| God |
| “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) |
There is no greater subject that can occupy our minds than the study of God and
our relationship to Him. It is the duty and responsibility of man to believe that God
is, and to learn all that we can about Him. We can possess no greater knowledge.
The Bible says in (Jeremiah 9:23-24) “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man
glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich
man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he
understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise
lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I
delight, saith the LORD.” Let me encourage you today, to learn all that you can
about God so that we can understand and know Him, that he is God, and that He
exercises lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness. Let us look first at:
our relationship to Him. It is the duty and responsibility of man to believe that God
is, and to learn all that we can about Him. We can possess no greater knowledge.
The Bible says in (Jeremiah 9:23-24) “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man
glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich
man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he
understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise
lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I
delight, saith the LORD.” Let me encourage you today, to learn all that you can
about God so that we can understand and know Him, that he is God, and that He
exercises lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness. Let us look first at:
The Bible doesn't seek to prove that God exists. It simply states it as a fact. The
very first verse in the Bible is an example of this, it says in (Genesis 1:1) “In the
beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” The existence of God is
presented as a statement of fact that needs no proof. The responsibility is on us.
We either believe, or we don’t believe. And beloved, we see in (Psalm 14:1) a very
strong statement concerning those who do not believe in the existence of God. It
says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they
have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” I hope today that
each of you believe in the existence of the true and living God. Let us consider
second:
very first verse in the Bible is an example of this, it says in (Genesis 1:1) “In the
beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” The existence of God is
presented as a statement of fact that needs no proof. The responsibility is on us.
We either believe, or we don’t believe. And beloved, we see in (Psalm 14:1) a very
strong statement concerning those who do not believe in the existence of God. It
says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they
have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” I hope today that
each of you believe in the existence of the true and living God. Let us consider
second:
The Existence of God
The Nature of God
First, God is a Spirit. The Bible says in (John 4:24) “God is a Spirit: and they that
worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” This means that God does
not have a body. He is invisible to the natural eye. But God has revealed Himself to
mankind in visible form. We see this in the Lord Jesus Christ. In the person of Jesus
Christ, God came into the world in a body of flesh. The Bible says in (John 1:1-3)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and
without him was not any thing made that was made.” And in (John 1:14) it says,
"and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” Here we can
see plainly that God came into this world and revealed Himself in the person of
Jesus Christ, who is the Word that was made flesh through the virgin birth. In
(Hebrews 1:3) the Bible says, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the
express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,
when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty
on high;” Here we see that the Lord Jesus Christ is the brightness of God's glory;
that is, Jesus Christ has revealed the glory, the holiness, the perfections, the
greatness, the goodness, and the power of the Father. And He is the express image
of God’s Person. You see, as is the Father, so is the Son. What the Father is, what
He does, what He has, is what the Son is, what He does, and what He has. Jesus is
the express image of God’s person. This means that the whole nature of God is in
the Lord Jesus Christ, and through Him God is declared and revealed to us. Jesus
said in (John 14:9), “...He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” And in
(Colossians 2:9) the Bible says, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead
bodily.” So then, even though God is a spirit, He has revealed Himself in a body of
flesh, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son.
Second, God is a Person. The Bible reveals personal characteristics about God that
shows that He is a Person, rather than the imagined gods that man has invented.
God has knowledge. We see in (Isaiah 55:6-11) “Seek ye the LORD while he may
be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and
the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will
have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the
snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it
bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So
shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me
void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing
whereto I sent it”
Here we see that God has mercy on those who seek Him, He pardons the sinner of
his sins, He has thoughts that are far above our thoughts, and His Word
accomplishes what He intends for it to accomplish. You see, only a person can do
these things. God is a Person. The idol gods of man’s imagination and invention are
impersonal. They are not real. They are not real, personal beings.
Then third, God is the only One God, the only One Supreme Being. The Bible says
in (I Timothy 2:5) “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus;..” This verse shows us that there can be only one Supreme
Being. This One Supreme Being, the true and living God, reveals Himself in three
Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. This is the divine holy Trinity of
God. This beloved, is a mystery to the human mind, and cannot be fully understood,
because God is so far greater than we are, and His wisdom and thoughts are so far
above our wisdom and thoughts. But even though we cannot fully understand this
great truth, we can believe it because God’s Word teaches it.
In (Romans 1:7) it says, “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be
saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Here we see that the Father is called God. In (Hebrews 1:8) it says, “But unto the
Son he saith, Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is
the sceptre of thy kingdom.” Here we see that Jesus Christ the Son, is called God.
And in (Acts 5:3-4) it says, “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine
heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine
own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied
unto men, but unto God” Here we see that the Holy Ghost is called God.
We see this great truth again in (Matthew 3:16-17), when the Lord Jesus was
baptized by John the Baptist. It says, “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up
straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he
saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a
voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Here we see all three persons of the Godhead, the divine holy Trinity, God the Son
baptized, God the Holy Spirit descending from heaven upon the Son, and God the
Father speaking from heaven, testifying of His Son in whom He is well pleased.
