Knowing God

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Knowing God

• Part Two Who is God?

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• Would you lose your sorrow? Would you drown your
  cares? Then go, plunge yourself in the Godhead's
  deepest sea be lost in his immensity and you
  shall come forth as from a couch of rest,
  refreshed and invigorated. I know nothing which
  can so comfort the soul so calm the swelling
  billows of sorrow and grief so speak peace to
  the winds of trial, as a devout musing upon the
  subject of the Godhead.
• (C. H. Spurgeon)

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Who is God?

• Children were asked this question in a survey
• Here are some of their answers

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Who is God?

• A human being with a heart, feet, eyes like fire,
  and He shampoos his hair everyday.
• He has white hair and His eyes are bloodshot.
• - Hes tall, gray hair, yellow skin, and brown
  sad eyes just like my puppys.

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Who is God?

• Hes tall. He looks like my daddy. He wears a
  jumpsuit on weekends and has a bald head.
• Hes tall, black hair, wears sharp clothing, and
  a heart necklace.
• He looks like Jesus, but Ill tell you a secret.
  Im not sure cause Ive never seen him.

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Who is God?

• I think Hes an old man with a long, gray beard.
  And He sits on a throne like a king, and drinks
  all the Dr. Pepper He wants.
• He looks like whatever you want Him to look like.
  (interesting observation).

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I. Non-Orthodox Views of God
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I. Non-Orthodox Views of God

• Pantheism
• Teaches that everything is God
• Religions that hold this view
• Eastern Religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.)
• New Age Movement
• Denies that God is separate from creation

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I. Non-Orthodox Views of God

• Polytheism
• Teaches that there are many gods
• Religions that hold this view
• Ancient pagan religions (Babylonian, Greek,
  Roman, etc.)
• Wicca and Neo-Pagan Movements
• Denies the uniqueness of God

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I. Non-Orthodox Views of God

• Dualism
• Teaches that there are two equally powerful gods
  (or forces) one good and the other evil.
• Religions that hold this view
• Ancient Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism
• Some New Age Movements (Star Wars)
• Denies the power of God

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I. Non-Orthodox Views of God

• Unitarianism
• Teaches that there is one God who is not Triune.
• Religions that hold this view
• Ancient Heresies (Arianism, Modalism, etc.)
• Modern day Judaism, Islam, Cults (Mormons JWs),
  and some Pentecostal denominations.
• Denies the Triune Nature of God

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II. The Orthodox Understanding of God

• God is a Person
• God is a Spirit
• God is Triune
• God is Infinitely Perfect

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II. The Orthodox Understanding of God

• God is a Person
• Possesses the Three Qualities of Personhood
• Mind- He is able to reason and understand (Isaiah
  118)
• Will- He is able to desire and do (Ephesians 11)
• Emotion- He is able to feel (John 316)
• Thus, the God of Scripture is a personal God

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II. The Orthodox Understanding of God

• God is a Spirit
• (John 424) God is a Spirit
• So what is a Spirit?

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II. The Orthodox Understanding of God

• God is a Spirit
• Qualities of a Spirit
• Incorporeal (No Body) (Luke 2439)
• Invisible (Col. 115, 1 Tim. 117, John 118, 1
  Tim. 616)
• Cannot be Physically Sensed
• Scriptural Symbolism
• Anthropomorphism- Scripture attributes human
  characteristics to God to aid our understanding.

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II. The Orthodox Understanding of God

• God is Triune
• One God (Deuteronomy 64)
• Three Persons
• Apparent at Jesus Baptism (Mark 110-11)
• We are commanded to baptize in the name of the
  Trinity (Matthew 2819)
• Well deal with this in more detail at a later
  time

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II. The Orthodox Understanding of God

• God is Infinitely Perfect
• The Core Attributes of God
• Self-Existing- Needs nothing or no one
• Omnipotence- All Powerful
• Omniscience- All Knowing
• Omnipresence- Everywhere Present
• Omnibenevolence- All Good
• Well deal with these in detail later as well

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Who is like our God???

• (Ex 1511) Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among
  the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness,
  fearful in praises, doing wonders?
• (Psalm 7119) Thy righteousness also, O God, is
  very high, who hast done great things O God, who
  is like unto thee!
• (Psalm1135) Who is like unto the Lord our God,
  who dwelleth on high?