God The Father

God
The Father

2/3 session EBI

1
Monday 21 November 2011

“The foundation of all true
knowledge of God must be a
clear mental apprehension of
His perfections as revealed
in Holy Scripture. An
unknown God can neither
be trusted, served, nor
worshipped.”

A. W. Pink
Attributes of God.
2

“What comes into our minds
when we think about God is
the most important thing
about us.…
“For this reason the gravest
question before the Church is
always God Himself, and the
most portentous fact about
any man is not what he at a
given time may say or do, but
what he in his deep heart
conceives God to be like.…
3

“…We tend by a secret law of the soul to
move toward our mental image of God. This
is true not only of the individual Christian, but
of the company of Christians that composes
the Church. Always the most revealing thing
about the Church is her idea of God, just as
her most signiﬁcant message is what she says
about Him or leaves unsaid, for her silence is
often more eloquent than her speech.”
AW Tozer
The Knowledge of the Holy.
4

Draw a picture
illustrating what
you think are the
three most
important aspects
of what God is
like
5

Draw a picture
You are allowed
illustrating what
only think are the
you three words -
which would you
three most
use to describe
important aspects
God?
of what God is
like
5

The Nature of God

“It is important to know the nature of the one you
are dealing with...with a lot of errant teaching about
who God is, God has been so misdeﬁned, tragically
redeﬁned and even dismissed that people do not
understand His true nature...Knowing the nature
of God as he reveals himself, rather than how we
wish he were, can save us from a life of confusion
and defeat ”
Evans
7

Talking about the nature of
something means what is intrinsic
to its being - rabbits hop, cows
moo, students sleep
So what does God do naturally,
what are characteristics which
mark God out as God?
Is he a tyrant, a joke, a
grandfather, a better version of
humanity or do you imagine
something else?

8

1. God is a
Transcendent Being
In saying transcendent we mean
God is totally distinct (a
synonym for transcendent) from
his creation - he is unique, one
of a kind - there is nothing you
can really compare with God.
If you imagine God then it is
probably not what he is like -
the only understanding we can The "Eye of God" is a composite
get is from what God tells us of of images taken by the Hubble
himself Telescope and the Kitt Peak
9 National Observatory.

1. God is a
Transcendent Being
In saying transcendent we mean
transcendent |tranˈsendənt|
God is totally distinct (a
- beyond or above the range of
synonym for transcendent) from
normal or merely physical human
his creation - he is unique, one
experience
of a kind - there is nothing you
- surpassing the ordinary;God.
can really compare with
exceptional
If you imagine God then it is
- (of God) existing apart from
probably not what he is like -
and onlysubject to the limitations
the not understanding we can
The "Eye of God" is a composite
of the from what God tells us of
get is material universe. Often of images taken by the Hubble
contrasted with immanent . Telescope and the Kitt Peak
himself 9 National Observatory.

Isaiah 40:
With whom, then, will you compare God?
   To what image will you liken him?
19 As for an idol, a metalworker casts it,
   and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
   and fashions silver chains for it.
20 A person too poor to present such an offering
   selects wood that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
   to set up an idol that will not topple.
21 Do you not know?
   Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
   Have you not understood since the earth was
founded? 10

22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
   and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
   and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
23 He brings princes to naught
   and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing...
25 “To whom will you compare me?
   Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
   Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
   and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
   not one of them is missing.
11

Isaiah 55:8-9
“For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways
my ways,” declares the LORD.
“As the heavens are higher than
1.a. Distinct in his
the earth, so are my ways
higher than your ways and my
thoughts
thoughts than your thoughts.
Some people say, “I like to think
God is like this and does that...”
The truth is God does not
think in the same way as
humans think.
12

Isaiah 55:8-9
“For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways
my ways,” declares the LORD.
“As the heavens are higher than
the earth, so are my ways
higher than your ways and my
thoughts than your thoughts.
Some people say, “I like to think
God is like this and does that...”
The truth is God does not
think in the same way as
humans think.
12

Psalm 50:21
“These things you have done,
and I have been silent; you
thought that I was one
like yourself. 1.b. Distinct in his
But now I rebuke you and lay
the charge before you.”person Voltaire, “God
God is not like man - nor like created man in his
Superman - he is totally own image, and
man returned the
utterly transcendent
favour”

