Knowing God VIII

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Knowing God (VIII)

• The Character of God

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God is Holy
1 Sam 620 The men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is
able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? And
to whom shall He go up from us?
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God is Holy
Psalms 995 Exalt the LORD our God And worship
at His footstool And worship at His
footstool Holy is He.
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God is Holy

• Set apart, different, special

Ex 35 Then He said, Do not come near here
remove your sandals from your feet, for the place
on which you are standing is holy ground.
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God is Holy

• What does it mean that God is holy?
• It means that we are not

Josh 2419 Then Joshua said to the people, You
will not be able to serve the LORD, for He is a
holy God. He is a jealous God He will not
forgive your transgression or your sins.
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God is Holy

• What does it mean that God is holy?
• It means that we are not

1 Sam 22 There is no one holy like the
LORD, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor
is there any rock like our God.
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God is Holy

• What does it mean that God is holy?
• It means that we are not.
• And it means that we can be

Ex 196 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of
priests and a holy nation.' These are the words
that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.
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God is Holy

• What does it mean that God is holy?
• It means that we are not.
• And it means that we can be

Lev 1145 For I am the LORD who brought you up
from the land of Egypt to be your God thus you
shall be holy, for I am holy.
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God is Holy

• What does it mean that God is holy?
• It means that we are not.
• And it means that we can be

1 Pet 114-16 As obedient children, do not be
conformed to the former lusts which were yours in
your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called
you, be holy yourselves also in all your
behavior because it is written, YOU SHALL BE
HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.
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God is Holy

• What does it mean that God is holy?
• It means that we are not.
• And it means that we can be

1 Pet 29 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal
PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION,A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN
POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the
excellencies of Him who has called you out of
darkness into His marvelous light.
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God is Righteous
Deut 324 The Rock! His work is perfect, For
all His ways are just A God of faithfulness and
without injustice, Righteous and upright is He.
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God is Righteous
Ps 335 He loves righteousness and justice The
earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD.
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God is Righteous
Ps 119142 Your righteousness is an everlasting
righteousness, And Your law is truth.
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God is Righteous
Isa 4521 Declare and set forth your
case Indeed, let them consult together. Who has
announced this from of old? Who has long since
declared it? Is it not I, the LORD? And there is
no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a
Savior There is none except Me.
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God is Righteous

• What does it mean to be righteous?
• The state of being right, just, equitable.
• Doing that which is right, just, equitable

Judges 511 At the sound of those who divide
flocks among the watering places, There they
shall recount the righteous deeds of the
LORD, The righteous deeds for His peasantry in
Israel. Then the people of the LORD went down to
the gates.
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God is Righteous

• What does it mean to be righteous?
• The state of being right, just, equitable.
• Doing that which is right, just, equitable

Ps 7119 For Your righteousness, O God, reaches
to the heavens, You who have done great things O
God, who is like You?
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God is Righteous

• What does it mean to be righteous?
• The state of being right, just, equitable.
• Doing that which is right, just, equitable

Ps 1036 The LORD performs righteous deeds And
judgments for all who are oppressed.
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God is Righteous

• What does it mean to be righteous?
• The state of being right, just, equitable.
• Doing that which is right, just, equitable
• Including his salvific acts

1 Sam 127 So now, take your stand, that I may
plead with you before the LORD concerning all the
righteous acts of the LORD which He did for you
and your fathers.
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God is Righteous

• What does it mean to be righteous?
• The state of being right, just, equitable.
• Doing that which is right, just, equitable
• Cf. Eph 417-32

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God is Righteous

• What does it mean to be righteous?
• The state of being right, just, equitable.
• Doing that which is right, just, equitable
• Do justice

Jer 924 but let him who boasts boast of this,
that he understands and knows Me, that I am the
LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and
righteousness on earth for I delight in these
things," declares the LORD.
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God is Righteous

• What does it mean to be righteous?
• The state of being right, just, equitable.
• Doing that which is right, just, equitable
• Do justice

Deut 1017-18 For the LORD your God is the God
of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the
mighty, and the awesome God who does not show
partiality nor take a bribe. He executes justice
for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love
for the alien by giving him food and clothing.
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God is Righteous

• What does it mean to be righteous?
• The state of being right, just, equitable.
• Doing that which is right, just, equitable
• Do justice

Micah 66-8 Does the LORD take delight in
thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of
oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my
rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin
of my soul? He has told you, O man, what is
good And what does the LORD require of you But
to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk
humbly with your God?
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God is Righteous

• What does it mean to be righteous?
• The state of being right, just, equitable.
• Doing that which is right, just, equitable
• Do justice

Mt 1218-20 BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM IHAVE
CHOSEN MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is
WELL-PLEASED I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND
HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES. HE
WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT NOR WILL ANYONE
HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS. A BATTERED REED
HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF, AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE
WILL NOT PUT OUT, UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO
VICTORY.
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God is Righteous

• What does it mean to be righteous?
• The state of being right, just, equitable.
• Doing that which is right, just, equitable
• Do justice
• Weightier matters of the law Mt 2323

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God is Righteous

• The negative side of justice
• God is a jealous and avenging God

Exodus 205 You shall not worship them or serve
them for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the
children, on the third and the fourth generations
of those who hate Me
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God is Righteous

• The negative side of justice
• God is a jealous and avenging God

Nahum 12 A jealous and avenging God is the
LORD The LORD is avenging and wrathful. The LORD
takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He
reserves wrath for His enemies.
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God is Righteous

• The negative side of justice
• God is a jealous and avenging God
• A consuming fire -- Heb 1229

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God is Righteous

• The negative side of justice
• God is a jealous and avenging God
• But a comfort to the righteous Rom 1217-21 1
  Pet 2.23

1 Pet 223 and while being reviled, He did not
revile in return while suffering, He uttered no
threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who
judges righteously
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God is Love
1 John 48 The one who does not love does not
know God, for God is love.
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God is Love
Ex 346-7 Then the LORD passed by in front of
him and proclaimed, The LORD, the LORD God,
compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and
abounding in lovingkindness and truth who keeps
lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives
iniquity, transgression and sin yet He will by
no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting
the iniquity of fathers on the children and on
the grandchildren to the third and fourth
generations.
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God is Love

• The basis of our love for one another

Eph 51-2 Therefore be imitators of God, as
beloved children and walk in love, just as
Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us,
an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant
aroma.
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God is Love

• The basis of our love for one another.
• As well as the source

Rom 55 and hope does not disappoint, because
the love of God has been poured out within our
hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to
us.
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God is Love

• The basis of our love for one another
• As well as the source

1 Jn 47-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for
love is from God and everyone who loves is born
of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love
does not know God, for God is love.
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The Character of God

• God is Holy
• God is Righteous
• God is Love

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The Character of God

• And we can be too

2 Pet 13 Seeing that His divine power has
granted to us everything pertaining to life and
godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who
called us by His own glory and excellence.