Tag: A Baptist Body of Divinity

Answer: There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory. (1 Cor. 8:6; John 10:30; John 14:9; Acts 5:3,4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14)

INSTRUCTION

I. You must understand that there are three persons in the Godhead so that you can properly understand what God has plainly revealed about Himself!

I. THERE ARE THREE PERSONS IN THE GODHEAD

There are blips in the OT

Genesis 1:1-3 “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”

Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

Genesis 3:22 “Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil.”

THOMAS BOSTON: “This cannot be understood of angels: for man is said to be created after the image of God, but never after the image of angels; and the temptation was, ‘Ye shall be as gods,’ not as angels.”

In Genesis 18:1-2,10,13-14 “And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. . . 10 The LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. . . . 13 The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD?”
Psalm 33:6 “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.”

It is made explicit in the NT

Mark 1:9-11 “9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

2 Corinthians 13:14 “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

II. THE FATHER IS GOD
1 Corinthians 8:6 “yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”

III. JESUS IS GOD

John 10:30-33 “30 I and the Father are one.” 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?’ 33 The Jews answered him, ‘It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.’”

IV. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD

ACTS 5:3-4 “3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.”

There is no division in the Godhead, but there is distinction. ONE God in THREE persons.

THOMAS BOSTON: “It is a fundamental article, the belief whereof is necessary to salvation. For those that are ‘without God,’ (Eph. 2:12) and ‘have not the Father,’ cannot be saved; but ‘whoever denies the Son does not have the Father’ (1 John 2:23). Those that are none of Christ’s cannot be saved; but ‘Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to [Christ]” (Romans 8:9). None receive the Spirit but those that know [Christ] (John 14:17). This mystery of the Trinity is so interwoven with the whole of [Christianity], that there can neither be any true faith, right worship, or obedience without it. For take away this doctrine, and the object of faith, worship, and obedience is changed; seeing the object of these declared in the scripture, is the three persons in the Godhead; and the scriptures [are aware of] no other God.”

II. You must understand there are three person in the Godhead so that you can properly understand the gospel!

I. EACH MEMBER IN THE GODHEAD IS INTRICATELY INVOLVED IN REDEEMING SINNERS

I) THE FATHER PLANNED REDEMPTION; THE SON PURCHASED REDEMPTION; THE SPIRIT APPLIES REDEMPTION

Ephesians 1:4,7,13-14 “4 [THE FATHER] chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. . . 7 In [THE SON] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. . . 13 In [Christ] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised HOLY SPIRIT, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

John 6:37, 63 “37 All that THE FATHER gives me will come to me (THE SON), and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. . . . 63 It is THE SPIRIT who gives life; the flesh is no help at all.”

ANSWER: There is but one only, the living and true God. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Jeremiah 10:10)

My aim is to give you three points of instruction and seven points of application concerning God being the only God—the living and true God.

INSTRUCTION

I. THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD

“There is but one only.”

Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”

II. THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD 

“the living and true God.”

Jeremiah 10:10 “But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King.”

Psalm 71:19 “Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you?”

III. THERE ARE MANY SO-CALLED GODS THAT ARE FALSE

1 Corinthians 8:5-6 “For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”

I) There are traditionally named false gods. 

In the Scriptures: Amon (the chief god of Egypt), Asherah (a Canaanite goddess), Ashtoreth (a goddess of war and fertility), Baal (a Canaanite and Phoenician god of fertility and rain), Baal-Zebub (a popular deity of the Philistines), Bel (the chief deity of Babylon), Chemosh (the chief god of Moab), Dagon (worshipped in Babylonia and Philistia), Molech (the chief deity of Ammon), Tammuz (a Babylonian fertility god) Zeus and Hermes (Zeus was the patron god of the city of Lystra and his temple was there. Hermes was Zeus’ attendant and spokesman). Artemis (Artemis was the Greek name for the Roman goddess, Diana). Castor and Pollux (the two “sons of Zeus”, regarded as the guardian deities of sailors). 

