BIBLE DOCTRINES

the doctrine
of

GOD This material is

copyrighted and
used by
permission.
by
H. L. Willmington,
William Evans and others
edited by
Melvyn and Carol Brown

B.A.M.A. Bible Institutes

(Baptist Asian Missions Association)
133 Isarog Street, LaLoma, Quezon City 1114 R.P.
 Table of Contents
I. The Existence of God. 1 F. God is omnipotent (all-powerful). 10
A. Some arguments for the existence of God. 1 G. God is omniscient (all-knowing). 11
B. Scriptural arguments for the existence of God. 2 H. God is wise. 13
II. The Definition of God. 2 I. God is immutable 13
J. God is sovereign 13
III. The Names of God. 2
K. God is incomprehensible 14
A. Elohim 2
L. God is inscrutable. (unsearchable) 15
B. El 2
M. God is holy 15
C. Adonai 3
N. God is righteous and just. 17
D. Jehovah 4
O. God is true 19
IV. The Nature of God. 5
P. God is faithful. 19
A. God is Spirit. 5
Q. God is Light. 21
B. God is a Person 5
R. God is good 22
C. God is One. 6
S. God is merciful 22
D. God is a Trinity 6
T. God is gracious. 23
V. The Attributes of God 9 U. God is Love. 24
A. God is self-existent. 9
VI. God as Father. 25
B. God is self-sufficient. 9
A. He is the Father of all life. 25
C. God is eternal. 9
B. He Is the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ. 26
D. God is infinite 10
C. He Is the Father of All Believers. 29
E. God is omnipresent. (everywhere present) 10

STUDY QUESTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS BLOCK:

