1. Acts 17:22-23 “Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and behold your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.”

3. THESE “WISE” MEN KNEW NOT GOD TWO WAYS OF KNOWING GOD --Knowing about the true God (having heard of, or learned about His existence) --Knowing in the sense of experiencing; having intimate knowledge of & relationship with)

4. THESE “WISE” MEN KNEW NOT GOD TWO WAYS OF KNOWING GOD NO EXCUSE THEN FOR NOT KNOWING GOD Rom. 1:19, 20 “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them…they are without excuse”

5. THESE “WISE” MEN KNEW NOT GOD TWO WAYS OF KNOWING GOD NO EXCUSE THEN FOR NOT KNOWING GOD LESS EXCUSE NOW! HOW CAN ONE COME TO KNOW GOD? --By learning about Who & What He is --By submitting to Him I Jn. 2:3, 4 “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his command- ments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him”

6. GOD HAS REVEALED HIMSELF --In nature Rom. 1:20 “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse”

7. GOD HAS REVEALED HIMSELF --In nature --In Revelation (the Bible) --In Jesus Christ Jn. 14:8, 9 “Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou nod known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?” Heb. 1:3 God’s Son, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person…”

8. GOD HAS REVEALED HIMSELF MANY THEN DID NOT WANT TO KNOW GOD Rom. 1:28 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge…”

9. GOD HAS REVEALED HIMSELF MANY THEN DID NOT WANT TO KNOW GOD THE SAME IS TRUE TODAY! --Most know of Him; may know His name --Some claim to know Him --But few really know Him --Why?

10. GOD HAS REVEALED HIMSELF MANY THEN DID NOT WANT TO KNOW GOD THE SAME IS TRUE TODAY! WHAT CAN WE KNOW ABOUT GOD? --Some facts about God revealed in nature (His existence, power, goodness, severity) --Bible reveals many additional things about Him --Some things revealed we cannot understand; these we accept by faith

11. THE BIBLE TEACHES… GOD IS A SPIRIT Jn. 4:24 “God is a Spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” Lk. 24:39 “…for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have”

12. THE BIBLE TEACHES… GOD IS A SPIRIT GOD IS A BEING OF PERSONALITY --Not merely a “force” or influence --Not “nature” --Not an inanimate piece of wood or stone --A “He”, not an “It”

13. THE BIBLE TEACHES… GOD IS A SPIRIT GOD IS A BEING OF PERSONALITY GOD IS A LIVING BEING Heb. 10:31 “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”

14. THE BIBLE TEACHES… GOD IS A SPIRIT GOD IS A BEING OF PERSONALITY GOD IS A LIVING BEING GOD IS THE EVER LIVING, ETERNAL & UNCHANGABLE BEING Ex. 3:13, 14 “And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them, The God of you fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM; and he said, Thus shalt thou say…I AM hat sent me unto you”

15. THE BIBLE TEACHES… GOD IS A SPIRIT GOD IS A BEING OF PERSONALITY GOD IS A LIVING BEING GOD IS THE EVER LIVING, ETERNAL & UNCHANGABLE BEING Rev. 1:8 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty”

16. THE BIBLE TEACHES… GOD IS A SPIRIT GOD IS A BEING OF PERSONALITY GOD IS A LIVING BEING GOD IS THE EVER LIVING, ETERNAL & UNCHANGABLE BEING Heb. 1:10, 11 “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands; they shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed; but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail”

17. THE BIBLE TEACHES… GOD IS A SPIRIT GOD IS A BEING OF PERSONALITY GOD IS A LIVING BEING GOD IS THE EVER LIVING, ETERNAL & UNCHANGABLE BEING GOD IS THE ONE AND ONLY GOD Isa. 44:6 “Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” Deut. 6:4 “Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord.”

18. THE BIBLE TEACHES… GOD IS A SPIRIT GOD IS A BEING OF PERSONALITY GOD IS A LIVING BEING GOD IS THE EVER LIVING, ETERNAL & UNCHANGABLE BEING GOD IS THE ONE AND ONLY GOD GOD IS A PLURAL GOD --Three persons in one Deity (Godhead or Godhood)—Acts 17:29; Mt. 28:19 --Not one Person with three manifestations

19. THE BIBLE TEACHES… GOD IS A SPIRIT GOD IS A BEING OF PERSONALITY GOD IS A LIVING BEING GOD IS THE EVER LIVING, ETERNAL & UNCHANGABLE BEING GOD IS THE ONE AND ONLY GOD GOD IS A PLURAL GOD Gen. 1:1 “In the beginning God (Elohim—plural) Gen. 1:26 “Let US make man in OUR image…”

20. THE BIBLE TEACHES… GOD IS A SPIRIT GOD IS A BEING OF PERSONALITY GOD IS A LIVING BEING GOD IS THE EVER LIVING, ETERNAL & UNCHANGABLE BEING GOD IS THE ONE AND ONLY GOD GOD IS A PLURAL GOD (Three Personalities) Jn. 1:1, 14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us”

