The Doctrine of God John Stevenson 2012 Jeremiah

The Doctrine of God © John Stevenson, 2012

Jeremiah 9: 23 -24 Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, ” declares the LORD.

Versus

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God. ” (Psalm 14: 1)

• The Cosmological Argument For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1: 20).

• The Cosmological Argument “You are My witnesses, ” declares the LORD, “And My servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. BEFORE ME THERE WAS NO GOD FORMED, and there will be none after Me. ” (Isaiah 43: 10).

• The Cosmological Argument • The Teleological Argument The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard. (Psalm 19: 1 -3).

• The Cosmological Argument • The Teleological Argument • The Ontological Argument For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Romans 1: 21).

• • The Cosmological Argument The Teleological Argument The Ontological Argument The Moral Argument

Romans 2: 14 -16 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

• • • The Cosmological Argument The Teleological Argument The Ontological Argument The Moral Argument The Argument from Scripture

Hebrew Greek English Elohim Theos God Yahweh Kurios LORD Adonai Kurios Lord

“Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate, ” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you. 18 And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me, ” Says the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6: 17 -18).

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8: 14 -15).

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. (Romans 8: 16 -17).

What are some of the attributes of God?

• • Self-existence Infinity Unity Perfection Immutability Omnipotent Omnipresent Omniscience • • • Holiness Love Grace Mercy Patience Goodness Righteousness Truthfulness Faithfulness

Non-Corporeal Being God is a Spirit Adjectives Nouns Being Wisdom Infinite Power Eternal Holiness Unchangeable Justice Goodness Truth

“You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. ” (John 4: 22 -24).

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, ” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. ” (Revelation 1: 8).

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. (Psalm 90: 1 -2).

For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. (Malachi 3: 6). Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. (James 1: 17).

Of old You founded the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. 26 Even they will perish, but You endure; And all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing You will change them and they will be changed. 27 But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end. (Psalm 102: 25 -27).

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, And marked off the heavens by the span, And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance And the hills in a pair of scales? 13 Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has informed Him? (Isaiah 40: 12 -13).

With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge And informed Him of the way of understanding? 15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust. (Isaiah 40: 14 -15).

Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. (Isaiah 40: 21 -22).

In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said, “Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory. ” (Isaiah 6: 1 -3).

O LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. (Psalm 139: 1 -3).

Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all. 5 You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. (Psalm 139: 4 -6).

“Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. ” (Matthew 10: 29 -31).

“Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You, 18 who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The LORD of hosts is His name… (Jeremiah 32: 17 -18).

…great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds; 20 who has set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and even to this day both in Israel and among mankind; and You have made a name for Yourself, as at this day. (Jeremiah 32: 19 -20).

• God cannot do the irrational • God cannot do that which is contrary to His character • God cannot exhaust His power

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. (Psalm 139: 7 -110).

If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night, ” 12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You. (Psalm 139: 11 -12).

• As a Warning – And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. (Hebrews 4: 12 -13).

• As a Warning • As a Comfort – Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you, ” 6 so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall Man do to me? ” *Hebrews 13: 5 -6).

Tension

Paul, a bond-servant of God an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, 3 but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior (Titus 1: 1 -3).

For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself (Hebrews 6: 13).

• The commands and instructions of the Lord.

• The commands and instructions of the Lord. “For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother. ” (Mark 3: 35).

• The commands and instructions of the Lord. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians 4: 3).

• The commands and instructions of the Lord. • Those things which God has planned to come to pass.

This is the plan devised against the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out against all the nations. 27 For the LORD of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back? (Isaiah 14: 26 -27).

…also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will (Ephesians 1: 11).

The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. 11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. (Psalm 33: 10 -11).

…and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation (Acts 17: 26).

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. (Psalm 139: 16).

The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. (Proverbs 16: 9). The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes. (Proverbs 21: 1).

The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD. (Proverbs 16: 33).

Man, who is born of woman, Is short-lived and full of turmoil. (Job 14: 1). Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; And his limits You have set so that he cannot pass. (Job 14: 5).

But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. ” (Genesis 50: 19 -20).

“For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever Your hand Your purpose predestined to occur. ” (Acts 4: 27 -28).

“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as yourselves know-- 23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. ” (Acts 2: 22 -23).