Getting to Know God - 1

1. God is ALIVE
1. Joshua 3:10; 1 Timothy 3:15
2. 1 Thessalonians 1:9
3. John 5:26 -- John 1:1-4
4. God is ceaseless in His activity:
1. Psalm 121:3-4
2. Isaiah 40:28
3. John 5:17
4. Psalm 104:24-29; Matthew 10:29-31; Acts 17:25



2. He has PERSONALITY
1. He is not some nebulous, universal life force.
1. Buddhism -- the UNIVERSE is God
2. Pantheism -- NATURE is God
3. Humanism -- MAN is God
2. He is intelligent, self-aware, moral, and exercises self-will. God's attributes of personality can be seen in the being of man, although God possesses these characteristics in total perfection.



3. God is ETERNAL
1. In Deuteronomy 33:27, Moses said He is the eternal God;
2. Isaiah called Him the everlasting God, Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth (40:28) and the inhabitor of eternity (57:15);
3. Psalm 102:12, 24 -- God shall endure forever and His years are throughout all the generations.
4. Psalm 90:2 -- "from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God"

1. God is UNCHANGEABLE (sometimes called immutability)
1. Numbers 23:19
2. Malachi 3:6
3. Hebrews 13:8
4. James 1:17
5. This is not to say that nothing of God ever changes:
1. His laws have changed -- Hebrews 8:6-13 (cf 10:9)
2. His attitudes toward men can change -- Ezekiel 18:4-21
3. He can change His mind -- Exodus 32:14; Joel 2:13-14



2. In possessing personality and self-will, God acts with PURPOSE
1. God's Laws are given with purpose:
1. Genesis 2:15-17
2. 1 Corinthians 10:13 = James 1:12 = Job 23:10
2. The Scheme of Redemption is given with purpose -- Romans 8
1. the work of the SON -- vv 1-8
2. the work of the SPIRIT -- vv 9-27
3. the work of the FATHER -- vv 28-39
3. The Plan of Salvation is given with purpose:
1. 2 Timothy 1:8-9
2. Galatians 5:6
4. God's Church is given with purpose -- Ephesians 3:9-11