The key question this week is “Who is God?” (Theology) The focus is not on knowing about God, but rather knowing God.
Here are some of the questions we may deal with in our discussion Wednesday night:
- If the question “Who is God?” is indeed the central question we all must face, why is it that we can’t begin with this central question? (Maybe another way to ask this is, “What do we need before we can begin to ask who God is?”)
- RC Sproul talks about our knowledge of God being eclipsed. It has not disappeared, but it has been covered – obscured and shadowed by lies and misconceptions. Because of this, we need to establish two main points: First, God exists; and second, the Bible is reliable. In what ways have you seen the knowledge of God eclipsed?
- “This is eternal life,” says Jesus, “that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent “ (John 17:3). Why do you think Jesus defines eternal life in this way? What is the connection between knowledge and life?
- Why is it important to view eternal life as more than clinical knowledge? Why is it so important to know what it means to know God? Biblical concept of knowledge – this is not simply knowledge about God – “we are talking about the relationship, the social order, the personal communion and the objective, real relationship that exists between God and man.” Jesus is binding up eternal life with our relationship with God.
- Why are names so significant in the Bible? How does an understanding of the names of God in the Bible impact us?
Dr. Tackett spends some time talking about the nature of eternal life this week. Here are some of the verses he uses to set up the question, “What is eternal life?”
Luke 18:18 – A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
John 3:14-15 – “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
John 4:13-14 – Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
John 5:24 – “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”
John 5:39-40 – “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”
John 6:27 – “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
John 6:54 – “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Dr. Tackett brings the discussion of the nature of eternal life to John 17 and the knowing God.
John 17:1-3 – After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
Philippians 3:8-10 “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
Dr. Tackett brings up two attacks on the authority of the Bible that come from “within” the community of believers. They are not central points to understanding where the video is going, but you may find yourself curious about what they are talking about. In general, both of these groups are trying to decide how to reconcile areas where the Bible is difficult to understand or seems to be inconsistent. Admittedly, these are issues with which we all need to struggle. The problem comes when we try to change the source authority of the Bible.
Julius Wellhausen and the Documentary Hypothesis (JEDP theory): If you are interested in reading more about JEDP, you can read more in this article on Wikipedia.
The Jesus Seminar: you can read more in this article on Wikipedia.
The Belgic Confession on the question, “Who is God?”:
Article 1: The Only God
We all believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that there is a single and simple spiritual being, whom we call God-- eternal, incomprehensible, invisible, unchangeable, infinite, almighty; completely wise, just, and good, and the overflowing source of all good. |
Article 2: The Means by Which We Know God
We know him by two means: First, by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe, since that universe is before our eyes like a beautiful book in which all creatures, great and small, are as letters to make us ponder the invisible things of God: his eternal power and his divinity, as the apostle Paul says in Romans 1:20. All these things are enough to convict men and to leave them without excuse. Second, he makes himself known to us more openly by his holy and divine Word, as much as we need in this life, for his glory and for the salvation of his own. |
Article 3: The Written Word of God
We confess that this Word of God was not sent nor delivered by the will of men, but that holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit, as Peter says. Afterwards our God-- because of the special care he has for us and our salvation-- commanded his servants, the prophets and apostles, to commit this revealed Word to writing. He himself wrote with his own finger the two tables of the law. Therefore we call such writings holy and divine Scriptures. |
Westminster Confession on the question, “who is God?”
I. There is but one only, living, and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions; immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, for His own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; and withal, most just, and terrible in His judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.
II. God has all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself; and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which He has made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them. He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things; and has most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them whatsoever Himself pleases. In His sight all things are open and manifest, His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent, or uncertain. He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands. To Him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience He is pleased to require of them.
III. In the unity of the Godhead there be three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.