II) There are created things that are trusted and bowed down to as false gods

Power, entertainment, popularity, beauty, comfort, substances, family, religion, science, sex, money, self.

III) There are perversions of the one true God in the theological cults.

Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the New Apostolic Reformation (2 Corinthians 11:12-15).

IV) There are perversions of the one true God in the minds of men.

In the beginning, God created man in His own image, and man has been trying to return the favor ever since.

APPLICATION

I. IF YOU TRUST IN ANYTHING OTHER THAN JESUS, YOU ARE TRUSTING IN SOMETHING WORTHLESS

Jeremiah 2:5 “Thus says the Lord: ‘What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?’”

II. IF YOU TRUST IN ANYTHING OTHER THAN JESUS, YOU ARE TRUSTING IN SOMETHING THAT CANNOT PROFIT

Jeremiah 2:11 “Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.”

Mark 8:36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

III. IF YOU TRUST IN ANYTHING OTHER THAN JESUS, YOU ARE DOING GREAT EVIL

Jeremiah 2:13 “for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

IV. YOU MUST TURN FROM IDOLS TO SERVE THE LIVING AND TRUE GOD THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

1 Timothy 2:5-6 “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”

1 Thessalonians 1:9 “[Christians have] turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

Acts 14:15 “we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.”

V. IN CHRIST, GOD MUST BE THE CENTER OF YOUR AFFECTIONS, LOVE, FEAR, AND JOY

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

VI. IN CHRIST, YOU MUST BE THANKFUL THAT JESUS HAS SAVED YOU BECAUSE THERE IS NO OTHER GOD THAT CAN SAVE

John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.”

VII. IN CHRIST, YOU MUST TELL OTHERS THAT THERE IS ONE GOD AND ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MAN, JESUS CHRIST

John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

ANSWER: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. (John 4:24; Ps. 147:5; Ps. 90:2; James 1:17; Rev. 4:8; Ps. 89:14; Exod. 34:6,7; 1 Tim. 1:17)

My aim is to give you six points of instruction and six points of application concerning God being infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in truth.

INTRUCTION

I. GOD IS TRUTH

JOHN FLAVAL: “[Truth] is an essential property of [God’s] nature, whereby He is perfectly faithful in Himself, and in all that He hath spoken.”

THOMAS BOSTON: [God’s truth] is that perfection of His nature whereby He is faithful, and in Him there is no falsehood.”

Titus 1:2 “God…never lies.” Q. Why? A. Because He not only tells the truth but He Himself is truth.

Deuteronomy 32:4, “A God of faithfulness (truthfulness) and without iniquity, just and upright is he.”

God the Holy Spirit is called “The Spirit of truth”
John 14:17, 15:26, 16:33 “The Spirit of truth”

God the Son is called “the truth”
John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life.”

THOMAS WATSON: “There is nothing true but what is in God or comes from God.”

THOMAS BOSTON: “All God’s works are true and real things, not chimeras or appearances. He executes true judgements, grants true deliverance, works true miracles; His mercies are true mercies, and His comforts are true comforts. He does not deceive or delude His people with vain shews and appearances.”

II. JESUS IS FULL OF TRUTH

John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Jesus says, “Truly” at least 30 times as He teaches, in the book of Matthew alone.

III. GOD’S WORD IS TRUTH

Psalm 18:30 “This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”

Psalm 119:60 “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.”

I) God’s Historical narrative is true. II) God’s prophetic predictions are true. III) God’s commands are true. IV) God’s warnings are true. V) God’s promises are true.

IV. GOD’S TRUTH IS ETERNAL

Psalm 100:5 “For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his [truthfulness] to all generations.”

V. GOD’S TRUTH IS UNIVERSAL

John 17:17 “Your word is truth.”

VI. SINNERS SUPPRESS THE TRUTH

Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” 

Q. Why is the wrath of God revealed from heaven against those that suppress the truth?

Romans 1:21 “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him…”

APPLICATION

I. THERE WILL BE WRATH AND FURY FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT OBEY THE TRUTH

Romans 2:8 “for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.”

