Person of God

Question 1

How does scripture define God?

Answer 1

Father - Matthew 6:8-9, Galatians 4:6-7

Creator - Genesis 1:1, John 1:3, Colossians 1:16

Light - I John 1:5

Love - I John 4:8

Spirit - John 4:24

Sovereign/Ruler - 1 Timothy 6:15, Isaiah 46:10

Question 2

Explain Theism

Answer 2

Belief in God who is intimately involved with His creation. He is both imminent and transcendent.

Question 3

Explain Deism

Answer 3

Belief that while God created the earth, He has nothing to do with it now - totally transcendent.

Deism denies the incarnation and the deity if Christ.

Question 4

Explain Atheism

Answer 4

There is NO God.

Question 5

Explain Humanism

Answer 5

Belief in deification of man, salvation is to be found in mankind - we are the answer to our own problems.

Question 6

Explain Agnosticism

Answer 6

Belief that the existence of God is not knowable.

Neither affirms or denies.

Question 7

What is the basis for the Christian belief that God is a person?

Answer 7

He is in relationship.

He has KNOWLEDGE - Isaiah 46:10, Romans 11:33 (O the depths…)

He has EMOTIONS - Genesis 6:6. Psalm 2:4, Isaiah 62:5

He has a WILL - Ephesians 1:5 - In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will…

Question 8

What are some of the evidences and arguments for the existence of God?

Answer 8

NOTE: The scripture does not set out to prove there is a God. It simply assumes that God is, beginning in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God …”

GENERAL REVELATION
The creative order shows there is a God (Romans 1:18-20)

PHILOSOPHICAL ARGUMENTS FOR GOD
1. Cosmological: there cannot be infinite regress. We must eventually come to a first mover (Genesis 1:1)

2. Teleological: appeals to the orderliness and design of the universe (Romans 1:19 and Psalm 19:1-The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.)
3. Ontological: innate in man is the idea of God (Romans 1:21, Psalm 14:1)
4. Moral/Anthropological: the moral order requires the existence if God (Romans 2:14-16)

Question 9

Name some attributes of God and give a Scriptural reference for each.

Answer 9

INCOMMUNICABLE
Omniscient: Job 37:16, Psalm 139:1-6, 1 John 3:30

Omnipresent: Psalm 139:7-10, Colossians 1:17

Omnipotent: Job 38 and 39

Eternal: Genesis 1:1, Psalm 90:2 (from everlasting to everlasting…), 1 Timothy 6:16 ([God], who alone has immortality).

Immutable: Malachi 3:6, James 1:17 (every good and perfect give is from above…)

Self-Existent: Exodus 3:14

*God’s Aseity is seen in how he is eternal, immutable, and self-existent.

COMMUNICABLE
MERCIFUL, GRACIOUS, FAITHFUL, LOVE- Exodus 34:6, Ps. 145:8
“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

WISE, KNOWLEDGABLE- Romans 11:33
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

RIGHTEOUS, JUST - Psalm 89:14
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

LOVE- 1 John 4:8, John 3:16

Question 10

Explain the meaning of “Holy” in reference to God and explain why it underlies all else in the character of God.

Answer 10

To be HOLY is to be SET APART.

God is truly set apart in all that He is and does, there is none like Him.

Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8
the angels surround the throne declaring ,”Holy, holy, holy”.