Who is GOD

Know What You Believe

Victory Christian Tabernacle

Rev. James A. May, Pastor

God

In this 2-day session on God will focus on

• Who is God

• How do we know there is a God

• God’s Attributes

• God is Personal

• God’s Love and Holiness

• The Triune God (explaining the Trinity)

Who is God

God Who is God?

[The Supreme Being; the eternal and infinite Spirit, the Creator, and the Sovereign of the universe;

Colossians 1:16-17 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. NKJV

The Bible teaches us that in all existence, from all eternity, there has been and always will be only one God. God was never created, is completely loving, completely just, completely holy, completely merciful, and that He desires the best for us. Bible says that He has always existed: " . . . even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God" (Psalm 90:2). And, "Your throne is established from of old; Thou art from everlasting" (Psalm 93:2). Quite simply, God has no beginning and no end. So, where did God come from? He didn't. He always was.

God is holy and He can have nothing to do with sin as the Bible says, "His eyes are too pure to look upon evil," (Hab. 1:13). This does not mean that God cannot see what someone does that is wrong. It is a way of describing how holy God is. God cannot sin. He is perfect.

God is a Trinity. This means that God is three “persons,” one God, not three gods. Technically, the doctrine of the Trinity states that in the one God is the person of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each is not the same “person” as the other; yet there are not three gods but one.]

God How do we know there is a God?

• The Bible says there is one God

Genesis 1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Isaiah 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me,

Psalm 90:2

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

Col. 1:16-17 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

Hebrews 11:1-3

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

God-Bible How do we know the bible is authentic?

2 Tim. 3:15-16 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

The phrase “thus says the Lord” occurs over 3,600 times in the Bible

God-Bible

History—in all the years of criticism by the skeptics and enemies of the church, no one has ever been able to identify even one historical mistake anywhere in the Bible. That’s truly amazing, because if man wrote it, who were not inspired by God, we would surely find historical errors after all these years, but there are none. How do you explain this? This book did not come to us simply from the hand of man, but from the hand of God.

Archaeology—out of all the 25,000 archaeological finds relating to the people, places, and events in the Bible, how many do you suppose have been found that disprove a detail of the Biblical record? You’d expect that some would disprove something, right? How many have? None! In fact every discovery just continues to prove the Bible is true—great proof for the accuracy and trustworthiness of the Bible. If we can believe the historical and archaeological evidence for the Bible, we have great support to believe the spiritual accuracy of the book?

Prophecy—fulfilled prophecy is unique to the Bible alone. 333 prophecies about Jesus fulfilled. Over 2,000 prophecies in the Bible fulfilled. Out of all the religious and spiritual guidebooks of history, the Bible stands out all by itself in this area. There is no other book like it in the history of mankind!

Non Christian Writings

Flavius Josephus (AD 37?-101?) a Jewish historian

Tacitus (A.D. c.55-A.D. c.117, Roman historian

Pliny the Younger (AD 112.) mentioned Christ. Pliny was governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor.

God 1) Our belief or lack of it inevitably *[in-ev-i-tuh-buhl] *unable to be

avoided, evaded, or escaped; certain; necessary: The inevitable end of

human life is death. That which is unavoidable].

translates into three things

• Our actions

• Our attitudes

• Our view of the world

• Hebrew 11 list many faithful followers, describing

them by what they did rather than by what they

said or professed as their belief.

Hebrews 11 24 “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the

son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin…27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. (Hebrews 11:24-25, 27-29).

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”;[a] for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God [Genesis 5:24]. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith

God 2.) God is described by many as one of

the following ways:

1.“a pure mathematical mind”

2. “a shadowy superhuman cloud or force,”

3. “a ball of fire ready to consume us,”

4. “Sparks of life to which we will be reunited,”

5. “a sentimental grandfather in the sky, or

6. “a fearful celestial policeman.”

God 3.) Our personal concept of God-when we pray, for instance-is

worthless unless it is coherent and coincides with His self-revelation.

• "He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:6. Jesus said to His disciples, "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark 11:24. Do we take Him at His word?

• The assurance is broad and unlimited, and He is faithful who has promised. When we do not receive the very things we asked for, at the time we ask, we are still to believe that the Lord hears and that He will answer our prayers. We are so erring and short-sighted that we sometimes ask for things that would not be a blessing to us, and our heavenly Father in love answers our prayers by giving us that which will be for our highest good--that which we ourselves would desire if with vision divinely enlightened we could see all things as they really are. When our prayers seem not to be answered, we are to cling to the promise; for the time of answering will surely come, and we shall receive the blessing we need most.

