God FAQ's

Wallingford Christian Assembly

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Index (click on the links below to view questions on specific subjects):

The Bible

God

Does God exist?

 The Bible never tries to prove the existence of God it is accepted as a fact. Gen1v1.

 The Bible calls someone who chooses to deny the fact of God’s existence, a fool. Psa_14:1 and Psa_53:1.

 There is ample evidence from creation around us as to His existence. Rom1v18-22,

 Mankind can not find God by mere human intellectual understanding. Job11v7.

How has God shown Himself?

 God has revealed Himself in a number of ways. Rom1v18-22, tells us that there is ample evidence around us in Creation as to His existence. Ps19v1. This might be called a ‘general revelation’. To the reasoned mind, chance could never give rise to the complexities of the world around us. Design needs a Designer and Creation needs a Creator. Heb11v3.

 Secondly through the Bible, the God inspired Word, written down for us to learn what He is like. 2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God….

2Pe 1:21 The Bible is a ‘special revelation’ of God to mankind.

 Thirdly God has given mankind a conscience so that instinctively we know right from wrong. Rom 2v15. It is often tender in a child but can become hardened and defiled due to circumstances. 1Tim 4v1-2.

 Lastly God has revealed Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. Heb1v1-3. Jn1v1-3,14. God’s last word and final revelation to this world was given when His Son came to earth.

These facts are overlooked by atheists and evolutionists alike so that while they may argue about creation they cannot argue with historic facts of Jesus Christ’s existence, 1Jn 1v1-2, nor of human conscience, nor of the validity of the Bible record. Jn17v17. 2Pet 1v16.

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. Mt11v25 . 1Cor1v18-25.

Who is God?

 God is Spirit. It is impossible for us with our finite minds to understand God let alone try to explain Him. Our only from the Bible we learn that God is Spirit Jn4v24. Exo 33:20.

 He is a Living God in contrast with dead idols. Jer10v10-12.

 God is a Personal Being. He sees everything – Omnipresent, Knows everything- Omniscient, and is overall control of everything – Omnipotent. Psalm 139v1-24. Rom1v20. 1Tim 1v17.

 We can see His immense power in creating the vast distance of space and the delicate petal of a flower. Col 1v15-16.

 He is an Eternal, self existing Being who has no beginning and no end. Deut 33v27.

 He is unchangeable and unchanging. Mal 3v6.

 God has shown Himself to us in the person of Christ. Joh 1:18. Jn14v8-9.

What does the word ‘Godhead’ mean?

 From the scriptures below the word would combine all three Divine Persons.

 Act 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. The great God of the universe cannot be confined to an image of stone when the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain Him.1Kin8v27. Rom1v22-25.

 Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Creation clearly tells us of the eternal, almighty power of the Triune God. Deu 10:14.

 Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Christ was the outward manifestation of the Godhead. He was Deity fully expressed. Jn1v1-3.

What do God’s Names tell us about Him?

In the OT we have a number of names used for God each of which describe something of his character and nature but when combined together tell out in full one grand and wondrous Name of the God of the Bible.

 He is ETERNAL in the OT. Jehovah. The most used Hebrew name for God is Jehovah and is found about 7000 times in the OT. It is usually rendered ‘the LORD’ (capitals) 6800 times and ‘GOD’ 800 times in the AV Bible and Jehovah only occasionally. It literal meaning is: - HE THAT ALWAYS WAS, THAT ALWAYS IS, AND THAT EVER IS TO COME. God is then ‘the Ever Existing One’. He is ETERNAL. There are about 14 Titles used in conjunction with Jehovah, the Eternal God. Ex3v14. In answer to Moses question as to who had sent him to deliver the children of Israel God said I AM had sent him. This title means I that ever will be, or the Ever-existing one’. It describes what God says of Himself.

 He is ETERNAL in the NT. The I AM title was used by the Lord Jesus Christ on at least 10 occasions and this sparked anger form the Jews of that day because it made Jesus equal with God which of course He claimed to be. Jn8v24. Jn8v28. Jn10v11.

