G*M
发帖数: 6042 | 1 Bible Course - Christian Doctrine
Lesson 4
God the Father
Lord's Days 8 - 10
God the Father
A true Christian may be aware of comfort for himself, now and in the future,
when in possession of the favor of God. This blessedness is in the hands of
a triune God. The knowledge of a triune God is indispensable for salvation.
This lesson speaks of the Trinity in general and of God the Father in
particular.
Lord's Day 8
Q. 24. How are these articles divided?
A. Into three parts; the first is of God the Father and our creation; the
second, of God the Son and our redemption; the third, of God the Holy Ghost
and our sanctification.
The Trinity in the Bible
God reveals Himself in the Bible, both in the Old and in the New Testament,
as a triune God. We mention here only a few texts.
In Psalm 33:6 we read, "By the Word of the LORD were the heavens made; and
all the host of them by the breath of His mouth." God the Father (here
mentioned as LORD) has through His Son (here mentioned as the word of the
LORD, because God the Father speaks in and through Him), and through His
Holy Ghost created heaven and earth and all things that are therein. And in
1 John 5:7 we read: "For there are Three that bear record in heaven, the
Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these Three are one."
The origin of the Apostles' Creed
When we carefully read the Apostles Creed, we see that we can divide the
articles into articles about God the Father, about God the Son, and about
God the Holy Ghost. This confession tells us that there is a triune God.
This creed originated from the baptism form: "I baptize thee in the Name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Due to the struggle
against errors, the confession has been extended. It was in the fifth
century that it attained the form that is has today.
Creation is the work of a triune God. Notice this in Psalm 33 which was
quoted above. However, it is true that the work of the Father stands in the
foreground in creation.
To God the Son the work of deliverance is particularly ascribed. The
salvation which was thought out by the Father and merited by Christ must be
applied in our heart. That is the particular work of the Holy Ghost.
Therefore it speaks of God the Holy Ghost and our sanctification. By
sanctification is meant the inner renewal is meant, so that the image of God
is perfectly restored in man (see question and answer 8).
However, the division in the answer does not imply that the other Persons
are not involved with the work which is particularly ascribed to one Person.
Q. 25. Since there is but one only Divine Essence (a), why speakest thou of
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?
A. Because God has so revealed Himself in His Word (b), that these three
distinct Persons are the one only true and eternal God.
(a) Deuteronomy 6:4, Ephesians 4:6, Isaiah 44:6, 45:5, 1 Corinthians 8:4,6;
(b) Isaiah 61:6, Luke 4:18, Genesis1:2-3, Psalm 33:6, Isaiah 48:16,
Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19, 1 John 5:7, Isaiah 6:1,3, John 14:26, 15:26,
2 Corinthians 13:13, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 2:18, Titus 3:5-6.
Triune
The word "triune" is not literally to be found in the Bible, but Deuteronomy
6:4 and 1 John 5:7 clearly reflect what the term means. In Deuteronomy 6:4
we do read the confession of faith of Israel: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our
God is one LORD!"
And in Matthew 3:13-17 we read how the three Persons were present at the
baptism of the Lord Jesus. The Father spoke from heaven; the Son went up out
of the water; and the Holy Ghost descended like a dove upon Him.
The Lord Jesus commanded that baptism be in the name of the Father, and the
Son, and the Holy Ghost. See Matthew 28:19.
The inquirer has a problem here. He wants to say, "If there are three, then
it cannot be one, because one is not three, and three is not one." From this
we realize that this doctrine is beyond our comprehension. Therefore we
answer, Yet it is clearly revealed to us; we can not fathom this mystery:
there is one Being whom we call God and still there are three Persons, whom
we also individually call God. Job's friend, Elihu, said, "Behold, God is
great, and we know Him not" (Job 36:26). There is one God, existing in three
Persons. We believe this because God's Word teaches this, and not because
we are able to understand it.
The only thing that we can do is repeat with reverence what God's Word says.
What we can know of God He has revealed to us, that is, made know to us.
God has revealed Himself in His Word, and only from the Word of God do we
know who God is.
The three Persons are necessary
We cannot do without one of the Persons. The Trinity concerns our salvation.
The Father elected from all eternity. He created us in time. Throughout our
entire life we experience His care. The Son merited deliverance, and the
Holy Ghost applies the merited deliverance. He who through faith may know
the three Persons is blessed.
Lord's Day 9
Q. 26. What believest thou when thou sayest, "I believe in God the Father,
Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth"?
A. That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (who of nothing made
heaven and earth, with all that is in them (a); who likewise upholds and
governs the same by His eternal counsel and providence (b)) is for the sake
of Christ His Son, my God and my Father (c); on whom I rely so entirely,
that I have no doubt but He will provide me with all things necessary for
soul and body (d), and further, that He will make whatever evils He sends
upon me, in this valley of tears, turn out to my advantage (e); for He is
able to do it, being Almighty God (f), and willing, being a faithful Father
(g).