We see this again in (Matthew 28:19) where Jesus gave the great commission. Jesus
said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Then again we see in (II
Corinthians 13:14) where it says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love
of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” Here again
the three persons of the divine Godhead are mentioned.
Beloved, there is only one true and living God. He is one God, revealing Himself as
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, one God in absolute perfect unity. What a
great and glorious God we have! What a blessing it is that He would reveal Himself
to us! Let us consider third:
worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” This means that God does
not have a body. He is invisible to the natural eye. But God has revealed Himself to
mankind in visible form. We see this in the Lord Jesus Christ. In the person of Jesus
Christ, God came into the world in a body of flesh. The Bible says in (John 1:1-3)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and
without him was not any thing made that was made.” And in (John 1:14) it says,
"and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” Here we can
see plainly that God came into this world and revealed Himself in the person of
Jesus Christ, who is the Word that was made flesh through the virgin birth. In
(Hebrews 1:3) the Bible says, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the
express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,
when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty
on high;” Here we see that the Lord Jesus Christ is the brightness of God's glory;
that is, Jesus Christ has revealed the glory, the holiness, the perfections, the
greatness, the goodness, and the power of the Father. And He is the express image
of God’s Person. You see, as is the Father, so is the Son. What the Father is, what
He does, what He has, is what the Son is, what He does, and what He has. Jesus is
the express image of God’s person. This means that the whole nature of God is in
the Lord Jesus Christ, and through Him God is declared and revealed to us. Jesus
said in (John 14:9), “...He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” And in
(Colossians 2:9) the Bible says, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead
bodily.” So then, even though God is a spirit, He has revealed Himself in a body of
flesh, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son.
Second, God is a Person. The Bible reveals personal characteristics about God that
shows that He is a Person, rather than the imagined gods that man has invented.
God has knowledge. We see in (Isaiah 55:6-11) “Seek ye the LORD while he may
be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and
the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will
have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the
snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it
bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So
shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me
void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing
whereto I sent it”
Here we see that God has mercy on those who seek Him, He pardons the sinner of
his sins, He has thoughts that are far above our thoughts, and His Word
accomplishes what He intends for it to accomplish. You see, only a person can do
these things. God is a Person. The idol gods of man’s imagination and invention are
impersonal. They are not real. They are not real, personal beings.
Then third, God is the only One God, the only One Supreme Being. The Bible says
in (I Timothy 2:5) “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus;..” This verse shows us that there can be only one Supreme
Being. This One Supreme Being, the true and living God, reveals Himself in three
Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. This is the divine holy Trinity of
God. This beloved, is a mystery to the human mind, and cannot be fully understood,
because God is so far greater than we are, and His wisdom and thoughts are so far
above our wisdom and thoughts. But even though we cannot fully understand this
great truth, we can believe it because God’s Word teaches it.
In (Romans 1:7) it says, “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be
saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Here we see that the Father is called God. In (Hebrews 1:8) it says, “But unto the
Son he saith, Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is
the sceptre of thy kingdom.” Here we see that Jesus Christ the Son, is called God.
And in (Acts 5:3-4) it says, “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine
heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine
own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied
unto men, but unto God” Here we see that the Holy Ghost is called God.
We see this great truth again in (Matthew 3:16-17), when the Lord Jesus was
baptized by John the Baptist. It says, “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up
straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he
saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a
voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Here we see all three persons of the Godhead, the divine holy Trinity, God the Son
baptized, God the Holy Spirit descending from heaven upon the Son, and God the
Father speaking from heaven, testifying of His Son in whom He is well pleased.
We see this again in (Matthew 28:19) where Jesus gave the great commission. Jesus
said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Then again we see in (II
Corinthians 13:14) where it says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love
of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” Here again
the three persons of the divine Godhead are mentioned.
Beloved, there is only one true and living God. He is one God, revealing Himself as
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, one God in absolute perfect unity. What a
great and glorious God we have! What a blessing it is that He would reveal Himself
to us! Let us consider third:
The Attributes of God
We mean by the attributes of God, His qualities, His perfections and characteristics.
First, God is Omnipresent. This means that God is present everywhere. The Bible
says in (Jeremiah 23:23-24) “Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God
afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the
LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.” Here we see clearly that
there is no place that God is not. He fills heaven and earth. Only God can be
everywhere present.
Second, God is Omniscient; that is, He knows all things. He possesses all
knowledge. We see in (Hebrews 4:12-13), "For the word of God is quick, and
powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing
asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest
in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom
we have to do" In (Proverbs 15: 3) it says, "The eyes of the Lord are in every
place, beholding the evil and the good" God knows all things that take place in
nature, including even when a little sparrow falls. He knows the number of the hairs
on our head. He even knows our thoughts.
Third, we see that God is Omnipotent; that is, He has all power. Jesus said in
(Matthew 19:26) that all things are possible with God, and in (Matthew 28:18) He
said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” God the Father has
given all power unto the Son because it is His to give. God has delegated some of his
power to the angelic host, and some to man, but God has all power. This will be
seen by all when the end comes, when God reveals his power and authority over all
things.
