Beyond The Basics 3: The Attributes And Nature Of God

You are jumping in midstream as it were to lesson number three so I'm going to give you a brief recap of one and two and you're going to be amazed at how fast that goes I think. But let's let's open up where the word of prayer while the men pass out these notes.

Father what a blessed opportunity is to be here on this beautiful morning to consider the things of your word to reflect on the work that you have done on our behalf through your son Jesus Christ and even sealing us to yourself through your Holy Spirit.

Father I pray that this morning would be a time of challenge a reflection upon that goodness to us and Lord of just quickening these truths to our hearts. Lord we pray that you would bless this time in Christ's name.

Why Doctrine Matters for Christian Practice

Well just one thing I will from time to time do little odd things like this just to kind of keep you aware of what's going on in the world and also to let you know that you don't have to read everything because it's our job to read it for you and shake our heads and then pass along to you.

This is a newsletter that I've been getting for years even though I don't really like it. It's free and so they keep sending it to me. Here's a question from this newsletter. I just read about Tony Blair's interfaith movement to end religious conflict.

What a beautiful thought. The article says the Tony Blair faith foundation will fight extremism. Are you an extremist. Will fight extremist organized faith groups against poverty and illness and educate people worldwide about religious or about religions other than their own.

Bill Clinton open the event. Rick and Kay Warren are on the advisory committee along with Baptists Muslims Jews and soon a Catholic Cardinal is not exciting. How can Rick Warren who claims to be a born-again Christian be part of something like this.

And the point isn't a blast. Rick Warren is the point is when we study scripture when we learn doctrine it impacts what we do. And if we're more concerned about solving the AIDS crisis or preventing global warming or whatever the issue is then in seeing soul saved or even if we're equally committed to those things it will impact what we do and our focus will shift.

We will become more concerned with those things than we are the gospel. And you know what if all the ice caps melt and all the land on all the planet is all flooded and we stop the and if whether we're able to stop that or not and everybody goes to hell after that.

It doesn't really matter if we cure AIDS and the people who are allowed to live lives up to 80 85 90 years then go straight to hell. What have we really accomplished. So the goal is always the gospel.

The goal is always proclaiming Christ. Lessons wanted to. We talked about the Bible its origins how it breaks down. I can get you all these notes. Anybody who wants them. In fact if you want them send me an email.

And I do have cards just like this available if you have any questions that we that you think you're somehow outside of the class or you're afraid to raise your hand. So if you have one of those questions you want to get a card you want to email me.

That's fine. Because I'll answer your questions in the weeks that come talked about the New Testament how it's broken down. We've talked about Athanasius. We've talked about the importance of Scripture.

See how fast this is going. We've talked about how to study the Bible. Why you study the Bible. What hermeneutics means. Who can tell me what hermeneutics is. Have you ever met hermeneutics. Nevermind wrong.

Joni. Proper interpretation of Scripture. That is very close. A method for a proper interpretation of the Scripture would be exactly right. So it's it's our methodology. And how we study the Bible says a lot about us.

If you watch these TV preachers if you have people come and knock at your door you're gonna find them doing a lot of this. Well Isaiah 24 verse 7 says Matthew 16. You know. And it's just boom boom boom boom boom.

You know it's scriptural audible izing. Why do they do that. I'm sorry Becky they're trained that way. That is one definite truth. Why else Peggy says it fits what they want to get across. Yeah. And and and when you say they're trained that way that's exactly right.

You know I had I was in a discussion with one man who said well I like to let Scripture speak for Scripture. You know as if hopping all around the Bible explains that. But what he's really doing is he's avoiding the basic simple hermeneutic of I need to understand everything in context.

I need to be able to explain this right where it is. I don't need Peter to explain Paul. If I if Peter doesn't explain Peter I think it's fine to supplement it like that. But I need to understand what Peter meant.

I need to understand what Paul meant. I need to understand what every single author meant within the context. You know can you use one clear scripture to explain another not so clear scripture. I think you can.

But I think that goes way down the list. You know you need to go through a lot of steps before you get there. And let's say you're studying Peter. And you think there are three possible meanings. Well I would suggest that you need to go through word study and a lot of things before you start hop skipping and jumping around.

