THE KNOWABILITY OF GOD

1. THE KNOWABILITY OF GOD

2. Bible Study at Tubbs Road Harlesden, London, NW10 4SD 0208 965 5911 | 07956 872 141 |scholar.uk@virgin.net Mondays & Thursdays 7:30pm - 9:30pm Watch it live at: www.cogop.com By Pastor Errol A Williams Regional Overseer, London North

3. The Knowability of God • God incomprehensible but yet knowable • Denial of the knowability of God • Self-revelation the prerequisite of all knowability of God

4. Can the finite and changeable being comprehend the Infinite and Unchangeable one? Isaiah 55:8-9 Invisible God Unbegotten Eternal Incomprehensible Unchangeable Being

5. The Knowability of God The knowability of God is a topic in Christian theology that deals with the degree to which God can be known by mankind. Some contend that he cannot be known, sometimes arguing that God is so unique from humanity that it is absurd to think that limited humans can relate or know him in any significant way. On the other hand, it is argued that although we cannot know everything about God, he in fact has chosen to reveal himself to his creatures in a variety of ways. Even Augustine contended that, “If you can understand it, it’s not God!” God cannot be known fully, but according to the Scriptures, He can be known in significant, although limited ways. Deut 29:29

6. The Knowability of God • Objection to the study of God: • It is nonsensical to attempt to define God in human terms for two reasons: • The finite cannot comprehend the Infinite and, therefore, should not define Him. • Human language will always be inadequate and, therefore, misleading.

7. Theism Timeless EternityGOD (ontos)Transcendence Creation out of nothing (ex nihilo) Time-bound EternityGODImmanence Heaven New Heaven & New Earth Man Angels Every Created Thing

8. “Even in the age to come, when we are freed from the presence of sin, we will never be able to fully understand God or any one thing about Him… We have true knowledge from scripture, even though we do not have exhaustive knowledge.” - Wayne Grudem “While it is true that we cannot know God fully, we can know Him truly.” - John Hannah

9. 1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

10. If man were left absolutely in the dark respecting the being of God, it would be impossible for him to assume a religious attitude. There could be no reverence, no piety, no fear of God, no worshipful service.

11. Human language will always be inadequate and, therefore, misleading While it is true that human language has its limits, God chose to express Himself within those limits in His Word. We should not try to force His revelations of Himself to do more than intended to do.

12. Jeremiah 9:23–24 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

13. Denial of the knowability of God The fundamental position is that the human mind is incapable of knowing anything of that which lies beyond and behind natural phenomena, and is therefore necessarily ignorant of supersensible and divine things.

14. Agnostics A person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God. “I do not know and I cannot know” Perdition:A state of eternal damnation into which a sinful and unrepentant person passes after death, complete and utter ruin.

15. Positivism • French philosopher Auguste Comte (1798–1857) recognisingonly that which can be: • scientifically verified or which is capable of • logical or • mathematical proof, and therefore rejecting metaphysics and theism. • (another term for logical positivism.) His senses are the sources of all true thinking, and he can know nothing except the phenomena which they apprehend and the relations in which these stand to each other.

16. Agnostics argument • Man knows only by analogy. • Man really knows only what he can grasp in its entirety. • All predicates of God are negative and therefore furnish no real knowledge. • All our knowledge is relative to the knowing subject.

17. Self-revelation the prerequisite of all knowability of God God comes to man, not man to God Without revelation man would never have been able to acquire any knowledge of God.

18. Self-revelation the prerequisite of all knowability of God He strongly stresses the fact that God is the hidden God, who cannot be known from nature, history, or experience, but only by His self-revelation in Christ, when it meets with the response of faith.

19. Faith Receive Believe Pray Desire Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Heb 11:1 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receivethem, and ye shall have them. Mark 11:24

20. Faith KJV BIBLE Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Heb 11:1 AMPLIFIED BIBLE NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. Heb 11:1