I. CAN GOD BE KNOWN? HOW?
A. PROBLEM OF KNOWING GOD
1. OUR SINFULNESS -- ISAIAH 1:1-4
2. OUR LIMITATIONS -- HOSEA 4:1-2 & 6
B. GOD’S AWESOME MYSTERIOUSNESS
1. GOD IS INFINITE, MAN IS FINITE (ISAIAH 55:8-9)
2. GOD IS ETERNAL, MAN IS TEMPORAL
3. GOD CANNOT BE KNOWN THROUGH REASON
a. JOB 11:7, 37:23
b. 1 CORINTHIANS 1:21
4. GOD IS OTHER AN GREATER THAN MAN
C. IF THERE IS TO BE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, HE MUST GRANT IT. IT MUST COME FROM HIS SIDE OUT OF HIS MYSTERY ACROSS THE CHASM OF FINITUDE AND SIN. THIS IS REVELATION OR REVEALED KNOWLEDGE.
D. REVELATION -- UNVEILING
1. MATTHEW 16:17, EPHESIANS 3:3, COLOSSIANS 1:26
2. WHATEVER THE MYSTER OF GOD OR HIS WAYS, IT IS ONLY KNOWABLE IF IT IS REVEALED.
II. GENERAL REVELATION’S LOCATION
A. PSALMS 19:1-2; ROMANS 1:20; ACTS 14:17; GENESIS 1:26; ROMANS 2:15; PSALMS 33:12
B. HEAVENS AND EARTH -- GOD SHOWS ASPECTS OF HIS CHARACTER IN THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONING OF THE UNIVERSE.