But the main thing is always you need to understand it in context. There are a lot of different things when we study the Bible we need to understand culture. I mean we don't live in the first century or the 15th century before Christ culture.

We don't live that way. We don't think that way. So it's often helpful to think about those things. We don't live in the Middle East. So it's often helpful to look at the things that they would be focused on in order to understand what the writer intends.

The Limits of Human Knowledge and the Need for Revelation

Let's move on to lesson number three. The attributes in nature of God. And some of this will be a review. But I've added if you if you've been in this class before I have added a lot of material. I mean I think this used to be two pages and now it's enormous.

It is a veritable book. Yes it is a plethora of information. Now can we know everything about God. Anybody think they know everything about God. If so see me after class. No. What is Deuteronomy Deuteronomy Deuteronomy Deuteronomy Deuteronomy.

What is Deuteronomy 29 29 say the secret things belong to the Lord. But what else does it say. This is the part I always like people always know the first part the things revealed. I mean there are some things that God has revealed to us.

Right. Steven. There are some things that God has revealed to us. And those are the things that we really need to focus on. Not what he is not revealed to us. There are plenty of things about him that we will not know.

Okay. Number two. How our faith and knowledge of God tied together. I kind of previewed that we're gonna be reading through a lot of scripture. Faith comes by hearing and worrying and hearing by the Word of Christ.

Which would be Romans 10. I think that's verse 9. Might be 13. It's right in there. Anyway. I think it is 13. No I think about it. But anyway. No that's not it. It is Romans 10. That's Romans 10 17. Surely.

Yep 17. Okay. But Hebrews 11 6 says that. What. Well without faith it is impossible to please God. So what does that indicate about how faith should impact our lives. Or how it does impact our lives without.

If that if without faith it is impossible please God then with faith it is possible please God. So true or false the more we know about God the more we're accountable for true. Yeah. How true or false.

The more we know about God the more likely we are to obey him. I think that's probably true. I mean let's put it this way. If we had such a convicting knowledge that we worked that we that we lived and walked in the fear and admonition of the Lord constantly scripture was constantly running through our head and our focus was entirely on Christ and what he had done for us.

Likely less likely that we're going to sin. Likely less likely that we're going to honor Christ with our lives. I think it's more likely. You know so how our true worship and knowledge of God number three tied together.

Worship, Truth, and Protection from Deception

First the truth matters. Why. Let's look at John 422. This is gonna be a new thing for me. Because actually have to carry my Bible around rather than be able to rest it on a podium. Now. John 422. Who can read that for me.

Please. Okay. So if you this is Jesus talking to the woman at the well and what's his point in terms of worship and knowledge. Okay we have to worship in spirit and truth. What does he say to her. He says you don't know what you're worshiping.

You know basically what was she worshiping up to that point anyway. An idol a false God. You know he might as well have been speaking to the Athenians. You know what you worship. And ignorance said you don't know what you worship.

But he says to her we worship what we know. We worship what we know. And that's true of all people. Right. What do they worship. Might be themselves might be a false God. But they worship what they know.

We know the Living God. We worship him. Secondly ignorance is no excuse can you say. And I mean there are plenty of scriptures we could go to. What's a the easiest scripture. And I won't even go to Second Samuel.

What's the easiest scripture to go to. That all men are without excuse. Romans 1. What is evidence. Or what is what can be known about God has been made evident to them. And so that all men are without excuse.

That's a steep pulley paraphrase. Okay. Thirdly what do we get from knowing the truth. Protection from the wiles of Satan. Genesis 3 1 to 6. We could also look at the temptation of Christ. What happens you know when Satan comes to Jesus and he tempts him in the wilderness.

What does Jesus do. He pit he banishes him tells him to get away from him. Don't ever come anywhere near me because I have dominion over you. Is that what Jesus said. No that's right. Yeah. Peggy. Peggy gave the right answer.

I was putting words in her mouth. He sent he answered Satan every step along the way Satan would misrepresent with the Word of God said Jesus would say what the Bible said and therefore defeat him. He could have think about it the God of the universe.

We've said before that Satan is God's devil. I mean the devil can't do anything that God doesn't permit him to do so he could have sent him away but he didn't do that. He refuted him with the Word of God.