13

Psalm 50:21
“These things you have done,
and I have been silent; you
thought that I was one
like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay
the charge before you.” Voltaire, “God
God is not like man - nor like created man in his
Superman - he is totally own image, and
man returned the
utterly transcendent
favour”

13

There is no other god or
person to compare God
with.
Psalm 97:9 - For you,
1.c. Distinct in his
LORD, are the Most High
deity
over all the earth; you are
exalted far above all gods.
Psalm 99:2 - The LORD is
great in Zion; he is exalted
over all the peoples.
This cartoon has no relevance
at all to the subject
14

There is no other god or
person to compare God
with.
Psalm 97:9 - For you,
LORD, are the Most High
over all the earth; you are
exalted far above all gods.
Psalm 99:2 - The LORD is
great in Zion; he is exalted
over all the peoples.
This cartoon has no relevance
at all to the subject
14

Ex 20:4-6 “You shall not make
for yourself an image in the form of
anything in heaven above or on the
earth beneath or in the waters
below.You shall not bow down to
them or worship them; for I, the
LORD your God, am a jealous God,
punishing the children for the sin of
the parents to the third and fourth
generation of those who hate me,
but showing love to a thousand
generations of those who love me
and keep my commandments.”
16

Ex 20:4-6 “Youthis mean for us - how do
What does shall not make
for yourself an it? in the form of
we apply image
anything in heaven above or on the
16

we apply image
anything in heaven above or on the we use a
Can we paint pictures, can
cross in worship?
16

we apply image
cross in worship?
Is it right to sayfor I, the only use signs
them or worship them; we can
LORD your God, am aand wine which God has
like the bread jealous God,
said isthe children for the sin of
punishing ok?
16

we apply image
cross in worship?
Is it right to sayfor I, the only use signs
them or worship them; we can
LORD your God, am aand wine which God has
like the bread jealous God,
said isthe children for the sin of
punishing ok?
the parents to the third and fourth than this
Is doing anything other
generation of and therefore a way of
idolatry those who hate me,
but showing love to a glory? And, if we do
limiting God’s thousand
this, do we make God smaller and
therefore limit him?
16

When you reduce God to something
you are comfortable with it gives you
liberty to do what you want.
The Israelites made the golden calf - and then...
built an altar in front of the calf and announced,
“Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD.” So
the next day the people rose early and sacriﬁced
burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings.
Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up
to indulge in revelry.

17

2. God is a Spirit
Being
John 4:23-24
Yet a time is coming and has now come
when the true worshipers will worship
the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for
they are the kind of worshipers the
Father seeks. God is spirit,
What does that mean - how might we
understand and apply this?
18

It means that God does not have a
body - Jesus said this in Luke 24: 39 -
a spirit does not have ﬂesh and bones
Jesus has a body because he became
a man - it was not his essential nature
God uses anthropomorphisms -
2.a. God is Immaterial
anthro pos = “man”, morphos = “form”
Mention [spiritual, rather than physical]
is made of God’s hand, back,
eye, face ears...so that we might have
some understanding of God - but it is
only in part
In worship God is ﬁrstly concerned
about our heart, then our body as a
result of that
19

It means that God does not have a
body - Jesus said this in Luke 24: 39 -
a spirit does not have ﬂesh and bones
Jesus has a body because he became
a man - it was not his essential nature
God uses anthropomorphisms -
anthro pos = “man”, morphos = “form”
Mention is made of God’s hand, back,
eye, face ears...so that we might have
some understanding of God - but it is
only in part
In worship God is ﬁrstly concerned
about our heart, then our body as a
result of that
19

God is spirit, and those who
worship him must worship in
spirit and truth.
This means he has the three
aspects of being a person - mind,
will emotions - he thinks, feels
and chooses 2.b. God is a Person
So he is a person - but without a
body - Ex. 3:14
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I
AM.This is what you are to say to the
Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
20

