Unit I : We Are Christians A. The Churchs God

LORD = YHWH, related to the verb,to be. God IS! The Name of God God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM. And He said, Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you. God furthermore said to Moses,Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations. Exodus 3:14-15

The Very Idea of God God is… Existent, Heb. 11:6 Light, I John 1:5 Above us, Ps. 108:5 Great, Ps. 86:10 Holy, Ps. 99:9 These concepts make sense to us. Why?

Humanitys Inner Sense of God Everyone has an inner awareness of God. God is known to all people through Nature....that which is known about God is evident within [humans]; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Rom 1:19-21) GOD MAN

The Bibles First Assumption Creation of the Heavens Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel God was there in the beginning.

God is still around. A Second Assumption Aseity = Self-Existence But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King....He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain, and brings out the wind from His storehouses. Jer. 10:10, 13

Definition of God According to Q. 4, Westminster Catechism: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. Infinite Eternal Unchangeable Being Wisdom Power Holiness Justice Goodness Truth

Definition of God Actually, there can be no definition of God. To whom then will you liken Me, that I should be his equal? says the Holy One. Isaiah 40:25 God is wholly other, that is, unique. GOD

Definition of God To speak about God, we must use analogy. Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually. Ps. 105:4 God can be found. He has revealed himself to us. He is said to have a face: anthropomorphic language. GOD Analogical Language

Existence of God Gods existence is revealed in: General Revelation The Majesty of Creation The Design of Creation Special Revelation And God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM; and He said, Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel,I AM has sent me to you. Ex. 3:14 NOTE: Gods own self- revelation is necessary for us to know him. We cannot know him on our own.

Existence of God Every effect has a cause. There cannot be an infinite regress of causes. There must be an uncaused Cause. This being is God. His existence is shown in theistic proofs. 1. The Cosmological Argument

Existence of God Telos means purpose or goal. The universe exhibits intentional design. This cannot be self-produced. A Designer must have made the universe! His existence is shown in theistic proofs. 2. The Teleological Argument

Existence of God His existence is shown in theistic proofs. 3. The Anthropological Argument Our spiritual aspect points us to something beyond ourselves, and that is God. Man is fearfully and wonderfully made, (Ps. 139:14), both spiritually and physically.

Existence of God Everyone has a sense ofought, that is, of right and wrong. For example, most cultures understand murder is wrong. Man abhors this crime. Where does this universal moral sense come from? There must be an exterior Judge. His existence is shown in theistic proofs. 4. The Moral Argument

Existence of God We have the idea of thegreatest being in our minds. What attributes would the greatest being have? Actual existence would certainly be one. Therefore, the greatest being must exist. The greatest being is called God! His existence is shown in theistic proofs. 5. The Ontological Argument God

Ontological Argument a priori – self-evident propositions, apart from observed facts: Ontological (Anselm of Canterbury) Concept of God requires the existence of God a posteriori – reasoning from observed facts Thomas Aquinas five proofs