Facts for Faithful Followers Basic truths (‘doctrines’) that every Christian should know!

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Last Time’s Memory Verse 2 Timothy chapter 3 verses 16 & 17

Facts for Faithful Followers What is God like? We need to know as all doctrine stems from him!

““The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth …. He is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. Memory Verse Acts chapter 17 verses 24-25

He always is - Gen 1:1, John 1:1-3, Psalm 90:2, Revelation 1:8. He’s not limited by time. Everyone knows this (or would ….) - Romans 1:19-21 & 25 He never changes as far as –any of his attributes are concerned - Malachi 3:6 –his plan of salvation is concerned - Psalm 33:11 Although he never changes, yet he’s not unresponsive - Hosea 11:8-9 & Jonah 3:4 & 10 God is ! … and “he is”, eternally and eternally unchanging In the beginning, God … Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’ I the Lord do not change The plans of the Lord stand firm for ever, the purposes of his heart through all generations How can I hand you over, Israel? … My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused. I will not carry out my fierce anger. When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

God is spirit and invisible God is spirit - John 4:24 God is invisible - John 1:18 –What about Christ? Sometimes God has taken a temporary visible appearance that shares some characteristics of humans yet isn’t human - Exodus 33:18-23 and Daniel 3:24-25 God is spirit No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son Moses said, ‘Now show me your glory.’ The Lord said, ‘I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence … but you cannot see my face King Nebuchadnezzar leapt to his feet … ‘Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.’

God is at the centre of the Universe - Romans 11:36 We need God even for our daily breath … … but God doesn’t need us in any way - Acts 17:24-25 Although he acts for the good of his followers ( Romans 8:28 ), his purposes are established freely, just as he desires - Ephesians 1:11 Nothing and no-one can stop him acting just as he wants - Psalm 115:3, Proverbs 16:9 He has the power to do so - Jeremiah 32:17, Matthew 19:26 God is omnipotent, independent, and free to do what He plans For from him and through him and for him are all things God who made the world and everything in it … is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. We were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will. Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you Jesus… said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’

God is omnipresent and omniscient There’s no place where he isn’t - Psalm 139:7-10 But even the whole universe can’t contain him - 1 Kings 8:27 He knows everything - 1 John 3:20 Nothing is hidden from him - Hebrews 4:13 … where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there … God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

God is truthful, wise, good and beautiful He’s true - Psalm 119:160 He’s good - Luke 18:19 So he’s perfect Combined with his power to act as he wills, this means that –he always acts wisely - Romans 16:27, Job 9:4 & 12:13 –God is a beautiful person - Psalm 27:4 Jesus answered. ‘No one is good – except God alone’. the only wise God. All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his. One thing I ask from the Lord … that I may … gaze on the beauty of the Lord.

God is love God is love - 1 John 4:8 It’s seen supremely –in the relationship in the Trinity - John 14:31 & 17:24-26 –in his love for his followers in dying for their salvation - John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. Father, … you loved me before the creation of the world.

God is perfect, holy, righteous & just He can’t lie - Titus 1:2 He can’t deny his own character - 2 Timothy 2:13 - which is: –perfect - Matthew 5:48 –righteous - Psalm 145:17, Daniel 9:14 –constant (see earlier). His holiness - Isaiah 6:3 - and justice - Deuteronomy 32:4 - are the inevitable consequence of his unchangeableness - Numbers 23:19 - as they maintain his perfection and righteousness - Psalm 11:7 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does God, who does not lie, promised [eternal life] If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory. He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice;

God is jealous and wrathful towards sin Because he’s righteous and just –God hates sin - Romans 1:18 –God roots it out - Isaiah 13:11 The greatest sin is not to bow down in awe and worship in the light of the amazing character of God - 1 Corinthians 15:25. Such sin must be dealt with, too – so God is jealous for the glory he deserves - Exodus 20:5 & Isaiah 48:11 He must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another

God can’t be fully known, but he is knowable It’s impossible to know God - Psalm 145:3 & 147:5 But we must know God in order to have eternal life - John 17:3 Graciously, Christ has revealed God the Father to his disciples - John 17:6. God has revealed himself - Romans 1:19. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. Great is the Lord … his greatness no one can fathom Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world What may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain.

“From God’s other known attributes we may learn much about his love. We can know, for instance, that because God is self-existent his love had no beginnings, because he is eternal his love can have no end; because he is infinite it has no limits, because he is holy, it is the quintessence of all spotless purity, because he is immense, his love is an incomprehensibly vast, bottomless, shoreless sea before which we kneel in joyful silence and from which the loftiest eloquence retreats confused and abashed.” from “Knowledge of the holy” by AW Tozer

“Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!” Early in the morning our song of praise shall be: “Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, glorious Trinity!”

“Holy, holy, holy!” Every saint adores You. All in Heav’n cast down their crowns before Your Majesty. Cherubim and seraphim – all fall down before You: You were, and are, and evermore shall be.

Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide You, though the eye of sinful man Your glory may not see; You alone are holy, there is none beside You, perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! All Your works shall praise Your Name, in earth, and sky, and sea; Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty! God in three Persons – glorious Trinity! Words: Reginald Heber, 1826 (altered)

over to Dave …..

Question Time ! Which attributes are unique to God? Which attribute is most amazing to you and helps you to appreciate/worship him? Why? Which attribute do you struggle with (or find difficult to get to grips with) the most? Why? How does this study help you to get a fuller picture of who God is? How has your understanding of who God is been challenged by this study?

Prayer Time ! 1.Pick one attribute and praise God for it 2.Pray for a sense of God's awe in your/our worship 3.Pray that God's name be "hallowed" (honoured) in our world/your life 4.Pray that God's attributes might be a strength to Christians who are suffering persecution 5.Any other prayers that come out of this afternoon’s study

““The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth …. He is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. Memory Verse Acts chapter 17 verses 24-25

Take Home! Write down 7 characteristics of God (one word each) and consider them, one-by-one, in your quiet times over the next 7 days. For each, consider the implications for you and your life. You could use the appropriate verses on pages 1-3 of the notes to help.

Facts for Faithful Followers Next time …… …… Prayer