Essence of God

I. Sovereignty

a) God is the Supreme Being of the universe (Hebrews 6:13), therefore the Highest King (Psalm 47:7)

b) God has absolute will and does whatsoever He pleases — Psalm 115:3.

c) In His Sovereignty He pleased to give man free will — “whosoever.”

d) The meeting place of the two wills is the cross.

e) God’s Sovereign plan for the human race:

i. Phase 1, salvation: Believe — Acts 16:31.

ii. Phase 2, time: “Be filled with the Holy Spirit” Ephesians 5:28. How? 1 John 1:9; Witness: Acts 1:8 using pertinent doctrine — John 3:36.

iii. Eternity: Eternal life in heaven.

II. Righteousness

a) God is absolute righteousness (+R): Psalm 145:17.

b) Man is minus Absolute Righteousness (-R): Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10-12.

c) God (+R) cannot have fellowship with man (-R) who is sinful: Isaiah 59:2.

d) God demands the same +R in His creatures that He, God, has: Romans 3:23.

e) Good’s +R was satisfied with Christ’s work on the cross; therefore the meeting place is the cross, where +R is imputed to man. 2 Corinthians 5:21.

III. Justice

a) God is just, and cannot be unfair. 2 Chronicles 19:7.

b) His Justice demands that disobedience against His laws be punished: John 3:36.

c) God is a judge that placed a penalty on sin: Psalm 50:6b; Romans 6:23.

d) God’s Justice is satisfied because of His provision. Jesus Christ paid the penalty (Spiritual death). Colossians 2:14.

e) Therefore God is:

Just to forgive — Romans 8:1

Just to condemn — John 3:18

f) Principle: Grace always precedes judgement: John 3:16; 3:36.

IV. Love

a) God in His Sovereignty decided to treat man in grace: Ephesians 2:8,9.

b) Love is the motivator of grace.

c) Righteousness and Justice stood in the way because sin was a barrier between man God.

d) God (+R) cannot have fellowship with man (-R): Isaiah 59:2.

e) Justice demanded a penalty for sin: Romans 6:23.

f) In His Love God the Father sent His Son to the cross to die for the sins of the whole world: John 3:16.

g) So righteousness and justice are satisfied and love and eternal life can get through the grace pipe to man. The barrier is removed. The issue is the Lord Jesus Christ.

h) The alternative to God’s love is wrath (Righteousness and Justice): John 3:36.

i) If you do not accept Christ who satisfied the righteousness and justice of God, then you are subject to His righteousness and justice (wrath).

V. Eternal Life

a) God has Eternal Life which has neither beginning nor ending: Psalm 90:2.

b) To share His Eternal Life with us, God the Eternal Son, was willing to leave heaven and become humanity and die for the sins of the world: John 10:17,18.

c) His deity could not provide Eternal Life, therefore He became true humanity (God-Man) in order to die: Hebrews 2:14,15.

d) God will share His Eternal Life with believers: John 10:27,28: 1 John 5:11,12a.

e) Conversely the unbeliever does not share God’s Eternal Life: 1 John 5:12b.

VI. Omniscience

a) God is All Knowledge (Omniscient): Colossians 2:3.

b) Therefore He reads our minds: 2 Timothy 2:19. He knows who is born again and who is not.

c) God does not use His Omniscience to be unfair. Example: Pharaoh and Judah.

d) Therefore Romans 8:28; God in His Omniscience works all things (good and bad) together for the good of those who belong to Him.

e) Knowledge is imparted to the believer through the Word. 1 Corinthians 2:9-12; 2 Timothy 2:15.

VII. Omnipresence

a) God is everywhere at the same time: Proverbs 15:3.

b) We cannot hide ourselves or our sins from God: Psalm 139:7-12.

c) We can faith-rest any situation because of God’s omnipresence: Matthew 28:20, “Lo, I am with you always ...”

VIII. Omnipotence

a) God is limitless in ability and authority: Matthew 28:18.

b) He upholds all things by the Word of His power: Hebrews 1:3.

c) He has power to save. Phase one: Hebrews 7:25.

d) He has power to keep. Phase two: 1 Peter 1:5.

e) He has power to rise in resurrection. Phase three: 1 Corinthians 15:43.

f) He will share His power with the believer: Philippians 4:13.

IX. Immutability

a) He is neither capable of, nor susceptible, to change. Matthew 3:6a; Hebrews 13:8.

b) God (Trinity) is always all of the characteristics in the Essence Box.

c) Because He is immutable He always keeps His promises.

d) Immutability + Omnipotence = faithfulness.

e) When we read the God repented or changed His mind (Anthropopathism) that doesn’t mean that God has changed, but that people have changed and that God must treat them differently.

X. Veracity

a) Definition: He is perfect truthfulness, there never is a time when He is in error.

b) God cannot lie.

Titus 1:2, “ … which God, that cannot lie.”

Hebrews 6:18, “ … impossible for God to lie.”

c) His veracity (truth) is eternal.

Psalm 117:2, “ … truth of the Lord endureth forever.”

d) Veracity in salvation. John 14:6, “I am the way, the Truth, and the life ...”

e) We can depend upon His veracity to sustain us. Psalm 91:4, “His truth … shield and buckler.”

f) His veracity provides truth in doctrine.