21. THE BIBLE TEACHES… GOD IS A SPIRIT GOD IS A BEING OF PERSONALITY GOD IS A LIVING BEING GOD IS THE EVER LIVING, ETERNAL & UNCHANGABLE BEING GOD IS THE ONE AND ONLY GOD GOD IS A PLURAL GOD (Three Personalities) GOD IS INFINITE IN POWER Rev. 19:6 “…the Lord God omnipotent reigneth”

22. THE BIBLE TEACHES… GOD IS A SPIRIT GOD IS A BEING OF PERSONALITY GOD IS A LIVING BEING GOD IS THE EVER LIVING, ETERNAL & UNCHANGABLE BEING GOD IS THE ONE AND ONLY GOD GOD IS A PLURAL GOD (Three Personalities) GOD IS INFINITE IN POWER, WISDOM Rom. 11:33 “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out.”

23. THE BIBLE TEACHES… GOD IS A SPIRIT GOD IS A BEING OF PERSONALITY GOD IS A LIVING BEING GOD IS THE EVER LIVING, ETERNAL & UNCHANGABLE BEING GOD IS THE ONE AND ONLY GOD GOD IS A PLURAL GOD (Three Personalities) GOD IS INFINITE IN POWER, WISDOM, INSIGHT Heb. 4:13 “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.”

24. THE BIBLE TEACHES… GOD IS A SPIRIT GOD IS A BEING OF PERSONALITY GOD IS A LIVING BEING GOD IS THE EVER LIVING, ETERNAL & UNCHANGABLE BEING GOD IS THE ONE AND ONLY GOD GOD IS A PLURAL GOD (Three Personalities) GOD IS INFINITE IN POWER, WISDOM, INSIGHT & FORESIGHT Isa. 46:9, 10 “Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from

25. THE BIBLE TEACHES… GOD IS A SPIRIT GOD IS A BEING OF PERSONALITY GOD IS A LIVING BEING GOD IS THE EVER LIVING, ETERNAL & UNCHANGABLE BEING GOD IS THE ONE AND ONLY GOD GOD IS A PLURAL GOD (Three Personalities) GOD IS INFINITE IN POWER, WISDOM, INSIGHT & FORESIGHT the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done.”

26. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD A JEALOUS GOD Ex. 20:3-5 “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God…”

27. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD A JEALOUS GOD A JUST GOD Ps. 89:14 “Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne.”

28. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD A JEALOUS GOD A JUST GOD A GOD OF LOVE AND MERCY I Jn. 4:16 “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love…” Ps. 89:14 “Mercy and truth shall go before thy face”

29. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD A JEALOUS GOD A JUST GOD A GOD OF LOVE AND MERCY A GOD OF VENGEANCE AND WRATH Rom. 11:22 “Behold the goodness and severity of God” Rom. 12:19 “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” Heb. 10:32 “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”

30. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD A JEALOUS GOD A JUST GOD A GOD OF LOVE AND MERCY A GOD OF VENGEANCE AND WRATH A CARING GOD I Pet. 5:6, 7 “… casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Jn. 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son…” 2 Pet 3:9 “…not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”

31. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD A JEALOUS GOD A JUST GOD A GOD OF LOVE AND MERCY A GOD OF VENGEANCE AND WRATH A CARING GOD A DEMANDING GOD --Demands respect Ps. 33:8 “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.”

32. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD A JEALOUS GOD A JUST GOD A GOD OF LOVE AND MERCY A GOD OF VENGEANCE AND WRATH A CARING GOD A DEMANDING GOD --Demands respect, allegiance Deut. 6:5 “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might”

33. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD A JEALOUS GOD A JUST GOD A GOD OF LOVE AND MERCY A GOD OF VENGEANCE AND WRATH A CARING GOD A DEMANDING GOD --Demands respect, allegiance, obedience I Jn. 5:3 “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments”

34. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD A JEALOUS GOD A JUST GOD A GOD OF LOVE AND MERCY A GOD OF VENGEANCE AND WRATH A CARING GOD A DEMANDING GOD --Demands respect, allegiance, obedience, our best Mal. 1:8 “And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person?”

35. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD A JEALOUS GOD A JUST GOD A GOD OF LOVE AND MERCY A GOD OF VENGEANCE AND WRATH A CARING GOD A DEMANDING GOD --Demands respect, allegiance, obedience, our best, first place Mt. 6:33 “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

36. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD A JEALOUS GOD A JUST GOD A GOD OF LOVE AND MERCY A GOD OF VENGEANCE AND WRATH A CARING GOD A DEMANDING GOD NOT LIKE MAN Isa. 55:8, 9 “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”

37. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD A JEALOUS GOD A JUST GOD A GOD OF LOVE AND MERCY A GOD OF VENGEANCE AND WRATH A CARING GOD A DEMANDING GOD NOT LIKE MAN A GOD OF GLORY AND MAJESTY Rev. 7:12 “Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever.”

38. Ps. 96:4-9 “For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods, for all the gods of the nations are idols; but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; fear before him, all the earth.”