• But to claim that prayer will always be answered in the very way and for the particular thing that we desire, is presumption. God is too wise to err, and too good to withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly. Then do not fear to trust Him, even though you do not see the immediate answer to your prayers. Rely upon His sure promise, "Ask, and it shall be given you."

4.) God’s Natural Attributes

• The terms that describe the nature of God

are known as His attributes. They are

classified as his “natural” attributes and

“moral” attributes.

God’s Natural Attributes

• SELF-EXISTENCE

• ABSOLUTENESS

• INFINITY

• OMNISCIENCE

• OMNIPOTENCE

• ETERNITY

• OMNIPRESENCE

• UNITY

God’s Moral Attributes

• Love: 1 Jn 4:8,16

• Light (truth): 1 Jn 1:5; John 17:17

• Holiness: 1 Pet 1:16

• Mercy: Ps 103:8

• Gentleness: Ps 18:35

• Righteousness: Ps 129:4

• Goodness: Rom 2:4

• Perfection: Matthew 5:48

• Justice: Isaiah 45:21

• Faithfulness: 1 Corinthians 10:13

• Grace: Psalm 103:8

God is transcendent 5.a) God is transcendent, excels above all

God has revealed himself to be a transcendent and holy God. He is reveled as the creator of all things and one who holds all things together . God is exceedingly far above creation, and is both greater than creation and independent of it. Scripture references:

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters [Gen 1-2]. NKJV.

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist [Col 1:15-17]. NKJV.

39 Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. 39 Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other [Deuteronomy 4:39]NKJV.

6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God [Isaiah 44:6].

2. He is exalted and eternal, the world’s Creator, Sovereign, and Judge [Gen 1-2]. NKJV. Deuteronomy 3:24, - Job 42:2, Psalm 145:13-14 -Psalm 145:19-20 -Genesis 18:25, Judges 11:27, I Samuel 2:10 Psalms 50:6; Psalms 96:13; Psalms 98:9; Isaiah 3:13; Isaiah 33:22; Jeremiah 11:20; Ezekiel 18:30; Ezekiel 33:20; Hebrews 12:23; I Peter 1:17; Matthew 12:27

Sovereignty of God

5.b) The Sovereignty of God is the biblical teaching that all things are under God's rule and control, and that nothing happens without His direction or permission. God works not just some things but all things according to the counsel of His own will (*Eph. 1:11). His purposes are all-inclusive and never thwarted ( Isa. 46:11); nothing takes Him by surprise. The sovereignty of God is not merely that God has the power and right to govern all things, but that He does so, always and without exception.

God is transcendent

5.c)Transcendence – The “high and lofty One who lives forever, whose name is set apart.

The transcendence of God is closely related to his sovereignty. Transcendence means literally, "to climb across." It is defined as "exceeding the usual limits." When we speak of the transcendence of God we are talking about that sense in which God is above and beyond us. He is higher than the world. He has absolute power over the world. The world has no power over Him. It means that God is above, other than, and distinct from all he has made - he transcends it all. Paul says that there is "one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:6). Scripture also say, "For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods (Psalms 97:9; -Psalms 97:9-108:5).

a. 8 “ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. 9 “ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

b. 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.[ Ephesians 4:6]

God is immanent

*5.d)God is immanent, near, as well as transcendent [Isaiah 57:15]

The literal meaning of the immanence of God is "to be within" or "near" in relation to God's creation. Immanence is closely related to God's omnipresence, in that he is always present within the universe, though distinct from it. God is 'within' the universe in that he is its sustaining cause

a. The dictionary defines immanence as: "existing in, and extending into, all parts of the created world." When we say that God is immanent we are affirming that God is close to us. Though God is great and far superior and different from us . . . He is also personal. He condescends (or lowers Himself) to be close to us and to be known by us.

God is immanent

The immanence of God is important to us for several reasons.

• First, because God is Immanent we can Know Him.

• Second, Because God is Immanent we can have a relationship with Him. (1 Timothy 2:5,6) 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

• Notice what these verses tell us. First, we are told that Jesus is the only way to a relationship with God. There is ONE God and ONE mediator, and that mediator is Jesus. But understand that we are not saying that Jesus is the only mediator because He is our favorite. We are proclaiming that Jesus is the only mediator because He is the only one qualified to be the mediator.

