acts 17:22-23 “then paul stood in the midst of mars’ hill, and said, ye men of athens, i...

Acts 17:22-23 “Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and behold your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.”

THESE “WISE” MEN KNEW NOT GOD

TWO WAYS OF KNOWING GOD

--Knowing about the true God (having heard of, or learned about His existence)

--Knowing in the sense of experiencing; having intimate knowledge of & relationship with)



NO EXCUSE THEN FOR NOT KNOWING GOD

Rom. 1:19, 20 “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them…they are without excuse”



NO EXCUSE THEN FOR NOT KNOWING GOD

LESS EXCUSE NOW!

HOW CAN ONE COME TO KNOW GOD?

--By learning about Who & What He is

--By submitting to Him

I Jn. 2:3, 4 “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his command-ments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him”

GOD HAS REVEALED HIMSELF

--In nature

Rom. 1:20 “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse”


--In nature

--In Revelation (the Bible)

--In Jesus Christ

Jn. 14:8, 9 “Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou nod known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?”

Heb. 1:3 God’s Son, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person…”


MANY THEN DID NOT WANT TO KNOW GOD

Rom. 1:28 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge…”



THE SAME IS TRUE TODAY!

--Most know of Him; may know His name

--Some claim to know Him

--But few really know Him

--Why?



THE SAME IS TRUE TODAY!

WHAT CAN WE KNOW ABOUT GOD?

--Some facts about God revealed in nature (His existence, power, goodness, severity)

--Bible reveals many additional things about Him

--Some things revealed we cannot understand; these we accept by faith

THE BIBLE TEACHES…

GOD IS A SPIRIT

Jn. 4:24 “God is a Spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth”

Lk. 24:39 “…for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have”


GOD IS A SPIRIT

GOD IS A BEING OF PERSONALITY

--Not merely a “force” or influence

--Not “nature”

--Not an inanimate piece of wood or stone

--A “He”, not an “It”


GOD IS A SPIRIT


GOD IS A LIVING BEING

Heb. 10:31 “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”


GOD IS A SPIRIT



GOD IS THE EVER LIVING, ETERNAL & UNCHANGABLE BEING

Ex. 3:13, 14 “And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them, The God of you fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM; and he said, Thus shalt thou say…I AM hat sent me unto you”


GOD IS A SPIRIT




Rev. 1:8 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty”


GOD IS A SPIRIT




Heb. 1:10, 11 “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands; they shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed; but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail”


GOD IS A SPIRIT




GOD IS THE ONE AND ONLY GODIsa. 44:6 “Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”

Deut. 6:4 “Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord.”


GOD IS A SPIRIT




GOD IS THE ONE AND ONLY GOD

GOD IS A PLURAL GOD

--Three persons in one Deity (Godhead or Godhood)—Acts 17:29; Mt. 28:19

--Not one Person with three manifestations


GOD IS A SPIRIT





GOD IS A PLURAL GOD

Gen. 1:1 “In the beginning God (Elohim—plural)

Gen. 1:26 “Let US make man in OUR image…”


GOD IS A SPIRIT





GOD IS A PLURAL GOD (Three Personalities)

Jn. 1:1, 14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us”


GOD IS A SPIRIT






GOD IS INFINITE IN POWER

Rev. 19:6 “…the Lord God omnipotent reigneth”


GOD IS A SPIRIT






GOD IS INFINITE IN POWER, WISDOMRom. 11:33 “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out.”


GOD IS A SPIRIT






GOD IS INFINITE IN POWER, WISDOM, INSIGHTHeb. 4:13 “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”


GOD IS A SPIRIT






GOD IS INFINITE IN POWER, WISDOM, INSIGHT & FORESIGHTIsa. 46:9, 10 “Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from


GOD IS A SPIRIT






GOD IS INFINITE IN POWER, WISDOM, INSIGHT & FORESIGHT

the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done.”

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD

A JEALOUS GOD

Ex. 20:3-5 “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God…”


A JEALOUS GOD

A JUST GOD

Ps. 89:14 “Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne.”


A JEALOUS GOD

A JUST GOD

A GOD OF LOVE AND MERCY

I Jn. 4:16 “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love…”

Ps. 89:14 “Mercy and truth shall go before thy face”


A JEALOUS GOD

A JUST GOD


A GOD OF VENGEANCE AND WRATH

Rom. 11:22 “Behold the goodness and severity of God”

Rom. 12:19 “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord”

Heb. 10:32 “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”


A JEALOUS GOD

A JUST GOD



A CARING GODI Pet. 5:6, 7 “… casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

Jn. 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son…”

2 Pet 3:9 “…not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”


A JEALOUS GOD

A JUST GOD



A CARING GOD

A DEMANDING GOD

--Demands respect

Ps. 33:8 “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.”


A JEALOUS GOD

A JUST GOD



A CARING GOD

A DEMANDING GOD

--Demands respect, allegiance

Deut. 6:5 “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might”


A JEALOUS GOD

A JUST GOD



A CARING GOD

A DEMANDING GOD

--Demands respect, allegiance, obedience

I Jn. 5:3 “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments”


A JEALOUS GOD

A JUST GOD



A CARING GOD

A DEMANDING GOD

--Demands respect, allegiance, obedience, our bestMal. 1:8 “And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person?”


A JEALOUS GOD

A JUST GOD



A CARING GOD

A DEMANDING GOD

--Demands respect, allegiance, obedience, our best, first placeMt. 6:33 “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”


A JEALOUS GOD

A JUST GOD



A CARING GOD

A DEMANDING GOD

NOT LIKE MAN

Isa. 55:8, 9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”


A JEALOUS GOD

A JUST GOD



A CARING GOD

A DEMANDING GOD

NOT LIKE MAN

A GOD OF GLORY AND MAJESTYRev. 7:12 “Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever.”

Ps. 96:4-9 “For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods, for all the gods of the nations are idols; but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; fear before him, all the earth.”

acts 17:22-23 “then paul stood in the midst of mars’ hill, and said, ye men of athens, i...

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