In His Grip

( Click here for an audio version of this blog entry.  Intro and exit music is from 'Agape' by Forever Endeavor, featuring my sons Luke and Lee) Today we conclude the series entitled ‘Who is God?’   So far we have covered: ·       Part 1: The Importance and Meaning of Knowing God ·       Part 2: God’s Revelation ·       Part 3: The Attributes of God o    Part 3a: Incommunicable o    Part 3b: Communicable o    Part 3c: Relational ·       Part 4: How God Manifests Himself Let’s wrap things up… How We Respond to God God did not reveal Himself for the purpose of being argued about!   Here are some of the responses to the reality of God that we are encouraged toward: ·       Lament / Questioning (see Psalm 5, Psalm 22) ·       Fear / Reverence (see Psalm 2, Psalm 99) ·       Trust / Faith (see Psalm 9, Jeremiah 17:7-8) ·       Peace (see Isaiah 26:3) ·       Obedience (1 John 5:3) ·       Love (see Deuteronomy 6:4-5, 1 Peter 1:8) ·       Joy

[NEW!  You can now access an audio version of this blog entry HERE .  Enjoy!] Today we continue in a series entitled ‘Who is God?’   So far we have covered: ·       Part 1: The Importance and Meaning of Knowing God ·       Part 2: God’s Revelation ·       Part 3: The Attributes of God o    Part 3a: Incommunicable o    Part 3b: Communicable o    Part 3c: Relational Today we continue with a deeper dive into how God manifests Himself in the Trinity.   In Part 1 we explored the ways that God reveals Himself by means of general and special revelation.   If you haven’t already, I recommend you check that out before reading further! The Bible describes God as one God in three persons, described historically as the Trinity.   The word “Trinity” is never used in the Bible, but it is clearly described throughout.   Matthew 3:16-17 is but one example: "After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw

Today we continue in a series entitled ‘Who is God?’   So far we have covered: ·       Part 1: The Importance and Meaning of Knowing God ·       Part 2: God’s Revelation ·       Part 3: The Attributes of God o    Part 3a: Incommunicable o    Part 3b: Communicable Today, we will wrap up the attributes of God by discussing his relational attributes. "For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace." (John 1:16, NASB) (The following is adapted from Reid Monaghan , founding pastor of Jacob’s Well (North Brunswick, NJ), from the Gospel Class curriculum.) Relational : Those attributes which are expressed in God’s relationship to sinners (people!). (The following is adapted from Reid Monaghan, founding pastor of Jacob’s Well (North Brunswick, NJ), from the Gospel Class curriculum.) ·       Mercy – God’s mercy is an expression of His kindness to people who are hopeless under the curse of sin and death. (Psalm 103:8; Romans 9:15; 2 C

Communicable / Shared Attributes Communicable :  Those attributes which we share with God as those made in His image, that we can grow in. (The following is adapted from Reid Monaghan, founding pastor of Jacob’s Well (North Brunswick, NJ), from the Gospel Class curriculum.) ·       Love – God is love and his sacrificial action in Jesus Christ gives us a true picture of love.   We receive our definition of love from God, not use our own definitions for love and map them upon God. (1 John 4:7-21) ·       Kindness – God is kind and gracious to all that he has made. (Romans 2:4, 11:22; Ephesians 2:7; Titus 3:4) ·       Goodness – God is the source of goodness and all that is good is derivative from his nature and creation. (Psalm 34:8, 100:5; Luke 18:19; Titus 3:4) ·       Truthful – The God of the Bible is the one true God and is truthful in all his dealings.   He speaks and acts truthfully in all cir