How can we find out who God is. I mean there are a lot of theories about that. Go up high into the Andes. Starve yourself for a couple of months. You know. Maybe I'll put on some kind of yeah sackcloth and ashes or you know goat skins camel fur or whatever.

And eat locusts. That's not the way to go though. What is it. What do we do. We study the Bible. We study the Bible. John 14 21. We hear the Bible. Even as I quoted earlier hearing comes by or faith comes by hearing.

See the spirits illumination true or false. The Holy Spirit plays a role in convicting us of truth. True. We also need to trust God. What's the advantage. How do we find out who God is when we trust him.

How do we find out who God is when we trust him. If he does what he'll say he'll he'll do. How do we know. You know it. We hear people say well God has been faithful thus far. What does that mean. It means there have been times where I have not known what to do.

I'm just paraphrasing the general consensus. Times where I've not known what to do but I believed God. I obeyed God and God was faithful. This comes from a W Tozer. What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.

The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of him. Why. Well you know I doubt God. I'm worried I'm concerned is that idolatry. Yes because you're erecting a false image of God.

We don't think oh I'm committing adultery or adultery idolatry which is spiritual adultery. We don't think oh I'm worshiping a false God. But we are because when we think thoughts that are untrue of God that are unworthy of him we are worshiping a God that does not exist.

A right conception of God is basic not only to systematic theology but to practical Christian living as well. You want to live a happy joyous not worry-free. But typically you know if things are gonna have a slope they're gonna be up and up and up life.

Well how do you do that. You learn more and more about God and you let's see you utilize more of what you know again. Tozer. There is scarcely an error in doctrine or a failure in applying Christian ethics that cannot be traced.

The Futility of Replacing the Gospel with Social Causes

Finally to imperfect and ignoble thoughts about God. Let's go back to this AIDS global warming all these kind of things now. Are those things good. I think it's good to be concerned about AIDS. I don't want people to die of AIDS either.

Global warming is arguable and I don't really want to argue it. But there are things are. Should we be concerned about the poor. Absolutely. But should we focus on that. Should we expend our time resources and treasure towards something that even if we can't first of all can we solve the problem of poverty.

Can we solve. I would argue we can't even solve the problem of AIDS. Because if we solved it then something else would come along. Why is that sin nature. I mean AIDS wasn't brought about by some you know billion year evolutionary project.

AIDS is a result of sin. Of course not everybody gets it is necessarily I mean blood supplies tainted and all that. But the point is even if you cure that you're not gonna cure the ultimate problem. If they cure I mean I probably said this before.

But there's some scientists out there who think that old age is a disease that can be cured and so they're working on that. I'm going think about this. You could live to be five six seven eight hundred years old.

And you know you will have great great great great great great grandkids who won't know you who'll walk by you in the street knock you down. You know get up old man. I. I don't. I don't. I don't see the glory in that.

You know I want to live for as long as I have my faculties. But after that I want to go home to be with the Lord. Okay. Well let's talk about the attributes of God. And I'm gonna go a little more quickly through the first few and we'll probably get through a few of them this week.

Immutability and the Unchanging Character of God

Immutability. Immutability. Gee. Can anybody tell me what that means. Oh let's see. God does not change. I mean these are these notes are as much a resource as they are. Anything else. And some of the things I've taken straight out of AW pink.

Some of the things I cut pasted from pastor Mike's notes. Some of the things I mean AW pinks attributes of God is a great book. Everybody should own it. Read it frequently. But God does not change. No change in his essence.

Let's read Isaiah 40 verse 28. Isaiah 40 verse 28. No change in his ultimate nature. And when somebody has that would you read it please. Okay. I'll read. Do you not know. Have you not heard the everlasting God the Lord the creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired.

His understanding is inscrutable. Now how does that apply to no change in his essence. No change in his nature. Let me give you a hint if we look at this verse if we look at this portion that says does not become weary or tired.

Think about what God is doing right now. What is God doing right now. Holding everything together. Now an aspect of this verse for application purposes. If he's holding everything together and it says he does not become weary or tired.

Can you imagine. You know let's just say I'm gonna appoint Daniel O 'Brien in charge of holding the universe together. How long can Daniel do that. Why. What's that he gets tired. And no offense Daniel.