1. Read all the material for this block.
2. Look up and read all the verses in the material as you read through the material.
3. Fill in the answers to your STUDY QUESTIONS ahead of time so you will be better
prepared for the EXAM during the final hour.
4. T-H-I-N-K as you read this material. It will be a blessing to you.
It will also change your life.
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
I. THE EXISTENCE OF GOD.
The greatest and most profound idea the human
mind can ever conceivably entertain concerns the
possibility of the existence of a personal God. The
sheer importance of man's response to this idea cannot
be exaggerated, for it will not only govern his life
down here but also determine his ultimate destiny.
Unless one satisfactorily answers the who question, he
cannot possibly solve the how, why, when, and where
problems of his own existence.
A. Some philosophical arguments for the
existence of God.
1. The universal belief argument:
All mankind has some idea of a supreme
Being. This argument has often been
challenged but never refuted (proven
wrong). While the concepts of God found
among many cultures and civilizations differ
greatly on the number, name, and nature of
this supreme Being, nevertheless the idea
remains. A classic example of this is the
amazing story of Helen Keller (1880-1968).
From the age of two, Miss Keller was blind,
deaf, and without the sense of smell. After
months of agonizing and fruitless attempts
on the part of her teacher to communicate
with this young girl, a miracle occurred. One
day Helen suddenly understood the concept
and meaning of running water! From this
humble foundation Miss Keller built a lofty
tower of thought, including the ability to use
her voice in speaking. She became an
educated and articulate human being.
Sometime after she had progressed to the
point that she could engage in conversation,
she was told of God and his love in sending
Christ to die on the cross. She is said to have
responded with joy, "I always knew he was
there, but I didn't know his name!"
2. The cosmological argument:
Every effect must have an adequate cause.
Robert Culver writes:
"One of the great names of British science,
mathematics, and philosophy is Sir Isaac
1 nevertheless, conscience tells us we ought to
Newton (1642-1727). Sir Isaac had a
miniature model of the solar system
made. A large golden ball representing the
sun was at its center and around it
revolved smaller spheres, representing the
planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars,
Jupiter, and the others. They were each
kept in an orbit relatively the same as in
the real solar system. By means of rods,
cogwheels, and belts they all moved
around the center gold ball in exact
precision. A friend called on the noted man
one day while he was studying the model.
The friend was not a believer in the biblical
doctrine of divine creation. According to
reports, their conversation went as
follows:
Friend: 'My, Newton, what an
exquisite thing! Who made it for you?'
Newton: 'Nobody.'
Friend: 'Nobody?'
Newton: 'That's right! I said nobody! All of
these balls and cogs and belts and gears just
happened to come together, and wonder of
wonders, by chance they began revolving in
their set orbits with perfect timing!'
Of course, the visitor understood the
unexpressed argument: 'In the beginning,
God created the heaven and the earth.'"
(The Living God, pp. 29, 30)
3. The ontological argument:
"Man has an idea of a Most Perfect Being.
This idea includes the idea of existence,
since a being, otherwise perfect, who did not
exist would not be as perfect as a perfect
being who did exist. Therefore, since the
idea of existence is contained in the idea of
the Most Perfect Being, the Most Perfect
Being must exist." (C. C. Ryrie)
4. The anthropological argument:
The conscience and moral nature of man
demands a self-conscious and moral Maker.
This built-in barometer supplies no
information, and the information on which it
passes judgment may be incorrect. But
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
do what is right regarding the information
we have. Robert Culver writes:
"This sense of duty may be weak
(1 Cor. 8:12), good (1 Pet. 3:16), defiled
(1 Cor. 8:7), seared (1 Tim. 4:2), strong or
pure (1 Cor. 8:7, 9). But it is never absent.
The only adequate explanation is that the
great Moral Being, who created us all,
planted the moral sense in us. No other
explanation is adequate."
(The Living God, p. 31)
B. Scriptural arguments for the existence of
God. None.
The Bible simply assumes the existence of God.
Psalm 14:1: "The fool hath said in his heart,
There is no God. They are corrupt, they have
done abominable works, there is none that
doeth good!"
Hebrews 11:6: "But without faith it is
impossible to please him; for he that cometh to
God must believe that he is, and that he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
Clark Pennock aptly summarizes all this when
he writes:
"For the Scriptures then, the existence of God is
both a historical truth (God acted into history),
and an existential (based on existence) truth
(God reveals himself to every soul). His
existence is both objectively (facts, logic) and
subjectively (feelings, morals) evident. It is
necessary logically because our assumption of
order, design, and rationality rests upon it. It is
necessary morally because there is no
explanation for the shape of morality apart from
it. It is necessary personally because the
exhaustion of all material possibilities still
cannot give satisfaction to the heart. The
deepest proof for God's existence apart from
history is just life itself. God has created man
in his image, and man cannot elude (avoid) the
implications (results) of this fact.
Everywhere their identity pursues them."
(Set Forth Your Case, p. 77)
2
II. THE DEFINITION OF GOD.
"There is but one only living and true God, who
is infinite (no limits) in being and perfection, a most
pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions,
immutable (unchangeable), immense, eternal,
incomprehensible (cannot be understood), almighty,
most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute,
working all things according to the counsel of his own
immutable and most righteous will, for his own glory;
most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering,
abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity,
transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that
diligently seek him; and withal most just and terrible in
his judgments; hating all sin, and who will by no means
clear (pardon) the guilty." (Westminster Catechism)
III. THE NAMES OF GOD.
A. Elohim
Used 2,570 times, it refers to God's power
and might.
Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning God created the
heaven and the earth."
Psalm 19:1: "The heavens declare the glory of
God; and the firmament (sky) sheweth his
handiwork."
B. El
Four compounds of his name. There are two
significant places where this name was used in
the Old Testament. One came from the lips of
Jerusalem's first sovereign, and the other from
history's first sinner.
1. Elyon: The strongest strong One.
a. Jerusalem's first sovereign (Melchizedek)
Genesis 14:17-20: "And the king of
Sodom went out to meet him after his
return from the slaughter of
Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were
with him, at the valley Shaveh, which is
the king's dale. And Melchizedek king of
Salem brought forth bread and wine: and
he was the priest of the most high God.
And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be
Abram of the most high God, possessor
of heaven and earth: And blessed be the
most high God, which hath delivered thine
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
enemies into thy hand. And he gave him
tithes of all."
b. History's first sinner (Satan)
Isaiah 14:13, 14: "For thou hast said in
thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will
exalt my throne above the stars of God: I
will sit also upon the mount of the
congregation, in the sides of the north: I
will ascend above the heights of the
clouds; I will be like the most High.
2. Roi: The strong One who sees.
In Genesis 16 an angered and barren Sarai
had cast into the wilderness her pregnant
and arrogant handmaiden Hagar. When all
hope for survival had fled, this pagan
Egyptian girl was visited and ministered to
by El Roi himself--the strong God who sees.
Genesis 16:13: "And she called the name of
the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God
seest me: for she said, Have I also here
looked after him that seeth me?"
3. Shaddai: The breasted One.
Used forty-eight times in Old Testament.
The Hebrew word shad is often used to
designate the bosom of a nursing mother.
Genesis 17:1: "And when Abram was ninety
years old and nine, the Lord appeared to
Abram, and said unto him, I am the
Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou
perfect."'
This revelation of God came to Abraham at
a much needed time in his life. His sin in
marrying Hagar (Gen. 16) had doubtless
prevented that full and unhindered
fellowship which had previously flowed
between him and God. In addition, he
now was an old man, nearly 100, humanly
unable to father the long-anticipated heir.
Psalm 91:1: "He that dwelleth in the secret
place of the most High shall abide under the
shadow of the Almighty."
4. Olam: The everlasting God.
Isaiah 40 is usually regarded as one of the
greatest Old Testament chapters. The
prophet begins by predicting both the first 3
and second advent (coming) of Christ. He
then contrasts the awesome power of the
true God with the miserable impotence of all
idols. But carnal Israel had trouble accepting
all this, wondering just how these wonderful
events could transpire to answer their
doubts. Isaiah declares:
Isaiah 40:28-31: "Hast thou not known? hast
thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the
Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth,
fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no
searching of his understanding. He giveth
power to the faint; and to them that have no
might he increaseth strength. Even the
youths shall faint and be weary, and the
young men shall utterly fall: But they that
wait upon the Lord shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings as
eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and
they shall walk, and not faint."
NaMES OF GOD
Elohim
El
Adonai
Johova
C. Adonai: Master, Lord.
God owns all his creation. Malachi 1:6: "A son
honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if
then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if
I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord
of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my
name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised
thy name?" The Hebrew Old Testament name
Adonai and its Greek New Testament
counterpart Kurios describe the relationship
between master and slave. Adonai thus carries
with it a twofold implication.
1. The master has a right to expect obedience.
Robert Lightner writes:
"In Old Testament times the slave was the
absolute possession of his master, having no
rights of his own. His chief business was to
carry out the wishes of his master. The slave
had a relationship and responsibility different
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
from that of the hired servant. The hired
servant could quit if he did not like the
orders of his master. But not so with the
slave; he could do nothing but obey
(cf. Gen. 24:1-12).
(The God of the Bible, p. 116)
2. The slave may expect provision.
Again, to quote Lightner:
"The slave had no worry of his own. It was
the master's business to provide food,
shelter, and the necessities of life. Since the
slave was the possession of the master, his
needs became the master's. Obedience was
the only condition for this provision. This
truth was marvelously displayed in Paul,
who was himself a bond slave, when he
assured the Philippians that God would
supply all their needs (Phil. 4:19). Only the
obedient slave can expect this from his
master." (Ibid. p. 117)
D. Jehovah.
God's most common name. It occurs 6,823
times. The self-existent One, the God of the
covenant (Gen. 2:4). Nine compound names of
Jehovah are:
1. Jireh: The Lord will provide.
Genesis 22:13, 14: "And Abraham lifted up
his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him
a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and
Abraham went and took the ram, and
offered him up for a burnt offering in the
stead of his son. And Abraham called the
name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said
to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall
be seen."
2. Nissi: The Lord, my Banner.
Exodus 17:15: "And Moses built an altar,
and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi.''
This passage is significant, for it marks the
first battle and subsequent victory of
Israel on its march after leaving Egypt. The
great lawgiver Moses mounted a hill and
with outstretched arms prayed for the
Israelite armies, headed up by Joshua, in
4 service.
their pitched battle against the fierce
Amalekites.
3. Shalom: The Lord is Peace.
Judges 6:24: "Then Gideon built an altar
there unto the Lord, and called it
Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in
Ophrah of the Abiezrites."
As one studies the thrilling account of
Gideon he reads how Jehovah-shalom did
indeed bring peace to Israel over the
Midianites through this warrior and his 300
trumpet-blowing soldiers.
4. Sabaoth: The Lord of hosts.
Sabaoth is derived from the Hebrew word
tsaba, meaning "host." The Lord of hosts is
a reference to the captain of heaven's
armies. These armies are said to be
composed of angels. (See Ps. 68:17; 104:4;
148:2; Mt. 26:53.) Christ himself is their
leader. (See Josh. 5:14.) The great prophet
Isaiah describes his vision during which he
was allowed to see Jehovah of hosts.
Isaiah 6:1-3: "In the year that King Uzziah
died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a
throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled
the temple. Above it stood the seraphims:
each one had six wings; with twain he
covered his face, and with twain he covered
his feet and with twain he did fly. And one
cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy,
holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is
full of his glory."
5. Maccaddeschcem: The Lord thy Sanctifier.
Exodus 31:13: "Speak thou also unto the
children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths
ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and
you throughout your generations; that ye
may know that I am the Lord that doth
sanctify you."
This great name for God, first mentioned in
Exodus, appears many times in the following
book, Leviticus. To be sanctified is to be set
apart, and that is what God desired to do for
his people--to set them apart for special
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
6. Rohi (Raah): The Lord my
Shepherd.
Psalm 23:1: "The Lord is my
shepherd; I shall not want."
Of all the compound names of
Jehovah, this is at once the most
easily understood title-- that
good, and great, and chief Shepherd God.
7. Tsidkenu: The Lord our Righteousness.
Jeremiah 23:6: "In his days Judah shall be
saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this
is his name whereby he shall be called, THE
LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."
According to Jeremiah the official name for
the Messiah during the future millennium
will be Jehovah-Tsidkenu.
8. Shammah: The Lord who is present.
Ezekiel 48:35: "It was round about eighteen
thousand measures: and the name of the city
from that day shall be, The Lord is there."
In this passage Ezekiel describes for us the
dimensions of the millennial temple and then
gives us the new name for Jerusalem during
earth's golden age: Jehovah-shammah.
9. Rapha: The Lord our Healer.
Exodus 15:26: "And said, If thou wilt
diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord
thy God, and wilt do that which is right in
his sight, and wilt give ear to his
commandments, and keep all his statutes, I
will put none of these diseases upon thee,
which I have brought upon the Egyptians:
for I am the Lord that healeth thee."
By this new name God introduced to Israel
the terms of his heavenly "medi-care"
health plan while they were on their way to
Canaan. If only they had accepted this
gracious policy.
IV. THE NATURE OF GOD.
A. God is Spirit.
Emory Bancroft has written:
"God as Spirit is incorporeal (no body),
invisible, without material substance, without
physical parts or passions and therefore free
5
from all temporal limitations."
(Elemental Theory, p. 23)
Jesus made this clear when he told the
Samaritan woman: "God is a Spirit; and they
that worship him must worship him in Spirit and
in truth" (Jn. 4:24). Some have been disturbed,
however, as they compare this statement with
certain Old Testament expressions which speak
of God's arms (Deut. 33:27), his eyes
(Ps. 33:18), ears (2 Ki. 19:16), and mouth
(Isa. 58:14). However, these terms are simply
anthropomorphic expressions. An
anthropomorphic expression is a term which is
used to explain some function or characteristic
of God by using words descriptive of human
elements. Robert Lightner writes: "Such
expressions do not mean that God possesses
these physical parts. He is Spirit (Jn. 4:24).
Rather, they mean since God is spirit and
eternal, He is capable of doing precisely the
functions which are performed by these physical
properties in man." (The God of the Bible, p. 67)
B. God is a Person.
Again, to quote from Robert Lightner:
"Personality involves existence with the power
of self-consciousness and self-determination. To
be self-conscious means to be able to be aware
of one's self among others. It is more than mere
consciousness. Even animals possess something
which makes them aware of things around them.
The brute, however, is not able to objectify
himself. Man, in contrast to the brute, possesses
both consciousness and self-consciousness.
Self-determination has to do with the ability to
look to the future and prepare an intelligent
course of action. It also involves the power of
choice. The brute also has determination, but he
does not have self-determination--the power to
act from his own free will and to thus determine
his acts. It is usually admitted that there are
three elements of personality--intellect, emotion,
and will." (Ibid., p. 65)
Thus, as a Person, God exhibits all those
elements involved in personality.
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
1. He creates.
Genesis 1:1: "In the
beginning God created the
heaven and the earth."
2. He destroys.
Genesis 18:20; 19:24, 25:
"And the Lord said, Because the cry of
Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because
their sin is very grievous.... Then the Lord
rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah
brimstone and fire from the Lord out of
heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and
all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the
cities, and that which grew upon the
ground."
3. He provides.
Psalm 104:27-30: "These wait all upon thee;
that thou mayest give them their meat in due
season. That thou givest them they gather:
thou openest thine hand, they are filled with
good. Thou hidest thy face, they are
