Test 2 Flashcards
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
God’s spiritual nature
Psalm 139:7-10 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
God’s omnipresence
Daniel 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
God’s sovereignty / omnipotence
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 a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
God’s transcendence and immanence
1 Peter 1:14-16 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Sanctification as an imitation of God’s holiness
Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
God’s immutable and righteousness character
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
The singularity / unity of God’s nature
Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The Trinity / The Great Commission (The primary mission of every Christian: to reproduce himself and make other disciples of Jesus.
cosmological argument
every effect needs a sufficient cause, John 14:11
teleological argument
order and complexity points to intelligence and purpose, Hebrews 3:3-4
anthropological argument
man’s universal belief in something greater than himself points to a higher order of being than man, Ecclesiastes 3:11
Moral argument
man’s belief in right and wrong point to a universal moral law, Romans 2:14-15
ontological argument
man’s concept of a greatest being is proof that such a being must exist
argument for God’s existence
If you start with God’s existence, these facts about man and the world he observes have plausible explanations. (but if you say that God is fictitious, the atheist will have to explain where each of these things came from)
atheistic view
there is no God, humanism
agnostic view
there is not enough information to know whether there is a God
polytheism
there are many gods
animism
everything that exists has spiritual existence
monotheism
there is one God, Judaism, Christianity, Islam
pantheism
all is God; God is all
Attributes of God
“those distinguishing characteristics of the divine nature which are inseparable from the idea of God and which constitute the basis and ground for his various manifestations to his creatures”
Natural Attributes
God is real God is immaterial God has personality God is infinite God is immutable God is unique God is holy God is pure
Moral attributes
God is holy God is righteous God is just God is faithful God is love
God is real (natural)
Jer 10:2-3, 10-11 [The Lord is the true God, He is the Living God], 1 Thess. 1:8-10 [the living and true God]
God is immaterial (natural)
(a spirit) (John 4:24, Luke 24:39, John 1:18, 1 Tim 1:17, 6:16)
Why does God refer to His eyes and hands
Ex 13:9, Ps. 33:18, Jeremiah 27:5
God uses anthropomorphisms as a literary device to help us understand Him
God has personality (natural)
Ex. 3:13-14 [“I AM THAT I AM”…I am hath sent Me], Gen 3:8 [the presence of the Lord God], Ex. 20:7 [the Lord will not hold him guiltless, that taketh His name in vain
God is immutable (natural)
Ps. 102: 26-27 [Thou are the same], Mal 3:6 [I change not], James 1:17 [with whom is not variableness neither shadow of turning]
If God does not change, why does the Bible say that He repents?
Gen 6:6, 1 Sam 15:35, Jonah 3:10
God does not repent of wrongdoing. His response to man’s rebellion (or repentance) is not a manifestation of a change in His character
God is infinite: Time (natural)
Ps. 90:1-2, 4 [In all generations… from everlasting to everlasting…a thousand years in they sight are but as yesterday when it is past] Jude 25 [“both now and ever”] Rev 1:8 [“The beginning and the ending… which is, and which was, and which is to come”]
God is infinite: space (natural)
Ps. 139:7-10 [Whither shall I flee from thy presence?] Matthew 28:19-20 [“Even unto the end of the world] Acts 17:24 [“He is the Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples]
God is infinite: knowledge (natural)
Ps 147:4-5 [“His understanding is infinite”] Matt. 10:29-30 [“without your Father”] Hebrew 4:13 [“All things are naked and opened, unto the eyes of him”] Romans 11:33-34 [“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God”]
God is infinite: power (natural)
Genesis 17:1-2 [I am the Almighty God] Luke 1:34-37 [Power of the highest…with God nothing shall be impossible] Luke 18:26-27 [Things which are impossible with men are possible with God]
If God is everywhere, how can His presence not be in certain places?
- 1 Kings 19:11-12 [ But the Lord was not in the wind… But the Lord was not in the earthquake… but the Lord was not in the fire]
- God chooses to manifest himself in specific ways, at specific times and places
- These manifestations do not contradict His omnipresence
If God is everywhere, how can you be “near to” or “far from” Him?
- Deut. 4:7-8 [“who hath God so nigh unto them] James 4:7 [Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you]
- “Nearness” to God has to do either with the favor God manifests to man, or the moral likeness that man has with God
If God’s knowledge has no limitations, why does He say that He will no longer remember something?
- Jeremiah 31:34 [I will remember their sin no more], Hebrews 8:12 [Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more], 10:16-17 [Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more]
- His knowledge is under the control of His will
If God’s power has no limitations, why does He say that it is impossible for Him to perform certain actions?