But he's gonna last about 1 billionth of a second. And we're all gonna disintegrate. That's gonna be it. But God does not get where you're tired. He can hold it together forever and ever and ever. And how much energy does he lose.

None. Absolutely none. No change in his attributes. This verse talks about Jesus Christ. But what's true of Jesus Christ is true about God himself. Hebrews 13 8 says he is the same yesterday today and forever.

No change in his plans. You know Isaiah 46 10 says. What. That when God failed to carry out plan a he brought about plan B. Right. No. I mean I think about the errors the problems that go on in the church.

Say. And I'm going. It is a fundamental misunderstanding of who God is. We don't have a God who fails. We don't have a God who scratches his head and wonders. How did that happen. Isaiah 46 10. I'm gonna keep looking around for hands.

And sooner or later somebody's gonna beat me pretty. Do you get the idea that that word all there means most some a little bit almost none. Only the things that people allow me to bring about all my good pleasure.

God’s Unchanging Promises, Judgments, Love, and Sovereign Rule

D. God is unchanging in his promises. Now how is that good news as we're turning to 1st Peter chapter 1. How's it good that God is unchanging in his promises. What's that. You can trust him. You can trust him.

Well I mean just think about it. What if God was like you or me. And I'm not saying you know maybe you've never changed your mind about anything. But what if God was like that said. You know this is what I said.

But after considering it I really have to take it back. What if he was like your credit card company. You know. Yeah I know we said 2 interest for the next 15 years. But what we really meant was 20 interest.

Yeah I hear those laughs of pain. 1st Peter chapter 1 verses 3 to 6. Who has that. Eric. So what's. What's if we could summarize that. What is Peter's message to the readers of that letter. God is faithful.

Listen. Things might take a little dip in your life. They could take a big dip. You could be stuck in the quagmire. You know you could feel like you've driven off the road and you're stuck in a ditch.

And nobody can hear you scream. But I don't know where that came from. The good news is again as I as I preach for a year in first Peter your hope is not in your circumstances. Your hope is not what's happening in your life now.

It's in heaven. It's that imperishable undefilable inheritance that God has promised for you. E. God is unchanging in his judgments. What's Hebrews 927. It is appointed to men to die once and then to judgment.

Why is that important. I mean there are other verses we can look at with regard to judgment. But let's just focus on this one for a minute. Why is it important that God does not change his judgment. I mean he's unchanging his promises.

And that's the good side. He's unchanging his judgments. I mean you think about this. What kind of imperative do we have to preach the gospel if we know that once men die there is no second opportunity.

It's appointed to men wants to die and then to judgment. Not to purgatory. Not to as some of our Latter-day Saints friends would say to a spirit prison where we might hear the gospel and change our minds.

Joni I'm gonna use a political phrase on you. The fierce urgency of now. Okay we have an obligation. That's what she was looking for. We have an obligation to go out now and share the gospel. Why. Because there's no second chance.

There's no second chance. I'm reminded reminded of what. And you know this is on tape. The man I like to call Reverend Bob Bob Schuller was asked once if he would be disturbed and I think this is on the Whitehorse Inn.

He was asked on a radio show if he would be disturbed if after he died he could somehow find out that many of the members of his church had become Muslim had abandoned Christianity and become. And he said no not as long as they were good people.

That's crazy. It's crazy. God doesn't base his judgments on the basis of you know whether you are. Whether you care for the poor cure AIDS and help. You know people across the street. That is not the issue.

What do you do with his son. F. God is unchanging in the objects of his love. Now. Is that good news. I think I think it's the best news there ever was. Romans 835 to 39. I mean we could read all of Romans 8.

But then we wouldn't have time for anything else. So let's not do that. Romans 8 verses 35 to 39. Somebody gonna beat me to that Paul. Is that good news. You know what can. What can separate you from the love of God in Christ.

Well you know I'm such a sinner. I don't think God is gonna let me in. Well you know I think that if I do you know or I'm depressed or I'm this or I'm that. Well here's here's the truth. If you are a Christian God the God of the universe the creator of the universe the one who is aware of everything has set his affection on you.

And Paul says here that nothing no created thing no unseen thing. And he goes on and on and on and on he eliminates everything. And that includes you. Nothing shall separate you from the love of God in Christ.

