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Doctrine of God. Existence of God. How do we know God exists? People have an inner sense-Romans 1:21 Psalm 14:1-It is the fool who says in his heart there is no God. Romans 1:18-They suppress the truth. Existence of God. We also have evidence in nature and scripture-Romans 1:20
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Existence of God • How do we know God exists? • People have an inner sense-Romans 1:21 • Psalm 14:1-It is the fool who says in his heart there is no God. • Romans 1:18-They suppress the truth
Existence of God • We also have evidence in nature and scripture-Romans 1:20 • Psalm 19:1-2-The heavens attest to your glory • Sky, rain, crops, etc.
Existence of God • Cosmological Argument-Every known thing in the universe has a cause. The universe then must have a cause and the cause can only be God.
Existence of God • Teleological Argument-Evidence of harmony, order, and design in the universe. The design gives evidence of intelligent design. Since the universe has design an intelligent and purposeful God had to create it.
Existence of God • Ontological Argument-God is greater than which nothing can be imagined. Existence must belong to God since existing is greater than not existing.
Existence of God • Moral Argument-Begins with mans sense of right and wrong and the need for justice. Must be a God who is the source of right and wrong.
Knowability of God • In order to know God He must reveal Himself to us. • Matthew 11:27-no one knows unless the Son reveals
Knowability of God • Since God is infinite and we are finite we can never fully know Him. • God is incomprehensible. • Psalm 147:5-His understanding is beyond measure. • 1 Corinthians 2:10-12-No one understands the things of God except the Spirit of God
Knowability of God • We can never fully understand one thing about God such as his: greatness, grace, knowledge, understanding, etc. • This means we will never run out of things to learn about God.
Knowability of God • If we cannot fully know Him, can we truly know Him? • We can have knowledge of Him without knowing every thought
Incommunicable Attributes • These are attributes He does not share with us or shares less with us • He has existed for all of eternity • Unchangeable-He is unchanged in his perfections, purposes, and promises but He does act
Incommunicable Attributes • Independence-God does not need us-Job 41:11 • Immutability-same as unchanging-God existed before the heavens and earth were made
Does God Change His Mind? • Exodus 32:9-14 • Isaiah 28:1-6 • Jonah 3:4,10 • Genesis 6:6 • 1 Samuel 15:10
Impassibility • This states that God does not have passions or not subject to passions and is thus stated in the Westminster Confession • This contradicts what the Bible says though
Impassibility • God rejoices-Isaiah 62:5 • Grieves-Psalm 78:40 • Pities his children-Psalm 103:13
Process Theology • Process theologians say since process and change are a part of existence then God must change. This is a false doctrine.
Change • If God could change for the better then He wasn’t the best at the beginning. • If He could change for the worse then what could He become? • If His purposes changed then Jesus might not come back.
Eternity • God has no beginning or end and sees time equally yet sees events in time and acts in time. • Psalm 90:2-No beginning or end
Eternity • Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8-A thousand years is like one day and one day is like a thousand years. • God does not experience a succession of moments
Eternity • God sees events in time and acts in time • Galatians 4:4-5 • Acts 17:30-31 • Revelation hints that heaven may have time as humans do now-Revelation 22:2
Omnipresence • God is unlimited with respect to space • Jeremiah 23:23-24 • 1 Kings 8:27 • Isaiah 66:1
Unity • God’s being is not a collection of attributes added together • God’s attributes are not additions to his real being