II. YOU MUST HEAR THE WORD OF TRUTH AND BELIEVE ON JESUS CHRIST

Ephesians 1:13 “In [Christ]…when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.”

Q. What is this “gospel of you salvation”?

Ephesians 1:7 “In [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”

III. IN CHRIST, YOU MUST KNOW THE TRUTH AND SO BE SET FREE FROM SIN

John 8:31-32 “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

IV. IN CHRIST, GOD SANCTIFIES YOU IN THE TRUTH

John 17:17 “sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth.’

V. IN CHRIST, YOU MUST IMITATE GOD IN TRUTHFULNESS

Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor…”

FLAVAL: “Truth and sincerity of heart is that which is most suitable and pleasing to God.”

VI. IN CHRIST, THE PROMISES OF THE GOSPEL ARE AN ACHOR FOR YOUR SOUL, BECAUSE GOD IS TRUTH

Micah 7:19 “He will again have compassion on us;
    he will tread our iniquities underfoot.
You will cast all our sins
    into the depths of the sea.”

God promised Abraham offspring and gave it because He is true.

Romans 4:20-21 “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. “

God promised meat and gave it because He is true.

Numbers 11:23 “And the Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.”

God promised Canaan and gave it because He is true.

Joshua 21:45 “Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.”

God promised rest and fulfilled it because He is true.

1 Kings 8:56 “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant.”

God promised the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent and did it because He is true.

Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”    

In Christ, God has promised your justification has done it because He is true.

Romans 4:5 “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.”

In Christ, God has promised your sanctification and is doing it because He is true.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

In Christ, God has promised your glorification and will do it because He is true.

Romans 8:30 “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

In Christ, God has promised to never leave you nor forsake you and will uphold it because He is true. 

Hebrews 13:5 “[God] has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

In Christ, God has promised to take you to be with Himself and will do it because He is true. 

John 14:2-3 “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

In Christ, God has promised this eternal covenant and even swore an oath by Himself. He will not turn back because He is true.

Hebrews 6:19 “We have this (the truthfulness of God) as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.”

ANSWER. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, GOODNESS and truth.

Psalm 34:8 “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”

I. GOD IS GOOD

Q. What is goodness? A. Goodness does not mean “the opposite of badness.” Goodness does not mean the same thing as “righteous.” Goodness means kindness, mercy, patience, generosity. That God is good means God is kind, God is merciful, God is patient, God is generous.

Psalm 100:5 “For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

Exodus 33:18-19 “18 Moses said, ‘Please show me your glory.’ 19 And [The LORD] said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.’”

II. GOD DOES WHAT IS GOOD

Psalm 119:68 “You (LORD) are good and do good.”

I) God does what is good to all mankind.

Matthew 5:45 “[God] makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

Acts 14:17 (Paul and Barnabas at Lystra) “[God] did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”

II) God especially does what is good to His saints.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Genesis 50:20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

Psalm 23:6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Thomas Watson: “To know that nothing hurts the godly, is a matter of comfort; but to be assured that all things…shall co-operate for their good…this may fill their hearts with joy till they run over.”

III. GOD DID HIS HIGHEST GOOD BY SENDING HIS SON TO DIE SO THAT YOU COULD HAVE ETERNAL LIFE

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Concerning the word “so” in John 3:16, Thomas Boston: “This is an inexpressible so, a so that all the angels of heaven cannot analyze. None can conceive or understand the boundless extent and dimensions of it.”

C.S. Lewis: “It cost God nothing, so far as we know, to create nice things: but to convert rebellious will cost him crucifixion.”

Q. How must you respond to God’s goodness?

IV. YOU MUST NOT PRESUME UPON GOD’S GOODNESS—IF YOU DO, YOU WILL GO TO HELL

Romans 2:3 “Do you suppose, O man…that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness (goodness) and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s  [goodness] is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”

Thomas Watson: “Knowledge without repentance will be but a torch to light men to hell.”

