Scripture Readings:

Day

1 John 4:24; Ex. 3:14; Job 11:7-9

2 Acts 7:2; 1 Tim. 6:15; Mt. 5:48

3 Gen 17:1; Ps. 90:2; Mal 3:6

4 1 Kings 8:27; Ps. 139:13; Rev 4:8

5 Heb 4:13; Rom. 16:27; Isa. 6:3

6 Rev 15:4; Deut 32:4; Ex. 34:6

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While Scripture reveals God, it isn’t as a photograph or in the physical sense. The question, what is God, must be preceded with the belief God exists. In order to understand self as in the image of God we must first seek to understand God. The knowledge we gain about God from the Scriptures can best be summed up in a list of the attributes of God. The answer to the question before us so turns to attributes to answer, what is God?

This is also where we should list "positions" that God fills in relation to His creation and its continuing existence. Thus we would find that God is the Sustainer of all things, That God is a Sovereign King, God is our Heavenly Father; and the list could continue. I would direct our attention to two of these as worthy of much thought and study, for I think they are the key to being able to grasp, and more important use the other knowledge of God revealed in the Bible; God is the Creator and God is Sovereign. God’s sovereignty could be a three word answer to the question, "What does the Reformed Church believe (The sovereignty of God). I have often spoken to people who knew this answer that were not of the Reformed church and considered it a negative. Someway they tied sovereignty to predestination (it is, but not in the sense they understood it). This infringes on the so-called "free-will" of man and man is a free agent is the way they consider this question. We will address that issue in a later lesson.

As I pondered this question anew to prepare this commentary my mind was drawn to a time when I was taking my first faltering steps toward entering the ordained ministry. I was invited to preach at a "large" local church. Prior to this I had spoken in a few smaller churches, primarily in evening services. To be able to preach in an "uptown" church was exciting. Then the wife of a friend came by the office and told me they were glad I was getting the opportunity to preach in their church, but they wouldn’t be there Sunday. Upon inquiry, I was told they wouldn’t be there because I was "Presbyterian" and into all that "predestination" stuff. I assured her it wasn’t catching and my sermon had nothing to do with this and her family would be safe. Needless to say, they were conspicuous in their absence.

While I would agree one could move to a "Hyper-Calvinist" position and perhaps even enter into error here; we must some way bring the fullness of God’s sovereignty into focus in a way we can understand and apply it to our daily lives. Knowing and understanding God’s attributes, and in my opinion the "positions" He fills in the life of His people establishes us on firm ground for the understanding and right application of our beloved Reformed doctrines, which are Scripture. It is only from this knowledge of God that we can arrive at the proper respect and reverence for the Bible, so it in reality does become the only guide of faith and practice. It is here we find the answers so desperately needed by a struggling church, faced with the onslaught of modern humanism, preaching a Jesus who appears more as a sixties flower child than the Creator, King, and Judge, having all authority over all things the Lord of Scripture is revealed to be. "All hail King Jesus" is not heard often enough, nor loud enough from the pulpits of the church.

The awesome truth revealed here cannot be grasped and understood in its fullness by the finite mind of man. That which we don’t understand we are either indifferent toward, or ignore altogether. These are luxuries the church cannot afford, and the source of the illness that has beset us for the last hundred and fifty years. These precious truths presented so beautifully by our forefathers, have taken back seat to so-called scholarship, as the devil himself having become a member of the church, now sends forth his children to take their place in the leadership of the church. The church wears a human face, but her heart must not be of this world. The consideration of one of the foremost attributes of God would bring the healing needed to return us to our moorings in the Bible. God is Holy! We sing it, but do we understand it? I dare say not.

God is almighty! Then why do we run at the shadow of the enemy? God is unchangeable! Then why do we distort the "Reformed and always reforming" creed of our forefathers to mean shifting with humanity and denying God’s sovereignty? God is all-sufficient! Then why are so many of His children hungry, and eating at the table of Satan? God is incomprehensible! Then why do we attempt to define Him in human terms and supposedly good deeds taken on to soothe our own hurting conscience? God is omnipresent! That we live as if we can hide a portion of our lives from Him makes no sense. But we do love the ones that speak of love, mercy, goodness, and most of all long-suffering. We use these to justify our failure to learn of Him and use the attributes most needed to face the world, and through Christ be more than conquerors. But the former require us to get off our duffs and do something. To take responsibility for our actions. The latter lets grace reign supreme, and presents a bleeding savior, that makes no demands of those He has purchased with this blood.

I thank God it never had to be proven, but I have no doubt in my mind that I would have shot the first soldier that failed to do what I said or follow me into battle. His rebellion would have spread and caused the loss of all. I do not think the Commander of the host of heaven will take any less action, and how fearful the words of our Lord saying "depart from Me, ye that work iniquity, for I never knew you." This should be cause enough for all to hunger for the truth revealed here, and "work out their salvation in fear and trembling!"

Here in the person of God, our Reformed faith was born in the richness of His revelation, founded on His revealed Word. In this fertile soil our TULIP was planted deep to be watered by the Spirit of God. Here she has stood for over 450 years. This is the touchstone we need to carry us into whatever the future may bring, in the hope of the glory of God. Here is our strength and salvation!

