Lesson 1 – The Nature of god Study on the Godhead Lesson 1 – The Nature of god

God is Spirit John 4:24 24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." This spirit (God) possesses certain attributes which are unique to God. Due to God’s being spirit, He is: Unbounded by Space (Omnipresent) Unbounded in Knowledge (Omniscient) Unbounded in Power (Omnipotent) * Unbounded in Moral Purity (Holy) Unbounded by Time (Eternal)

Unbounded by space 1 Kings 8:27 27 "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! Psalms 139:7-10 7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Jeremiah 23:23-24 23 "Am I only a God nearby," declares the LORD, "and not a God far away? 24 Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD. Isaiah 66:1 1 This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?

Unbounded by Knowledge Psalms 147:5 5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. Isaiah 40:28 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. Psalms 139:1-6 1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. 5 You hem me in-- behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Romans 11:33-36 33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” 35 "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Unbounded by Power * * Before we launch into this attribute of God, it’s important to understand what is meant by “omnipotent” or “unbounded by power”. When most people say “omnipotent” they mean “God can do anything”. This isn’t the case, though – and it’s critically important that this isn’t the case. For example: Hebrews 6:18 – God can’t lie 18 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. Deuteronomy 32:4 – God can’t be unjust 4 "The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He. So, when we say God is omnipotent, we can’t mean “God can do anything”. Instead, for the purposes of this study at least, what is intended is that God is “unbounded by power” – that is God’s power has no limits.

Unbounded by Power Ephesians 3:20 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, Genesis 17:1 1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect. Exodus 6:3 3 and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name Jehovah I was not known to them. Exodus 9:16 16 but in every deed for this cause have I made thee to stand, to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

Unbounded by Power Psalm 147:5 5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite Isaiah 40:25-26 25 "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One. 26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Jeremiah 32:17 17 "Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.

Unbounded in moral purity Leviticus 19:2 2 "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy. Leviticus 20:26 26 You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own. Psalm 22:3 3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. Psalm 99:2-3 2 Jehovah is great in Zion; And he is high above all the peoples. 3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name: Holy is he.

Unbounded in moral purity Isaiah 43:15 15 I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. 1 Peter 1:15-16 15 but like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; 16 because it is written, You shall be holy; for I am holy. James 1:13 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no man

Unbounded by time Genesis 21:33 33 And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of Jehovah, the Everlasting God. 1 Chronicles 16:36 36 Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. And all the people said, Amen, and praised Jehovah. Nehemiah 9:5 5 Stand up and bless Jehovah your God from everlasting to everlasting; Psalm 90:1-2 1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Unbounded by time Isaiah 40:28 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. Romans 16:25-26 25 Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him

Final notes These attributes of the spirit, which is “Deity” or “God” are those which are germane to our continued study Other facets of God, such as love, justice, mercy, etc. are probably more properly called “characteristics” of God. Man is capable of possessing, to one extent or another, these “characteristics” of God: We can love; We can be just; We can have mercy, etc. It is these “attributes” of the spirit of God studied above that separates God’s “spirit” from the spirit of man.