Grow: Theology - Week 3 - Who Is God?
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Handout
I. A few words on the existence of God
I. A few words on the existence of God
A. The Bible assumes God’s existence since its readers already believed in God.
A. The Bible assumes God’s existence since its readers already believed in God.
Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning, God…
That’s it, that’s all we get.
So that begs the question. Where do we go to learn about God?
3 sources of revelation. Revelation is what we call it when God reveals Himself.
B. God uses three methods to reveal Himself.
B. God uses three methods to reveal Himself.
1 - Natural Revelation
This is sometimes called general revelation
Psalm 19:1-4a; Romans 1:18-21.
We can know God exists through what is seen in nature.
Atheism is taught. - tribes in jungles have gods
Even some of God’s attributes can be seen through creation. Eternal power.
2 - Special Revelation
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21.
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
This is special revelation or Scripture.
Kurt talked about this last week.
3 - Personal Revelation
John 1:18; 5:39.
18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
Jesus reveals God.
39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;
The book of Hebrews begins with the idea that God had spoken previously through His Word, but now speaks through His Son.
God reveals Himself through the person of Jesus Christ.
II. What is God like?
II. What is God like?
A. Exodus 33:12 – 34:8; Jeremiah 9:23-24.
A. Exodus 33:12 – 34:8; Jeremiah 9:23-24.
What does that passage tell us about what God is like?
v. 14 God gives us His presence and rest
vv. 18-20 God acts and moves according to His own will, plan, and purpose. God is willing to reveal Himself to us but knows that we cannot handle the full weight of his glory!
There is an old hymn - He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock and covers me there with His hand. The point of the song is the love and care of God.
Here we see the love and care of God. You can see my back, but not my face.
Here is the thing. One day, when we have our glorified bodies, we will see Him face to face. John says we will be known as we are known.
Chapter 34 Moses cuts the stone tablets.
34:5-8 - Compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and truth!
He keeps lovingkindness for thousands! He forgives! And yet, He punishes the guilty.
How can He do both? - Keep that question in mind for Christology and Soteriology.
23 Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.
Boast in understanding and knowing Him!
What is He like?
Lovingkindness - mercy - steadfast love
Just - we could use justice
Righteous - a righteous ruler would be nice.
He delights in these things!
B. Yahweh’s divine qualities
B. Yahweh’s divine qualities
(see handout, Yahweh’s Many-Splendored Character)
Not time to review in depth, but lets go through this really quickly.
QUESTIONS?
III. Yahweh is a trinity
III. Yahweh is a trinity
A. Preliminary concepts
A. Preliminary concepts
1. Being – One in being. Anything that exists is a being
God is an existent entity, a reality with agency and characteristics, not just a concept or idea; God has a distinct nature and is capable of interacting with the world, possessing attributes like consciousness, will, and power, even if beyond human comprehension.
God is a being.
God has a…
2. Nature – All essential qualities - (attributes)
We talked about these earlier.
3. Person – A set of rational properties, self reflective
Person is really important.
God is a person which means he has personality. He is not merely a force or influence.
Intellect (mind), will, emotion (sensibility).
Proverbs 15:3 - Intellect
3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Watching the evil and the good.
He sees with comprehension - this requires intelect.
Isaiah 46:10-11 - Will
10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; 11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.
Desires and plans
John 3:16 - Emotion
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
We see this in each person of the God-head.
They each think, reason, and show emotion.
He is knowable and therefore we can have a relationship with Him. More on that later.
B. Yahweh is tripersonal –
B. Yahweh is tripersonal –
One being, one entity - three persons
Distinct and one
PICTURE
Co-equal, co-essential, co-eternal.
EXPLAIN
C. Two mistakes
C. Two mistakes
1. Overemphasis on Yahweh unity - Modalism.
Father, son, spirit = modes of one God.
No. Distinct persons.
2. Overemphasis on Separateness of the persons - Partialism.
If they are too distinct we have 3 Gods.
Balance
D. Biblical support
D. Biblical support
1. The Hebrew scriptures firmly establish Yahweh as one being and the New Testament reaffirms this truth.
Deuteronomy 6:4; Romans 3:29-30; James 2:19
4 “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!
Elohim is plural - not proof of trinity but indication of it.
29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.
The God who will justify through faith is one.
19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
God is one.
We worship God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity.
Deity of the Father is usually not disputed.