1. REVEALS GOD’S ORDER, CARE, AND POWER.
C. MAN HIMSELF IN THE IMAGE OF GOD
1. DOMINION OVER WORLD
2. CAPACITY TO THINK, FEEL, FREEDOM TO ACT, SENSE OF RIGHT AND WRONG
3. MAN’S UNIVERSAL RELIGIOUSNESS
D. HISTORY -- BEARS IMPRINT OF GOD’S ACTIVITY
1. RISE AND FALL OF NATIONS SHOW RIGHTEOUSNESS PREVAILS
2. SPECIFIC PROVIDENCE OF GOD RELATING TO ISRAEL
III. CONTENT OF GENERAL REVELATION
A. GOD’S ETERNAL POWER AND REALITY
B. GOD’S BENEVOLENCE AND CONCERN FOR ALL CREATED ORDER
C. GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS (LAW POINTS TO A LAWGIVER)
IV. POTENTIAL OF GENERAL REVELATION
A. ROMANS 1:19-28
B. TRUTH IS SUPPRESSED
C. GOD IS DISHONORED
D. MAN’S HEART IS FURTHER DARKENED
E. MESSAGE OF GENERAL CAN ONLY FULLY BE SEEN BY THOSE WHO ARE A NEW CREATION
F. THERE IS A NEED FOR SPECIAL REVELATION -- BIBLE, CHRIST, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
V. GOD IS (EXODUS 3:14)
A. SCRIPTURE NEVER ATTEMPTS TO PROVE THERE IS A GOD (PSALMS 14:1; 53:1)
B. BELIEVING GOD EXISTS IS A CORNERSTONE OF FAITH (HEBREWS 11:6; PROVERBS 1:7)
C. CASE FOR GOD’S EXISTENCE
1. DESIGN
2. UNCAUSED EFFECT
3. LAWGIVER
4. GOD’S EXISTENCE HAS MORE EVIDENCE THAN YOUR EXISTENCE
VI. WHO IS GOD?
A. GOD IS LIVING
1. "LIVING GOD" DEUTERONOMY 5:26
2. "AS THE LORD LIVES" 1 SAMUEL 14:39
3. SON OF THE LIVING GOD MATTHEW 16:16
4. TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD 2 CORINTHIANS 6:16
5. CITY OF THE LIVING GOD HEBREWS 12:22
6. SEAL OF THE LIVING GOD REVELATION 7:2
7. AS OPPOSED TO DEAD IDOLS JEREMIAH 10:5
8. LIVING GOD CANNOT BE REDUCED TO A LIFELESS IMAGE
9. GOD=/=LIFE. HE IS THE SOURCE OF LIFE AND IS LIVING, BUT IS GREATER THAN LIFE.
10. HIS LIFE DID NOT COME FROM AND DOES NOT DEPEND ON ANOTHER SOURCE. HE IS THE SELF-EXISTENT ONE. THUS, GOD CANNOT DIE.
B. GOD IS PERSONAL
1. FATHER JOHN 20:17
2. KING 1 SAMUEL 12:12
3. JUDGE JUDGES 11:27
4. SHEPHERD PSALMS 80:1
5. HUSBAND JEREMIAH 31:32
6. FRIEND EXODUS 33:11
7. NAMES OF GOD
(A) JEHOVAH ELOHIM -- ETERNAL CREATOR -- GENESIS 2:4-25
(B) ADONAI JEHOVAH -- LORD OUR SOVEREIGN -- GENESIS 15:2
(C) JEHOVAH JIREH -- LORD WILL PROVIDE -- GENESIS 22:8-19
(D) JEHOVAH NISSI -- LORD OUR BANNER -- EXODUS 17:15
(E) JEHOVAH ROPHEKA -- LORD OUR HEALER -- EXODUS 15:26
(F) JEHOVAH SHALOM -- LORD OUR PEACE -- JUDGES 6:24
(G) JEHOVAH TSIDKENU -- LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS -- JEREMIAH 23:6
(H) JEHOVAH MEKADDISHKEM -- LORD OUR SANCTIFIER -- EXODUS 31:13
(I) JEHOVAH SABAOTH -- LORD OF ARMIES -- 1 SAMUEL 1:3
(J) JEHOVAH SHAMMAH -- LORD IS PRESENT -- EZEKIEL 48:35
(K) JEHOVAH ELYON -- LORD MOST HIGH -- PSALMS 7:17
(L) JEHOVAH ROHI -- LORD MY SHEPHER -- PSALMS 23:1
(M) JEHOVAH HOSEENU -- LORD OUR MAKER -- PSALMS 95:6
(N) JEHOVAH ELOHEENU -- LORD OUR GOD -- PSALMS 99:5
(O) JEHOVAH ELOHEKA -- LORD YOUR GOD -- EXODUS 20:2
(P) JEHOVAH ELOHAY -- LORD MY GOD -- ZECHARIAH 14:5
(Q) ELOHIM -- SUPREME CREATOR -- GENESIS 1:1
(R) YHWH -- SELF-EXISTENT, ETERNAL ONE (EXODUS 3:14)
(S) EL -- MIGHTY ONE
(T) JESUS -- MATTHEW 1:21-23
VII. HOLINESS OF GOD
A. GOD’S HOLINESS IS A FUNDAMENTAL FACT ABOUT GOD’S NATURE
1. ISAIAH 6:3; 43:3
B. WHEN GOD REVEALED HIMSELF TO MOSES, THE PREPARATION FOR THIS WAS THE REVELATION OF HIS HOLINESS (EXODUS 3:5)
C. GOD IS A PERSONAL GOD BUT NEVER IS HE TO BE TREATED CASUALLY FOR HE IS THE AWE-INSPIRING AND HOLY GOD
D. JESUS WAS THE SAME GOD OF HOLINESS
1. DEMONS RECOGNIZED THIS (LUKE 4:34)
2. DISCIPLES CONFESSED THIS (JOHN 6:69)
E. MERCIFUL REDEMPTION CAN ONLY BE TRULY UNDERSTOOD AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF A HOLY GOD WHO CANNOT TOLERATE SIN
F. TWO GREATEST MANIFESTATIONS OF THE HOLINESS OF GOD
1. CALVARY
2. HELL
G. GOD IS SO AWESOM, SO MAJESTIC, SO TOTALLY OTHER THAT HIS PRESENCE EVOKES A RESPONSE OF AWE, TERROR AND FEAR
1. REVELATION 1:16-17
2. GENESIS 28:17
3. JOSHUA 5:15
4. REVELATION 15:4
H. GOD IS PURE, UPRIGHT, RIGHTEOUS
