Principal Point of Faith #2:
God
God is the one Supreme Creator and First Cause. The Bible testifies to His existence, His creation and the plan behind the creation, and tells us how we can know Him.
1. What does the Bible teach about God?
(a) God exists: the true, living, all-powerful, everlasting God. (See Isaiah 44:8; Isaiah 45:5; Exodus 20:3; Ephesians 4:6).
(b) God is the Creator and First Cause of all that exists (see Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 45:18; 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:5-6; I Tim. 2:5).
How would you describe the God of the Bible?
What is the difference between the God of the Bible and the concept of Deity commonly understood by the religious (Christian) world?
2. How do we learn about God?
(a) Our only source of knowledge about God is through His revealed Word, the Bible.
(b) By studying the Bible, we learn that all creation and all nature are God’s handiwork. Just as every house has a builder and every design has a designer; so nature shouts to us that God exists.
“For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God” (Heb. 3:4)
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1).
What does nature tell us about God?
3. What does the Bible tell us about God’s nature?
(a) God is a being (person) of substance unknown to us (Heb. 1:3)
(b) God is omnipotent (all powerful). (1 Chron. 29:11-13; 2 Chron. 20;6; Ps. 135:5; Jer. 32:17).
(c) God is omniscient (all knowing, all-wise). (Acts 15:18; Isa. 46:9-10; Job 42:2; Ps. 44:20-21; 1 Chron. 28:9; Ps. 139:1-4)
(d) God is one, not three. (See Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Malachi 2:10; Mark 12:29).
“The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deut. 6:4; Mark 12:29).
“I am the Lord, and there is no other” (Isa. 45:5; 46:9).
Compare God’s nature with ours.
(e) God is immortal (1 Tim. 6:16). Immortal means “exempt from death, imperishable, not subject to decay.”
(f) God is eternal, from everlasting past to everlasting future. (Deut. 33:27; Gen. 21:33; Ps. 90:2).
(g) God cannot be seen by human eyes (Ex. 33:20; John 1:18; 1 John 4:12; 1 Tim. 6:16).
4. What is God’s relation to the human family?
(a) God is the Father of Jesus Christ. (See Matthew 3:17; Luke 1:31-35; Hebrews 1:2-5; 1 Peter 1:3).
(b) God was a “father to Israel” (Jer. 31:9).
(c) God is “father” to all believers (Matt. 6:9-10).
Is God’s relation to every member of the human family the same? Why or Why Not?
5. What does the Bible tell us about God’s attributes (qualities)?
(a) God cannot sin, nor be tempted with sin (James 1:13-15).
(b) God is the source of all wisdom, justice, and virtue (Ps. 89:14).
(c) God is holy (see Exodus 15:11; Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 19:9).
(d) God is kind and merciful. (See Exodus 34:6; Romans 2:4; Psalm 103:8-14; Psalm 136:1).
(e) God is absolutely just, and will reward the good and punish the wicked. (See Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 145:20; Romans 1:18).
(f) God is love (1 John 4:8).
Think about God’s purpose in revealing Himself through the Bible.
Ask yourself, What qualities is God looking for in me? Why?