God is spirit, and those who
worship him must worship in
spirit and truth.
This means he has the three
aspects of being a person - mind,
will emotions - he thinks, feels
and chooses
So he is a person - but without a
body - Ex. 3:14
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I
AM.This is what you are to say to the
Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
20

John 1:18 - No one has ever
seen God, but the one and only
Son, who is himself God and is in
closest relationship with the
Father, has made him known.
Exodus 33:18, 22 -Then Moses
2.c. God is Invisible
said, “Now show me your glory.”...
“When my glory passes by, I will
put you in a cleft in the rock and
cover you with my hand until I
have passed by”
Moses did not see God but
only something of his glory
21

John 1:18 - No one has ever
seen God, but the one and only
Son, who is himself God and is in
closest relationship with the
Father, has made him known.
Exodus 33:18, 22 -Then Moses
said, “Now show me your glory.”...
“When my glory passes by, I will
put you in a cleft in the rock and
cover you with my hand until I
have passed by”
Moses did not see God but
only something of his glory
21

We might not see God, though in
Jesus we have seen him, but we
know he is there by what he does.
God being spirit does 2 things:
1. It frees us from materialism
- we are freed from looking for life
in the wrong places - a relationship
with God is developed on a spirit-
to-spirit basis
2. Knowing God is spirit means
we are complete in him - Col
2:9-10, Acts 17:24-25, Jer 29:13 -
give him your heart in worship and
see him act in your life 22

3. God is an Eternal
Being
Ps 90:1-2
Lord, you have been our
dwelling place throughout all
generations. Before the
mountains were born or you
brought forth the whole
world, from everlasting
to everlasting you are
God.
23

Put simply there has never been a time when God
did not exist.
Somewhere we all encounter the problem of what,
or who, came ﬁrst.
God, according to the Bible, exists from everlasting
3.a. He has no beginning
to everlasting - God is forever, history is
meaningless to him as he exists outside of time. God
is the I AM - he has no past or future, he simply is.
A parallel might be to think about looking at
Niagara Falls - it is as if our view is from close up
but God’s is from overhead, seeing where the river
originates and where it concludes - He sees it all

24

Put simply there has never been a time when God
did not exist.
Somewhere we all encounter the problem of what,
or who, came ﬁrst.
God, according to the Bible, exists from everlasting
to everlasting - God is forever, history is
meaningless to him as he exists outside of time. God
is the I AM - he has no past or future, he simply is.
A parallel might be to think about looking at
Niagara Falls - it is as if our view is from close up
but God’s is from overhead, seeing where the river
originates and where it concludes - He sees it all

24

Everything which is created needs
something else to exist - God
doesn’t need anything to exist, he
has always been. God did not need
to create us - he is totally fulﬁlled
in himself.
3.b. He is Independent
God created us so that we could
enjoy Him and participate in His
world and all that He is doing.

25

Everything which is created needs
something else to exist - God
doesn’t need anything to exist, he
has always been. God did not need
to create us - he is totally fulﬁlled
in himself.
God created us so that we could
enjoy Him and participate in His
world and all that He is doing.

25

4. God is an
Immutable Being
immutable |iˈmyoōtəbəl|
unchanging over time or unable to be changed

James 1:17
Every good gift and every
perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father
of lights with whom there is
no variation or shadow due to
change.
26

Does God sometimes change his mind?
Unchangeableness
“Unchanging Israelites - Ex. 32:9-14
Moses & the in his being, character,
purposes and promises, 38:1-6 does act
Hezekiah Isa yet God
and feel emotions,Jonahhe acts and feels
Nineveh and 3:4, 10
differently in response to different
What we see is that if a situation changes
situations” Grudem
then God’s attitude or expression of
Malachi 3:6,7 “For the Lord do not
intention will change -I in essence God
change...return to me to different situations -
responds differently and I will return to you”
Can you think of a name of God which
this is called the present attitude of God -
note that God’s his unchanging nature? here
indicates nature has not changed
27

Does God sometimes change his mind?
Moses & the Israelites - Ex. 32:9-14
Hezekiah Isa 38:1-6
Nineveh Jonah 3:4, 10
What we see is that if a situation changes
then God’s attitude or expression of
intention will change - in essence God
responds differently to different situations -
this is called the present attitude of God -
note that God’s nature has not changed here
27

