Kingdom Foundations

Lesson 2
God–Defining the Indefinable

Biblical truths on the attributes of God, including

His expression through the Trinity
 God Is Self-Revealing
God Reveals Himself to Us.
 God is self-revealing; He wants to be known.
 It is impossible to know everything about God, but there are some things that we can
truly know about God.
 How does the finite mind know about the infinite?
 The infinite decides to find ways to express things so we can understand.
 God says, “I am going to articulate My ways in ways that limited minds can grasp.”
 We will progressively know God in heaven.
 God spoke and is still speaking today because He is a self-revealing God.
 Our prophetic culture rests on the fact that God talks a lot. God will go to any
lengths to communicate with us.
 Observe Him in a manger and on a cross, and you will realize He will do anything to
communicate to you Who He is and what He is up to.
Example: “He wants to fill the universe with… replicas of Himself."—C.S. Lewis
For Whom Is the Lord Looking?
 The Lord looks for someone who knows and understands Him—someone who
seeks Him.
 My ways are not your ways; My thoughts are not your thoughts (Isaiah 55:9).
 He plants crops where He wants and reaps what He has not planted (Matthew
25:24)
 Jeremiah 9:24 “…let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and
knows Me, that I am the LORD, Who exercises kindness, justice and
righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the LORD.
 Five Attributes of God
God’s Five Attributes
 God is the “I Am"—the Lord, the King.
 He exercises kindness.
 God is in a good mood.
 Kindness should be a hallmark of who we are in all of our relationships, with
those in power, in leadership, to the poor, etc.
 God exercises justice.
 God cares about justice for the prisoner and slave, justice in the marketplace, in
relationships, etc.
 Justice is not always about punishment, but reconciliation.
 Example: Solomon’s wisdom in finding the baby’s rightful mother
 True justice is not to focus on punishment, but rather on the reconciliation of
relationships.
 Jesus took on our wrath so we can be restored as sons and daughters of the
King.
 God exercises righteousness.
 Righteousness is a right way, a holy way of living—making decisions that bring
righteousness.
 Righteousness is thinking, “How do we bring the right way of thinking and
doing things into relationships and into cultures?”
 God is a God of delight.
 He delights in justice, righteousness and kindness both in the Godhead and
among people, expressed in our relationship with people.
Contrast Between Knowing Him and Not Fully Knowing Him
 Right now we know darkly, but then I shall know fully even as I am fully known. (I
Corinthians 13:12)
 There is an invitation to continually know God.
 To fully enjoy God is to glorify Him; to glorify Him is to enjoy Him.
 Rather than saying, “I was made to worship God,” believe you were created to know
God, and to know God means to worship Him.
 Example: spontaneous response of “praise” for sports players
 You experience the wonder of God and cannot wait to tell others about Him.
That experience brings a deeper knowing and praise of Who He is.
 Evidence of God’s Existence
God Is Known
 God is known by an inner sense.
 Humans have an inner sense of God’s glory.
 God is known by creation.
 Romans 1:21-25 To accurately understand God in creation, you need the testimony
of Scripture.
 People who do not use Biblical Scripture, tend to recognize that a higher power
exists and then just create a god (fertility gods, etc.) to worship. The testimony of
Scripture clarifies Who that higher power is (God) and His nature.
 Example: earthquakes
 Scripture shows that God does not bring destruction, but He is actually looking for
ways to save a city.
 God is known by His names.
 Jehovah Shammah (God our companion)
 Jehovah Nissi (God our Banner)
 El Roi (God Who sees me)
Names or Attributes of God From the New Testament

 Bread of Life; Light of the world; Water of life; the Way, the Truth and the Life;
Comforter (Holy Spirit); Redeemer; Great High Priest
 Jesus—Yeshua—“God Saves”; Emmanuel—“God with Us”; Christos—“Anointed
One”; Christ, Lord, Messiah, Savior; Corner Stone
 The Trinity

Creation of the Word “Trinity” The problem:

 The word “Trinity” is the church’s attempt How can God be both one and three?
to state that God is One Being or Essence  The Jews who thought of God as One
that exists eternally in three distinct and co-
had to come to grips with the fact that the
equal Persons. Each part of that definition
is important. awaited Messiah was God.
They are neither three gods, nor three Jewish scholars called Christians
parts nor modes of God, but co-equal “tri-theists.”
and co-eternal God.
The Trinity is the best way to describe
the Godhead in a manner consistent
with the Scriptures.
 The Trinity

History of the Trinity Doctrine  The apostolic fathers who came after the
original apostles died, were not clear about
 Charts of Christian Theology and Doctrine the Trinity from 100 to 150, but were
by H. Wayne House, is a helpful resource. passionate about the pre-existence of Jesus.
 The doctrine of the Trinity climaxed at the  From 150 to 175, church fathers had a part
Council of Constantinople of 381. In 33 to in forming doctrine about the Trinity:
100, the apostles accepted the full deity of Justin Martyr, Athenagorus, Theophilus,
Jesus and the Trinitarian baptism formula: and others.
baptizing in the name of the Father, Son
 In 325, The Council of Nicaea was formed
and Holy Spirit. In this council, they stated to address Arius’ heresy.
the Holy Spirit was truly God.
Arius stated that only God the Father is
eternal: the Son had a beginning and was the
first created being; and the Son, Christ, was
subordinate to the Father and is called God
as an honorific title.
 The Trinity