(a) Genesis 1 and 2, Exodus 20:11, Job 33:4, Job 38 and 39, Acts 4:24 , 14:
15,
Psalm 33:6, Isaiah 45:7;
(b) Hebrews 1:3, Psalm 104:27-30, 115:3, Matthew 10:29, Ephesians 1:11;
(c) John 1:12, Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:5-7, Ephesians 1:5;
(d) Psalm 55:22, Matthew 6:25-26, Luke 12:22;
(e) Romans 8:28;
(f) Isaiah 46:4, Romans 10:12;
(g) Matthew 6:32-33, 7:9-11.
God the Father the Creator
True faith confesses that God is Father. God is the eternal Father of His
Son Jesus Christ. In addition faith says that God is the Almighty One and
that He is the Creator of heaven and earth.
God says, "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace and create
evil: I the Lord do all these things" (Isaiah 45:7). Creation is a matter of
faith. In the Bible we read: "Through faith we understand that the worlds
were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made
of things which do appear" (Hebrews 11:3). The creation is not eternal, but
had a beginning. The first Bible verse reads, "In the beginning God created
the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). Being the Almighty One, God could
do this. Thus things did not come into existence through evolution or by
development. God created everything, also man. He also upholds all things.
He governs all that is created. How? He does so by His eternal counsel and
providence. "Counsel" means that God governs everything according to a
specific plan. "Providence" (to provide is to care for) indicates that God
provides all things necessary. The true believer may call God his Father,
because God has adopted him, for Christ's sake, as His child. He who has
such a Father that created heaven and earth may also trust that he will
receive everything which he needs for soul and body. By "all things
necessary" is meant: that which we miss, but yet cannot miss. Necessary
means everything which we really need. Also in harm and danger, God's child
may believe that God will turn all afflictions in his life to his advantage,
will turn them into something good. Hunger, war, unemployment, broken
relationships, sicknesses, and losses all prove that life is a valley of
tears. Paul says, "And we know that all things work together for good to
them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (
Romans 8:28). God can do all of this because He is the Almighty One. He will
and shall perform it because He is a faithful Father.
Lord's Day 10
Q. 27. What dost thou mean by the providence of God?
A. The almighty and everywhere present power of God (a); whereby, as it were
by His hand, He upholds and governs heaven, earth, and all creatures (b);
so that herbs and grass, rain and drought (c), fruitful and barren years,
meat and drink, health and sickness (d), riches and poverty (e), yea, and
all things come, not by chance, but by His Fatherly hand (f).
(a) Acts 17:25,27-28, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Isaiah 29:15-16, Ezekiel 8:12;
(b) Hebrews 1:3;
(c) Jeremiah 5:24, Acts 14:17;
(d) John 9:3;
(e) Proverbs 22:2;
(f) Matthew 10:29, Proverbs 16:33.
Coincidence, fate or providence?
Joseph said to his brothers, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me;
but God meant it unto good" (Genesis 50:20). His brothers sold him as slave
to get rid of him. At the same time, God had His hand in it; He permitted
Joseph to go into Egypt to save his family from death by famine. This is it
what the Christian here confesses. It was not a coincidence (as modern
people believe) or a blind power called fate (as the heathen from ancient
times believed), but God governs all things. He foresees everything that
will yet take place. But He also provides in all things: He has His hand in
all that happens. He is all-knowing and almighty. He is active everywhere
with His power.
When a contractor is finished building a house, he no longer has anything to
do with it, but turns it over to the owner. It is not so with God's
creation. God continues to care for it. If He would not do so, everything
would collapse.
We do not see this with our natural eyes. Only faith knows: my heavenly
Father cares for me, always, both in great and in small things, in spiritual
life as well as in natural life. This is true when everything goes well for
me and when it seems as if things are not going well for me.
God's government and our responsibility
Naturally, this causes questions, questions which we (with our understanding
corrupted by sin) cannot completely resolve. God even governs the sinful
actions of man, and yet people remain entirely responsible for what they do:
they sin, not by coercion, but out of free will. "For His power and
goodness are so great and incomprehensible, that He orders and executes His
work in the most excellent and just manner, even then when devils and wicked
men act unjustly" (Belgic Confession of Faith - Article 13).
Q. 28. What advantage is it to us to know that God has created, and by His
providence doth still uphold all things?
A. That we may be patient in adversity (a), thankful in prosperity (b), and
that in all things, which may hereafter befall us, we place our firm trust
in our faithful God and Father (c), that nothing shall separate us from His
love (d); since all creatures are so in His hand, that without His will they
cannot so much as move (e).
(a) Romans 5:3, James 1:3, Psalm 39:9, Job 1:21-22;
(b) 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Deuteronomy 8:10;
(c) Psalm 55:22, Romans 5:4;
(d) Romans 8:38-39;
(e) Job 1:12, 2:6, Proverbs 21:1, Acts 17:25.