Read again all of the references for this question. Look up each of the attributes listed in the Scriptures in a good theological dictionary. Feed here until you receive that power from on high. Return here often to receive the salve needed to bring comfort and healing from the scars of spiritual warfare. Here in the person of God we were born, are sustained, and will abide forever.

The Children’s Catechism asks this question and gives the answer "God is spirit and has not a body like mine." He is also different in everything else man can imagine. That is He alone has no beginning, was not created. Where did God come from cannot be answered. God chose a name, I AM, to answer this question and offers no further detail nor explanation. This is the first part of understanding holy. Holy is to be set apart. God is set apart from all else, because He created all else, there is none like God. We are called to be holy because He who called us is holy. That is we are set apart, different than the rest of creation. This isn’t a church word, it doesn’t apply to some super-saint, it means we are called apart from the rest, we are in the world, not of it.

The word perfection means complete or mature as used most places in the Bible. As we consider the attributes of God, understand they exist in perfection, completely mature, that is there is no "higher" position to be reached. For example some teach God does not have emotions like we have them. Only a partial truth in that the attributes of God refer to what we would label as an emotion. For example God is jealous, God is Love, God hates, and onward with what are definitely in human terms personality traits and emotions.

But, these exist in perfection and one attribute will not set aside another as if in a list where there is subjection of attributes. All exist in perfect harmony. This harmony then means that indeed God can both love and hate because we read all His judgments are "righteous." The word righteous means complete compliance with the prevalent law. What is the law as far as God is concerned, He who created it all and is far above all? His own law, which God has demonstrated in the community of the Godhead. In other words, God does not violate His own law. Consider that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost are all God, each distinct and to be worshiped as God. However note there is an element of subjection in that the Son was begotten of the Father, and the Holy Ghost proceeds from both the Father and the Son eternally. Christ was God, but "submitted" even to the cross and death. Ponder this in light of the fifth commandment! The Westminster Divines in their documents align Scripture under the ten headings of the Ten Commandments. Concerning the fifth commandment they point out the responsibility of the lesser to the superior and superior to the lesser, or how all is interrelated in a harmony of purpose and action. God will not violate this relationship by how the economy of the Godhead exists. Thus the Holy Ghost will glorify both Father and Son, but not relinquish His title of God in the process. The Son will obey and submit to the Father, yet is God. The Father will never do anything that will diminish the position of Son or Spirit as co-equally God, yet He is obeyed by the other two, who work to bring all glory to the Father. While man will never enter into this co-equality with God, and will not this side off glory know this perfection of unity and even then will not be of one essence, man can obtain this spiritual unity of thought and purpose in harmony with each other and God as illustrated in the relationship within the Godhead. Christ prays for this unity, this oneness in this spiritual sense in John seventeen. It is thus we are one body, though we are many and varied parts of that body.

The consideration of the attributes of God do reveal God. As we ponder how these work together as one we will see the community of the Godhead revealed, and understand how we are to glorify God, why we are to glorify God, thus know what our duty is. Everything is reduced to the question, does it glorify God. Likewise having our duty revealed we begin to understand our sole purpose in existing is to glorify God. This points to the sovereignty of God, and gives God the right legally or in human terms to set the rules, apply the rules, and in effect continue to so order His creation for His own glory, despite the will of the created otherwise.

This flies in the face of man’s conception of self and the need for self esteem to exist with any meaning and purpose to life. The Bible clearly teaches that we are not to so respect the person of man, but to labor for the glory of God alone. The peace man seeks with self can only be obtained when man has found God, and considered his place in God’s purpose and creation. Man does not find God, until God draws him to Himself. Thus the election stands, and that by grace through faith, which is the gift of God lest any should boast. Who is man then to question God and His purposes?

For further thought: What does free will mean to you? What does it mean that God has foreordained all that happens? Is this "predestination?" What does "predestination" mean to you? Remember the TULIP, which part do you still disagree with? Why?

For further study: With a good concordance search out the passages that include the words ordained, predestinate, preordained. With these references in hand consider the phrase "What will be, will be." Answer then what has God "decreed," that is so predestinated that it can not change? (HINT: I personally limit this to the election of both angels and men, leaving all else under providence which is the active and current ordering of human events so the end result glorifies God and is for the good of the elect (Romans 8:28)).

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[1] God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24 AV)

[2] And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (Exodus 3:14 AV)

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? {as high...: Heb. the heights of heaven} The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. (Job 11:7-9 AV)

[3] And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Harran, (Acts 7:2 AV)

[4]Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; (1 Timothy 6:15 AV)

[5] Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48 AV)

[6] And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. {perfect: or, upright, or, sincere} (Genesis 17:1 AV)

[7] Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. (Psalms 90:2 AV)

[8] For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6 AV)

[9] But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? (1 Kings 8:27 AV)

[10] For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. (Psalms 139:13 AV)

[11] And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. {rest...: Gr. have no rest} (Revelation 4:8 AV)

[12] 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. (Hebrews 4:13 AV)

[13] To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. <<Written to the Romans from Corinthus, and sent by Phebe servant of the church at Cenchrea.>> (Romans 16:27 AV)

[14] And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. {one...: Heb. this cried to this} {the whole...: Heb. his glory is the fulness of the whole earth} (Isaiah 6:3 AV)

Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. (Revelation 15:4 AV)

[15] He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. (Deuteronomy 32:4 AV)

[16] And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, (Exodus 34:6 AV)