“Our Great God”
Introduction
We now live in a culture where even those who claim to be evangelical Christians know very little about what they believe or what the Bible teaches. A common faith is essential to unity.
It is not necessary to agree upon all the little details but now more than ever, those who call themselves Christians must know what and why they believe. Jude encourages us to contend for the once for all delivered faith or system of beliefs.
Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. Jude 1:3
As I pondered this critical deficit in the church today, I decided to do something about it, at least in our church family. I have decided to reserve the first Sunday of each month to teach on our fundamental beliefs. I want you to know the basic truths of the Christian faith. We are part of a denomination called the Christian and Missionary Alliance which has an official statement of basic beliefs. I will use that statement of beliefs as the basis for our monthly theology focus.
“Theology” is a good word. It is a vital necessity for every good Christian. It is the “study or gathered knowledge” (ology) of God (Theo). Theology is the Study of God and what He has revealed to His creatures. It used to be considered the queen of all the possible courses of study. All of our Ivy League schools began as institutions devoted to the training of Pastors in the knowledge of God.
Systematic Theology is the gathering of the basic facts about God into some sort or organized system. Now God did not inspire a systematic theology. He revealed Himself in the context of history and relationships. There is a great deal of literature written by “theologians” (God experts). There are a number of Systematic Theologies. Each one organizes their findings under different topics. There are some commonalities between them. I have chosen to use the most common nine categories over this next year.
We will take one of the categories each month.
One could spend and entire year of at least and extended series on each of these categories.
It would be impossible to cover the topic in just one message. My intention is to present the brief doctrinal statement, provide an overview or outline of the topic and encourage a response or personal commitment.
THEOLOGY PROPER
There is one God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
There are some essential elements of this statement. We worship one God. The God we worship is perfect in every way. The God we worship has no limitations; He is infinite. The God we worship has existed from eternity in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is obviously much more to learn and know about the God we worship. These are the essential elements that distinguish us from many other groups.
I. The Existence of God
A. Detected (Sensed) by Intuition
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves. For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. Romans 1:18-19 NLT
B. Delivered (Passed on) by Tradition
We must not dismiss the power of the knowledge of a God passed down or not passed down from one generation to the next.
"His purpose in all of this was that the nations should seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As one of your own poets says, 'We are his offspring.' Acts 17:27-28 NLT
C. Deduced by Reason
1. Cause/Effect (Cosmological)
Everything we know has a cause. It is reasonable to assume that behind everything we see must be an initial cause.
2. Design (Teleological)
The intricacy of the universe from the furthest star in space to the tiniest microscopic atom leads one to logically assume there must be a master designer. Illustration: the watch and the watch maker. Three stones staked up on the beach. Romans 1 indicates that God has revealed himself in what he has made. Early science dedicated themselves to understand God better by understanding what he made.
From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. Romans 1:20
3. Morality (Anthropological)
Based on the fact that since man has a moral conscience and sense of right and wrong, there must be a moral lawgiver who made him that way. Man possesses a personality of mind, will emotion; there must an original personality from which it came.
4. Universal Belief
This argument assumes the existence of God from the fact that it seems to be a universal belief. All around the world, even in the remotest areas, we find belief in a supreme being of some kind. None of these arguments are conclusive. Neither do any of these arguments provide any detail as to what kind of God they indicate.
D. Declared by Revelation
1. The Written Word
Scripture does not attempt to prove the existence of God; it asserts, assumes, and declares that the knowledge of God is universal. It asserts that God has wrought his great truth in the very fabric of every man’s being, so that nowhere is He without this witness. The Bible provides specific reliable data concerning the nature of God and His dealings with His creation. Without specific revelation, man will devise his own view of what God is like.
