Knowing God

1. Lesson 10 – Knowing God July 1, 2012 Knowing God

2. The Attributes of God – 2 Groups • Sovereignty • Self-Sufficiency • Omnipresence • Omniscience • Omnipotence • Immutability • Eternality • Holiness • Love • Grace • Justice • Patience • Veracity Incommunicable Communicable

3. Definitions • Holiness: The majestic perfection of God whereby He is absolutely separate from sin and wholly worthy of glory • Love: God’s delight to consistently and continually promote the best interests of the whole of creation and every individual member of it • Grace- God’s commitment to do good to those who do not deserve it

4. Worlds - Countries – Towns - Individuals When it couldn’t get any worse

5. Culture says, “You need to find the truth that works for you. When you do, it will guide you in how to live. You are only accountable for what you have accepted.” 5Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience (Col. 3:5-6).

6. 24Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. 26But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. 27The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’

7. 28And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ 29But he said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn”’” (Matt. 13:24-30).

8. Justice • Short Definition:God’s absolute fairness • Long Definition:God’s perfect and complete administration of reward and punishment based on discernment of men’s individual conformity to His holiness. • The administration of God’s judgment will be perfect – no mistrials, no appeals, no loopholes.

9. Justice • God’s justice will be based on actions and motives. • God’s omniscience will allow Him to render perfect judgment with neither witnesses nor “evidence.” • However, history will provide confirmation of the rightness of God’s judgments.

10. Justice – Key Vss. • “Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”(Gen. 18:25). • For there is no partiality with God (Rom. 2:11).

11. Justice – Implications • Trust God for vindication • But, O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously, Who tries the feelings and the heart, Let me see Your vengeance on them, For to You have I committed my cause (Jer. 11:20). • 22who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously (1 Pet. 2:22-23).

12. Justice – Implications • Trust God for Reward • 7With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free (Eph. 6:7-8). • For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints (Heb. 6:10).

13. Justice – Question • It seems like the absolute opposite of justice is evident in our world – those who defy God prosper while those who serve Him suffer. • Righteous are You, O Lord, that I would plead my case with You; Indeed I would discuss matters of justice with You: Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease (Jer. 12:1)? • The answer to this question is a matter of timing. We are currently dwelling in the era of “not yet.”

14. Patience • Short Definition:God’s perfect forbearance • Long Definition:God’s commitment to delay the administration of what is deserved until opportunity for remedy has been exhausted • Just as grace has special relevance to saints, patience seems most relevant to sinners!

15. Patience – Key Vss. • “For the sake of My name I delay My wrath, And for My praise I restrain it for you, In order not to cut you off (Isa. 48:9). • Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth (Ex 34:6).

16. Patience – Key Observation • God’s patience has a definite purpose – it extends an opportunity for repentance. • “Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’(Ezek. 33:11). • “I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality”(Rev. 2:21).

17. Patience – Implications • In light of the patience shown me, I have every reason to be patient with others. • We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone (1 Thess. 5:14). • God’s delay is not the product of complacence but compassion! Chill! • The patience of God toward those who adamantly defy Him testifies to His greatness.