Process Theology says that process and change
are essential parts of genuine existence, and
therefore God must be changing over time also, just
like anything else that exists.
Charles Hartshorne, the father of process theology,
says God is continually adding to himself all the
experiences that happen anywhere in the universe,
and is thus continually changing. Our actions
change God - this gives great meaning to human
lives!
However, evangelicals believe our meaning comes
not from changing God but in that God created us
for his glory and that he counts us signiﬁcant.
28

Why are we here? What is our
purpose? Bruce Ware answers in this way
The answer is NOT that God was lonely and
needed fellowship. Ps 50 – he’s offended and
dishonored to think so.
Rather, particularly in relation to his people, the
answer it this: though he doesn’t need us, he
loves us, and his purpose in creating and
redeeming us is not that we might ﬁll up some
lack in him, but that he might ﬁll us up with
himself.
29

He made us empty to be filled with his
fullness, thirsty to drink of the water of life,
weak to receive his strength, foolish to be
instructed and corrected by his wisdom. In
his love, he longs to give, to share the
bounty. He wants us to experience in finite
measure the fullness of joy and blessing that
he knows infinitely—all to redound to the
praise and glory of his name, the Giver and
Provider of all the good we enjoy

30

God cannot, does not and will
not change.
4.a. Changeless in his
Ps 119:89 - Forever, O LORD,
Person
your word is ﬁrmly ﬁxed in the
heavens.

31

God cannot, does not and will
not change.
Ps 119:89 - Forever, O LORD,
your word is ﬁrmly ﬁxed in the
heavens.

31

Hebrews 6:17-18 Because God
wanted to make the unchanging
nature of his purpose very clear to
the heirs of what was promised, he
conﬁrmed it with an oath. God did this so
that, by two unchangeable things in
4.b. Changeless in his
which it is impossible for God to lie, we
who have ﬂed to take hold of the hope
Purpose
set before us may be greatly encouraged.
God is consistent -
Hebrew 13:8 Jesus Christ is the
there is no shadow
same yesterday and today and forever. because he does
God’s plans do not change and not move, or
his knowledge is the same now deviate from his
as it was on the day of creation purpose
32

Hebrews 6:17-18 Because God
wanted to make the unchanging
nature of his purpose very clear to
the heirs of what was promised, he
conﬁrmed it with an oath. God did this so
that, by two unchangeable things in
which it is impossible for God to lie, we
who have ﬂed to take hold of the hope
set before us may be greatly encouraged.
God is consistent -
Hebrew 13:8 Jesus Christ is the
there is no shadow
same yesterday and today and forever. because he does
God’s plans do not change and not move, or
his knowledge is the same now deviate from his
as it was on the day of creation purpose
32

Exodus 32
10 leave me alone so that my anger may burn against
them and that I may destroy them.Then I will make you
into a great nation.”
14 Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his
4.c. Changeless in his
people the disaster he had threatened.
Jonah 3
Character
4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city,
proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be
overthrown.”
10 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 had33threatened.

Exodus 32
people the disaster he had threatened.
Jonah 3
4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city,
proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be
overthrown.”

Exodus 32
people the disaster he change his mind?
Does God had threatened.
What does this say about
Jonah 3
4 Jonah began by going character?the city,
God’s days and Nineveh will be
a day’s journey into
proclaiming, “Forty more
overthrown.”

So what does this really mean? God’s character is
entirely consistent - it never changes.
However, if a change on a man’s part affects another
part of God’s character, God is then free to relate to
that person out of that aspect of his character not the
previous.
God did not change his mind about Nineveh’s sin but in
repenting they appealed to another part of God’s
character, his grace. They then moved from God dealing
with them on the basis of his wrath against sin, to being
dealt with by his grace.
God did not change - he was and is always perfect - he
simply responds to the readjustment of man.
34

5. God is a Triune
Being

This is a difﬁcult truth!
Dt 6:4 - Hear, O Israel:The LORD
our God, the LORD is one.
Isa 45:5, 1 Cor 8:4

35

God is consistent -
there is no shadow
because he does
not move, or
deviate from his
purpose
36