But to the wicked God says, “What right have you to tell of My statutes and to take My covenant in your mouth? For you hate discipline, and you cast My words behind you. When you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you associate with adulterers. You let your mouth loose in evil and your tongue frames deceit. You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son. These things you have done and I kept silence; you thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.” Psalm 50:16-21
Many would never attempt to fashion or worship a God made of material things but have devised an idol in their own thoughts that does not correspond to what has been revealed.
2. The Living Word
For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. John 1:17-18
It is Jesus Christ who came to bring light concerning God and his love for mankind.
God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. Hebrews 1:1-2
Jesus said* to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? John 14:9
And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. "He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. John 12:44-45
II. The True Nature of God
A. God is not…
1. Persistent Policeman – God is a harsh judge
2. Parental Hangover – God is like my earthly parents
3. Celestial Santa Claus (hedonism view)
4. Cordial Creator – God is just a good buddy, the man upstairs
5. Inactive Initiator – God started it and stands off (Deism) detached deity
6. Fundamental Force – God is in everything (Pantheism) “mother nature”
7. Dueling Duo - equal force of good and evil (Dualism)
8. Smorgasbord Sovereign – many gods (Polytheism)
9. Human Holiness – man is the measure of all things (humanism)
10. Created crutch – there is no God (atheism)
11. Doubtful Deity – I don’t know or He can’t be known (agnosticism)
B. God is Spirit
"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:24
"See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." Luke 24:39
And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. Col. 1:15
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Tim. 1:17
Jesus took on flesh and physical attributes only at the incarnation. God, in His essence, is discerned and known on a spirit level and perceived within the soul/spirit of man. He could manifest physically, but His essence is spirit. The Israelites were cautioned not to try to represent God by any graven or physical image. The essence and nature of God is so infinite that no physical representation can properly communicate or accurately represent Him.
C. God is Personal
Scripture declares God to be personal, contrary to the view of pantheism which maintains that this universe, in its ever changing conditions, is but the manifestation of the one ever changing universal substance which is God; thus all, everything is God, and God is everything; God is all, all is God; a necessary but unconscious force working in the world. Scripture attributes to God all of the elements of personality such as intelligence, mind, will, reason, individuality, self-consciousness and self determination. In order to truly have communion, the elements of personality must be in both parties. God is person, not force or influence. This truth is all through Scripture in God’s interaction with His creation, in His very names, in declarations of thinking, feeling, and choosing.
D. God is a triunity
There are passages in the Bible which emphasize the fact that God is one. There is only ONE God. There are other passages that clearly indicate that there are three distinct personalities within that ONE God. Both are true. We must embrace the full teaching of Scripture as mysterious and incomprehensible it may be. Other than the fact that the Scripture teaches the truth of the Trinity, there are some practical considerations from the doctrine. It is the very essence of God to live in community. Throughout all eternity the Father, Son and Holy Spirit has existed in perfect, selfless community. Instilled in the depths of our soul as image bearers of the Trinity is a deep desire for true community. Ingrained in us is a passion for belonging to a closely related community of beings intimately acquainted with and committed to each other no matter what. Through Christ we have been invited to join in perfect unity with this Divine community and will enjoy that community for eternity. Jesus prayed that we would enjoy the same unity with each other that He has enjoyed with the other members of the Trinity and that we will all become one loving community forever.
E. God is infinitely perfect
The perfections or attributes of God can be categorized in a number of ways.
I have chosen to divide them up into three basic categories.
His absolute perfections – God is Great.
His relational perfections – God is Good.
His moral perfections -- God is Pure.
1. God is Great – His absolute perfections
These are the attributes that are only found in God. They are only true of Him.