You might not feel very lovable. That's not the issue. The issue is has God set his love and affection upon you. And if he has that's it. He doesn't change his mind. For which I can only say thank God.

Because if he was like us then as I mean the things that we do on a daily basis even we think you know today was a pretty good day. The things that we how far we fall short every single day on human terms.

If you were married to me and for you men may never be for you women may never be a I can I get an amen and I treated you the way I treat God every day even though I might you know in my own mind think you know today was a pretty good day.

You divorce me. And if God was like us if he thought about the way he sets his affection on us like we think about how we set our affections upon each other we'd be in a lot of trouble. But that's not how God is.

What if God could change. What if God was mutable. I'll tell you what. No hope for you. Now is there a difference between the God of the Bible and Allah the God of the Quran. Islam being the great you know one of the great religions of the world one of the great religions that can you know put you on the singular pathway to hell.

Is there a difference between the God of the Bible and Allah. Lewis. Yep he that's right. And and and there is no and and the you know to boil it all down. Those were all really good things that pastor Lewis said.

But the key element is you know what have you done with Jesus Christ. And if you've received him if you have been saved by him to give you the human perspective and the divine perspective. If he has died for you God has obligated himself to save you to let you into heaven.

And Allah. There is no reason for him to either choose or not choose you. He's completely whimsically does whatever he wants. You can think you're the best Muslim of all time and not get into paradise.

Let's talk about sovereignty. Yes that's right. I think that is right. Christianity has a God who died for his people. Islam requires people to die for their God. And furthermore you know I just I should really just never go into internet chat rooms.

But you interact with people. And I say there's no difference between Christianity and Islam. Like well one difference would be you cannot convert someone to Christianity at the point of sword. It's absolutely impossible.

Why. Because it's an intellectual conversion. It's a conversion of the heart. It involves the heart and will and everything about us. It is not something we can just say well with Islam all you have to do is say no.

I have to be careful. So I don't become a Muslim right here there is no God but Allah. And Muhammad is his prophet. You say that three times and you're Muslim. No there's no place like home. There's no place.

No you don't. You don't have to do it. Okay. Let's talk about sovereignty. We talk about this a lot. You know people get tired that they just go. You know I'm tired of the sovereignty of God. That's all you guys ever talk about.

Well all I can say you know to echo what's often said here is God seems to like this doctrine. I think we ought to like it too. If we love God we had to like this. You know he's pretty pleased with it it because it's try to read the Bible sometime.

We just go. You know I'm just gonna see if what they say is true. The sovereignty of God is really you know leaking all through the Bible. It's it's here. It's hard to turn a couple pages without seeing the sovereignty of God in action.

Just as an example you know we often hear and I've talked about this before the the story of Samson the real star of the Old Testament. And Samson's story in particular is not Samson. It's God who uses this pathetic individual who by the way ends up in heaven for his own ends in spite of what Samson wanted.

Jonah. You know who's sovereign in the story of Jonah. God. Not Jonah. Jonah does everything he can to disobey. It doesn't really matter. Dictionary defines it as supremacy of authority or rule royal rank authority or power complete independence or self-government.

Think about that one. God has complete independence. It's not accountable to anyone other than himself. Understanding and embracing this doctrine sovereignty of God is the key to joy and rejoicing without regard to our circumstances.

Why. Why is that so important to understand the sovereignty of God so that you don't worry about your circumstances. Because we know God's in control. And what does that mean. That means he brought about the circumstances that we're.

Billy aching about whatever his purpose is. I don't always understand God's purpose in something. I don't sit there and think oh great. This has happened to so-and-so. Oh great. This is how I mean. I moved with compassion.

Why. Because that's the way we're wired. But ultimately every single one of us need to understand that whatever circumstances are brought into our life they're brought by God. And they're brought for our good or for our ill for our good.

We sometimes don't like that. But that's the truth. God is completely sovereign. He's not accountable to us. Is he sovereign and salvation. Point C. Certainly. I hope so though. I saw a little thing here about a week ago and a college football player who went out into a prison yard.

I thought it was great for him to do that to share his own salvation story. And then he said okay who wants to join me in Christ. If you want to if you want to do that come up here and shake my hand. Now you know I've seen the altar call stuff like I'd never seen the handshake call.