 Athanasius countered Arius’ heresy by  In 381 the Council of Constantinople

stating: Christ is co-eternal with the Father, confirmed that Jesus and God are co-
had no beginning and was not subordinate equal in existence and the same head;
to the Father. then the Holy Spirit was affirmed to also
 Out of this era, the Nicene Creed was be fully God.
created, which is what we believe today.  Overall, the church did not create the
Nicene Creed: “We believe in one Trinity, but rather discovered it
Lord Jesus Christ, true God of true
God…
 The Trinity

Trinity Doctrine Is Limited as an

Explanation  Example: water
Water in its three forms as a
 Trinity is the best description we have liquid, solid (ice) and gas (steam)
of the Christian doctrine, but trying to is still an erroneous illustration.
explain God is still tricky (difficult). It springs from a heresy that
 Example: an egg God took on different modes;
 The shell, egg white and yolk that He started as Father, turned
are more distinct than the into Jesus and then the Holy
persons of the Trinity. Spirit when Jesus went to
heaven.
 The Trinity

 God existed alone, but laughter, love,  God needed to point those attributes
loyalty, justice and kindness all existed towards something—towards us.
in God before He created us, and those
things existed in the Trinity in the We are made in His image; we are
perfect relationship of Father, Son, and relational beings who love to have
Holy Spirit. honor, love and laughter.
 The Trinity

The Culture of Honor Exists In the

Godhead

 The Father is constantly honoring the  God saying to Jesus, “I will put all
Son and the Holy Spirit is constantly things under Your feet” (Ephesians
honoring God the Father and God 1:21–23), and Jesus saying, “I only do
the Son. what I see the Father do,” should be
 Jesus said, When I go, the Father, viewed though the culture of honor.
Whom I love, will send the Spirit  We did not create a culture of honor;
(John 14:16, 15:26). They were we tapped into the one that is in
involved in each Other’s actions. God.
 The Trinity

The Trinity of God Is Jewish. God uses the word Elohim 2,350
times to refer to Himself. God had
 The Tri-Unity of God Is Jewish by John singular words He could have used
B. Metzger but He purposefully chose to use a
Author believes God could have plural.
used singular nouns for Himself, but  Adonai is plural, meaning “Lord.”
He did not.  God shows Himself to be a plural
 Elohim is plural. compound unity, while confirming that
In Genesis 1:1, God violated Hebrew He is one.
grammar by using the plural noun God confirms that He is compound
Elohim with a singular verb meaning unity; both singular and plural even
“to create.” in the language and grammar He uses
in His Word.
Kingdom Foundations
Lesson 2

God–Defining the Indefinable

REVIEW
Psalms 14:1-2. For what is the Lord looking?
God is looking for someone who will seek Him. He is looking for someone
who understands Him and who eagerly desires to get to know Him better.
The beautiful tension between Jeremiah 9:23-24 and I Corinthians 13:12.
The attributes (characteristics) God wants us to know about Himself are listed in Jeremiah
9:24.
In Jeremiah it says that we can glory in the fact that we know God and can
understand Him, while in Corinthians it says that we do not know God yet, but we will
when we see Him. It is both knowing God because He is revealing Himself to us, and yet,
understanding there is still much to be discovered about Him. God wants us to know that
He is the Lord and that He is kind. He wants us to know that He exercises His judgment
and to know what justice means. Justice is reconciliation of relationship. He wants us to
know His righteousness, which is a holy way of living, and to know that He delights in all
of these things
Defining the attributes of God and how they affect our connection, love or
value for God.
 “God is Spirit” He has no measurable form. There is no limit to the way He can
show Himself to me, whether through nature, in dreams, or through visitations.
 “God is Changeless” God does not change. He is perfect and complete. That fact that
He does not change gives me security and comfort.
 “God is All-Powerful” He can do anything. Everything He does is perfect and He can
do anything!
 “God is All-Knowing” God knows everything. He already knows everything; nothing
is hidden from Him and so I do not have to worry.
 “God is Everywhere” He is present in His fullness in every place. He is so big that He
is with me whenever and wherever I go.
 “God is Transcendent” God is unlimited and uncontained. He is bigger than anything
and He always wins.
Defining the attributes of God and how they affect our connection, love or
value for God.
 “God is Spirit” He has no measurable form. There is no limit to the way He can
show Himself to me, whether through nature, in dreams, or through visitations.
 “God is Eternal” He is not subject to time. He sees the entire spectrum of time and
yet, time does not hold Him or limit Him.
 “God is Holy” God is set apart and perfect. He is a perfect God and worthy of praise.
 “God is Righteous” He is everything right and good. He is affirmation of everything
right.
 “God is Love” God is unconditional, eternal love. His love gives life and causes
hearts to become full of purpose.
 “God is Truth” He is all truth—natural, spiritual, and physical. He is the fullness of
truth and I can trust Him.
 “God is Wisdom” God does the best thing, in the best way, for the best purpose. He
is all-wise and has the perfect answer for anything.
 In Romans 1:21-25, The Bible simply affirms that God exists, and that there is
an inner sense of His existence which some try to suppress. What other witness to
God does Romans note that people have ignored?
 Everything that God made affirms His existence. You know that God exists
through His creation. You need the testimony of Scripture to accurately
understand Who God is through His creation.
Jesus is the kind of God that God is.
Other names or attributes of God found in the New Testament are:
 Bread of Life
 Light of the World
 “My Drink”
 Redeemer
 Immanuel