task for us in this life. Elmer Towns (here and below)
▻ God cannot and never will be fully comprehended by human minds.
▻ The very nature of unlimited reality can never be understood by a limited mind.
▻ The very words we use to describe God are finite words and cannot adequately describe an infinite God.
▻ (John 1:18) “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
All Creation Gives Evidence of God
▰ Everything that exists points to an intelligent designer with phenomenal creativity and unlimited ability. Can you name examples? Evolution has
none of these!
▻ (Romans 1:20) “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal
power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:“
▻ (Psalms 19:1) “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”
Trustworthy Evidences that God Exists
▰ The nature and existence of man is unexplainable apart from special Creation. Evolution is illogical.
▰ People in every culture and every age have had an inner belief in a higher being.
▰ Every effect must have a sufficient cause. The universe cannot be an uncaused accident.
▰ Every design must have a designer. Nature is full of incredible design. The human body is a prime example.
The Bible Simply Assumes God’s Existence.
▰ Though we cannot use the Bible to prove that God exists, it is informative.
▻ (Genesis 1:1) “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
▻ (Psalms 90:2) “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art
God.”
What are God’s Primary Attributes?
▰ He is a Spirit (Jn 4:24) God has no body. He is invisible.
▰ He has Personality (Eph 1:9) Personality exists where there is intelligence, mind, will, reason, individuality, self-consciousness, self-determination,
and moral consciousness. God possesses each of these.
▰ He is Life (Jn 5:26) He has life, but he is life. He gives life to all that lives.
▰ He is Self-existent (Ex 3:14) God is the only eternal being. He has no beginning.
What are God’s Primary Attributes?
▰ He is Infinite (Ps 145:3, Ps 147:5) God has no limits.
▰ He is Changeless (Jas 1:17, He 13:8) God has never and will never change.
▰ He is Truth (Jn 17:3) All that he does is true, and he is the source and standard for all truth.
▰ He is Eternal (Ps 90:2)
▻ Though our minds cannot comprehend it, the Bible teaches that God has always existed and always will. He is the uncaused cause of all things. This is easier
to believe than the evolutionary dot that had no beginning and exploded in the Big Bang to create all things.
What are God’s Primary Attributes?
▰ He is Love (1Jn 4:8) God is love and he is the source and standard for all love.
▰ He is Wisdom (Rom 11:33, Col 2:3) God is wisdom. All wisdom comes from Him.
▰ He is Holy (Lev 11:45, 1Pe 1:16) God is set apart from all evil. He is sinless.
▰ He is Good (Mar 10:18) The goodness of God is seen in his mercy, his grace, his benevolence, and his long-suffering. (Read Elmer Towns for more
detail)
What are God’s Primary Attributes?
▰ He is Omniscient (Ps 139:1-6; Ps 147:4-5) [all-knowledge] God knows all things, even thoughts and secrets.
▰ He is Omnipresent (Ps 139:7-11) [all-presence] God is everywhere at the same time.
▰ He is Omnipotent (Ps 139:12-16; Jer 32:17) [all-power] God’s power has no limits. God can do anything.
▰ He is Sovereign (Ps 135:6) God is supreme over all. He yields to no power or authority
Review God the Divine Being
What is Theism?
The belief in the existence of a personal God who is the Creator, Preserver, and Ruler of all things.
To understand fully the nature and existence of God is an impossible task for us in this life. Elmer Towns
What does Romans 1:20 teach us about God?
Name a trustworthy evidence that God exists.
Name some of the attributes of God.
How does knowing God help in daily life?
▰ (Isa 40:28-31) “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not,
neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall
mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
▰ In what ways can knowing God help us this week?