God is immanent

• Because God is immanent we can depend on Him. God will always be available. He is always there when we need Him. We can't say that for our friends and family. Sometimes we are not home, sometimes we are involved in something we can't get away from, sometimes we are on the Internet and you can't get hold of us!! That will never happen with the Lord. When we need Him (which is always) He will be there. The Lord NEVER fails. Nations will crumble, financial reserves can disappear, health can be snatched in a moment, friends may disappoint, but the Lord will never fail.

• [Matthew 24:35NKJV] 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33

God is omnipotent

“om·nip·o·tent” • 5.e) God is omnipotent, all powerful.

The attribute of God which describes his ability to do whatever He wills. God's will is limited by His nature, and He therefore cannot do anything contrary to His nature as God, such as to ignore sin, to sin, or to do something absurd or self-contradictory. God is not controlled by His power, but has complete control over it; otherwise He would not be a free being. To a certain extent, He has voluntarily limited Himself by the free will of His rational creatures.

• b. This means that if God says something will happen. He has the power to make sure that it will happen. Therefore, when He promises eternal life to those who believe in Christ, He has the power to grant it. Just as He cannot sin, He has the power to forgive those who do.

Revelation 19:6 Matthew 19:26 Jeremiah 32:17,27 Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

God is omnipresent

“om·ni·pres·ent”

5.f)God is omnipresent, in all places, all the time.

The attribute of God by which He fills the universe in all its parts and is present everywhere at once. Not a part, but the whole of God is present in every place.

*Psalm 139:8 NKJV

8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

Jeremiah 23:23,24

Am I a God near at hand,” says the LORD, “ And not a God afar off? 24 Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the LORD; “ Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD.

I Kings 8:27

All of Him is within each of us – His power,

knowledge, and all His other characteristics

1 Corinthians 3:16 (NKJV)

16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Luke 17:21 NKJV

21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there! For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NKJV)

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

This is the Lord telling us that we can look within ourselves and find the holiness of His perfect Kingdom, through the Presence of the Holy Spirit

God is omniscient

“om·ni·scient”

• God is omniscient, knows everything

• The attribute of God by which God perfectly and eternally knows all things which can be known, past, present, and future. God knows how best to attain His desired ends.

• a. This, like omnipresence, demonstrates that man cannot hide from God because God knows all things. He knows the number of hairs on each head, He knows the heart and thoughts of every man. Just because no man is around to see us do wrong doesn't mean nobody saw it happen - God did.

b. The proverbial tree falling in the forest that doesn't make a sound because no man was there to see it or know about it falling at that time, God sees and knows. Our intentions in the things we do are known to God. We need to be sure that our attitudes are congruent with our actions because God knows when we are doing things for the wrong reasons or motives.

God is omniscient

• Job 37:16 Perfect in knowledge

• Psalm 147:5 His understanding is infinite

• Acts 15:18 All His works from beginning

• 1 John. 3:20 God knoweth all things

• Hebrews 4:13 All things opened unto His eyes

• Psalm 139:1-6, 23 Hast searched me and known me

• Isaiah 40:13, 14, 28 Who hath taught Him?

• Romans 11:33, 34 O the depths of the riches

God is eternal 5.g) God is eternal, timeless.

• Eternal refers to the endless past, the unending future, or to

God's present experience of all time. God has no beginning as man can understand beginning and no ending either, but God exists now and knows both the beginning and the end as we perceive them. So, where did God come from? He didn't. He always was.

• This also points to how much we can trust God. Since He created time as we know it, He lives outside of time and can see the beginning and the end of our lives and the age of men and the church. Therefore when He tells us what events will precede and be a part of the end of the age, we can rest assured that those events will happen just as He described. More than that though, we can live with the peace of knowing that when we die we will be with Him forever without end. A day will be as a thousand years.

God is eternal • Psalm 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.

• Genesis 21:33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.

• Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

• Deuteronomy 33:27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

I Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen

God is infinite

• God is infinite, unlimited.

The infinite nature of God simply means that God exists outside of and is not limited by time or space. Infinite simply means “without limits.” When we refer to God as "infinite," we generally refer to Him with terms like omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence.

Because God is infinite, He is also said to be transcendent, which simply means that God is exceedingly far above creation, and is both greater than creation and independent of it. What this means is that God is so infinitely above and beyond us and our ability to fully comprehend that, had He not revealed Himself, we would not know or understand what He is like. But, thankfully, God has not left us in the dark about Himself.

God is infinite

• Psalm 145:3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

• II Chronicles 2:5 & 6 And the house that I build is great: for great is our God above all Gods. But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?

• I Kings 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded.

• Jeremiah 23:24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.

God is unchangeable

• God is unchangeable, does not vary, Immutable.

