“The Nature of God”

Intro:

1. Have you ever wondered why so many people believe and live the way they do? I believe that one of the main reason people do these things is because they do not know who and what God is really like. In fact, I believe that every false doctrine and immoral act can partially (if not totally) be related to a false view of God.

2. Too many people think of God as a loving grandfather figure who always wants to bless people no matter how they live or worship Him. And, worse yet are those who think that God is such that He will overlook their sinful lifestyle.

3. Knowing God is very important (2 Tim. 1:13). In fact, knowing God is the real essence of eternal life (Jn. 17:3).

4. So, what is God really like? Who is the God of the Bible? What is His real nature?

5. In this lesson we want to examine several characteristics of God that will help us to know Him better.

I. God is omniscient (Prov. 5:21, 15:3, Isa. 46:10, Heb. 4:13, Acts 15;18).

A. What does God specifically know about us?

1. God knows our hearts (Acts 1:24, Lk. 16:15, Acts 15:8).

2. God knows our needs (Matt. 6:25-33, Phil 4:19, Matt. 6:8).

3. God knows our sins (Jer. 16:17, Ps. 69:5; Gen. 3:8, Acts 5).

II. God is omnipresent (Ps. 139:7-12; Jer. 23:23-24; I Kings 8:27, Acts 17:27-28).

A. What does it matter if God is omnipresent? How does that apply to me?

B. Notice what the omnipresence of God means to us:

1. He is here in worship with us right now (He is the audience, we are the participants).

2. He is in your home (family disputes, leisure time,etc.,).

3. He was there when your deepest, darkest secret was commited (Deut 29:29, Ps. 90:8, Eccl 12:14, Ps. 44:21, Rom 2:6).

III. God is omnipotent (Gen. 1:1; Lk. 1:37; Job. 42:2, Gen. 17:1, Rev. 4:8). How powerful is God?

A. Powerful enough to defeat Satan (Heb. 2:14, I Cor. 15:54-57).

B. Powerful enough to save you from sin (Rom. 1:16, James 1:21, 2 Tim. 1:9-10).

C. Powerful enough to destroy the world one day (Matt. 24:35, 2 Pet. 3:10-12).

IV. God is eternal and unchangeable (Ps. 90:1-2, I Tim. 1:17, Micah 5:2, Mal. 3:6, Heb. 6:18, Heb. 13:8).

V. God is holy (Lev. 11:44, I Pet. 1:15, Isa. 6:3, 57:15, Hab. 1:13, 2 Pet. 3:11, Heb. 12:14).

VI. God is just (Gen. 18:25; Rom 3:26, Isa. 45:21).

VII. God is Love (I Jn. 4:8, Ps. 103:8).

A. God loved us enough to give us His Son (Jn. 3:16, Rom. 5:6-8).

B. God loves us enough to discipline us (Heb. 12:9ff).

VIII. God is fearsome (Heb. 10:29, 12:31; Col. 3:5-6, Rom. 1:18ff, Heb. 10:28-29).

A. This destroys the grandfather view of God that some have.

B. This should cause us to fear and reverence God and His Word (Rev. 22:18ff; I Cor. 4:6, 2 John 9, Prov. 30:6).

IX. God is Longsuffering (Rom. 2:4, 9:22; 2 Pet. 3:9, 3:15).

X. God is merciful and compassionate (Heb. 8:12, Titus 3:5, Lam 3:22-23, Ps. 86:15, Matt. 9:36, Mk. 5:19).