009 - 04 - Lesson 4: Why Call the “Necessary Being” GOD?

Lesson 4: Why Call the “Necessary Being” GOD?

Review: In the last lesson we concluded that the existence of that which is contingent (depends on something else to exist) can only be explained by that which is necessary (does not depend on something else). But why should we think this necessary being is God?

The Necessary Being Must Be…

Eternal Whatever is necessary doesn’t depend on anything to come into existence or to stay in existence. Since it does not come to be or pass away, it always exists.

Peek ahead – Psalm 90.2

Psalm 90:2 ESV

2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Immaterial Whatever is necessary can’t be made up of parts, since it would depend on those parts to exist, and on someone or something to assemble them. Since it is not made up of parts, it isn’t material.

Peek ahead – Deuteronomy 4.15-19

Deuteronomy 4:15–19 ESV

15 “Therefore watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, 16 beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 17 the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, 18 the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth. 19 And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.

Immutable (unchanging) Whatever is contingent depends on something that is potential to be made actual (like a tomato depends on a tomato plant’s potential to be made actual by water, sun, soil, etc). Since whatever is necessary has no potential that needs to be made actual, it doesn’t change.

Peek ahead – Acts 17.25; James 1.17

Acts 17:25 ESV

25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

James 1:17 ESV

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Unique The only way to distinguish two beings is by age, appearance, or abilities. But the necessary being is eternal, immaterial, and immutable. So there can only be one.

Peek ahead – Deuteronomy 6.4

Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Your Notes and Questions