The One God is made up of three
persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
We use the word Trinity to describe
this - though it is not a biblical word
5.a. One God in Three
it is useful to describe the threeness
of God.
Persons
Although it is hard to understand we
have to remember God is
transcendent - he is not like us.
Images used to try to explain the
trinity include:
37

The One God is made up of three
persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
We use the word Trinity to describe
this - though it is not a biblical word
it is useful to describe the threeness
of God.
Although it is hard to understand we
have to remember God is
transcendent - he is not like us.
Images used to try to explain the
trinity include:
37

Shell

Yolk

God is consistent -
there is no shadow
White because he does
not move, or
deviate from his
purpose
38

Steam

Ice

God is consistent -
there is no shadow
Water because he does
not move, or
deviate from his
purpose
39

Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth.
God = Elohim - a plural word
Gen 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make
mankind in our image, in our likeness, so
5.b. The Trinity in Creation
that they may rule over the ﬁsh in the sea
and the birds in the sky, over the livestock
and all the wild animals,and over all the
creatures that move along the ground.”
Gen 1:27 So God created mankind in his
own image, in the image of God he created
them; male and female he created them.
Plural - singular - plural all in one chapter
40

Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth.
God = Elohim - a plural word
Gen 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make
mankind in our image, in our likeness, so
that they may rule over the ﬁsh in the sea
and the birds in the sky, over the livestock
and all the wild animals,and over all the
creatures that move along the ground.”
Gen 1:27 So God created mankind in his
own image, in the image of God he created
them; male and female he created them.
Plural - singular - plural all in one chapter
40

The pre-incarnate Christ says,
Isa 48:16 And now the Sovereign LORD
has sent me, endowed with his Spirit.
Matt 27:46 About three in the
afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud
5.b. The Trinity
voice,“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which
means “My God, my God, why have you
throughout Scripture
forsaken me?”)
The Father is God: Gal 1:1, 3 Eph 1:2-3
The Son is God: John 20:28
The Holy Spirit is called God: Acts
5:3-4
41

The pre-incarnate Christ says,
Isa 48:16 And now the Sovereign LORD
has sent me, endowed with his Spirit.
Matt 27:46 About three in the
afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud
voice,“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which
means “My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?”)
The Father is God: Gal 1:1, 3 Eph 1:2-3
The Son is God: John 20:28
The Holy Spirit is called God: Acts
5:3-4
41

Simply put The Trinity is involved in working
cooperatively in many areas, e.g.
1 Pet 1:1-2 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,To God’s
elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of
Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have
been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be
obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:
2 Cor 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.
Creation is ascribed to God (Gen 1:1), Jesus (Col.
1:16), Holy Spirit (Gen 1:2, Ps 104:30)
42

“All three act in unity, one God in three
persons, equal in essence though
distinct in function”
Tony Evans
Evans suggests the best image of
the Trinity is that of a family:
“...a woman and a man who are one,
and children who bear the same
essence as mum and dad”

43

Conclusion
This is the God we are learning of, the one we
should long to know;
1 Tim 1:17
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible,
the only God, be honor and glory for ever and
ever. Amen.
(TM) Deep honor and bright glory to the
King of All Time— One God, Immortal,
Invisible, ever and always. Oh, yes!
44

Responding to the
Nature of God
Evans makes 4 helpful points in how we
respond to God’s nature - the transcendent,
eternal, spirit, immutable, triune God:
1. Let God be God - Let God do what God
wants in God’s way - don’t say “God would
never allow that”, “How could God bless that
person?” etc.

45

2. Don’t make bargains
with God - such as “I’ll do
this if God does that” - don’t
make deals with God.
3. Don’t think that the
better your
performance the more
God will love you - you are
already complete in Christ, you
don’t have to work harder for
his acceptance - serve him out
of love and gratitude
46

Memory Verse
Of old you laid the foundations of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you endure;
They will wear out like a garment.
You change them like raiment, and they pass away;
But you are the same, and your years have no end.
Psalm 102:25-27

47

4. Make knowing God a priority - this
might mean saying no to other things, even
‘good’ things - accept God’s invitation to come
closer.

48

God The Father

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