Patience, thankfulness, and trust
There is much suffering in this world, because we have all sinned so
terribly against God. But why is it that in this life the one suffers much
more than the other? We will never be able to fathom this. The Christian
only believes that all things are governed by God. His doings are
incomprehensible, but at the same time, they are righteous, holy, and good.
And then the Christian may still know something more: God loves him, and
nothing can separate him from that love of God. This makes him patient in
adversity and thankful in prosperity. That gives him a firm trust and
confidence for the future.
At times he can still be afraid of the power of the devil and of sinful
people, and of the power of sin in his own life. However, he may know that
his faithful God and Father will always deliver him. Paul knew of the
dangers which threatened the Christian: "For Thy sake (for the confessing of
God's Name) we are killed all the day long." But immediately it is said: "
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor
height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from
the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35-39).
The comfortlessness of modern theology
The comfortless modern theology says that God suffers because of the evil in
this world. Evil would only be governed by dark powers. God would not have
the power to take away all evil, but He would be willing to help us in the
battle against it. And one day He will conquer it. This unbelief of God's
almighty power conflicts with the word of the risen Christ, "All power is
given unto Me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28:18). Everyone knows of
questions about the purpose of suffering, but only One has the final word.
All questions about the government of God are not so easy to resolve, but
one thing is beyond all doubt, as Elihu said to Job, "Far be it from God,
that He should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that He should commit
iniquity!" (Job 34:10).
Questions for Lesson 4 (Lord's Day 8-10)
1. How and when did the Apostles' Creed come into existence? (Answer 24)
2. Give proof that creation is the work of a triune God. (Psalm 33).
3. How are Father, Son, and Holy Ghost involved in the deliverance of man?
(Answer 24 and 25)
4. What is sanctification? (Answer 24)
5. How does man obtain a knowledge of God? (Answer 25)
6. Look up the law of God in Exodus 20. What is the commandment which
speaks of
creation?
7. Can we understand creation? (Answer 26)
8. Why may a true believer call God his Father? (Answer 26)
9. Why is life here below called "a valley of tears"? (Answer 26)
10. Read the last four verses of Matthew 6. What is the Lord called there?
11. (a) What did many people believe in ancient times regarding everything
that happens
in the world? (Answer 27)
(b) What does modern man believe in this respect? (Answer 27)
12. What may the Christian believe? (Answer 27)
13. What is the basic cause of all suffering in this world? (Answer 28)
14. It has been said, "If it is true that God governs everything that
happens, thus also the
evil, then would do injustice to many people who must suffer much." How
will one who
sincerely believes in God respond to such a statement? (Answer 27 and 28)
15. (a) What does modern theology say about God and all evil in the world?
(Answer 28)
(b) Why is such a modern theology so comfortless? (Answer 28)
16. God does help His children sometimes without and sometimes by means of
men. How
do we observe both of these in the history of the prophet Elijah? (1
Kings 17)
17. How does it appear from the history of Israel's deliverance out of
Egypt that God also
governs the sinful deeds of men? (Exodus 4:20, 7:13, 14:4; Romans 9:17)
18. Does faith in God's providence make prayer unnecessary? (Ezekiel 36:36-
37)
19. To what can adversity and to what can prosperity lead if we do not
believe in God's
government? (Proverbs 30:9)
20. What threefold comfort does the doctrine of God's providence offer the
Christian?
(Answer 28) | x****g
发帖数: 4008 | 2 Thanks for sharing
future,
of
salvation.
【在 G*M 的大作中提到】
: Bible Course - Christian Doctrine
: Lesson 4
: God the Father
: Lord's Days 8 - 10
: God the Father
: A true Christian may be aware of comfort for himself, now and in the future,
: when in possession of the favor of God. This blessedness is in the hands of
: a triune God. The knowledge of a triune God is indispensable for salvation.
: This lesson speaks of the Trinity in general and of God the Father in
: particular.
| j********1
发帖数: 2073 | 3 Thanks for sharing
future,
of
salvation.
【在 G*M 的大作中提到】
: Bible Course - Christian Doctrine
: Lesson 4
: God the Father
: Lord's Days 8 - 10
: God the Father
: A true Christian may be aware of comfort for himself, now and in the future,
: when in possession of the favor of God. This blessedness is in the hands of
: a triune God. The knowledge of a triune God is indispensable for salvation.
: This lesson speaks of the Trinity in general and of God the Father in
: particular.
| m****u
发帖数: 1689 | 4 Thanks for sharing
future,
of
salvation.
【在 G*M 的大作中提到】
: Bible Course - Christian Doctrine
: Lesson 4
: God the Father
: Lord's Days 8 - 10
: God the Father
: A true Christian may be aware of comfort for himself, now and in the future,
: when in possession of the favor of God. This blessedness is in the hands of
: a triune God. The knowledge of a triune God is indispensable for salvation.
: This lesson speaks of the Trinity in general and of God the Father in
: particular.
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