troubled: thou takest away their breath, they
die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest
forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou
renewest the face of the earth."
4. He promotes.
Psalm 75:6, 7: "For promotion cometh
neither from the east, nor from the west, nor
from the south. But God is the judge: he
putteth down one, and setteth up another."
5. He cares.
1 Peter 5:6, 7: "Humble yourselves therefore
under the mighty hand of God, that he may
exalt you in due time: Casting all your care
upon him; for he careth for you."
6. He hears.
Psalm 94:9, 10: "He that planted the ear,
shall he not hear? He that formed the eye,
shall he not see? He that chastiseth the
heathen, shall not he correct? He that
teacheth man knowledge, shall not he
know?"
6
7. He hates.
Proverbs 6:16: "These six things doth the
Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination
unto him."
8. He grieves.
Genesis 6:6: "And it repented the Lord that
he had made man on the earth, and it grieved
him at his heart."
9. He loves.
John 3:16: "For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life."
C. God is One.
Deuteronomy 6:4, 5: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord
our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy might."
1 Kings 8:60: "'That all the people of the earth
may know that the Lord is God, and that there
is none else."
Isaiah 44:6-8: "Thus saith the Lord the King of
Israel, and his Redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am
the first, and I am the last; and beside me there
is no God. And who, as I, shall call, and shall
declare it, and set it in order for me, since I
appointed the ancient people? and the things
that are coming, and shall come, let them show
unto them. Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have
not I told thee from that time, and have declared
it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God
beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not
any."
Isaiah 45:5, 6: "I am the Lord, and there is none
else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee,
though thou hast not known me: That they may
know from the rising of the sun, and from the
west, that there is none beside me. I am the
Lord, and there is none else."
Isaiah 46:9: "Remember the former things of
old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am
God, and there is none like me."
Ephesians 4:4-6: "There is one body, and one
Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your
calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
God and Father of all, who is above all, and
through all, and in you all."
1 Timothy 2:5: "For there is one God, and one
mediator between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus."
D. God is a Trinity.
C.C. Ryrie writes: "There is
only one God, but in the
unity of the Godhead there
are three eternal and
co-equal Persons, the same in substance, but
distinct in subsistence."
Robert Culver writes: "Two expressions have
been traditionally employed to designate certain
inner relations between the Father and the Son,
and the Father and the Son with the Spirit.
These two expressions are the eternal
generation of the Son by the Father and the
eternal spiration (or procession) of the Spirit
from the Father and the Son. They began to be
employed about the time of the council of Nicea
(A.D. 325). They expressed in scriptural
language the idea that the Son and the Spirit
were eternally with the Godhead. John 1:14
refers to our Lord as the 'only begotten' of the
Father. And John 14:16, 26 and 15:26 speak of
the Spirit as 'proceeding from the Father and the
Son.'" (The Living God, p. 96)
1. False views concerning the Trinity.
There are two serious errors about the
doctrine of the Trinity.
a. The error of tri-theism. This says that the
Trinity consists of three separate (but
co-operating) Gods.
b. The error of modalism. According to this
view there is but one God who simply
reveals himself through three different
modes, or roles. For example, a particular
man could be considered a husband to his
wife, a father to his children, and an
employee to his boss.
2. Proposed illustration demonstrating the
Trinity.
Throughout church history various
illustrations have been offered to
demonstrate the Trinity. Seven such
examples are as follows. The first four are
totally unscriptural, while the final three
possess some limited possibilities.
a. a three-leaf clover
b. the three states of water
(liquid, vapor, and solid)
c. the threefold nature of man
(body, soul, spirit)
d. the three parts of an egg
(shell, white, yolk)
e. the nature of light, consisting of three
kinds of rays
(1) chemical rays--rays that are invisible,
and can neither be felt nor seen
(2) light rays--rays that are seen, but
cannot be felt
(3) heat rays--rays that are felt, but
never seen
f. The dimensional example: A book has
height, width, and length. These three
cannot be separated, yet they are not the
same.
g. a triangle
3. Old Testament passages regarding the
Trinity.
a. The first name used for God: Elohim
(Gen. 1:1). This name is plural in form but
is joined to a singular verb.
b. The creation of man.
Genesis 1:26: "And God said, Let us make
man in our image, after our likeness: and
let them have dominion over the fish of the
sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over
the cattle, and over all the earth, and over
every creeping thing that creepeth upon
the earth."
c. The expulsion from Eden.
Genesis 3:22: "And the Lord God said,
Behold, the man is become as one of us, to
know good and evil: and now, lest he put
forth his hand, and take also of the tree of
life, and eat, and live forever.
d. The confusion at Babel.
7
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
Genesis 11:7: "Go to, let us go down, and
there confound their language, that they
may not understand one anther's speech."
e. The usage of the same word, echad, in
Genesis 2:24 and in Deuteronomy 6:4.
Echad is Hebrew for "one." These
passages teach that God is one, as
husband and wife are one.
f. The teachings of King Agur.
Proverbs 30:4: "Who hath ascended up
into heaven, or descended? who hath
gathered the wind in his fists? who hath
bound the waters in a garment? who hath
established all the ends of the earth? what
is his name, and what is his son's name, if
thou canst tell?"
g. The plural forms used in
Ecclesiastes 12:1 and Isaiah 54:5.
(1) "Remember now thy Creator in the
days of thy youth . . ."
(Eccl. 12:1). In the original this is
literally "thy creators."
(2) "For thy Maker is thine husband..."
(Isa. 54:5). Here "maker" should be
translated "makers."
h. The triune conversations in Isaiah.
Isaiah 6:8: "Also I heard the voice of the
Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who
will go for us? Then said I, Here
am I; send me."
Isaiah 48:16: "Come ye near unto me, hear
ye this; I have not spoken in secret from
the beginning; from the time that it was,
there am I: and now the Lord God, and his
Spirit, hath sent me."
Isaiah 63:9, 10: "In all their affliction he
was afflicted, and the angel of his presence
saved them: in his love and in his pity he
redeemed them; and he bare them, and
carried them all the days of old. But they
rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit:
therefore he was turned to be their enemy,
and he fought against them."
i. The conversation between the Father and
Son in the Psalms.
8
Psalm 2:1-9: "Why do the heathen rage,
and the people imagine a vain thing? The
kings of the earth set themselves, and the
rulers take counsel together, against the
Lord, and against his Anointed, saying, Let
us break their bands asunder, and cast
away their cords from us... Yet have I set
my King upon my holy hill of Zion. I will
declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto
me, Thou art my Son; this day have I
begotten thee."
Psalm 45:6-8: "Thy throne, O God, is for
ever and ever: the scepter of thy kingdom
is a right scepter. Thou lovest
righteousness, and hatest wickedness:
therefore God, thy God, hath anointed
thee with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows".
Psalm 110:1-5: "The Lord said unto my
Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I
make thine enemies thy footstool .... The
Lord hath sworn, and will not repent,
Thou art a priest for ever after the order of
Melchizedek. The Lord at thy right hand
shall strike through kings in the day of his
wrath."
4. New Testament passages regarding the
Trinity.
a. The baptism of Christ.
Matthew 3:16, 17: "And Jesus, when he
was baptized, went up straightway out
of the water: and, lo, the heavens were
opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit
of God descending like a dove, and
lighting upon him: And lo a voice from
heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased."
b. The temptation of Christ.
Matthew 4:1: "Then was Jesus led up of
the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted
of the devil."
c. The teachings of Jesus.
John 14:16: "And I will pray the Father,
and he shall give you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you for ever."
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
The Greek word here translated "another"
is allos, meaning another of the same kind.
Heteros is the Greek word for another of a
different kind. It is never used in referring
to the Trinity.
John 14:26: "But the Comforter, which is
the Holy Ghost, whom the Father Will
send in my name, he shall teach you all
things, and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you".
d. The baptismal formula.
Matthew 28:19, 20: "Go ye therefore, and
teach all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost: Teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you
alway, even unto the end of the world.
Amen."
e. The apostolic benediction.
2 Corinthians 13:14: "The grace of the
Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be
with you all. Amen."
5. A scriptural summary of the Trinity.
a. The Father is God
(Jn. 6:44-46; Rom. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:2).
b. The Son is God (Isa. 9:6; Jn. 1:1; 20:28;
1 Tim. 3:16; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8).
c. The Spirit is God (Acts 5:3, 4; Heb. 9:14).
V. THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
Reduced to its simplest definition, an attribute of
God is whatever God has in any way revealed as being
true of himself. Some theologians prefer the word
"perfection" to that of attribute. A. W. Tozer has
written:
"If an attribute is something true of God, it is
also something that we can conceive as being
true of him. God being infinite, must possess
attributes about which we can know nothing."
(The Knowledge of the Holy, p. 19)
"In the awful abyss of the divine being may lie
9 implications) that God exists because he exists.
attributes of which we know nothing and which
can have no meaning for us, just as the
attributes of mercy and grace can have no
personal meaning for seraphim or cherubim.
These holy beings may know of these qualities
in God but be unable to feel them
sympathetically for the reason that they have not
sinned and so do not call forth God's mercy and
grace. So there may be, and I believe there
surely are, other aspects of God's essential being
which He has not revealed even to His
ransomed and Spirit-illuminated children."
(Ibid, p. 52).
Finally, it must be concluded that there are
hidden facets of God's nature wholly unknown
(and perhaps unknowable) by any created being,
even angels. They are known only by Jehovah
God himself.
We now consider some twenty-one attributes or
perfections of God.
A. God is self-existent.
Exodus 3:13, 14: "And Moses said unto God,
Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel,
and shall say unto them, The God of your
fathers hath sent me, What is his name? what
shall I say unto them? And God said unto
Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus
shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM
hath sent me unto you."
Lehman E. Strauss writes: "Hardly a person has
not been baffled by this passage when reading it
for the first time in the English Bible. Exactly
what did God mean? He simply wanted to be
known by His name, "I AM." In the divine
vocabulary there is no past or future tense. With
God there is no "was" or "will be," but always
the "now," the present. "I AM" is God's name
and indicates His absolute and essential being,
His self-existence and eternalness. The New
Standard Dictionary defines the word "am" to
mean "present permanent existence."
(The First Person, p. 52).
We have already discussed the existence of
God, but one of his attributes is self-existence.
This is simply to say (with staggering
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
He is not dependent upon anything or anyone
for his thoughts (Rom. 11:33, 34), his will
(Rom. 9:19; Eph. 1:5), his power (Ps. 115:3),
or his counsel (Ps. 33:10, 11).
B. God is self-sufficient.
Psalm 50:10-12: "For every beast of the forest
is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I
know all the fowls of the mountains: and the
wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were
hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is
mine, and the fullness thereof."
This attribute is closely connected to the
attribute of self-existence, but carries it a step
further. This means God has never had in
eternity past, nor can ever have in the ages to
come, a single need for which his own divine
nature has not already provided.
I AM THAT I AM
C. God is eternal.
Simply defined, this means God is absolutely
free from the tyranny of time. In him there is no
past or future, but one always and never-ending
present. He is neither conditioned nor confined
by time.
Deuteronomy 33:27: "The eternal God is thy
refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms:
and he shall thrust out the enemy from before
thee: and shall say, Destroy them."
Psalm 102:11, 12: "My days are like a shadow
that declineth; and I am withered like grass. But
thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever; and thy
remembrance unto all generations."
During one of his dialogues with the wicked
Pharisees, the Son of God made reference to his
attribute of eternity. Note his declaration:
John 8:56, 57: "Your father Abraham rejoiced
to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet
fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?" It
should be observed that he did not say, "before
Abraham was, I was," but "before Abraham
was, I am" (Jn. 8:58).
10
Psalm 90:2: "Before the mountains were
brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the
earth and the world, even from everlasting to
everlasting, thou art God."
D. God is infinite.
God has no limitations. He is bounded only by
his own nature and will.
1 Kings 8:22, 23, 27: "And Solomon stood
before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all
the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his
hands toward heaven: And he said, Lord God of
Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven
above, or on earth beneath, who keepest
covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk
before thee with all their heart. But will God
indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven
and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how
much less this house that I have builded?"
Jeremiah 23:24: "Can any hide himself in secret
places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord.
Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.
E. God is omnipresent.
The great theologian A. H. Strong defines this
attribute as follows:
"God, in the totality of His essence, without
diffusion or expansion, multiplication or
division, penetrates and fills the universe in all
its parts." (Systematic Theology, p. 279)
The omnipresence of God thus means he is
present everywhere with his whole being at the
same time. The great danger to avoid in rightly
understanding this attribute is the grievous error
of pantheism, which says that God is
everywhere, and everything is God. This is
totally false. Two aspects should be kept in
mind as one studies the omnipresence of God.
1. God's immanence. This speaks of God being
in the world, acting within and through his
creation.
2. God's transcendence. This affirms that God
is above and beyond his creation.
Psalm 139:7-12: "Whither shall I go from
thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy
presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou
art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold,
thou art there. If I take the wings of the
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of
the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me,
and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say,
Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the
night shall be light about me. Yea, the
darkness hideth not from thee; but the night
shineth as the day: the darkness and the light
are both alike to thee."
Matthew 18:20: "For where two or three are
gathered together in my name, there am I in
the midst of them."
F. God is omnipotent (all-powerful).
Genesis 18:14: "Is any thing too hard for the
Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto
thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah
shall have a son."
Revelation 19:6: "And I heard as it were the
voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of
many waters, and as the voice of mighty
thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God
omnipotent reigneth".
This means God can do anything if it can be
done and if it does not contradict his own
nature. To illustrate these two things: God
cannot create a rock so heavy that he couldn't
lift it, because the very nature of this act would
be impossible to perform. God cannot lie, or
steal, for these things would contradict his own
nature. Here are some areas in which God's
omnipotence is clearly seen.
1. Over nature.
a. He separates light from darkness
(Gen. 1:4).
b. He separates the waters by the firmament
(space) (Gen. 1:7).
c. He separates the seas from the dry land
(Gen. 1:10).
d. He measures oceans in his hands
(Isa. 40:12).
e. He weighs mountains in his scale
(Isa. 40:12).
f. He regards nations as a drop in the bucket
(Isa. 40:15).
g. He looks upon the islands as small
particles of dirt (Isa. 40:15).
11
2. Over men.
Daniel 4:30-32: "The king spake, and said,
Is not this great Babylon, that I have built
for the house of the kingdom by the might of
my power, and for the honour of my
majesty? While the word was in the king's
mouth, there fell a voice from heaven,
saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is
spoken; the kingdom is departed from thee.
And they shall drive thee from men, and thy
dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field:
they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen,
and seven times shall pass over thee, until
thou know that the most High ruleth in the
kingdom of men, and giveth it to
whomsoever he will."
3. Over angels.
Psalm 103:20: "Blessed the Lord, ye his
angels, that excel in strength, that do his
commandments, hearkening unto the voice
of his word."
4. Over Satan (Job 1:12; 2:6).
The first two chapters of Job deal with
Satan's accusations against the patriarch
before God. The devil then subjects Job to
various fierce and fiery trials, but not before