• The perfection of God by which He is devoid of all change in essence, attributes, consciousness, will, and promises. No change is possible in God, because all change must be to better or worse, and God is absolute perfection. No cause for change in God exists, either in Himself or outside of Him. For God to be God, He must be perfect, and that alone pre-empts the possibility of change in Him.

• Perfection means perfection. There is no reason for God to change because there is no change that would make Him better. However, man should be striving to be found complete and perfect in God's eyes.

God is unchangeable

• God is not volatile [explosive, tending to fluctuate sharply and regularly, tending or threatening to break out into open violence] or capricious [subject to, led by, or indicative of caprice or whim; erratic: 2- Obsolete]

• His love is steadfast and constant and is not subject to the ebb and flow of human love [Psalms 107]. He is unchangeably against injustice, cruelty, or deceit.

• God never changes. When He seems to be different, it might be because we have changed and in so doing have come into a different relationship with him.

God is unchangeable

• Psalm 102:27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

• James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

• Malachi 3:6 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

• Hebrews 6:17 & 18 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.

God is Personal

• God is Personal

• God is personal; He is a person, He is all-

wise, infinite, eternal and changeless. Our

spirits can communicate with His spirit,

this One who has disclosed Himself as all-

powerful, all wise, infinite, eternal and

changeless.

God’s “Moral” Attributes

• 6.) God’s “Moral” Attributes

• Holiness is the sum total of the perfection of God, perhaps the most comprehensive of all of God’s attributes.

• Habakkuk 1:13 (NKJV)

• 13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness. Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours. A person more righteous than he?

• Holiness has, for that reason, been called the attribute of attributes. God loves. His love is divine, a perfect love. 1 John 4:8-10, John 3:16.

• God is love was ultimately expressed and personified in Jesus’ three year ministry. Mark 1:41, Luke 15:1, Matthew 23:27, Luke 7:34 and Mark 10:16

• [Mark 10:16 (NKJV)] 16 And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

God’s Love and Holiness

7.) Love and Holiness

• *1John 4:8

• Deut. 33:27

• The promise of the Redeemer, the covenant with Israel, and the final giving of eternal life through the cross were all motivated by His love and mercy.

• Some people wrongly suggest that the God of the Old Testament is a God of wrath and anger, while the New Testament portrays God in Christ as love and gentleness.

• The God of the Old Testament, who repeatedly had mercy on the Israelites and saved them form their own perversions, is the same Lord Jesus who wept over Jerusalem because her people killed the prophets and would not return to the Lord. Matt.23:37.

• [God’s love is unfailing. At least 24 times the term unfailing is paired with God’s love in the Book of Psalms. [NRSV]. Unfailing and enduring go together and express the certainty that any time we seek God, we will find He always loves us.]

• *Psalms 57

Our Triune God

8.) Our Triune God

The word trinity does not occur anywhere in the bible, but the fact is inescapable and does not mean the idea is a later development or a product of philosophic speculation. The words "omniscience," which means "all knowing," "omnipotence," which means "all powerful," and "omnipresence," which means "present everywhere," are not found in the Bible either. But we use these words to describe the attributes of God. So, to say that the Trinity isn't true because the word isn't in the Bible is an invalid argument.

*God is one being, but He exist in three persons.

The Old Testament begins using the Hebrew word Elohim for “God,” the plural form of the general name “el” meaning God.

John explicitly identifies Jesus Christ, the Son, “the Word,” with the same words John 1:1-3, 14.

We must not allow the scriptural truth of the trinity to deprive us of the equally important teaching that there is only one God. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one.

In the New Testament, the distinctness of the persons of the Godhead is made clearer. Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

Our Triune God

• Salvation itself portrays the work of the

triune God

• 2 Cor 13:14

• Roman 1:7

• Col 1:13,15

• Titus 3:4

• Acts 5:4

Our Triune God

9.) A Semantic Problem

Part of the problem of understanding the trinity is the inadequacy of human words to express divine reality.

“Person” used in human terms implies independence, not oneness of will and actions, and feelings as is true of the Trinity.

The Divine Spirit executes Trinity is one self-conscious, self-directing being, yet no part every acts independently, or in opposition to the others. He is one in essence, in personality, and will.

The Son and the Spirit are said to be “subordinate” to the Father, but this does not mean they are inferior. Their subordination had been called a matter of relationship, not of nature.

Our Triune God

10.) Subordinate Not Inferior

The Father originates, the Son reveals, and the Spirit executes.