2. The New Testament also affirms . . .
a. Jesus (the Son) is Yahweh (God)
John 1:1, 14; Hebrews 1:8
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The Word was God, the Word became flesh. THIS IS JESUS!
8 But of the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.
Father calls the Son God.
b. The Holy Spirit is God
Acts 5:3-4
3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? 4 “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
Lied to HS, not lied to men but to God.
c. The Father is Distinct from the Son
In John 17, and other passages, Jesus prays to the Father. He isn’t praying to Himself.
Jesus says that he and the Father are one, yet He also says that His Father has works and He has works.
He speaks of the Father giving Him glory, and disciples, and authority.
Earlier we looked at Heb. 1:8 - the father speaks to the Son.
Jesus’ baptism, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.
d. The Holy Spirit is Distinct from the Father and the Son
We baptize at Jesus direction in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Two more quick passages
16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
All 3 persons of the godhead present here.
Jesus being baptized, Father as a voice, Spirit as a dove.
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
Paul refers to them as distinct.
E. Roles and functions of the divine persons
E. Roles and functions of the divine persons
Different and distinct
Father – Planner
Let us make man in our image - Gen. 1:26-27
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Son – Implementing plans
Colossians 1:16-17 - v. 13 makes it clear this is Christ. He created all things.
16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Spirit – Empowering the plan
In Genesis He hovers (or vibrates) over the waters. He places the Jesus in the womb of Mary.
Ephesians 4:30 - the Holy Spirit seals believers. He is the one who places us into the body of Christ.
30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
F. Why is the doctrine of the Trinity significant?
F. Why is the doctrine of the Trinity significant?
1. It reinforces that Yahweh is a personal God
We can know Him! He is a person!
2. It reveals the God-head as relational with each other
They interact and know one another.
3. We experience a relationship with each person of the God-head
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit engage with us as NT believers differently.
The Father - loved and sent
The Son - came and purchased
The Spirit - convicts (draws) and seals
4. Prayer can be made to each person
Church has model prayers each Wednesday.
5. Worship is to be given to each person
With the understanding that each member of the God-head is God.
God the Father
God the Son
God the Holy Spirit
Model of community found in trinity
G. Athanasian Creed
G. Athanasian Creed
(see handout)
“We worship one God in trinity and trinity in unity neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance.”
QUESTIONS?
IV. Yahweh’s activities
IV. Yahweh’s activities
Mentioned Colossians 1 earlier but let’s go there.
Colossians 1:13-20.
in v. 16 we see God as…
A. Creator
A. Creator
Gen. 1:1 - in the beginning God created.
He spoke all things into existence!
Interesting fact - all three persons credited with creation
6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
Father and Son both credited here. In Col. we saw it was the Son.
4 “The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Job credits the Holy Spirit with making him - creation.
in verse 17 we see God as…
B. Sustainer
B. Sustainer
28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’
We live and move and exist in Him!
3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
He upholds all things by the word of His power!
in vv. 13-14 we see God as…
C. Redeemer
C. Redeemer
He rescued us! He transferred us! He redeemed us!
Go to
Romans 8:18-23
Creation itself is waiting for redemption.
As are we all.
God is going to restore all things.
QUESTIONS?
V. Yahweh’s desire
V. Yahweh’s desire
God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
God desires an intimate relationship with His image bearers.
- This is both His Original Desire and His Ongoing Desire
Genesis 3 - walking in the garden in the cool of the day. Why? Relationship.
God didn’t create us because He lacked anything. Created us to fellowship. For enjoyment in relationship.
Sin is an issue because it breaks fellowship with God!
We’ll see what God does about sin in Hamartiology, Christology, and Soteriology.
Everything about the Christian life is directed at this goal of restored relationship and fellowship.
Christ coming, dying, rising, and one day coming again is all about relationship.
Not just a future relationship, one right now.
We already mentioned this but another desire is to restore creation.
VI. Yahweh’s plans
VI. Yahweh’s plans
Redeem – Removal of sin/evil
We will get into this more in Eschatology, but this is God’s plan.
Go with me to
2 Corinthians 5:14-20
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?
There is obviously so much more we could say about God. So we will, when we talk about the Holy Spirit and Christ.
To wrap all this up, let me say this.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Everything God has revealed about Himself is directed toward one goal, a personal relationship with you and me.
The depth of that relationship depends on our submission to Him.
Learning all this information has no eternal benefit if it doesn’t drive us deeper into relationship with our triune God.