being granted the needed specific permission
from the omnipotent God himself.
William Evans writes: "Satan has no power
over any of God's children saving as God
permits him to have. This fact is clearly
established in the case of Job (1:12 and 2:6),
and Peter (Luke 22:31, 32), in which we are
told that Satan had petitioned God that he
might sift the self-righteous patriarch and the
impulsive apostle. Finally Satan is to be
forever bound with a great chain
(Rev. 20:2). God can set a bar (limit) to the
malignity (evil) of Satan just as he can set a
bar to the waves of the sea."
(The Great Doctrines of the Bible; p. 33).
5. Over death.
Hebrews 2:14, 15: "Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he
also himself likewise took part of the same;
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
that through death he might destroy him that
had the power of death, that is, the devil;
and deliver them who through fear of death
were all their lifetime subject to bondage."
G. God is omniscient (all-knowing).
God possesses (without prior discovery of
facts) complete and universal knowledge of all
things past, present, and future. This includes
not only the actual, but also the possible. This
total and immediate knowledge is based on his
eternity (he has always, and will always exist),
and his omnipresence (he has been, is, and will
always be everywhere at the same time).
Psalm 147:5: "Great is our Lord, and of great
power: his understanding is infinite."
Isaiah 40:13, 14: "Who hath directed the Spirit
of the Lord, or being his counselor hath taught
him? With whom took he counsel, and who
instructed him, and taught him in the path of
judgment, and taught him knowledge and
showed to him the way of understanding?"
Hebrews 4:13: "Neither is there any creature
that is not manifest in his sight: but all things
are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with
whom we have to do."
Psalm 104:24: "O Lord, how manifold are thy
works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the
earth is full of thy riches."
1. He sees all things.
Proverbs 15:3: "The eyes of the Lord is in
every place, beholding the evil and the
good."
2. He knows all things (the big and small of his
universe).
Psalm 147:4: "He telleth the number the
stars; he calleth them all by their names. "
Matthew 10:29, 30: "Are not two spar-
rows sold for a farthing? and one of the shall
not fall on the ground without your Father.
But the very hairs of your head are all
numbered.
3. He knows mankind.
a. Our thoughts.
Psalm 139:2b: "Thou understandest my
thought afar off."
12
Psalm 44:21: "Shall not God search this
out? For he knoweth the secrets of the
heart."
b. Our words.
Psalm 139:4: "For there is not a word in
my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest
it altogether."
c. Our deeds
(Ps. 139:3; Rev. 2:2, 9, 13, 3:1, 8, 15).
Psalm 139:2a: "Thou knowest my
down-sitting and mine uprising."
d. Our sorrows.
Exodus 3:7: "And the Lord said, I have
surely seen the affliction of my people
which are in Egypt, and have he. their cry
by reason of their taskmasters; for I know
their sorrows."
e. Our needs.
Matthew 6:32: "(For after all these things
do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly
Father knoweth that ye have need of all
these things."
f. Our devotion.
Genesis 18:17-19: "And the Lord said,
Shall I hide from Abraham that thing
which I do . . . For I know him, that he
will command his children and his
household after him, and they shall keep
the way of the Lord, to do justice and
judgment; that the Lord may bring upon
Abraham that which he hath spoken of
him."
Genesis 22:11, 12: "And the angel of the
Lord called unto him out of heaven, and
said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said,
Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand
upon the lad, neither do thou any thing
unto him: for now I know that thou fearest
God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy
son, thine only son from me."
2 Chronicles 16:9: "For the eyes of the
Lord run to and fro throughout the whole
earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf
of them whose heart is perfect toward him.
Herein thou hast done foolishly: Therefore
from henceforth thou shalt have wars."
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
g. Our frailties. (weaknesses)
Psalm 103:14: "For he knoweth our frame;
he remembereth that we are dust."
h. Our foolishness.
Psalm 69:5: "O God, thou knowest my
foolishness; and my sins are not hid from
thee."
i. He knows his own.
John 10:14: "I am the good shepherd, and
know my sheep, and am known of mine."
2 Timothy 2:19: "Nevertheless the
foundation of God standeth sure, having
this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are
his. And, Let every one that nameth the
name of Christ depart from iniquity."
4. He knows the. past, present, and future.
Acts 15:18: "Known unto God are all his
works from the beginning of the world."
5. He knows what might or could have been.
Matthew 11:23: "And thou, Capernaum,
which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be
brought down to hell: for if the mighty
works, which have been done in thee, had
been done in Sodom, it would have
remained until this day."
A. W. Tozer has written: "God perfectly
knows Himself and, being the source and
author of all things, it follows that He knows
all that can be known. And this He knows
instantly and with a fullness of perfection
that includes every possible item of
knowledge concerning everything that exists
or could have existed anywhere in the
universe at any time in the past or that may
exist in the centuries or ages yet unborn.
God knows instantly and effortlessly all
matter and all matters, all mind and every
mind, all spirit and all spirits, all beings and
every being, all creature-hood, and all
creatures, every plurality and all pluralities,
all law and every law, all relations, all
causes, all thoughts, all mysteries, all
enigmas, all feeling, all desires, every
unuttered secret, all thrones and dominions,
all personalities, all things visible and
invisible in heaven and in earth, motion,
space, time, life, death, good, evil, heaven,
and hell." (The Knowledge of the Holy, p. 62)
H. God is wise.
We have already noted God's omniscience (all
knowledge) is based upon his eternity and
omnipresence (everywhere present). We may
now suggest his wisdom is grounded upon his
omniscience. Robert Lightner writes:
"Though very closely related, knowledge and
wisdom are not the same. Nor do they always
accompany each other. No doubt we have all
known those who had acquired a great deal of
facts but who lacked the ability to use them
wisely. Both knowledge and wisdom are
imperfect in man but perfect and perfectly
related to each other in God. Only He knows
how to use His infinite knowledge to the best
possible end. Through His wisdom God applies
His knowledge to the fulfillment of His own
purposes in ways which will bring the most
glory to Him." (The God of the Bible, p. 99)
Following are but a few of the passages which
declare the wisdom of God.
Psalm 136:5: "To him that by wisdom made the
heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever."
Proverbs 3:19: "The Lord by wisdom hath
founded the earth; by understanding hath he
established the heavens.
1 Corinthians 2:7: "But we speak the wisdom of
God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom,
which God ordained before the world unto our
glory."
1 Timothy 1:17: "Now unto the King eternal,
immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be
honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen."
Jude 1:25: "To the only wise God our Saviour,
be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both
now and ever. Amen."
I. God is immutable. (unchangeable)
In a sentence, this says that God never differs
from himself. He may on occasion alter his
dealings with men in a dispensational sense, but
his divine character remains constant. This is a
vital attribute of God, without which he could
not be God. For example, a person may only
13 change in two directions. He may go from
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
better to worse or from worse to better. But it
is unthinkable that God could travel down either
of these roads.
Hebrews 1:10-12: "And, Thou, Lord, in the
beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth;
and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they
all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a
vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall
be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years
shall not fail."
James 1:17: "Every good gift and every perfect
gift is from above, and cometh down from the
Father of lights, with whom is no variableness,
neither shadow of turning."
Acts 1:11: "Which also said, Ye men of Galilee,
why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven,
shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him
go into heaven."
"Jesus Christ
the same yesterday,
and to day,
and for ever."
Hebrews 13:8
J. God is sovereign.
This means that God is the absolute and sole
ruler in the universe. To be truly sovereign
demands that one have the total freedom,
power, knowledge, wisdom, and determination
to carry out a predetermined course of action.
God possesses all these in infinite measure and
is thus sovereign.
Two ancient problems usually surface during
any discussion of the sovereignty of God.
1. If God is sovereign, how do we explain the
presence of sin and evil?
A. W. Tozer writes: "The Zend Avesta,
sacred book of Zoroastrianism, loftiest of
the great non-biblical religions, got around
this difficulty neatly enough by postulating
(assume without proof) a theological
dualism. There were two gods, Ormazd and
Ahriman, and these between them created 14
the world. The good Ormazd made all good
things and the evil Ahriman made the rest. It
was quite simple. Ormazd had no
sovereignty to worry about, and apparently
did not mind sharing his prerogatives
(privileges) with another."
(The Knowledge of the Holy, p. 117)
This explanation is of course totally
unscriptural. The only positive statement in
our present ignorance is that the sovereign
God has indeed allowed for (but not
arranged for) sin to enter this universe, that
through it all he might receive the most
glory (Rev. 4:11) and that the elect
(Rom. 8:28) might receive the most good.
2. If God is sovereign, how do we reconcile
the responsibility and freedom of man?
Again, to quote from A. W. Tozer: "Here is
my view: God sovereignly decreed that man
should be free to exercise moral choice, and
man from the beginning has fulfilled that
decree by making his choice between good
and evil. When he chooses to do evil, he
does not thereby countervail the sovereign
will of God but fulfills it. Inasmuch as the
eternal decree decided not which
choice the man should make but that he
should be free to make it." (Ibid, p. 118)
Psalm 135:6: "Whatsoever the Lord pleased,
that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the
seas, and all deep places."
Isaiah 46:9-11: "Remember the former
things of old: for I am God, and there is
none else; I am God, and there is none like
me, declaring the end from the beginning,
and from ancient times the things that are
not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand,
and I will do all my pleasure: calling a
ravenous bird from the east, the man that
executeth my counsel from a far country:
yes, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to
pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it."
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
K. God is incomprehensible.
By this it is stated that no one except God
himself can even remotely understand and
comprehend God.
Job 5:7-9: "Yet man is born unto trouble, as the
sparks fly upward. I would seek unto God, and
unto God would I commit my cause; Which
doeth great things and unsearchable; marvelous
things without number."
Job 11:7-9: "Canst thou by searching find out
God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto
perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst
thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou
know? The measure thereof is longer than the
earth, and broader than the sea."
Psalm 35:5,6: "Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the
heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the
clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great
mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O
Lord, thou preservest man and beast."
Romans 11:33: "O the depth of the riches both
of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how
unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways
past finding out!"
To illustrate this attribute, consider the
following: Let us suppose in heaven we are able
to double our learning each year concerning the
person and attributes of God. This is not at all
an unreasonable assumption, for the Christian
will possess a sinless and glorified body, along
with a holy and tireless desire to know more
about Jesus. So here is a believer who begins
eternity with X amount of knowledge about
God. At the beginning of the second year he has
doubled this, the third year he learns four times
as much, the fourth year, eight times as much,
etc. By the end of his eleventh year he will have
increased his knowledge concerning God
1000-fold. At the conclusion of year number
twenty-one the figure jumps to one million. At
the end of the thirty-first year the number leaps
to one billion. Following the forty-first year it
reaches one trillion! As he finishes his first
century in eternity his knowledge of God
(doubling each year) would reach 1/30 (one
followed by 30 zeros)! This figure is
thousands of times more than the combined
total of all the grains of sand on all the
seashores of the earth. But this number simply
marks his first one hundred years, How much
knowledge-doubling will he have experienced at
the end of his first one million years? This
staggering figure cannot even be comprehended
by the mortal mind, but whatever it is, and
however many zeros it represents, it will double
itself the very next year!
The point of all the above is simply this:
Throughout the untold and unnumbered trillions
and trillions of years in timeless eternity, each
child of God can double his or her learning
about the Creator each year and yet never even
remotely exhaust the awesome height, depth, or
length to be known of the person of God.
L. God is inscrutable. (unsearchable)
"How unsearchable are his judgments, and his
ways past finding out" (Rom. 11:33).
This attribute refers to the inexplicable
(unexplainable) and mysterious ways of God. It
raises the most painful question of all: Why does
a loving and wise God allow certain terrible
tragedies to occur? As an example, here is a
young, spirit-filled pastor. He has spent a
number of years diligently preparing for the
ministry. His wife has sacrificed to help put him
through school. But now all this is paying off.
His church is experiencing an amazing growth.
Souls are saved weekly. New converts are
baptized each Sunday. Additional Sunday
school buses are purchased and a new building
is planned. A skeptical community slowly finds
itself being profoundly influenced by this vibrant
and exciting pastor and his people. Suddenly,
without any warning, the minister is killed in a
freak accident. Shortly after the funeral the still
confused and stunned congregation extends a
call to another man. But the new minister shows
little compassion and less leadership ability.
Soon the flock is scattered and the once thrilling
testimony of a growing and glowing work is
all but stilled. How many times since Abel's
martyrdom at the dawn of human history have
15 similar tragedies taken place? One need only
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
change the names, places, and rearrange some
of the details. But the searing and searching
question remains: Why does God permit such
terrible things? A clue (and only a clue) to this
question is seen in Revelation 10:7: "But in the
days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he
shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should
be finished, as he hath declared to his servants
the prophets."
But until the sound of that blessed trumpet, the
perplexed child of God can arrive at no better
conclusion than once offered by Abraham:
"Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
(Gen. 18:25).
This sublime statement is amplified on at least
three other biblical occasions.
1. By Moses:
"He is the Rock, his work is perfect; for all
his ways are justice; a God of truth and
without iniquity, just and right is he"
(Deut. 32:4).
2. By Job:
"Naked came I out of my mother's womb,
and naked shall I return thither. The Lord
gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed
be the name of the Lord" (1:21). "Though he
slay me, yet will I trust in him" (13:15).
3. By a Galilean crowd in Jesus' day:
"He hath done all things well..." (Mk. 7:37).
M. God is holy.
Without a doubt the most prominent attribute of
God as presented by both Old and New
Testament Scriptures is his holiness. This one
single perfection would perhaps come closer to
describing the eternal Creator than any other
characteristic he possesses. It has been
suggested that his holiness is the union of all
other attributes, as pure white light is the union
of all the colored rays of the spectrum. Note but
a few biblical references:
Leviticus 19:2: "Speak unto all the congregation
of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye
shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy."
16
Psalm 99:9: "Exalt the Lord our God, and
worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is
holy."
1 Peter 1:15: "But as he which hath called you
is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of
conversation."
A. W. Tozer writes: "Holy is the way God is.
To be holy He does not conform to a standard.
He is that standard. He is absolutely holy with
an infinite, (unending) incomprehensible (not
able to be understood) fullness of purity that is
incapable of being other than it is. Because He
is holy, all His attributes are holy; that is,
whatever we think of as belonging to God must
be thought of as holy.
God is holy and He has made holiness the moral
condition necessary to the health of His
universe. Sin's temporary presence in the world
only accents this. Whatever is holy is healthy;
evil is a moral sickness that must end ultimately
in death. The formation of the language itself
suggests this, the English word holy deriving
from the Anglo-Saxon halig, hal, meaning
"well, whole."
Since God's first concern for His universe is its
moral health, that is, its holiness, whatever is
contrary to this is necessarily under His eternal
displeasure. To preserve His creation God must
destroy whatever would destroy it. When He
arises to put down iniquity and save the world
from inseparable moral collapse, He is said to be
angry. Every wrathful judgement in the history
of the world has been a holy act of preservation.
The holiness of God, the wrath of God, and the
health of the creation are inseparably united.
God's wrath is His utter intolerance of whatever
degrades and destroys. He hates iniquity as a
mother hates the polio that would take the life