 He is a Triune God. Elohim and is found about 2500 times in the OT. and is a plural word, denoting one or more persons. It is frequently used with adjectives, pronouns and verbs in the plural. Examples are Gen1v1; In the beginning God (plural, elohim) created (singular) the heavens and the earth. Gen 1v26, and God (plural, elohim) said let Us make man in our image, and Gen 3v22, Behold, the man is become as one of Us, (pl). Implied in this plural title is the Trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit which is clearly expounded in the NT. Ps110v1. Mk12v36. Mt28v19.

 He is Lord of heaven and Earth. Adonahy meaning Lord and Master. It occurs about 290 times in the OT. Ex15v2,8.

 He is Almighty. El, and is in the singular occurring 250 times in the OT. It signifies ‘strong’ or ‘first’ and shows God to be the Mighty One the First Great Cause of All. It is generally connected with one or more of the Divine attributes such as:- Almighty God(El), Gen 17v1. Everlasting God (El) Gen 21v33, and Merciful God (El) Deut 4v31.

Is the NT God different from the OT God?

 In the NT the word for God is Theos, and corresponds to the Hebrew titles of El, Eloah and Elohim, singular and plural. (see GD5) Greek lacks the beautiful precision of the Hebrew. It is used over 1100 times in the NT and is applied especially to God the Father though frequently includes the three Persons of the Godhead. Jn3v16. 1Tim1v17. 1Tim2v5.

 He is a Father in both Old & New Testament. God is often revealed in the NT as Father as by Jehovah in the OT. It is used over 100 times in Johns Gospel by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself expressing His personal relationship with God the Father. In the synoptic gospels it is used over 50 times often referred to as Father in heaven a particularly Jewish expression. At the opening of every NT church Epistle we have the Father and the Son mentioned emphasising the special interest the Godhead has in the local churches. 1Cor1v3. 1Pet1v2. 1Jn1v2.

In Rom8v15. Gal 4v6. believers special relationship with God as our Father and we His children.

 He is LORD. The word LORD is frequently used in the NT of both the Father and the Son and its Greek form despotees means Sovereign Lord, or Absolute Ruler.

What are God’s Moral Attributes?

 God is Light, 1Jn 1:5-7. 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.

 By this He meant that God is absolutely holy, absolutely just, absolutely righteous, and absolutely pure. God cannot look with favour on any form of sin. Nothing is hidden with Him, but “all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” Heb_4:13. Hab 1:13

1Ti 6:15-16 .

 God is Love. 1Jn 4v8. He is love Personified. In the OT when God gave the austere and righteous Law He showed He was a God of grace and mercy in providing a sacrificial system so that sinful man could enter His presence. Exo 20v6. Ex 25v22 Ex34v6-8. Jonah 4v2. His love is seen in the exercise of the divine will in deliberate choice, made without assignable cause save that which lies in the nature of God Himself, Deu_7:7, Deu_7:8.

 His love is seen again in His care and provision of His children as a Father in both Old and New Testament days. Psa 103:13. Mt 10v29-31. Rom 8v15.

"Love can be known only from the actions it prompts. The greatest expression of God's love is seen in the gift of His Son, 1Jo_4:9, 1Jo_4:10.

2Co_5:14; Eph_2:4; Eph_3:19; Eph_5:2; 1Jn4v14.

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

What does this mean in practice?

 We stand in awe of The Divine Being, the Almighty, Eternal God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, the God of the Universe and God our Saviour, therefore we come

 reverently,

 humbly and

 quietly in a manner befitting His august presence.

 This is reflected in the respectful way we dress and behave in His presence and when we speak to Him we remember who He is and address Him in a way that acknowledges His Majesty and the Grace that brings us before Him.

 To worship God is the highest duty of Man and the purpose we were created. Without God in the centre, life is empty and meaningless. Phil 3v3. Jn4v21-24. Col 1v16. Rev4v11.

Acknowledgements to the works of Thomas Newberry, Charles C. Ryrie, Louis Berkof and Wm. Hoste.

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