Lesson 5 - Doctrine of God

Question 1

How does Revelation 4-5 shine light on the doctrine of God in relation to the divine names?

Answer 1

The Christian doctrine of God seeks to interpret the divine names revealed in Holy Scripture that the church might hallow God’s name above all things in trust, hope, and adoration, in prayer and in praise.

a. ) Trinity - Spirit (4:2), Throne (4:2), Lion and Lamb (5:5-6)
b. ) Tetragrammation and Commentaries (4;8) - Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty

c. ) Works of God
- Nature, Creation, Providence (4:11)
- Grace (5:9-10) - works of the past
- Glory (5:10 b) - works of the future

d.) Character of praise: 4:9 - give glory, honor, and praise

Question 2

How does the threefold way describe God?

Answer 2

1. ) Way of Causality (Firstness) - God is the source/paradigm of all creaturely perfection (Rom. 11:36, Col. 1:16, John 1:1-3)
2. ) Way of Eminence (Fullness) - God is supreme in His perfection (Phil. 2:9, Ephesians 1:21)
3. ) Way of Negation (Infinitude) - God is set apart from all creaturely modes of perfection; Ex. invisible, immortal (Rom. 1:20-23, 1 Tim. 1:17, John 1:18)

This three-fold way works as a scale or grammar for divine naming

Question 3

What are the distinctions between literal and metaphorical names for God?

Answer 3

The distinctions between the literal and metaphorical names of God are that the literal names of God are what God is, such as good, loving, righteous, or holy. The metaphorical names are the names of God that further describe what his goodness, love, or righteousness look like, but aren’t actually what God is. For example, when the Psalmist says that “the Lord is my rock” (Psalm 18:2), he does not literally mean God is a rock. He is using the concrete object of a rock to describe something literally about God, that he is strong, powerful, and a protector of Israel against their enemies. Another example is in Psalm 36 when God is describes as the “fountain of life” (Psalm 36:9). God is not actually a fountain, but this is showing that God is the source of life itself. That God is the supreme being of life and all life flows from Him. The literal shows us what God is and the metaphorical names throughout Scripture helps creatures further understand how God is those things. He is not just abstractly our provider, but provides for His people like a shepherd does his sheep (Psalm 23).