Fourth, God is Eternal. God had no beginning, and He will never cease to exist. The
Bible says in (Psalm 90:2), "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou
hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou
art God”
Fifth, God is Just. The Bible says in (Psalm 119:137), “Righteous art thou, 0
LORD, and upright are thy judgments.” Everything that God does is right and fair.
He keeps all His promises.
Sixth, God is Love. We can see this great attribute of God manifested in the gift of
His only begotten Son for the sin of the world. (John 3:16) “For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life.” And in (I John 4:8-10) the Bible says, “ He
that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of
God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that
we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he
loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” There can be no
greater manifestation of God’s love than this. This great manifestation of God’s love
in giving His Son for the sin of the world, beloved, this cannot be said of the idol,
false gods that man has invented. I believe in and rejoice in the God that has proven
His love by giving the greatest gift of all.
Then seventh, we see that God is Holy. We see in (Exodus 15:11), “Who is like
unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful
in praises, doing wonders?” God is glorious in His Holiness. This means that He is
absolutely pure and sinless. He has no capacity to sin. He hates all sin. As holy, God
is completely separate from all sin and evil.
We have such a wondrous and glorious God. Yet most people hate Him by refusing
to believe that He is, and by failing to seek Him and follow Him in obedience to His
commandments. We have so many in the church world today who are not satisfied
with God’s plan of salvation through His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,
so they have invented their own way of salvation. There will be a sad awakening for
these people in their day of death, and in their day of judgment when they stand
before the true and living God. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Way of salvation.
Jesus said in (John 14:6). “...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me.”
My friend, is all well with your soul? Are you prepared to live in this life with the
peace of God keeping your soul? Are you prepared for the day of death that is
coming to us all? Are you prepared to stand before God in your day of judgment?
The only way that any of us can be prepared for these things, is to come to the Lord
Jesus Christ and be saved. It is then that we can have fellowship and communion
with God. It is then that we can come to know the true and living God.
First, God is Omnipresent. This means that God is present everywhere. The Bible
says in (Jeremiah 23:23-24) “Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God
afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the
LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.” Here we see clearly that
there is no place that God is not. He fills heaven and earth. Only God can be
everywhere present.
Second, God is Omniscient; that is, He knows all things. He possesses all
knowledge. We see in (Hebrews 4:12-13), "For the word of God is quick, and
powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing
asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest
in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom
we have to do" In (Proverbs 15: 3) it says, "The eyes of the Lord are in every
place, beholding the evil and the good" God knows all things that take place in
nature, including even when a little sparrow falls. He knows the number of the hairs
on our head. He even knows our thoughts.
Third, we see that God is Omnipotent; that is, He has all power. Jesus said in
(Matthew 19:26) that all things are possible with God, and in (Matthew 28:18) He
said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” God the Father has
given all power unto the Son because it is His to give. God has delegated some of his
power to the angelic host, and some to man, but God has all power. This will be
seen by all when the end comes, when God reveals his power and authority over all
things.
Fourth, God is Eternal. God had no beginning, and He will never cease to exist. The
Bible says in (Psalm 90:2), "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou
hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou
art God”
Fifth, God is Just. The Bible says in (Psalm 119:137), “Righteous art thou, 0
LORD, and upright are thy judgments.” Everything that God does is right and fair.
He keeps all His promises.
Sixth, God is Love. We can see this great attribute of God manifested in the gift of
His only begotten Son for the sin of the world. (John 3:16) “For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life.” And in (I John 4:8-10) the Bible says, “ He
that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of
God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that
we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he
loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” There can be no
greater manifestation of God’s love than this. This great manifestation of God’s love
in giving His Son for the sin of the world, beloved, this cannot be said of the idol,
false gods that man has invented. I believe in and rejoice in the God that has proven
His love by giving the greatest gift of all.
Then seventh, we see that God is Holy. We see in (Exodus 15:11), “Who is like
unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful
in praises, doing wonders?” God is glorious in His Holiness. This means that He is
absolutely pure and sinless. He has no capacity to sin. He hates all sin. As holy, God
is completely separate from all sin and evil.
We have such a wondrous and glorious God. Yet most people hate Him by refusing
to believe that He is, and by failing to seek Him and follow Him in obedience to His
commandments. We have so many in the church world today who are not satisfied
with God’s plan of salvation through His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,
so they have invented their own way of salvation. There will be a sad awakening for
these people in their day of death, and in their day of judgment when they stand
before the true and living God. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Way of salvation.
Jesus said in (John 14:6). “...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me.”
My friend, is all well with your soul? Are you prepared to live in this life with the
peace of God keeping your soul? Are you prepared for the day of death that is
coming to us all? Are you prepared to stand before God in your day of judgment?
The only way that any of us can be prepared for these things, is to come to the Lord
Jesus Christ and be saved. It is then that we can have fellowship and communion
with God. It is then that we can come to know the true and living God.
|
Blessed Hope
A Continuing Ministry of Milford Cecil
A Continuing Ministry of Milford Cecil
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