1. HABAKKUK 1:13
2. PSALMS 25:8; 85:13; 89:14; 97:2
3. IN GOD IS NO TAINT OF ANYTHING UNCLEAN OR IMPURE (JAMES 1:13-17)
I. HOLINESS OF GOD IS SEEN IN OLD TESTAMENT RITUALS
1. ANYTHING THAT DEFILED A PERSON -- INWARDLY OR OUTWARDLY -- PREVENTED HIM FROM APPROACHING GOD AND HIS DWELLING PLACE
2. PASSOVER LAM HAD TO BE WITHOUT BLEMISH (EXODUS 12:5)
3. NEW TESTAMENT DEMANDS MORE THAN EXTERNAL PURITY
(a) MATTHEW 23:25-26
(b) MATTHEW 5:8 & 48
J. THERE IS JUSTICE WITH GOD -- EVENHANDED EQUALITY IN HIS RELATIONSHIP TO ALL PEOPLE (ROMANS 2:11)
K. SALVATION IS BY FAITH, BUT JUDGMENT IS ACCORDING TO WORKS
1. REVELATION 22:12
2. 1 CORINTHIANS 3:12-15
3. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:10-11
VIII. LOVE OF GOD
A. GOD’S LOVE IS A FUNDAMENTAL FACT ABOUT HIS NATURE (1 JOHN 4:8-10)
B. GOD’S LOVE IS NOT BASED ON ANYTHING WORTHY OF MERIT BUT IT IS BECAUSE OF GOD’S LOVING NATURE
1. DEUTERONOMY 6:7-8
2. JOHN 13:1 & 15:3
3. ROMANS 5:6-8
C. GOD’S LOVE IS ACTIVE, SEEKING, SELF-GIVING -- TOTALLY UNRELATED TO THE MERIT OR RESPONSE OF THOSE HE LOVES
1. WE LOVE AS A RESPONSE OR TO FIND FULFILLMENT IN THAT WHICH WE LOVE
2. GOD LOVES THE UNLOVELY, UNBEAUTIFUL, REPULSIVE AND GETS NOTHING IN RETURN EXCEPT CRUCIFIXION
D. GOD’S LOVE CAN ONLY FULLY BE UNDERSTOOD BY HIS ACTIONS
1. 1 JOHN 4:10
2. JOHN 3:16
E. GOD’S LOVE IS BEYOND OUR ABILITY TO COMPREHEND (EPHESIANS 3:17-19)
F. GRACE -- GOD’S ACT OF CONDESCENDING TO OUR DEPRAVITY TO BRING US SALVATION -- UNMERITED FAVOR (JOHN 1:14-17)
G. MERCY -- COMPASSION, FORBEARANCE, FORGIVENESS
1. EPHESIANS 2:4-5
2. PSALMS 119:156
H. LOVINGKINDNESS -- CONTINUING, ETERNAL LOVE
1. EXODUS 34:6-7
2. PSALMS 136:26
3. TITUS 3:4
I. GOODNESS -- THERE IS NO EVIL IN GOD
1. ROMANS 8:28
2. PSALMS 34:8
3. JAMES 1:13-17
IX. Providence of God is the overseeing care and guardianship of God for all His creation
A. He is lovingly concerned for His creation -- He did not create a world and leave it on its own
B. Matthew 10:29-30
C. Acts 14:17
X. Preservation -- God preserves, sustains and upholds
A. Whatever exists by God’s creative act would break apart and dissolve if God did not sustain it
B. Colossians 1:17
C. Hebrews 1:3
D. Nehemiah 9:6
E. Acts 17:27
XI. Direction -- God rules, guides, and governs all things to bring creation to a purpose it shall fulfill
A. He does not allow anything to get out of hand -- all things fulfill His intentions
B. This does not deny the freedom of man’s actions nor the evil in man’s intentions
C. God’s predetermined will and man’s free will being exercised are seen in the events of Scripture (cf Acts 2:23; 4:27-28)
D. Christian faith is the paradox of these two elements combined
1. God chose before the foundation of the world the elect
2. We respond to God with faith
E. Phillippians 2:12-13 -- You work out . . . for God is at work
XII. Why Suffering?
A. God placed man in a world over which we are to rule (Genesis 1:28)
B. There are laws which God has placed in the world that serve as the boundaries of our limitations and disregarding these laws results in pain
1. e.g. Law of gravity, fire, what is edible
C. Suffering is the result of sin and evil
D. Genesis 3:17-19 -- suffering because of sin affected the most central areas of life -- man’s work and woman’s motherhood
E. Galatians 6:7
F. Psalms 107:17
G. Ezekiel 33:11
H. As such suffering teaches us righteousness -- Isaiah 26:9
I. Suffering is part of the believer’s life of faith
J. Suffering is a means of spiritual growth
1. 1 Peter 1:6-7
2. 1 Peter 4:1-2
K. You can expect to suffer
1. 2 Timothy 3:12
2. John 15:20
3. 2 Timothy 1:11-12
4. 1 Peter 4:13-14
5. Phillippians 1:29-30
L. Suffering joins us with Christ and prepares us for the glory to come
1. 1 Peter 2:21
2. Phillippians 3:8-11
3. Romans 8:17-18
M. We can minister to others from the things which we suffer -- compassion literally means "shared suffering"
