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The Bible reveals God as the only Infinite and Eternal Being with no beginning and no ending. This concept of an Eternal Being is difficult for many in our present age to grasp. The Bible also presents God as the Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is the Supreme Intelligence and the Righteous Ruler of the universe. He is LIFE and therefore the only true source of life.

Read John 5:25-26

Man is a natural creature and cannot know God by natural wisdom. God is a person and can only be know through revelation. In the Old Testament He revealed Himself to and through His prophets. In the New Testament He reveals Himself through His Son Jesus Christ.

Read Hebrews 1:1-4

I. The Existence Of God
Read Hebrews 11:5-6

At no time does the Bible attempt to argue or prove the existence of God. The existence of God is a face taken for granted by the writers of both the Old and New Testaments. The Bible itself begins with a verse announcing the fact of God and His existence. Arguing or trying to prove the existence of God is something that men do in their attempt convince others of the reality of God and some of the arguments that men use make good food for thought.

Consider these arguments ...

1. A universal belief in God comes from within created man. Men are born with a "divine sense of ought" as part of their rational intuition that tells them they ought to know God.

2. There is the argument of "cause and effect" that tells us everything that began owes its existence to a cause. This complex creation could not have come into being on its own without an intelligent Creator any more than the alphabet could produce a book without an author.

3. Although mans moral and intellectual nature can be easily tainted, the intellectual and moral nature of man argues for a moral and intellectual Creator.

4. The Bible and Christ whom it reveals insists that God exists.

II. The Personality Of God
Read 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

The Bible reveals God as a personality. He is called "the living and true God" and possesses self-consciousness and self-determination. His personality is revealed in what He does. Consider the following evidences found in the Bible.

God loves. (Read John 3:16)

God hates. (Read Proverbs 6:16)

God cares. (Read 1 Peter 1:7)

God grieves. (Read Genesis 6:6)

Only a genuine and real personality can experience these emotions. Therefore, God must be a living and personal being.

III. The Nature Of God
Read 1 John 4:8

Since God is an Infinite and Eternal Being, it's difficult to define Him in an absolute way. However, there are at least four definitions of God that we find in the Bible.

1. God is love. (1 John 4:8)
Love is the nature of God in His divine compassion toward us.

2. God is light. (Read 1 John 1:5)
Light is the nature of God in His divine character; in God there is no darkness.

3. God is a consuming fire. (Read Hebrews 11:29)
Consuming fire is the nature of God in His divine holiness.

4. God is a Spirit. (Read John 4:24)
Spirit is the nature of God in His divine essence.

These attributes of God reveal His nature. Think of these as divine mediums through which God's holy nature is revealed to us. There are other attributes that are also ascribed to God.

1. Life is ascribed to God. (Read John 5:26)

2. All knowledge is ascribed to God. (Read Psalm 147:5)

3. All power is ascribed to God. (Read Revelation 19:6)

4. A universal presence is ascribed to God. (Read Psalm 139:7-10)

God is everywhere and all of creation is His handiwork. We do not worship creation. We worship God. God is a spiritual being and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

IV. The Grace Of God
Read Ephesians 2:8-9

Grace is the love and mercy of God in action. To show mercy in love is grace. God showed mercy in love when He sent Jesus to bear our sins in His own body on the cross. (Read John 3:16)

Take time to consider the following thoughts about God's grace.

1. The grace of God forever saves us. (Read Romans 8:38-39)

2. The grace of God is sufficient. (Read 2 Corinthians 12:9)

3. The grace of God does not discriminate. (Read Revelation 22:17)

4. The grace of God makes every believer an heir. (Read Titus 3:7)

5. The grace of God teaches us how to live. (Read Titus 2:11-12)

The grace of God is no less than His unlimited love expressed in His Son Jesus toward us sinners. His grace is unconditional. We are not saved on the condition that we hold out until the end without ever sinning again. We are saved by the grace of God apart from any religious works that we can do. Grace is the undeserved love of God toward us.

V. The Trinity Of God
Read Matthew 3:16-17

When we talk about the Trinity, we are talking about the tri-personal existence of God whom we understand as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Here we have three distinct persons in the Godhead.

1. The Father is known as God. (Read 1 Peter 1:2)

2. The Son is known as God. (Read Hebrews 1:8)

3. The Holy Spirit is also known as God. (Read Acts 5:3-4)

4. While implied in the Old Testament, the Trinity is revealed in the New Testament.

(Read Matthew 28:19)

The concept of the doctrine of the Trinity is also seen in creation itself. The following triune dimensions help us to see more clearly the concept of the Trinity.

1. Creation is composed of space, time, and matter.

2. Space is composed of length, breadth, and height.

3. Matter is composed of energy, motion, and phenomenon.

4. Time is composed of past, present, and future.

5. Man is composed of body, soul, and spirit.

6. The Holy Trinity is compose of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Understanding the composition of the Holy Trinity.

1. The Father is the invisible fullness of the Godhead. (Read John 1:18)

2. The Son is the fullness of the Godhead manifested in the flesh. (Read John 1:14)

3. The Holy Spirit is the fullness of the Godhead acting upon mankind. (Read
     John 16:7-11)

4. The Holy Spirit guides us in the truth. (Read John 16:12-15)

                                     ©David Kralik Ministries, Inc. 2002
                                                Email: matthewfivesix@hotmail.com

Christian Life Study Series
Lesson 02

This study series focuses on some of the great elemental teachings found in the Bible. Each teaching is simplified and organized into an interesting and easy to understand Bible study. These studies are presented to help fill a need in your life and to provide an incentive to know more of God's Word.

GOD