V. YOU MUST REPENT AND BELIEVE GOD’S GOOD NEWS—IF YOU DO, GOD WILL FORGIVE AND CLEASE YOU

Mark 1:14-15 “14 Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’”

Psalm 86:5 “For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.”

Isaiah 55:2 “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.”

VI. IN CHRIST, YOU MUST IMITATE GOD IN HIS GOODNESS

Luke 6:35 “…love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.”

Martin Luther: “Good works do not make a good man — but a good man does make works good.”

VII. IN CHRIST, YOU MUST TELL OTHERS OF GOD’S GOODNESS

Psalm 145:4, 7 “4 One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. … 7 They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.”

VIII. IN CHRIST, YOU MUST PRAISE GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS

1 Chronicles 16:34 “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

Psalm 135:3 “Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!”

Psalm 31:19 “Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!”

CONCLUSION

Thomas Boston: “Seek not your happiness in created things and enjoyments, but in an ever-bountiful God, who is the spring and source of all goodness and mercy, and who can fully satisfy all the desires of an immortal soul.”

Psalm 34:8 “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”

ANSWER: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, JUSTICE, goodness and truth. (John 4:24; Ps. 147:5; Ps. 90:2; James 1:17; Rev. 4:8; Ps. 89:14; Exod. 34:6,7; 1 Tim. 1:17)

God is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in justice.

I. GOD IS JUST

Deuteronomy 32:4 “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.”

II. GOD DOES WHAT IS JUST

Genesis 18:25 “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”

Psalm 111:7 “The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy”

III. GOD LOVES JUSTICE

Psalm 33:5 “He loves righteousness and justice.”

IV. GOD HATES INJUSTICE

Isaiah 61:8 “For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong.”

V. BECAUSE GOD IS JUST HE WILL PUNISH SINNERS

Ezra 9:15 “O Lord, the God of Israel, you are just… Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you…”

Nahum 1:3,6,8 “3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. . . 6 Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him….8 with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.”

VI. THE GOSPEL IS THE GOOD NEWS THAT GOD IS JUST AND THE JUSTIFIER OF THE ONE WHO HAS FAITH IN JESUS

Romans 3:25, 27 “25 God put forward [Jesus] as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. . . 27 so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

VII. IF YOU ARE IN CHRIST, YOU ARE AS SECURE AS CAN BE BECAUSE GOD IS JUST

1 John 1:8-9 “8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.”

A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. (John 4:24; Ps. 147:5; Ps. 90:2; James 1:17; Rev. 4:8; Ps. 89:14; Exod. 34:6,7; 1 Tim. 1:17)

God is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in holiness.

I. LET US UNDERSTAND THE HOLINESS OF GOD

I) God is Holy

1 John 1:5 “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

John MacArthur: “God’s holiness is His inherent and absolute greatness, in which He is perfectly distinct above everything outside Himself and is absolutely morally separate from sin.”

Isaiah 6:3 “And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!’”

Revelation 4:8 “Day and night [the angels] never cease to say, ’Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’”

God the Father is Holy
Jesus, in John 17:11: “Holy Father.”

God the Spirit is Holy
Again, Jesus ,in John 14:26: “The Holy Spirit.”

God the Son is Holy
Paul, in Acts 13:35 (quoting Psalm 16:10): “You will not let your Holy One see corruption.”

II) God’s Works are Holy

Exodus‬ ‭15:11‬ “Who is like [the LORD], majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?”

Psalm 145:17 “The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.”

III) God’s written Word is Holy

Romans 1:2 “[Jesus was] promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,”

IV) God’s Commands are Holy

Romans 7:12 “So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”

V) God’s Promises are Holy

Psalm 105:42 “For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham, his servant.”

VI) God’s Covenant is Holy

John the Baptist’s father Zechariah calls God’s covenant, “his holy covenant” in Luke 1:72.

II. LET US APPLY GOD’S HOLINESS

I) You will not be accepted by God unless you are perfectly holy

Habakkuk 1:13 “You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?”

II) You will not escape God’s wrath if you stand before Him in your unholiness (sin, wickedness)

Nahum 1:3-5 “3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; he dries up all the rivers; . . .5 The mountains quake before him; the hills melt.”