God is infinite or incomprehensible (defies all limitations)
God is immutable (unchanging)
God is self-existent (uncaused, has life in Himself)
God is Self-sufficient (has no need)
God is eternal (no beginning or ending)
God is omnipotent (all powerful)
God is omniscient (all knowing)
God is omnipresent (everywhere present)
God is sovereign (absolute in authority)
2. God is Good – His relational perfections
God is relational (desires communion)
God is good (seeks the highest good for others)
God is loving (sacrificially gives what is necessary to promote meaningful relationship)
God is merciful (out of pity withholds what we truly deserve)
God is longsuffering (postpones punitive response)
God is forgiving (willingly forfeits repayment of a debt)
God is giving (grace joyfully gives apart from merit)
God is faithful (fulfills what He promises no matter what)
God is kind (supplies necessary needs of life)
3. God is Pure – His moral perfections
God is Holy (separated from all evil)
God is Righteous / Just (always does right)
God is wrath (productively responds to evil)
God is jealous (doesn’t tolerate infidelity)
God is truth (represents reality)
III. The Names of God
A. Primary Old Testament Names
Elohim – Almighty, strong one usually translated by the English word “God”. Uses 2,500
Yahweh (Jehovah) – the eternal I AM usually translated by the English word LORD (all caps)
Used 7000 times
Adonai – master, lord usually translated by the English word Lord (cap with lower case).
B. Secondary Old Testament compound names
These names are not technical names for God but are designations of God’s interaction with people through the Old Testament.
El Elyon—“The most high” (Gen 14:22).
Notice its use in connection with Lucifer’s desire to be like the Most High (Isa 14:14).
El Olam—“The everlasting God” (Gen 21:33).
Notice this use in connection with God’s inexhaustible strength (Is 40:28).
Yahweh Shalom—The Lord is peace (Judg 6:24).
El Shaddai—“The Almighty God” (Gen 17:1).
This probably derives from a related word which means “mountain” and pictures God as the overpowering almighty one standing on a mountain. The name is often used in connection with the chastening of God’s people, as in Ruth 1:20–21 and the thirty-one times it is used in the book of Job.
Yahweh Jireh—“The Lord provides”(Gen 22:14).
This is the only occurrence. After the angel of the Lord pointed to a ram as a substitute for Isaac, Abraham named the place, “the Lord provides.”
Yahweh Nissi—The Lord is my Banner (Ex 17:15).
Similarly, after the defeat of the Amalekites, Moses erected an altar and called it Yahweh Nissi. Actually this and the other compounds are not really names of God, but designations that grew out of commemorative events.
Yahweh Sabbaoth—“The Lord of hosts” (1 Sa 1:3).
The hosts are the angels of heaven which are ready to obey the Lord’s commands. This title was often used by the prophets (Isaiah and Jeremiah) during times of national distress to remind the people that Yahweh was still their Protector.
Yahweh Maccaddeshcem—The Lord thy Sanctifier (Ex 31:13).
Yahweh Roi—“The Lord ... my shepherd” (Ps 23:1).
Yahweh Tsidkenu—The Lord our Righteousness (Jer 23:6).
This title was a direct thrust against King Zedekiah (which means Yahweh is righteousness) who was a completely unrighteous king (2 Ch 36:12–13).
Yahweh Shammah—“The Lord is there” (Eze 48:35).
Yahweh Elohim Israel—“The Lord God of Israel” (Judg 5:3).
This is a designation frequently used by the prophets (Is 17:6), similar to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Qadosh Israel—“The Holy One of Israel” (Is 1:4).
This is not even an exhaustive list. God is referred to as our Rock, a Fortress, a Strong deliverer.
C. New Testament names
Time does not permit an exhaustive discussion of all the names used for Jesus or the Holy Spirit. We will take up those when we specifically address them later.
IV. The Designated Response to God
A. Seek Him
Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad. Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually. 1 Chronicles 16:10-11
Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Isaiah 55:6
B. Know Him
"This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3
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; 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. Jeremiah 9:23-24
C. Love Him
Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' Mark 12:29-30
D. Worship & Serve & Obey Him
"You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. Deuteronomy 6:13
"Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the LORD'S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? Deuteronomy 10:12-13
"You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:22-24
There is one God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
I will seek Him continually
I will know Him more fully
I will love Him exclusively
I will worship and serve Him passionately