[We can see that the Father is first, the Son is second, and the Holy Spirit is third. The Father is not begotten, but the Son is (John 3:16). The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father (John 5:26). The Father sent the Son (1 John 4:10). The Son and the Father send the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 15:26). The Father creates (Isaiah 44:24), the Son redeems (Gal. 3:13), and the Holy Spirit sanctifies (Rom. 15:16). This subordination of order does not mean that each of the members of the Godhead are not equal or divine. For example, we see that the Father sent the Son. But this does not mean that the Son is not equal to the Father in essence and divine nature. The Son is equal to the Father in his divinity.

Creation is from the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit.

Our Triune God

• An Illustration

Basically, the universe consists of three

elements: Time, Space, and Matter. Each

of these is comprised of three

'components.'

As the Trinity doctrine maintains, each of the persons of the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is distinct, yet they are all each, by nature, God. With time, for example, the past is distinct from the present, which is distinct from the future. Each is simultaneous. Yet, they are not three 'times,' but one. That is, they all share the same nature: time

With space, height is distinct from width, which is distinct from depth, which is distinct from height. Yet, they are not three 'spaces,' but one. That is, they all share the same nature: space.

With matter, solid is not the same as liquid, which is not the same as gas, which is not the same as solid. Yet, they are not three 'matters,' but one. That is, they all share the same nature: matter.

Note that there are three sets of threes. In other words, there is a trinity of trinities. If we were to look at the universe and notice these qualities within it, is it fair to say that these are the fingerprints of God upon His creation? I think so. Not only is this simply an observation, but it is also a good source for an analogy of the Trinity.

Our Triune God

Not 1+1+1=3 But

1x1x1=1

Our Triune God

Two Major Heresies about the Trinity

• Three separate and distinct persons in the Godhead. Those who held this view claimed that Father, Son and Holy Spirit are merely different manifestations of the one God.

• The persons of the trinity that the Godhead ended up being divided.

• In more recent time, some movements, such as Unitarianism (theology is the belief in the single personality of God, in contrast to the doctrine of the Trinity), Russellism (Jehovah’s Witness), and Mormonism (term used to describe the religious, ideological and cultural elements of the Latter Day Saint movement, and specifically, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, those who believed in the Book of Mormon), assign Jesus and the Holy Spirit a nature and position below that of true deity.

God’s Will and Providence

• God’s Will and Providence

• [All things being created by Him, were created for him; being made by his power, they were made according to his pleasure, and for his praise and glory. He not only created them all at first, but it is by the word of his power that they are upheld].

• In Ephesians 1:11 we are told that God "works all things according to the counsel of His will." And consider the words of Romans 11:36: "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.

• Acts 4:8

• Col.1:17

• Eph. 1:11

God’s Will and Providence

Colossians 1:15-18 NKJV 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

God’s Eternal Plan

• 11.) God’s Eternal Plan

God’s control of the universe is often spoken of the terms of His decrees.

• Gen. 1:1

• Col. 1:16-17

• [God decrees will take place. This is God's decisive or decretive will. It is unconditional and effectual. There is nothing outside of God himself that would or could compel him to perform his decisive will. It is theologically certain in that it must necessarily come about because God willed it. That which God intends by his decisive will is certain to be actualized. Furthermore, everything which God decisively performs is only good, since he cannot perform evil (Gen. 1:31; Jam. 1: 13, 17; 1 Jn. 1:5). Examples of God's decisive will would be the intent to create (Gen. 1:3, 6, 14, et al.) and to redeem (Acts 2:23; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pt. 1:20)].

• To God, everything happens in one eternal movement. God’s absolute decrees are always accomplished.

• People may disobey God’s purposes for His creatures. We have a responsibility for our individual lives and what we do with them Isa. 40:13.

Free Will?

11.) What about Free Will?

First a person’s will is always a relatively small part of any given circumstance. People have no control over when or where they are born, or their abilities, disabilities, advantages or disadvantages they are given at birth.

God foreknowledge is not in itself the cause of what happens 2 Tim. 4:10.

[Free will does not stop becoming free because God knows what will happen. For God to know what a person will choose does not mean that the person has no freedom to make the choice. It simply means that God knows what the person will choose. This is necessarily so since God knows all things (1 Joh 3:20)].

*The sovereignty of God and the free will of many appear on the surface to be irreconcilable. Nevertheless, both exit. We may take comfort that divine sovereignty is exercised by a trustworthy, all-loving, all knowing God.

Also, His sovereignty in no way lessens our freedom, or our privilege and responsibility to know and do His good will. Increased knowledge of Him brings out deep trust and unbridled worship at every turn of life. Deu. 10:17, 20-21

Questions?