of her child. (The Knowledge of the Holy, p. 113)
In the Bible God underlines his holiness by
direct commands, objects, personal visions, and
individual judgments.
1. The direct commandments.
a. the moral law (Ten Commandments)
(Ex. 10:10-25; 20:1-17)
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
b. the spiritual law (feasts and offerings)
(Ex. 35-40; Lev. 1-7, 23)
c. the ceremonial law (diet, sanitation, etc.)
(Lev. 11-15)
2. The objects. The main object was the
tabernacle itself.
3. Personal visions.
a. Moses' vision.
Exodus 33:18-23: "And he said, I beseech
thee, shew me thy glory. . . . And he said,
Thou canst not see my face: for there shall
no man see me, and live. And the Lord
said, Behold, there is a place by me, and
thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall
come to pass, while my glory passeth by,
that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock,
and will cover thee with my hand while I
pass by: And I will take away mine hand,
and thou shalt see my back parts: but my
face shall not be seen."
Holy, Holy, Holy
Lord God Almighty
b. Isaiah's vision.
Isaiah 6:1-5: "In the year that king Uzziah
died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a
throne, high and lifted up, and his train
filled the temple. Above it stood the
seraphim: each one had six wings; with
twain he covered his face, and with twain
he covered his feet, and with twain he did
fly. And one cried unto another, and said,
Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the
whole earth is full of his glory... Then said
I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I
am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in
the midst of a people of unclean lips: for
mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of
hosts."
c. Daniel's vision.
Daniel 7:9-14: "I beheld till the thrones
were cast down, and the Ancient of days
did sit, whose garment was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like the pure wool:
his throne was like the fiery flame, and
his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream
issued and came forth from before him:
thousand thousands ministered unto him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood
before him: . . .yet their lives were
prolonged for a season and time. I saw in
the night visions, and, behold, one like the
Son of man came with the clouds of
heaven, and came to the Ancient of days,
and they brought him near before him. And
there was given him dominion, and glory,
and a kingdom, that all people, nations,
and languages, should serve him: his
dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away, and his
kingdom that which shall not be
destroyed."
d. John's vision.
Revelation 4:8-11: "And the four beasts
had each of them six wings about him; and
they were full of eyes within: and they rest
not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty, which was, and is,
and is to come. And when those beasts
give glory and honour and thanks to him
that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever
and ever, the four and twenty elders fall
down before him that sat on the throne,
and worship him that liveth for ever and
ever, and cast their crowns before the
throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord,
to receive glory and honour and power:
for thou hast created all things, and for thy
pleasure they are and were created."
4. Individual judgments.
a. Upon Nadab and Abihu, for offering
strange fire (Lev. 10:13).
b. Upon Korah, for rebellion
(Num. 16:4-12, 31-33).
c. Upon Uzziah, for intruding into the office
of the priest (2 Chron. 26:16-21).
d. Upon Herod, for blasphemy
(Acts 12:20-23).
e. Upon Christ, for the sins of the world
(Isa. 53:1-10; Ps. 22:1; Heb. 2:7;
17 1 Pet. 2:21-25; 3:18).
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
5. Our responsibility in light of God's holiness.
First, we should approach God, with
'reverence and godly fear'
Hebrews 12:28: "Wherefore . . . let us have
grace, whereby we may serve God
acceptably with reverence and godly fear."
In the story of Moses' approach to the
burning bush, the smiting of the men at
Bethshemesh, the boundary set about Mr.
Sinai, we are taught to feel our own
unworthiness. There is too much hilarity in
our approach unto God. Eccl. 5:1-3
inculcates (teaches) great care in our address
to God.
Second, we shall have right views of sin
when we get right views of God's holiness.
Isaiah, the holiest man in all Israel, was cast
down at the sight of his own sin after he had
seen the vision of God's holiness. The same
thing is true of Job.
Job 40:3, 4: "Then Job answered the Lord,
and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I
answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my
mouth."
We confess sin in such easy and familiar
terms that it has almost lost its terror for us.
Third, that approach to a holy God must be
through the merits of Christ, and on the
ground of a righteousness which is Christ's
and which naturally we do not possess.
Herein lies the need of the atonement."
(William Evans; The Great Doctrines of the
Bible; p. 40).
N. God is righteous and just.
Righteousness can be defined as moral equity
(fairness). Justice is the illustration of this moral
equity. In righteousness God reveals his love for
holiness. In justice God reveals his hatred for
sin. The Scriptures present this twin attribute in
a threefold light.
1. The intrinsic (real, genuine) righteousness
and justice of God.
Exodus 9:27: "And Pharaoh sent, and called
for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I
18
have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous,
and I and my people are wicked."
Ezra 9:15: "O Lord God of Israel, thou art
righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is
this day: behold, we are before thee in our
trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee
because of this."
Nehemiah 9:8: "And foundest his heart
faithful before thee, and madest a covenant
with him to give the land . . . to give it, I
say, to his seed, and hast performed thy
words; for thou art righteous."
Daniel 9:14: "Therefore hath the Lord
watched upon the evil, and brought it upon
us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all
his works which he doeth: for we obeyed
not his voice."
2. The legislative righteousness and justice of
God.
Psalm 67:4: "O let the nations be glad and
sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people
righteously, and govern the nations upon
earth. Selah."
Psalm 7:9 "Oh let the wickedness of the
wicked come to an end; but establish the
just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts
and reins."
Psalm 96:10: "Say among the heathen that
the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be
established that it shall not be moved: he
shall judge the people righteously."
Psalm 119:137: "Righteous art thou, O
Lord, and upright are thy judgments."
a. Rewarding the good.
2 Timothy 4:8: "Henceforth there is laid up
for me a crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at
that day: and not to me only, but unto all
them also that love his appearing."
It should be pointed out, however, that
while God's righteousness guarantees
rewards, it does not bestow them. A. W.
Strong writes:
"Neither justice or righteousness bestows
reward. This follows from the fact that
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
obedience is due to God, instead of being
optional or a gratuity (gift, donation). No
creature can claim anything for his
obedience. If God rewards, He rewards in
virtue of His goodness and faithfulness,
but not in virtue of His justice or His
righteousness."
(Systematic Theology, p. 293)
b. Punishing the evil.
2 Timothy 4:14: "Alexander the
coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord
reward him according to his works.
Revelation 16:5-7: "And I heard the angel
of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O
Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be,
because thou hast judged thus. For they
have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and thou hast given them blood to drink;
for they are worthy. And I heard another
out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God
Almighty, true and righteous are thy
judgments."
3. The imputed (taken from one and given to
another) righteousness of God.
Romans 4:3: "For what saith the scripture?
Abraham believed God, and it was counted
unto him for righteousness."
Romans 4:6-8: "Even as David also
describeth the blessedness of the man, unto
whom God imputeth (gives, reckons)
righteousness without works, Saying,
Blessed are they whose iniquities are
forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will
not impute sin."
Philippians 3:7-9: "But what things were
gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss
for the excellency of the knowledge of
Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have
suffered the loss of all things, and do count
them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be
found in him, not having mine own
righteousness, which is of the law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ, the
righteousness which is of God by faith."
1 Peter 2:24: "Who his own self bare our
sins in his own body on the tree, that we,
being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were
healed."
O. God is true.
Titus 1:1, 2: "Paul, a servant of God, and an
apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of
God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth
which is after godliness; in hope of eternal life,
which God, that cannot lie, promised before the
world began."
John 17:3: "And this is life eternal, that they
might know thee the only true God, and Jesus
Christ, whom thou hast sent."
1 Thessalonians 1:9: "For they themselves show
of us what manner of entering in we had unto
you, and how ye turned to God from idols to
serve the living and true God."
Romans 3:4: "God forbid: yea, let God be true,
but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou
mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest
overcome when thou art judged ."
"By truth we mean that attribute of the divine
nature in virtue of which God's being and God's
knowledge eternally conform to each other."
(A. W. Strong, Systematic Theology, p. 260)
Truth is therefore anything factual about God.
The child of God may well say, "I speak (or
serve) the truth," but only the Son of God can
say, "I am the truth!" (Jn. 14:6). Again to quote
from A. W. Strong: "Since Christ is the truth of
God, we are successful in our search for truth
only as we recognize Him. Whether all roads
lead to Rome depends upon which way your
face is turned. Follow a point of land out into
the sea, and you find only ocean. With the back
turned upon Jesus Christ all following after
truth leads only into mist and darkness."
(Ibid, p. 262)
God is the ultimate and only source and
standard of truth. This is why the Bible
describes the "God that cannot lie"
(Titus 1:2), and concludes that it is utterly
"impossible for God to lie," (Heb. 6:18).
19
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
This may be taken a step farther and stated that
he not only cannot lie, but that he need not lie.
A lie is almost always resorted to by human
beings to get out of a tight spot, to impress
someone, to gain an advantage, etc. But
almighty God never finds himself in any of
these situations. In the Psalms he speaks to us
concerning this.
Psalm 50:10-12; "For every beast of the forest
is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I
know all the fowls of the mountains: and the
wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were
hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is
mine, and the fullness thereof."
P. God is faithful.
Deuteronomy 7:9: "Know therefore that the
Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God,
which keepeth covenant and mercy with them
that love him and keep his commandments to a
thousand generations."
Psalm 36:5: "Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the
heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the
clouds."
Psalm 89:1, 2: "1 will sing of the mercies of the
Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make
known thy faithfulness to all generations. For I
have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy
faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very
heavens."
Lamentations 3:22, 23: "It is of the Lord's
mercies that we are not consumed, because his
compassions fail not. They are new every
morning: great is thy faithfulness."
God's faithfulness refers to his self-loyalty and
to that of his entire creation. He will not
(indeed, cannot) change his character nor fail to
perform all he has promised. God's faithfulness
is seen in many areas.
1. In nature.
Psalm 119:90: "Thy faithfulness is unto all
generations: thou hast established the earth,
and it abideth."
Genesis 8:22: "'While the earth remaineth,
seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat,
and summer and winter, and day and night
shall not cease."
Colossians 1:17: "And he is before all things,
and by him all things consist."
2. In keeping his promises to his friends.
a. Adam.
Galatians 4:4: "But when the fulness of the
time was come, God sent forth his Son,
made of a woman, made under the law."
b. Abraham.
Genesis 15:4: "And, behold, the word of
the Lord came unto him, saying, This
shall not be thine heir; but he that shall
come forth out of thine own bowels shall
be thine heir."
Genesis 18:14: "Is any thing too hard for
the Lord? At the time appointed I will
return unto thee, according to the time of
life, and Sarah shall have a son."
Genesis 21:1, 2: "And the Lord visited
Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did
unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah
conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his
old age, at the set time of which God had
spoken him."
c. Moses.
Exodus 3:21: "And I will give this people
favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it
shall come to pass, that when ye go, ye
shall not go empty."
Exodus 12:35, 36: "And the children of
Israel did according to the word Moses;
and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels
of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:
and the Lord gave the people favour in the
sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent
unto them such things as they required.
And they spoiled the Egyptians."
d. Joshua.
Joshua 1:15: "Now after the death Moses
the servant of the Lord it came to pass,
that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of
Nun, Moses' minister saying, Moses my
servant is dead now therefore arise, go
over this Jordan, thou, and all this people,
unto the land which I do give to them,
even to the children of Israel.... There shall
20 not any man be able to stand before thee
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
all the days of thy life: as I was with
Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail
thee, nor forsake thee."
Joshua 23:14: "And, behold, this day I am
going the way of all the earth: and ye
know in all your heart and in all your
souls, that not one thing hath failed of all
the good things which the Lord your God
spake concerning you; all are come to pass
unto you, and not one thing hath failed
thereof."
e. David.
2 Samuel 7:12, 13: "And when thy days be
fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy
fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee,
which shall proceed out thy bowels, and I
will establish his kingdom. He shall build
an house for my name, and I will stablish
the throne of his kingdom for ever."
Luke 1:31-33: "And, behold, thou shalt
conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a
son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He
shall be great, and shall called the Son of
the Highest: and Lord God shall give unto
him the throne of his father David: And he
shall reign over the house of Jacob forever;
and of his kingdom there shall be no end."
f. Hezekiah.
2 Kings 19:32-34: "Therefore thus saith
the Lord concerning the king of Assyria,
He shall not come into this city. . .For I
will defend this city, to save it, for mine
own sake, and for my servant David's
sake."
3. In keeping his promises to his enemies.
a. Ahab.
1 Kings 21:17-19: "And the word of the
Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of
Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in
the vineyard of Naboth . . . And thou shalt
speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the
Lord, In the place where dogs licked the
blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood,
even thine."
21
1 Kings 22:34-38: "And a certain man
drew a bow at a venture, and smote the
king of Israel between the joints of the
harness: . . . So the king died, and was
brought to Samaria; and they buried the
king in Samaria. And one washed the
chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the
dogs licked up his blood; and they washed
his armour; according unto the word of the
Lord which he spake."
b. Jezebel
1 Kings 21:23: "And of Jezebel also spake
the Lord, saying, The dogs shall eat
Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel."
2 Kings 9:35-37: "And they went to bury
her: but they found no more of her than
the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her
hands. And he said, This is the word of the
Lord, which he spake by his servant Elijah
the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of
Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel"
4. In times of temptation.
1 Corinthians 10:13: "There hath no
temptation taken you but such as is common
to man: but God is faithful, who will not
suffer you to be tempted above that ye are
able; but will with the temptation also make
a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear
it."
5. In chastening his children.
Psalm 119:75: "1 know, O Lord, that thy
judgments are right, and that thou in
faithfulness hast afflicted me."
Hebrews 12:6: "For whom the Lord loveth
he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son
whom he receiveth."
6. In forgiving our sins.
1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
7. In answering our prayers.
Psalm 143:1: "Hear my prayer, O Lord, give
ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness
answer me, and in thy righteousness."
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
8. In keeping the saved saved.
1 Corinthians 1:8,9: "Who shall also confirm
you unto the end, that ye may be blameless
in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is
faithful, by whom ye were called unto the
fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."
1 Thessalonians 5:23, 24: "And the very
God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray
God your whole spirit and soul and body be
preserved blameless unto the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth
you, who also will do it."
2 Thessalonians 3:3: "But the Lord is
faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you
from evil."
9. In defending his people.
Psalm 89:20: "I have found David my
servant; with my holy oil have I anointed
him."
Psalm 89:24: "But my faithfulness and my
mercy shall be with him: and in my name
shall his horn be exalted."
1 Samuel 12:22: "For the Lord will not