- Hebrews 6:18, Ps 115:3, Daniel 4:35, Ps 2:2-6
- God can do anything He wills (and no one can stop him)
- God will not act contrary to His character
Transcendence
God is separate, superior to, and independent of the created order
(Ps. 113:5-6, Is. 66:1 )
Deviation from a proper view of transcendence
Deism (teaches that God is not immanent, but that He is only transcendent), deny miracles
Implications of transcendence
Because God is separate, superior, and independent of the created order; then…
o We should not be surprised (or try to explain away) the miraculous
o Man is not the highest being in the universe
o God can never be completely understood by the human mind
o There will always be a difference between God and man
o Reverence is appropriate in man’s relationship with God
Immanence
God is present and active in nature and history
Acts 17:28-29
Deviations from immanence
Theological liberalism (teaches that God is not transcendent, but that He is only immanent), deny miracles
Implications of immanence
Because God is present and active in nature and history; then…
o God is not limited to working miraculously; he can accomplish His will through natural causes
o God can use persons (individually or collectively) who do not acknowledge him to accomplish His will
o We can have an appreciation for all the God has created, not simply because he made it, but because He continues to be active in it
Why to believe both transcendence and immanence
o Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD ,and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? Saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? (Jer. 23:23-24)
o 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 a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. (Is. 57: 15)
o The Bible teaches that God is both transcendent and immanent
God is faithful (moral)
God’s words are always true (Deut 7:9, 1 Sam 15:29, II Samuel 7:28, Heb. 6:18, Rom. 3:4, 1 Cor. 10:13, 1 Thess. 5:24)
God is love (moral)
[1 John 4:8] (Acts 14:17, Neh. 9:31, Matt. 5:44-45, Eph. 1:4-5, 2 Pet. 3:9, Deut. 4:24)
God is benevolent: He provides good things for all mankind
God is merciful: He withholds punishment from those who deserve it
God is gracious: He deals with people not according to their merit, but according to his overflowing generosity and their need
God is longsuffering: He pursues man’s good with patience, waiting for man to respond to His love
God is jealous: He hates anything that separates man from Him
God is Holy
- “set apart” or “separation”
- Called foremost attribute of all, pervades all the other attributes of God and is consistent
- Transcendent emphasis
- Ethical emphasis
- In His holiness God is the moral and ethical standard; He is the law. He sets the standard
God is just (moral)
o Genesis 2:17, Rom 6:23 [The wages of sin is death], Ezek. 18:3 [the soul that sinneth, it shall die], 18:5-9 [He is just, He shall surely live], 18:10-13 [He hath done all these abominations, he shall surely die]
Why do the wicked prosper?
Man should not measure God’s justice merely by what he witnesses in his present life
If God exercises justice after a man’s death, how can anyone have any hope?
Roman 3:23-26
How can God justify sinners (i.e. call them “righteous”) when He says that doing so is an abomination?
God is righteous (moral)
His words and actions are a perfect expression of his character
Gen 18:25, Ps 19:7-9, Jeremiah 9:34
Does God choose an action because it is intrinsically right, or does an action become right because He chooses it?
God and his moral law are a perfect expression of one another
God’s glory
an accurate view of God is based upon a coplete account of what God says about Himself, and is the foundation for all correct thoughts, feelings, and actions
Claims about the Trinity
There is one God
There are three that are identified as God
These three have distinct identities
There is one God
Deut 6:4-5, Is. 42:8, Is. 44:6
There are three that are identified as God
- Father Son Spirit
- Father: Is. 64:8, Matthew 6:9, 1 Cor 8:4,6
- Son: Phil 2:6, Heb 1:8, 1 John 5:20
- Spirit: 1 Cor 3:16
- All: Matt 29:19-20, 1 Cor. 12:4-6, 2 Cor 13:14, 1 Peter 1:2
These three have distinct identities
The Father is not the Son
The Father is not the Spirit
The son is not the Spirit
John 5:27, John 15:26
Ontological Trinity
The distinct relationships within the Trinity
• The Son is (the only) begotten of the Father
• The Spirit proceeds from the Father (and the Son)
Economical Trinity
The Distinct works of each member of the Trinity
• The Father elects
• The Son became flesh
• The Spirit seals
Modalism
- Teaches that the one God reveals himself in three ways (or “modes”): sometimes as a Father; sometimes as a Son, and sometimes as a Spirit
- Removes “These three have distinct identities”
unitarianism
- Teaches that there is one God but that Jesus is (was) not God, and the spirit is merely the power by which God accomplishes His will in the world.
- Removes “There are three that are identified as God”
works of God
creation and providence
Providence
God Preserves Creation, Establishes Governments, Controls “random” events
Creation
Gen 1:1-3, Gen 1:31, Heb 1:3
Preserves creation
Neh. 9:6
Establishes Governments
Dan 2:21
Controls “random” events
Prov. 16:33
Both creation and providence
Col. 1:16-1:17, Hebrews 1:2-3
If God creates and upholds all things, why is the world such a mess?
the problem of evil
Theodicy
the attempt to answer the question of why evil and suffering exist in the world
God does not cause evil
Deut 32:4, James 1:13
God can prevent evil
Gen 20:6, Ps. 19:13, Matthew 6:13
God sometimes permits evil
Ps. 81: 11-12, Matthew 19:8, Acts 14:16, 17:30, Rom. 1:24
God can restrain evil
Job 1:12, Job 2:6, Matthew 24:21-22
God can redirect the consequences of evil
Gen 45:5, 7-9, Acts 2:23, 36, 38
God cannot approve of evil
Gen 18:25, Hab 1:13
God will vanquish evil
Rev 20:10,12
