Lesson 6

A.  The Existence of God

1.  What are the scriptural proofs for God?

a. There are none!!

b.  Scripture assumes there is a God - it does not argue the point  Gen. 1:1;  Heb 11:6;       1 Cor. 8:6

 

2.  Are there any rational proofs for God's existence?

a.  Cosmological -> cause/effect

Every effect must have a cause therefore there must be a cause behind every effect.

 

 

 

          In looking at the universe and considering its existence, we only have four options that I see:

          #1 - The universe                  in its present form.

          #2 - Matter           into what we have today,             .

          #3 - The universe and God            from E-P.

          #4 - That God        from E-P and         the universe that we have today at some point. Ps 19:1; Rom 1:18-20

 

 

 

       b. Teleological  [having an end/goal  teleioj]

          The material world has design, order, and therefore implies a designer, a creator. [is alluded to in Heb 3:4]

 

 

 

       c. Moral

          Inside everyone there is an "oughtness".  Rom. 2:14

 

 

 

    3. Scriptural definition of God  i.e. Who is God?

       a. There is none - God cannot be described in totality.

You know why there is no definition? God is not          He  is         . 

 

 

God knows no boundaries - no             .

       b. What can we conclude to this point??

          That there is an          cause, He is a           , and He is moral, the          cause, the timeless immutable agent = God!

 

B. Knowability

   1. 2 propositions in Scripture

      1st proposition;  God is incomprehensible; 

      2nd proposition, balance;  but God is knowable.

 

      a. Now lets look at some documentation for proposition #1.

         1. Ps 139:6

  - adj. wonderful yailpi pil'iy;

 

 

  - high hg;f'  sagah = high, inaccessible

 

 

 

  - David's conclusion:  God is so great, so awesome He is incomprehensible, indefinable

 

         2. Job 11:7 Zophar, very blunt/tactless friend of Job asks a rhetorical question.

 

 

 

         3. Dt 29:29  Points out there are a lot of things to comprehend that man will never comprehend.

 

 

         4. Rom 11:33 (see the same concept in the N.T.)

            unsearchable, unfathomable, untrackable says you can't put limits on God and that you cannot comprehend all there is about God.  

 

 

 

         5. 1 Tim 6:16

            - What does Paul mean when He says God is unapproachable?

 

 

 

 

         6. 1 Cor 2:11-12

 

 

 

         7. 1 Cor 13:12 (context here is systems of perceptions & extent of the knowledge of God, spiritual things.

           

           - The contrast is between now in Church Age vs eternity face to face with God.

 

2. IF GOD IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE THEN WHY IS HE INCOMPREHENSIBLE?

(have two very obvious reasons)

      #1. He is infinite

          - How do you put infinity in a bottle? Can't!

 

 

      -> If the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him, as vast as it is, then how can the finite mind we're operating with going to comprehend God?

 

   #2. Man's character, not only are we finite but we are also sinners, with an OSN.

 

 

 

     *** Mankind being finite, imperfect, does not have the capacity to fully perceive the character of a Holy God, we must wait for our resurrection body, which is minus the contamination of sin nature.  [its distorting impact, when we allow it to]