forsake his people for his great name's sake:
because it hath pleased the Lord to make
you his people."
2 Timothy 2:13: "If we believe not, yet he
abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself."
Q. God is Light.
He is both the source and strength of all
illumination. This refers not only to those
golden beams of energy radiating from the sun
and stars, but also to moral, mental, and
spiritual rays of information and inspiration.
1 Peter 2:9: "But ye are a chosen generation, a
royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the praises of
him who hath called you out of darkness into his
marvellous light."
1 John 1:7: "But if we walk in the light, as he is
in the light, we have fellowship one with
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us from all sin."
2 Corinthians 4:6: "For God, who commanded
the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined 22
in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
1 Timothy 6:16: "Who only hath immortality,
dwelling in the light which no man can approach
unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to
whom be honour and power everlasting.
Amen."
James 1:17: "Every good gift and every perfect
gift is from above, and cometh down from the
Father of lights, with whom is no variableness,
neither shadow of turning."
1 John 1:5: "This then is the message which we
have heard of him, and declare unto you, that
God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."
R. God is good.
A. W. Strong defines goodness as follows:
"Goodness is the eternal principle of God's
nature which leads Him to communicate of His
own life and blessedness to those who are like
Him in moral character."
(Systematic Theology, p. 289)
A. W. Tozer writes in similar fashion: " The
goodness of God is that which disposes Him to
be kind, cordial, benevolent, and full of good
will toward men. He is tenderhearted and of
quick sympathy, and His unfailing attitude
toward all moral beings is open, frank, and
friendly. By His nature He is inclined to bestow
blessedness and He takes holy pleasure in the
happiness of His people." (The Knowledge of
the Holy, p. 88)
Psalm 107:8: "Oh that men would praise the
Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful
works to the children of men!"
Psalm 23:6: "Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me all the days of my life: and I will
dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."
Romans 2:4: "Or despisest thou the riches of his
goodness and forbearance and long-suffering;
not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth
thee to repentance?"
S. God is merciful.
"Mercy is that eternal principle of God's nature
which leads Him to seek the temporal good and
eternal salvation of those who have opposed
themselves to His will, even at the cost of
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
infinite self-sacrifice."
(A. W. Strong, Systematic Theology, p. 289)
God's mercy is optional, in that he is in no way
obligated to save sinners as he is to punish
sinners. But he chooses to do so.
The Old Testament speaks four times as much
about the mercy of God as does the New
Testament. It is mentioned twenty-six times in
Psalms 136 alone. Mercy then, among other
things, is not getting what we deserve, namely,
hell.
1. The example of David (Ps. 51).
This is the confessional Psalm prayed by
David after his shameful sin with Bathsheba,
which included both adultery and murder.
He begins by pleading for mercy and ends by
acknowledging that no animal sacrifice could
clean his sin. He then bypasses the Levitical
offerings and throws himself completely
upon mercy of God.
Mercy is not
getting what
we deserve.
2. The example of Israel.
Psalm 103:8-17: "The Lord is merciful and
gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in
mercy. He will not always chide neither will
he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt
with us after our sins; nor rewarded us
according to our iniquities For as the heaven
is high above the earth so great is his mercy
toward them that fear him. As far as the east
is from the west, so far hath he removed our
transgressions from us. Like as a father
pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them
that fear him. For he knoweth our frame;
remembereth that we are dust. As for man,
his days are as grass; as a flower of the field,
so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over
it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall
know it no more. But the mercy of the Lord
is from everlasting to everlasting upon them
23
that fear him and his righteousness unto
children's children."
Hebrews 8:8, 12: "For finding fault with
them, he saith, Behold, the days come saith
the Lord, when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel and with the house
of Judah. For I will be merciful to their
unrighteousness, and their sins and their
iniquities will I remember no more."
3. The example of Jonah.
Jonah 4:2: "And he prayed unto the Lord
and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this
my saying, when I was yet in my country.
Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I
knew that thou art a gracious God, and
merciful, slow to anger, and of great
kindness, and repentest thee of the evil."
4. The example of Paul.
1 Timothy 1:13, 16: "Who was before a
blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious:
but I obtained mercy, because I did it
ignorantly in unbelief. Howbeit for this
cause I obtained mercy, that in me first
Jesus Christ might shew forth all
long-suffering, for a pattern to them which
should hereafter believe on him to life
everlasting."
T. God is gracious.
The very simplest definition of this beautiful
attribute is unmerited favor. It is helpful at this
point to contrast mercy with grace. God's mercy
allows him to withhold merited (deserved)
punishment. God's grace allows him to freely
bestow unmerited favor. Mercy is not getting
what we deserve, namely, hell. Grace is getting
what we do not deserve, namely, heaven.
Psalm 111:4: "He hath made his wonderful
works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious
and full of compassion."
Psalm 116:5: "Gracious is the Lord, and
righteous ..."
1 Peter 2:3: "If so be ye have tasted that the
Lord is gracious."
1 Peter 5:10: "But the God of all grace . . ."
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
1. God's grace is seen through all
dispensations (time periods) in history.
It is first mentioned on the eve of the first
universal world destruction (Gen. 6:8) and
the last reference occurs in Scripture's final
verse (Rev. 22:21).
Grace is getting
what we do not
deserve.
2. God's grace is always a free gift.
Romans 3:24: "Being justified freely by his
grace through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus."
Ephesians 2:8,9: "For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: it
is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any
man should boast."
3. God's grace always precedes his peace.
Romans 1:7: "To all that be in Rome,
beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to
you and peace from God our Father, and the
Lord Jesus Christ."
This little phrase, "Grace to you and peace,"
a common salutation in that day, is found
many times in the New Testament, but
always in this order--never, "peace and
grace." It is also spiritually true that one
cannot experience God's peace until he has
first appropriated his grace.
4. God's grace was incarnate (in the flesh) in
Christ (Jn. 1:17).
John 1:14: "And the Word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of
the Father,) full of grace and truth."
Titus 2:11: "For the grace of God that
bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men."
5. God's grace is greater than man's sin.
Romans 5:20: "Moreover the law entered,
that the offence might abound. But where
sin abounded, grace did much more
abound." 24
6. God's grace was displayed at Calvary.
Hebrews 2:9: "But we see Jesus, who was
made a little lower than the angels for the
suffering of death, crowned with glory and
honour; that he by the grace of God should
taste death for every man."
7. God's grace makes the sinner what he is
(2 Cor. 12:9).
1 Corinthians 15:10: "But by the grace of
God I am what I am: and his grace which
was bestowed upon me was not in vain . . .
but the grace of God which was with me."
Hebrews 4:16: "Let us therefore come
boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time
of need."
8. God's grace was perhaps the attribute which
prompted him to create the world in the first
place (see Eph. 2)
U. God is Love.
This is at once the most universally known and
universally misunderstood attribute of all.
Millions have simply equated love with God,
thus weakening or totally denying his other
perfections. A man and woman may have an
affair hidden from their spouses and justify their
adulterous relationship by their great "love" for
each other. But God's love cannot be separated
or isolated from his holiness and hatred for sin.
Having said all this, however, it must be
admitted that of all his attributes, God's love is
probably more quickly seized upon by seeking
sinners than any other perfection. The smallest
child can sing with great understanding: "Jesus
loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so!"
Two definitions of love may be offered at this
point:
Love is unselfish concern about
another's welfare.
Love is that act of one person
seeking the highest good for
another person.
Of all the 21 attributes presented in this
study, the final three (mercy, grace, and
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
love) will probably be the most difficult to
explain to angels who have never
experienced them. It would be like
attempting to explain the breathtaking
majesty of the Grand Canyon during a
magnificent sunset and the glorious sound
coming from a nearby symphony orchestra
to a friend who had been born blind and
deaf. Following are a few objects of God's
love.
1. God loves Israel.
Deuteronomy 7:7,8: "The Lord did not set
his love upon you, nor choose you, because
ye were more in number than any people; for
ye were the fewest of all people. But
because the Lord loved you, and because he
would keep the oath which he had sworn
unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you
out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you
out of the house of bondmen, from the hand
of Pharaoh king of Egypt."
Isaiah 49:15: "Can a woman forget her
sucking child, that she should not have
compassion on the son of her womb? yea,
they may forget, yet will I not forget thee."
Jeremiah 31:3: "The Lord hath appeared of
old unto me, saying, Yea I have loved thee
with an everlasting love: therefore with
lovingkindness have I drawn thee."
Hosea 11:1: "When Israel was a child, then I
loved him, and called my son out of Egypt."
Malachi 1:2: "I have loved you, saith the
Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved
us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the
Lord: yet I loved Jacob.
2. God loves the world.
John 3:16: "For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life."
1 Timothy 2:3, 4: "For this is good and
acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
who will have all men to be saved, and to
come unto the knowledge of the truth."
25
2 Peter 3:9: "The Lord is not slack
concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to usward,
not willing that any should perish, but that
all should come to repentance."
3. God loves the church.
Ephesians 5:25-32: "Husbands, love your
wives, even as Christ also loved the church,
and gave himself for it . . . For no man ever
yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and
cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church;
for we are members of his body, of his flesh,
and of his bones. . . . This is a great mystery:
but I speak concerning Christ and the
church."
4. God loves the sinner.
Romans 5:8: "But God commendeth his love
toward us, in that, while we were sinners,
Christ died for us."
5. God loves the spiritual Christian.
Galatians 2:20: "I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me: and the life which now live in
the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of
God, who loved me, and gave himself for
me."
6. God loves the carnal Christian (Lk. 15:12-24).
7. God loves his Son.
John 3:35: "The Father loveth the Son and
hath given all things into his hand.
John 10:17: "Therefore doth my Father love
me, because I lay down my life, that might
take it again."
John 15:9: "As the Father hath loved me, so
have I loved you: continue ye my love."
John 17:23, 24: "I in them, and thou in me,
that they may be made perfect in one and
that the world may know that thou hast sent
me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved
me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou
hast given me, be with me where I am; that
they may behold my glory, which thou hast
given me: for thou lovedest me before the
foundation of the world."
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
Matthew 3:17: "And lo a voice from heaven,
saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I
am well pleased."
Matthew 17:5: "While he yet spake, hold, a
bright cloud overshadowed them and behold
a voice out of the cloud which said, This is
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;
hear ye him."
8. God loves the cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7: "Every man according as
he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not truth which Christ taught about God is that He is
grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a
cheerful giver."
(includes material from Willmington's Guide
To the Bible; D. L. Willmington;
pp. 591-608 and The Great Doctrines of the
Bible; William Evans; pp. ,33, 40).
VI. GOD AS FATHER.
Imagine yourself among a group of Christians
who have been given a biblical test with but three essay
questions on it. Here are the questions,
# 1 Put down everything you know about the Person
and work of Jesus Christ, the second Person in the
Trinity. (Probably most of the group could fill several
pages of material about the Savior in a reasonable
amount of time. So far, so good!)
# 2 Put down everything you know about the Person
and work of the Holy Spirit, the third Person in the
Trinity. (Now the pens do not move as rapidly or as
confidently as before. There are long pauses between
sentences. At the end of the given time period the
average believer has probably written at least one-half
page or more.)
# 3 Put down everything you know about the Person
and work of God the Father, first Person in the Trinity.
(Oh, how silent the room now becomes! Finally, one
statement is written: "He is the Father of Jesus Christ."
But what can be added to this? It is my opinion that
precious few in that group of Christians would be able
to write even one-half dozen lines about the Father.)
This all but universal ignorance about the Father is
inexcusable, for he is mentioned by the Savior alone
well over 200 times during his earthly ministry. Our
Lord taught the following about him:
26
He is spirit (Jn. 4:24).
He is omnipotent (Mt. 19:26).
He is omniscient (Mt. 10:29).
He is holy (Jn. 17:11).
He is righteous (Jn. 17:25).
He is loving (Jn. 3:16; 17:23).
He is good (Mt. 6:26, 28-30; 10:29, 30).
W. Graham Scroggie writes: "But the outstanding
Father. This term, applied to Him, occurs 189 times-in
Matthew, 44; in Mark 4; in Luke, 17; and
in John, 124." (A Guide to the Gospels, p. 560)
A. He is the Father of all life.
"For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light
shall we see light" (Ps. 36:9).
"For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he
given to the Son to have life in himself"
(Jn. 5:26).
"God that made the world and all things therein
... he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things"
(Acts 17:24, 25).
"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord,
that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles
walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the
understanding darkened, being alienated from
the life of God through the ignorance that is in
them, because of the blindness of their heart"
(Eph. 4:17, 18).
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the
firmament sheweth his handiwork" (Ps. 19:1).
"Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all
his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise
him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens
of heavens, and ye waters that be above the
heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord:
for he commanded, and they were created"
(Ps. 148:2-5). See also Colossians 1:16.
1. He tends and cares for vegetation.
"He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle,
and herb for the service of man: that he may
bring forth food out of the earth.... The trees
of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
Lebanon, which he hath planted"
(Ps. 104:14, 16).
"And why take ye thought for raiment?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they
grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon
in all his glory was not arrayed like one of
these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass
of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is
cast into the oven, shall he not much more
clothe you, O ye of little faith?" (Mt. 6:28-30).
2. He tends and cares for brute nature.
"He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle,
and herb for the service of man: that he may
bring forth food out of the earth.... The trees
of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of
Lebanon, which he hath planted; where the
birds make their nests: as for the stork, the
fir trees are her house. The high hills are a
B. He Is the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for
During his earthly ministry Jesus spoke more
the conies. . . . Thou makest darkness, and it
about the Father than any other subject.
is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest
do creep forth. The young lions roar after
their prey, and seek their meat from God....
These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest
give them their meat in due season"
(Ps. 104:14, 16, 18, 20,21,27).
"Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow
not, neither do they reap, nor gather into
barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth
them. Are ye not much better than they? ...
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?
and one of them shall not fall on the ground
without your Father"
(Mt. 6:26; 10:29).
3. He tends and cares for the weather.
"Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in
heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep
places. He causeth the vapours to ascend
from the ends of the earth; he maketh
lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind
out of his treasuries" (Ps. 135:6, 7).
"Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who
prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh
grass to grow upon the mountains.... He
27
giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the
hoarfrost like ashes. He casteth forth his ice
like morsels: who can stand before his cold?
He sendeth out his word, and melteth them:
he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters
flow" (Ps. 147:8,16,18).
"Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy
wind fulfilling his word" (Ps. 148:8).
4. He tends and cares for the seasons.
"While the earth remaineth, seedtime and
harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and
winter, and day and night shall not cease"
(Gen. 8:22).
"Nevertheless he left not himself without
witness, in that he did good, and gave us
rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling
our hearts with food and gladness"
(Acts 14:17).
1. The Father sent his Son.
"Then said Jesus to them again, peace be
unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even
so send I you" (Jn. 20:21).
"As the living Father hath sent me, and I live
by the Father" (Jn. 6:57).
"The Father that sent me beareth witness of
me," (Jn. 8:18).
"But when the fulness of the time was come,
God sent forth his Son, made of a woman"
(Gal. 4:4).
"And we have seen and do testify that the
Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the
world" (1 Jn. 4:14; see also Jn. 3:16; 8:16;
12:49).
2. The Father commanded the angels to
worship his Son.
"And ... when he bringeth in the first
begotten into the world, he saith, And let all
the angels of God worship him" (Heb. 1:6;
see also Lk. 2:8-15).
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
3. He sealed his Son.
"Labour not for the meat which perisheth,
but for that meat which endureth unto
everlasting life, which the Son of man shall
give unto you: for him hath God the Father
sealed" (Jn. 6:27).
4. He honored (and honors) his Son.
"Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my
hour is nothing: it is my Father that
honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is
your God" (Jn. 8:54).
5. He bore witness to his Son (Jn. 8:18).
6. He loved (and loves) his Son.
"Therefore doth my Father love me, because
I lay down my life, that I might take it again"
(Jn. 10:17).
7. He glorified his Son.
"Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I
say? Father, save me from this hour: but for
this cause came I unto this hour. Father,
glorify thy name. Then came there a voice
from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it,
and will glorify it again" (Jn. 12:27, 28).
"These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his
eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour
is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also
may glorify thee.... And now, O Father,
glorify thou me with thine own self with the
glory which I had with thee before the world
was" (Jn. 17:1, 5).
8. He taught his Son.
"Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have
lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know
that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself;
but as my Father hath taught me, I speak
these things" (Jn. 8:28).
9. He anointed his Son.
"And he came to Nazareth, where he had
been brought up: and, as his custom was, he
went into the synagogue on the sabbath day,
and stood up for to read. And there was
delivered unto him the book of the prophet
Esaias. And when he had opened the book,
he found the place where it was written, The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he
hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the
poor; he hath sent me to heal the
brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the
captives, and recovering of sight to the
blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord ...
And he began to say unto them, This day is
this scripture fulfilled in your ears"
(Lk. 4:16-21).
"For he whom God hath sent speaketh the
words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit
by measure unto him" (Jn. 3:34).
10. He delighted in his Son.
"Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine
elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have
put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth
judgment to the Gentiles" (Isa. 42:1).
"And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is
my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased" (Mt. 3:17).
"While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud
overshadowed them: and behold a voice out
of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye
him" (Mt. 17:5).
"For he received from God the Father
honour and glory, when there came such a
voice to him from the excellent glory, This is
my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased" (2 Pet. 1:17).
11. He listened to his Son.
"Then they took away the stone from the
place where the dead was laid. And Jesus
lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank
thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew
that thou hearest me always: but because of
the people which stand by I said it, that they
may believe that thou hast sent me"
(Jn. 11:41, 42).
"Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I
say? Father, save me from this hour: but for
this cause came I unto this hour. Father,
glorify thy name. Then came there a voice
from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it,
28 and will glorify it again," (Jn. 12:27, 28).
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
"Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy
sword into his place: for all they that take
the sword shall perish with the sword.
Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my
Father, and he shall presently give me more
than twelve legions of angels?"
(Mt. 26:52, 53).
12. He offered his Son.
"Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy
sword into the sheath: the cup which my
Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?"
(Jn. 18:11).
"He that spared not his own Son, but
delivered him up for us all, how shall he not
with him also freely give us all things?"
(Rom. 8:32).
"In this was manifested the love of God
toward us, because that God sent his only
begotten Son into the world, that we might
live through him. Herein is love, not that we
loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his
Son to be the propitiation for our sins"
(1 Jn. 4:9, 10).
13. He was totally satisfied by his Son.
"And he that sent me is with me: the Father
hath not left me alone; for I do always those
things that please him" (Jn. 8:29).
14. He raised his Son.
"Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by
man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the
Father, who raised him from the dead)"
(Gal. 1:1).
"Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised
him from the dead, and set him at his own
right hand in the heavenly places"
(Eph. 1:20).
15. He. exalts his Son.
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted
him, and given him a name which is above
every name: That at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of things in heaven, and
things in earth, and things under the earth;
and that every tongue should confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father" (Phil. 2:9-11).
"Far above all principality, and power, and
might, and dominion, and every name that is
named, not only in this world, but also in
that which is to come" (Eph. 1:21).
16. He makes his Son head of the church.
"And hath put all things under his feet, and
gave him to be the head over all things to the
church" (Eph. 1:22).
17. He commits judgment unto his Son.
"The Father loveth the Son, and hath given
all things into his hand" (Jn. 3:35).
"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath
committed all judgment unto the Son. . . .
And hath given him authority to execute
judgment also, because he is the Son of
man," (Jn. 5:22, 27).
Lewis Chafer writes the following
concerning the relationship between the
Father and the Son: "The relationship of the
second person to the first person has from
all eternity been that of a Son, and, like all
else, related to the God-head, is not only
eternal but is unchangeable He did not
become a Son of the Father, as some say
that He did, by His incarnation, or by His
resurrection, nor is He a Son by mere title,
nor is He temporarily assuming such a
relationship that He may execute His part in
the covenant of Redemption.
He was the only begotten of the Father from
all eternity, having no other relation to time
and creation than that He is the Creator of
them.
It is probable that the terms Father and Son,
as applied to the first and second persons in
the Godhead, are somewhat
anthropomorphic (use of human terms to
describe God) in character. That sublime and
eternal relationship which existed between
these two persons is best expressed to
human understanding in the terms of Father
and Son but wholly without implication that
the two Persons, on the divine side, are not
equal in every particular."
29 (Systematic Theology, Vol. I; pp. 313-315)
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
C. He Is the Father of All Believers.
While God is the Creator of all men
(Gen. 1:27; Eccl. 12:1; Acts 17:24-26), he is the
Father only of believers.
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath
bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us
not, because it knew him not" (1 Jn. 3:1).
1. He foreknew the believer (Rom. 8:29;
1 Pet. 1:2 ).
2. He predestinated (to decree, destine before
hand) the believer.
"For whom he did foreknow, he also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of
his Son, that he might be the firstborn
among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29).
"In whom also we have obtained an
inheritance, being predestinated according
to the purpose of him who worketh all
things after the counsel of his own will"
(Eph. 1:11).
"And when the Gentiles heard this, the were
glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and
as many as were ordained to eternal life
believed" (Acts 13:48).
3. He elected the believer.
"According as he hath chosen us in him be-
fore the foundation of the world, that we
should be holy and without blame before him
in love" (Eph. 1:4).
"But we are bound to give thanks always to
God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord,
because God hath from the beginning chosen
you to salvation through sanctification of the
Spirit and belief of the truth"
(2 Thess. 2:13).
"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the
strangers scattered throughout Pontus,
Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
elect according to the foreknowledge of God
the Father, through sanctification of the
Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the
blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and
peace, be multiplied (1 Pet. 1:1, 2).
30
"Receiving the end of your faith, even the
salvation of your souls" (1 Pet. 2:9).
4. He gave all the elected believers to Christ.
"All that the Father giveth me shall come to
me; and him that cometh to me I will in no
wise cast out" (Jn. 6:37).
"No man can come to me, except the Father
which hath sent me draw him: and I will
raise him up at the last day" (Jn. 6:44).
"My Father, which gave them me, is greater
than all; and no man is able to pluck them
out of my Father's hand" (Jn. 10:29).
"Jesus knowing that the Father had given all
things into his hands, and that he was come
from God, and went to God" (Jn. 13:3).
5. He called the believer (Rom. 8:30).
6. He conforms the believer to the image of
Christ (Rom. 8:29).
7. He redeemed the believer.
"In whom we have redemption through his
blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to
the riches of his grace" (Eph. 1:7).
8. He justified the believer (Rom. 8:33).
9. He indwells the believer.
"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man
love me, he will keep my words: and my
Father will love him, and we will come unto
him, and make our abode with him"
(Jn. 14:23).
10. He sealed the believer with the Holy Spirit.
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard
the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation: in whom also after that ye
believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit
of promise" (Eph. 1:13).
"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God,
whereby ye are sealed unto the day of
redemption" (Eph. 4:30).
It was, of course, the Father who sent the
Holy Spirit at the request of Christ to the
believer in the first place.
See John 14:16, 26; 15:26.
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
11. He keeps the believer.
"My Father, which gave them me, is greater
than all; and no man is able to pluck them
out of my Father's hand" (Jn. 10:29).
"And now I am no more in the world, but
these are in the world, and I come to thee.
Holy Father, keep through thine own name
those whom thou hast given me, that they
may be one, as we are" (Jn. 17:11).
12. He honors the believer.
"If any man serve me, let him follow me; and
where I am, there shall also my servant be: if
any man serve me, him will my Father
honour" (Jn. 12:26).
13. He blesses the believer.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in
Christ" (Eph. 1:3).
14. He loves the believer.
"Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and
God, even our Father, which hath loved
us, and hath given us everlasting consolation
and good hope through grace"
(2 Thess. 2:16).
"He that hath my commandments, and
keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he
that loveth me shall be loved of my Father,
and I will love him, and will manifest myself
to him" (Jn. 14:21).
15. He comforts the believer.
"Blessed be God, even the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and
the God of all comfort" (2 Cor. 1:3).
"And God shall wipe away all tears from
their eyes; and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall
there be any more pain: for the former things
are passed away" (Rev. 21:4).
"Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and
God, even our Father, which hath loved us,
and hath given us everlasting consolation
and good hope through grace"
(2 Thess. 2:16).
31
16. He sanctifies the believer.
"Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and
brother of James, to them that are sanctified
by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus
Christ, and called" (Jude 1).
"Now they have known that all things
whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee"
(Jn. 17:17).
17. He bestows peace upon the believer.
(See Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; Gal. 1:3;
Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2; Col. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1;
2 Thess. 1:2; Titus 1:4.)
18. He is glorified when the believer bears
fruit.
"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear
much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples"
(Jn. 15:8).
19. He reveals truth to the believer.
"At that time Jesus answered and said, I
thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, because thou hast hid these things
from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed
them unto babes" (Mt. 11:25).
"And Jesus answered and said unto him,
Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh
and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but
my Father which is in heaven" (Mt. 16:17).
"In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and
said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven
and earth, that thou hast hid these things
from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed
them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it
seemed good in thy sight" (Lk. 10:21).
"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit
of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge
of him" (Eph. 1:17).
20. He supplies the needs of believers.
"(For after all these things do the Gentiles
seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth
that ye have need of all these things. But
seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be
added unto you" (Matt.. 6:32,33).
 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
21. He seeks the worship of believers.
"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the
true worshippers shall worship the Father in
spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh
such to worship him" (Jn. 4:23).
22. He chastens believers.
"And ye have forgotten the exhortation
which speaketh unto you as unto children,
My son, despise not thou the chastening of
the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of
him: For whom the Lord loveth he
chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom
he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God
dealeth with you as with sons; for what son
is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if
ye be without chastisement, whereof all are
partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Furthermore we have had fathers of our
flesh which corrected us, and we gave them
reverence: shall we not much rather be in
subjection unto the Father of spirits, and
live? For they verily for a few days
chastened us after their own pleasure; but he
for our profit, that we might be partakers of
his holiness" (Heb. 12:5-10).
23. He restores the believer.
"He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the
paths of righteousness for his name's sake"
(Ps. 23:3).
"Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;
and uphold me with thy free spirit"
(Ps. 51:12).
"And the son said unto him, Father, I have
sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, am
no more worthy to be called thy son. But the
father said to his servants, Bring forth the
best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring
on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring
hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us
eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead,
and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.
And they began to be merry"
(Lk. 15:21-24).
32
24. He will someday gather all believers in
Christ
"That in the dispensation of the fulness of
times he might gather together in one all
things in Christ, both which are in heaven,
and which are on earth; even in him"
(Eph. 1:10).
25. He will someday reward all believers.
"Take heed that ye do not your alms before
men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have
no reward of your Father which is in
heaven." (Mt. 6:1).
"But without faith it is impossible to please.
him; for he that cometh to God must believe
that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek him" (Heb. 11:6).
"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown
of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give me at that day:
and not to me only, but unto all them also
that love his appearing" (2 Tim. 4:8).
26. He will someday glorify all believers.
"Moreover whom he did predestinate, them
he also called: and whom he called, them he
also justified: and whom he justified, them
he also glorified" (Rom. 8:30).
Willmington's Guide to the Bible;
D. L. Willmington; pp. 636-640
The study of the Doctrines of God can have no end.
Indeed, this does not even scratch the surface of all
that may be known about Him. We might say it is but
the end of the introduction to the study of God. We
shall, without doubt, continue to learn of Him through
all eternity.
 Study Questions for THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
1. Give the scriptural argument for the existence of God.____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

