1) God
Who is God? His attributes and His love for humanity
The first and most important truth of the Bible is the existence of God. Who is He? How can we know Him? In this lesson, we will discover what Scripture reveals about the Creator of the universe.
The Existence of God
What does the Bible affirm about the existence of God?
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Answer: The Bible simply assumes that God exists: 'In the beginning, God...'
Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."
The Bible does not try to prove God’s existence: it assumes it as an evident fact. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” ().
What does creation reveal about God?
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Answer: His invisible attributes, His eternal power and Godhead
Romans 1:20: "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:"
“The things of nature are an expression of God’s character and power.” — Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, MH 413.5
The Attributes of God
What are some attributes of God revealed in the Bible?
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Answer: Merciful, gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness
Exodus 34:6-7: "And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation."
What does it mean to say that God is omnipotent?
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Answer: That nothing is too hard for Him: He has all power
Jeremiah 32:17: "Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:"
What does it mean to say that God is omniscient?
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Answer: That He knows all things — our thoughts, words, and actions
Psalms 139:1-4: "O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether."
What does it mean to say that God is omnipresent?
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Answer: That He is present everywhere at the same time
Psalms 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 Is Love
How does the Bible define God's essential nature?
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Answer: God is love
1 John 4:8: "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."
How did God demonstrate His love for humanity?
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Answer: By giving His only begotten Son so that whoever believes should not perish
John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
“The law of love being the foundation of the government of God, the happiness of all intelligent beings depends upon their perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness.” — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, PP 34.3
God Can Be Known
Is it possible to know God personally?
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Answer: Yes, God wants us to know Him and glories in this
Jeremiah 9:23-24: "Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD."
What is eternal life, according to Jesus?
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Answer: Knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ
John 17:3: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."
What Now?
Knowing God is not only knowing information about Him: it is having a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe:
- God exists: Creation and the Bible testify to this truth
- God is love: His character is goodness, mercy, and grace
- God is all-powerful: Nothing is impossible for Him
- God wants to be known: He reveals Himself so we may have fellowship with Him
My Decision
I believe that God exists and that He wants to have a personal relationship with me. I accept that God is love and that He demonstrated this love by sending Jesus into the world. I want to know Him more through His Word.