III) You must go to Christ in faith so that God will count you holy

Colossians 1:21-23 “21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel…”

IV) In Christ, you must sanctify God as Holy

Leviticus 10:3 “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’”

V) In Christ, you must be Holy

Leviticus 14:44-45 “44 For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. . . 45 For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” (The Apostle Peter repeats this in 1 Peter 1:16)

VI) In Christ, you must worship God in Holiness

1 Chronicles 16:29 “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”

VII) In Christ, you must be motivated toward holiness by God’s promises

2 Corinthians 7:1 “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”

A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, POWER, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. (John 4:24; Ps. 147:5; Ps. 90:2; James 1:17; Rev. 4:8; Ps. 89:14; Exod. 34:6,7; 1 Tim. 1:17)

GOD IS…INFINITE, ETERNAL, AND UNCHANGEABLE…IN POWER

PSALM 147:5 “Great is our Lord, and abundant in power.”

JEREMIAH 32:17 “Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.”

THE SCRIPTURES SPEAK OF GOD’S POWER IN THREE WAYS: 

1) POSITIVELY: Genesis 17:1 “I am God Almighty.”

2) NEGATIVELY: Luke 1:37 “Nothing is impossible with God.”

3) COMPARATIVELY: Matthew 19:26 “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

God’s infinite, eternal, and unchangeable power is clearly set forth in at least 5 ways: His I) Creating, II) Preserving, III) Governing, IV) Redeeming, and V) Judging.

I. CREATING POWER

Psalm 33:9 “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.”

Romans 1:20 “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

He breathed out planets and stars; he spoke oceans and mountains into existence; He exhaled man, beasts, and birds!

II. PRESERVING POWER

Hebrews 1:3 “[Jesus] upholds the universe by the word of his power.”

III. GOVERNING POWER

1) Elements

Deuteronomy 4:36-38 “And because he loved your fathers and chose their offspring after them and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power.”

Mark 4:37-41 “37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, ‘Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?’ 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’”

2) Men

Proverbs 16:9 “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.”

Exodus 9:16 “But for this purpose I have raised you up (Pharoah), to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”

3) Demons

Matthew 8:31 “And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.”

4) Wicked men

Isaiah 37:29 “Because you have raged against me and your complacency has come to my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will turn you back on the way by which you came.’”

Daniel 4:35 “all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

IV. REDEEMING POWER

I) The virgin birth of Jesus Christ

Luke 1:35 “And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.’” 

II) Jesus’ resurrection from the dead

Romans 1:4 “[Jesus Christ our Lord] was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead”

III) Taking dead sinners and converting them to living saints through the preaching of the gospel

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”

1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

IV) Empowering Christians to be witnesses for Jesus

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

V) Guarding Christians through faith

1 Peter 1:5 “who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

VI) In giving His saints resurrected bodies

1 Corinthians 6:14 “And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.”

Philippians 3:20-21 “20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

V. JUDGING POWER

I) In judging unrepentant sinners

Romans 9:22 “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction.”

Romans 2:4-5 “4 …do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”

Answer: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. (John 4:24; Ps. 147:5; Ps. 90:2; James 1:17; Rev. 4:8; Ps. 89:14; Exod. 34:6,7; 1 Tim. 1:17)

GOD IS INFINITE, ETERNAL, AND UNCHANGEABLE IN WISDOM

ROMANS 16:27 “to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.”

I. GOD’S WISDOM IS SEEN IN HIS INFINITE INTELLIGENCE

PSALM 147:5 “Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.”

DANIEL 2:28 “there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days.”

PSALM 94:11 “the LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath.”

II. GOD’S WISDOM IS SEEN IN HIS WORKS

We see the wisdom of God as we consider his works of I) Creation, II) Redemption, and III) Providence.

I) CREATION

PSALM 104:24 “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.”

II) REDEMPTION

ROMANS 3:23-26 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

ROMANS 11:33-36 “33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?’ 35‘Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?’ 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

III) PROVIDENCE

EPHESIANS 1:11 “God works all things according to the counsel of His will.” 