2. What document outside Scripture gives us a definition of God? .____________________________________

3. List the four (4) basic names of God. _____________, _____________, _____________, _____________,

4. List the compound names of El and give the meaning of each. ______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

5. List four (4) things about the nature of God.___________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

6. List ten (10) of the attributes of God. _____________, _____________, _____________, _____________,
_____________, _____________, _____________, _____________, _____________, _____________

7. Without doubt the most prominent attribute of God as presented by both the Old and New Testaments is his
___________.

8. The most universally known and misunderstood attribute of God is ________________

9. List eight (8) things that God loves. _____________, _____________, _____________, _____________,
_____________, _____________, _____________, _____________

10. In what three major ways is God a father? _____________, _____________, _____________

11. List five (5) things that God as Father does for the believer. _____________, _____________,
_____________, _____________, _____________

12. I have read ______% of the printed notes.

13. I have looked up _____% of the Scripture references.

 Test Questions for the Doctrine of God
Student's Name:____________________ Teacher's Name:________________ Date: / /

1. Give the scriptural argument for the existence of God.____________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

2. What document outside Scripture gives us a definition of God? .____________________________________

3. List the four (4) basic names of God. _____________, _____________, _____________, _____________,

4. List the compound names of El and give the meaning of each. ______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

5. List four (4) things about the nature of God.___________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

6. List ten (10) of the attributes of God. _____________, _____________, _____________, _____________,
_____________, _____________, _____________, _____________, _____________, _____________

7. Without doubt the most prominent attribute of God as presented by both the Old and New Testaments is his
___________.

8. The most universally known and misunderstood attribute of God is ________________

9. List eight (8) things that God loves. _____________, _____________, _____________, _____________,
_____________, _____________, _____________, _____________

10. In what three major ways is God a father? _____________, _____________, _____________

11. List five (5) things that God as Father does for the believer. _____________, _____________,
_____________, _____________, _____________

12. I have read ______% of the printed notes.

13. I have looked up _____% of the Scripture references.

 For Teacher ONLY
1. None - the Bible assumes the existence of God.

2. The Westminster Catechism.

3. Elohim - El - Adonai - Jehovah

4. Elyon - the strongest strong One

Roi - the strong One who sees
Shaddai - the breasted One
Olam - the everlasting God

5. God is a spirit - a person - One - a Trinity

6. God is self-existent, self-sufficient, eternal, infinite, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, wise, immutable,
sovereign, incomprehensible, inscrutable, holy, righteous and just, true, faithful, light, good, merciful,
gracious

7. His holiness

8. His love

9. God loves: Israel, the world, the church, the sinner, the spiritual Christian, the carnal Christian, his Son, the
cheerful giver,

10. God is the Father of all life, of our Lord Jesus Christ, of all believers.

11. God does for the believer: He foreknew him, predestinated him, elected him, gave him to Christ, called him,
conforms him, redeemed him, justified him, indwells him, seals him, keeps, honors and blesses him, loves
him, comforts, sanctifies and bestows peace upon him, glorifies him, reveals truth to him, supplies his needs,
seeks his worship, chastens him, restores him, will gather and reward him and someday glorify him.

12. I have read _____% of the printed notes.

13. I have looked up _____% of the Scripture references.

For Teacher ONLY