Description: Learn some basics about the existence of God and His characteristics
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Lesson 1: Who Is God?
There are certain essential questions you must have answered correctly to please God. The purpose of this series is to provide you (no matter your background) with a good spiritual foundation so you can make the necessary decisions relating to your salvation. For this series, picture a ladder with eight rungs, with each one serving to reach the next. You need to evaluate if you have truly believed and obeyed the Bible’s answers to each of the questions we’ll be considering. In this first lesson, we will consider God. For, to understand anything about life, we must understand something about the one who created it. Although we cannot fully comprehend God, we can understand what He has revealed about Himself (through His creation and through His words in the Bible).
The purpose of this lesson is to learn some basics about the existence of God and His characteristics.
God Was, Is, And Always Will Be (Revelation 4:8)
God was. The Bible begins by asserting the existence of God (Genesis 1:1), as He was always in existence. God is everlasting (Genesis 21:33; Psalm 90:2). He did not have a beginning point and there was no time He did not exist.
God is. God continues to exist today. There has never been a point at which God ceased to exist. For, God exists at every point during our lives, no matter how bad things seem to be in this world. And, God will never leave or abandon us (Hebrews 13:5).
God will always be. God will have no end (Genesis 21:33; Psalm 90:2). This can be a difficult concept to grasp, but one that is true nonetheless. God will never die, cease to exist, be overthrown, or defeated. And, those who serve Him faithfully will spend eternity with Him!
How can we know there is a God? We can know there is a God because God has revealed Himself to His creation! First, He has revealed Himself to His creation through His creation (through what He has made, Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:19-21). Consider the marvelous and complex design of the universe. Consider how large our single galaxy is and how this earth is perfectly designed to support life (with small alterations making life impossible, i.e. the gravitational pull, the atmosphere, the distance to the sun, the tilt on its axis, etc.). Then, consider how marvelously complex the design of the human body is (from the skeleton, to the organs, to the muscles, to the cartilage, to the vessels and arteries, to the single cell). With all this tremendous design all around us, the question every person must answer is: Could all this design just happen? Could it randomly evolve over millions and billions of years? Ultimately, could it have come from nothing? Scientific laws disprove the idea that this design could come from nothing and spontaneously happen (i.e. the first law of thermodynamics).
What does your own reasoning conclude? Suppose you were walking along the beach and found a computer buried in the sand. How would you suppose it got there? Would you believe it accidentally evolved over many years or would you suppose someone must have designed and made it? Certainly, just as it is unreasonable to conclude a computer could spontaneously come into existence, it is unreasonable that the universe, the earth, and life on it could be the product of chance and originate from nothing! For, just as every design reveals there was a designer, every painting reveals there was a painter, every poem reveals there was a poet, every building reveals there was an architect, every automobile reveals there was an engineer, and every baby reveals there were parents; everything in this universe reveals there is a Designer who is behind it all!
Second, God revealed Himself to His creation through His word (the Bible). The Bible tells us many things about God’s nature, His creation, His plan, etc. and is no ordinary book! For one, the Bible is completely accurate in its claims that people did not discover until much later. How can this possibly be explained except that God was behind the words written in it? For example, God said that the life of the flesh is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11). Yet, as recently as the 1700s, it was common medical practice to bleed people to try and make them well.
Also, the Bible contains many prophecies that demonstrate God is real. For, while people cannot make hundreds (or thousands) of predictive statements about the future with 100% accuracy, the Bible does exactly that. For example, scholars have estimated there are over 300 prophecies made and fulfilled about Jesus. He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18, 22). He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1). He would be crucified (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 27:38). His side would be pierced (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34). God is the only one who could accurately foretell all these things!
Three Beings possess the nature of being God. These three are often referred to as the “Godhead” or “Trinity.” They are: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each one possesses the attributes of being God but has a different role/function. And, these three are one God in that they are all perfectly united (i.e. same purpose, same characteristics). Notice how the Scriptures show these three linked together yet existing as separate Beings (Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 28:19-20). Then, notice other passages that identify these three as being God (John 1:1; Acts 5:3-4). So, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all possess the characteristics of being God. These characteristics are: Eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present.
Some Characteristics of God
He is all-powerful (omnipotent). There is nothing outside of God’s power to do or control (Revelation 19:6; Romans 1:20; Genesis 1:3). This is one of the characteristics that is unique to God. Thankfully, God only uses His power for good.
He is all-knowing (omniscient). There is nothing God cannot know (Isaiah 46:9-10; Romans 11:33-36). This is one of the characteristics that is unique to God. God is even able to foretell future events before they happen and how something will end.
He is ever-present (omnipresent). There is nothing God does not see (Proverbs 15:3; Psalm 139:1-12). This is one of the characteristics that is unique to God. There is no place we can hide ourselves from God’s sight.
He is holy. God is completely separated from everything that is evil (Revelation 4:6-8; 1 John 1:5; Habakkuk 1:13). Whenever people sin, they separate themselves from this holy God (Isaiah 59:1-2). And, He expects all people to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).
He is loving. Because of sin, people cannot do anything to save themselves. But, thank God that He loved mankind enough to send His Son to save us from sin (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:4). This is the greatest love anyone has ever shown us (Romans 5:8)!
He is gracious and merciful. God’s grace is seen in that He gives us an opportunity to have eternal life in Heaven (it is God giving us what we do not deserve; Titus 2:11). God’s mercy is seen in that He gives us the opportunity to avoid eternal punishment in Hell (it is God not giving us what we do deserve, Ephesians 2:4-7).
He is impartial. One day, we will all be judged by God (2 Corinthians 5:10). Yet, His judgment will be entirely righteous and fair (Romans 2:5-11). He will not be bribed or unjustly swayed by anything or anyone.
He is jealous. God has always demanded to come first (Exodus 20:5). It is unacceptable for anyone to serve and worship any besides the one true and living God. He will not accept second place in your life, nor should He have to (Matthew 6:24).
He is good and severe. Although some say God could never condemn anyone to Hell, God promises to punish those who reject Him. He will only save those who obey Him (Hebrews 10:31; Hebrews 12:29; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Romans 11:22).
He is faithful. We can fully trust God, knowing that He will never deceive or mislead us. We can trust Him enough to give our entire lives in His service, knowing He will reward those who do so (1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Titus 1:2).
He is patient. Although God could send Jesus to destroy the world the moment we sin, He chooses to wait and endure the wrongs we commit against Him. He does this because He wants us to repent and be saved (2 Peter 3:9-10). Yet, His patience is not endless.
He is unchanging. God is the same today as He has always been and will always be (James 1:17; Hebrews 13:8). And, the word He has spoken endures forever (1 Peter 1:25). This consistency allows us to find stability in a world full of change and fully trust in Him.
Conclusion
This is the God of the universe – the one true and living God! Fulfilling your true purpose in life depends on you having an accurate understanding of who this great and awesome God is!