GENESIS 50:20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

ACTS 2:23 “[Jesus], delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.”

ROMANS 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

ANSWER: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. (John 4:24; Ps. 147:5; Ps. 90:2; James 1:17; Rev. 4:8; Ps. 89:14; Exod. 34:6,7; 1 Tim. 1:17)

Q. What do you believe about God?

I. GOD IS A SPIRIT

JOHN 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

II. GOD IS INFINITE

PSALM 147:5 “Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.”

ISAIAH 40:28 “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.”

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!”

JEREMIAH 23:24 “Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.”

JOHN 1:16 “For from [Jesus’] fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”

III. GOD IS ETERNAL

PSALM 90:2 “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

IV. GOD IS UNCHANGEABLE

PSALM 102:25-27 “25 Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 26 They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, 27 but you are the same, and your years have no end.”

JAMES 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

MALACHI 3:6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.”

HEBREWS 6:17-18 “17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.”

A. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of man. (2 Tim. 3:16,17; John 20:31; Acts 24:14; 1 Cor. 10:11; Eccles. 12:13)

I. THE SCRIPTURES PRINCIPALLY TEACH WHAT MAN IS TO BELIEVE CONCERNING GOD

GENESIS 1:1
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

EXODUS 34:6-7
“6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty…”

HEBREWS 1:1-3
“1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

REVELATION 22:1-5
“1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

“The man who comes to a right belief about God is relieved of 10,000 temporal problems.” — A.W. Tozer

Would you relieve yourself of 10,000 problems? Get a right belief about God. That’s what the Scriptures principally teach.

II. THE SCRIPTURES PRINCIPALLY TEACH WHAT DUTY GOD REQUIRES OF MAN

DEUTERONOMY 29:29
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

What duty does God require of man? Here are 8 main duties the Lord Jesus requires of us in Scripture.

I) It is your duty to love the LORD with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength

MARK 12:29-30
29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

II) It is your duty to love your neighbor as yourself

MARK 12:31
“The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Have you done that? I can tell you with absolute certainty you have not done that and I have not done that.

ROMANS 3:22-23
22 For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”

Our problem is that there is no small sin because there is no small God to sin against. There is only the infinitely holy One who created us, upholds us, gives all gifts of life to us. He has clearly revealed in our conscience and in the Bible what He requires of us, yet we have all gladly rebelled against Him.We have preferred our way to His, our kingship to His, our rules to His, our path to His, our glory to His. Will what is made say to it’s maker, “You have no right to tell me what to do”? Not with impunity. Sin is cosmic treason.

GALATIANS 3:10, 13
10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”. . . 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.”

The gospel is the good news that what God requires, He provides in Jesus Christ. Whom He provides for by Christ, He purifies by the Holy Spirit. Whom He purifies by the Spirit, He protects by His providence. And whom He protects by His providence, He will one day perfect in His presence.

III) As a sinner who is in the path of the wrath of God, it is your duty to repent and believe the gospel

MARK 1:14-15
14 Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

JOHN 6:28-29
28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

IV) In Christ, your duty is to take up your cross and follow Jesus

MARK 8:34-38
34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Recommendation: John Piper’s book What Jesus Demands from the World.

V) In Christ, it is our duty to make disciples of all nations

MATTHEW 28:19-20
“18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

VI) In Christ, it is your duty to act and speak in order to glorify God in all of life

1 CORINTHIANS 10:31
“whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

MATTHEW 5:16
“let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

VII) In Christ, it is your duty to worship God in all of life, especially as a member of a local church

HEBREWS 10:24-25
“24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

VIII) In Christ, it is your duty to be anxious for nothing, casting all your anxieties on Him 

PHILIPPIANS 4:6
“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

1 PETER 5:6-7
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

ROMANS 8:32-34
“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 

“To withhold Scripture from anyone is an act of ecclesiastical robbery as well as spiritual murder.” — Wilhelmus A. Brakel