Thy Word is Truth Knowing God Chapter 11

Thy Word is Truth Knowing God Chapter 11 JI Packer

Introduction No chapter stands alone – Each overlaps and builds our knowledge of God – Review of chapters

Two Most Practical Chapters 1. Chapter 9 God Only Wise • “Omniscience governing omnipotence” • Our wisdom • Misconception of God’s goal for us • His ultimate and immediate goals

Two Most Practical Chapters (continued) 2. Chapter 10 - God’s Wisdom & Ours: • Two steps to lay hold of gift of wisdom • The lesson of Ecclesiastes

Thy Word is Truth Two Themes Assumed in Each Verse 1. God’s Sovereignty 2. God’s Word

About Absolute Rulers 1. Written code of law 2. Public speeches God Uses His Word in Similar Way God: Creator, King, Lawgiver yet, desiring our friendship We: His creatures, His subjects

But for this relationship to exist … Must be knowledge of one another He knows all about us We know of Him only what He reveals Deut. 29: 29 The Royal Torah = the Law in OT Has a 3 -fold character: 1. Law commands and prohibitions 2. Promise: conditional, unconditional 3. Testimony: information

The God who Speaks Purpose of Genesis Act 1 Spoken Word Brought Forth Act 2 God Speaks to Man & Woman A Command, Testimony, A Prohibition, A Promise

All human history is …. . the fulfilling of God’s Word Weather Ps. 147: 15 -18 • He sends His command to the earth; His word runs swiftly • He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes • He hurls down His hail like pebbles. Who can withstand His icy blast? • He sends His word and melts them; He stirs up His breezes, and the waters flow

The Rise and Fall of Nations Jeremiah 1: 10 – 12 • “See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant. " • The word of the LORD came to me: "What do you see, Jeremiah? " "I see the branch of an almond tree, " I replied. • The LORD said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching (12 The Hebrew for “watching” sounds like the Hebrew for “almond tree”) to see that My word is fulfilled. "

The Word written in 3 fold character seen in the Garden 1. Law 2. Promise 3. Testimony

Absolute Truth Ultimate reason to believe and obey: His Word is the Truth: The true Word. Jn. 17: 17 “Sanctify them in truth. Thy Word is truth. ” “All Your words are true. ” Ps. 119: 160 For the Believer: stability, reliability, firmness, trustworthiness, consistent, sincere, realistic, undeceived. All above terms describe His person. Truth is His nature

Absolute Truth (cont. ) 1. God’s Commands are true. Ps. 119: 151 “All your words are true. ” A. His words have permanence, setting forth what God wants to see in human lives in every age. B. His words tell of unchanging truth about our own nature and what we were made to be. The Creator knows what “food” we were designed to feed on for best health. Disregard ends in disaster

Absolute Truth (Cont. ) 2. God’s Promises are true. Heb. 10: 23 “He who promised is faithful. ” Lam. 3: 23 “Great is Thy faithfulness. ”

The Way to Strengthen one’s Faith • Focus on Promises that speak to weaknesses or concerns • Puritan Samuel Clark: Scripture Promises Cure for Anxiety: Focus and Belief Enemies of our Peace: Unbelief and Forgetfulness of Promises Clark’s Advise: Combine Promises in our Prayer and Stand on those Promises

Believe and Obey What is a Christian? People who live under the Word of God Believe the teaching Trust the promises Follow the commands See the God of Bible as their Father and Christ of Bible as their Savior Word has convinced them of sin, and assured them of forgiveness

What is a Christian (cont. ) Consciences, captive to Word of God Aspire, whole life to be in line with Word As they pray, promises are before them Daily tasks, precepts are before them In addition to direct contact of God through the Word, it has also gone forth to create and control and order things around them. Rom 8: 28 Joy results then, even through sorrowful circumstances. All views tested by the Word of God