Chapter 1

God’s Being

Sections

1. Basics
   1. God’s Form
      • God is one
      • God is spirit
      • God cannot be seen by people . . .
      • . . . In some sense, God is said to have been “seen”
      • God is everywhere, not just in temples
      • Visions of God
      • God’s presence has been manifested in a cloud
      • God’s presence has been manifested with fire
      • Note: God primarily dwells in heaven . . .
      • . . . God’s temple is in heaven
   2. God’s Glory
      • Glory is a prominent and key attribute of God
      • God’s glory is an integral aspect of God’s presence
      • God’s glory manifests his presence . . .
      • . . . God’s glory is spoken of as manifesting his presence in his temples
      • God is resplendent with light
      • God has great splendor and majesty
      • God’s glory is reflected in his powerful deeds
      • God’s glory is evidenced throughout the earth and the heavens
      • God’s glory will be explicitly revealed throughout the earth, to all nations
   3. God’s Personhood
      • God has a mind – knowing and comprehending things
      • God has a will
      • God has feelings and character . . .
      • . . . God feels emotional pain
      • God is active
      • God communicates . . .
      • . . . and people can communicate with God
      • God interacts with people, responding to their requests and needs
   4. God’s Eternity
      • God is alive
      • God has always been alive, the first of all things . . .
      • . . . God existed before the world began
      • God will live forever
      • God transcends time
      • God is self-existing
      • God does not change

2. God’s Pre-Eminence
   1. God’s Greatness
      • God is great and awesome
      • God is greater than all others
      • God is exalted above all others
      • There is no one like God . . .
      • . . . Things God does which show that there is no one like him
      • God is in fact beyond our comprehension
   2. God’s Power (I): Ultimate Power
      • God is mighty in power . . .
      • . . . God is Almighty
      • God can do all things – nothing is too hard
      • God does whatever pleases him
      • God’s power is far superior to that of anyone else . . .
      • . . . No being can do what God can do
      • Power in fact belongs to God
   3. God’s Power (II): His Deeds
      • God’s great power is shown in his deeds
      • God performs great and awesome deeds
      • God’s deeds are largely incomprehensible
      • God’s deeds are uncountable
      • God’s deeds are glorious
      • God is exalted and glorified in his powerful deeds
   4. God’s Knowledge and Wisdom
      • God knows everything
      • God sees all people, seeing and knowing all that they do . . .
      • . . . No one can hide themselves or what they do from God
      • God knows all people’s “hearts” and minds
      • God knows the future
      • God has incredible wisdom
      • God’s knowledge and wisdom is far superior to that of people – beyond our comprehension . . .
      • . . . God knows much that people do not know
      • Note: God can frustrate and take away worldly wisdom – and bring down the wise
   5. Addendum: God’s ‘Name’
      • God’s “name” is synonymous with God himself
      • God’s “name” is synonymous with his presence
      • God’s “name” is synonymous with God in him helping his people
      • God’s “name” is synonymous with God in people relating to him
      • God’s “name” is correlated with his authority and power
      • God’s “name” is holy
      • God’s “name” is great
      • God’s “name” is glorious and exalted
      • God’s “name” is praised and blessed
      • God acts for the sake of his “name”
      • Note: God declared his actual name to be the “Lord”

 ➜Major headings in: 1. God’s Being (and all of Unit A)

Pray for persecuted Christians