And here were people you know welcome to the kingdom kind of thing. I thought that was a little odd but his heart was in the right place. God is sovereign in the course of our lives. True or false. True.

What is Proverbs 16 9 say anybody had that. Somebody must have that memorized. What's that. I bet. I bet when we turn there. And no I'm not betting. I'm certain that when I turn there some will go. Oh I know that one.

Oh I heard it. That's very close. The Lord directs his steps. Is right. Okay. A little bit louder. Kim thank you. In other words we set out our path we decide what we're gonna do. But what ultimately happens.

The Lord directs our steps. He did. He determines where we're gonna go. He's sovereign over all creation over all creation. Psalm 135 6. Can I just give you guys a little praise. Yesterday was the first time I can remember going to a CBD warehouse sale and not hurting.

I was so happy carrying books around walking around on the concrete and I didn't hurt. And I thought this is a blessing and I need to rejoice in that. So it was. It was very very good for me. Psalm 135 verse 6.

Whatever the Lord pleases he does in heaven and in earth in the seas and in all the deeps in all deeps. Now where does that leave. Where exactly does God not do what he pleases. Somebody could please explain to me what is excluded in that verse.

Nothing. In a very short period of time the psalmist says look God does whatever he wants over all of his creation. He's sovereign over wisdom and knowledge. Is there any truth apart from God. Is there any wisdom apart from God.

Charlie talked about that at length last week. Now let me go to point G. I mean you could read Romans 1133 to 36 on your own. You have the reference there. Do you always enjoy the weather. You know sometimes my wife you know I'll go.

I can't believe it's raining again. My wife will go. Stephen it's God sovereign over the weather. Yes. He's sovereign over the weather. Are you sinning. Yes I'm sinning. Give me the sackcloth and ashes.

God is in control of everything. So do we rejoice in all things. That's it. That's to be our response right. I if God is sovereign here's some common questions. If God is sovereign why pray. He tells us to it's commanded.

Why else. Peggy says it glorifies us but glorifies him by showing our dependence on him doesn't glorify us by the way anybody else he ordains the means as well as the ends. Yes. And so he tells us pray.

Michael excellent. It is for our benefit. You know think about this. It is. And you know I know it's a struggle to pray for a lengthy period of time. But when we wrestle with prayer in that way when we try to remain focused on him and his goodness and what does that do for us.

It allows us to block out. I mean we can make it just a laundry list of things we need of problems we're having. You know of as one man once said of Uncle Bobo's toe. Or we can make it a genuine sense of going into the throne room of God and pleading with the sovereign Lord of the universe and praising him that we even have access to do that.

Why evangelize. Same basic reasons. He's ordained the means in the end he's commanded it. And why else. I mean it is that it's a it's a repetition of it. But let's just break it down a little bit. God saves sinners by the preaching of the gospel the means and the end.

So we need to do it. There's no other way. I mean if we just if we don't know do that then no one gets saved. See why would we worry. Why would we worry if God is sovereign. That's right. We're not supposed to.

We shouldn't. We shouldn't. Okay one more. And then we'll we'll go to the hallowed donut time number three. Is there an old revival song on that hallowed donut time. The justice of God the justice of God.

It's not the same as fairness. Not the same as fairness. You know I like to stress that because people say you know if this is true about God then he's not fair. Believers should never think that way.

Why should they not think that way. Fairness is a human concept. I agree with that totally. Our judgment is very corrupted. And what is fair. Peggy says we all should die because that's what we deserve.

Fairness in our minds. If we think about fairness I don't know why I had this here today. Because I like to write on it. But it's just not the same in this classroom. And it's you know cuz this really isn't a classroom.

I love to write it and you know what I really don't. You guys have been very good today. So I haven't had to write anybody's name on the board or anything like that. So but when we think of fairness we think it's everybody getting what they deserve.

And what we all deserve is death and eternal hell. So I think as believers we don't want to get caught up in the idea of fairness justice. Fred Zaspel says the primary words which the biblical writers used said deck that's the Hebrew and Diakosun a that's the Greek denotes in a physical sense being straight or in a moral sense being right.

And hence conformity to an ethical or moral standard being and doing what is right. And that's what God does. He does and is what is right. So when we think about God's justice and what it means that he does right how does that help us at all.