Who Is God?
What is the difference between these two phrases: “I believe in God” and “I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.” Most people in our world believe in a god, but not all believe in God the Father Almighty.
The Bible begins with the words, “In the beginning God...” He is just there, He has no beginning and no end. How did God get there? We don't know, He's always existed. Unfortunately, there are many things about God that we cannot explain. No one can answer every God related question. For example, if you want to know what kept God busy before the creation of the world, you will have to wait to ask Him yourself someday.
However, there are many things about God that we do know and can explain. We know that God exists. We know there is a God because of creation. Looking around, it is obvious that this world and everything in it did not come into existance by itself or by chance. We know there is a God, because His Law is written in our hearts. You could say morality is hardwired into us. Most of us feel, perhaps even without instruction, that it is not OK to murder or steal. Deep down, at our core, we know right from wrong. We know there is a God, because our heart says so.
But if we know of God's existence only from nature and our own hearts, that would not be a full knowledge of God. It would not be enough for us to enter into a relationship with Him. Fortunately, God chose to reveal Himself to us and He chose a way that is familiar to all of us: Words – the Bible.
Who wrote the Bible? God. “All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.” - 2 Timothy 3:16
1) The Bible tells us that the true God is:
A) Three Gods – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
B) One God who acts at different times like a Father, a Son, and a Holy Spirit.
C) One God, consisting of 3 people – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
“C” is the correct answer. So when someone asks, “Who is God?” one way to answer that is to say “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” All Christian denominations agree that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All of our creeds explain each member of the Trinity.
2) God is __the Father _________ whose work is _to create____________________.
God is __the Son ___________ whose work is _to save us___________________.
God is __the Holy Spirit______ whose work is _to give us our faith___________.
3) Who are we?
We are God's creatures, made by Him. We are not accidents (no such thing as an accidental pregnancy – we may not have planned it, but God did). We are unique from the rest of creation, because we are created in the image of God Himself.
Discuss creation story, Genesis 1:1 and 1:26 show the Trinity was there (El and Elohim). At the end of days 1-5, God said that everything was good. But at the end of day 6, God said that everything was “very good.”
Note also God and Lord God in Genesis 1:27, 2:7, and 2:22. “Lord” is a proper name which means, “one who saves.” So the God who created us is the saving God.
The purpose of Genesis 1&2 is to show that God is the creator and owner of all, and then to move us to worship and praise Him. The creation account pictures people as God would have them be, not as people are today. Genesis 3 is separate from Genesis 1&2.
In Genesis 3 sin enters, and the realm of angels is introduced, but the origins of evil are really left unanswered. Where did this evil come from? Remember God only created good and angels are not mentioned in Genesis 1&2.
“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to he held for judgment...” - 2 Peter 2:4
Therefore, evil spirit = angels who fell. But Bible also says angels are holy, great in number, powerful, and serve as God's messengers (think birth of Jesus).
4) When Adam and Eve sinned, the punishment on them, their children, and all of us was death. But death in God's eyes is far worse than having no heartbeat. Death is separation from God (Jesus experienced this on the cross – our punishment for sin). Death is shutting God out of your life. Therefore, conversely, Life to God is not just a heartbeat and blood flowing through us, it is a relationship with Him – living under, with, and for God.
Everything we do is directly or indirectly related to warding off death and enjoying life. And to enjoy Life with God, we need to know God – what He's like, what He did, and what He still does for us. Life with God involves a relationship with Him, which involves the heart and the mind.
5) What is the purpose of
the Bible?
“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” - John 20:31
Therefore, God gives us His Word so that we may have life. The Bible provides the blueprints for the making of a complete person of God. The Bible also is divided into the Law and Gospel and they function to Show us our Sin and Show us our Savior.
The Law Shows Our Sin
The Gospel Shows Our Savior
6) True or False: The Bible defines religion as a person's search for God. (False, God always comes down to us and searches us out, we don't have to go looking for Him.) This is what separates us from other religions. We don't search for God, we don't try to earn our way into heaven, we believe in a God who is alive.
First 11 chapters of Genesis, no dates, show us who is our God as we get a pattern of how He functions: sin, judgement, grace
Genesis 12 – the Rescue begins with the calling of Abraham and Sarah. God makes a one-way covenant with them. At Mount Sinai, God makes a 2-way covenant with His chosen people, which includes the 10 commandments. In Jeremiah, God makes a 3rd covenant that will be fulfilled through Jesus.
Read Jeremiah 31:31-34 – Jesus fulfills this covenant. He forgives us by dying on the cross. We are reminded of this in our communion liturgy when Jesus says to His disciples at His Last Supper - “Drink of it, all of you, this cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you and all people for the forgiveness of sins.”
Israel is eventually destroyed by God, because the people did not worship Him alone. Then came 400 years of silence between OT and NT.
Finally, Jesus arrives on the scene. He says that He has come so that we may have life (see John 10:10). Jesus loves, heals, and preaches God's Word. He lives the perfect life that we were supposed to live. He shows us how we were/are to have life with God.
7) Who is Jesus?
A) He is the true God.
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” - Colossians 2:9
“He was with God in the beginning” - John 1:2
“My Lord and my God” - John 20:28 (when Thomas saw Jesus alive)
“He (Jesus) is the true God and eternal life” - 1 John 5:20
B) True Man
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” - John 1:14
8) What was Jesus' mission?
To restore to people the life they had lost by falling into sin. He did this by dying on the cross, thus fulfilling the covenant of Jeremiah 31.
9) What is our purpose? See Acts 1:8 – we are God's witnesses.
10) Who is God? Father, Son, Spirit, eternal, unchangeable, almighty, all-powerful, present everywhere, gracious, holy, faithful, good, merciful, love.
Who Is God?
“All
Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and
training in righteousness.” - 2
Timothy 3:16
1)
The Bible tells us that the true God is:
A) Three Gods – Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit
B)
One God who acts at different times like a Father, a Son, and a Holy Spirit.
C)
One God, consisting of 3 people – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
2) God is ____________________ whose work is
______________________________.
God is
____________________ whose work is ______________________________.
God is
____________________ whose work is ______________________________.
3) Who are we?
4) In God’s eyes:
A)
Death is __________________________________________________________.
B)
Life is ____________________________________________________________.
5) What is the purpose of the Bible?
“But these are written that
you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by
believing you may have life in His name.” - John 20:31
Law
Shows Our S________________
Gospel
Shows Our S________________
6)
True or False: The Bible defines
religion as a person's search for God.
7)
Who is Jesus?
A)
He is _________________________________
“For in Christ all the fullness of the
Deity lives in bodily form.” - Colossians 2:9
“He was with God in the beginning” -
John 1:2
“My Lord and my God” - John 20:28
(When Thomas saw Jesus alive)
“He (Jesus) is the true God and eternal
life” - 1 John 5:20
B)
He is _______________________________
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among
us.” - John 1:14
8)
What was Jesus' mission?
9) What is our purpose? See Acts 1:8
10) Who is God?