The NATURE and CHARACTER of GOD Outline
The DIFFERENCE between the NATURE and CHARACTER of GOD, and WHAT DIFFERENCE IT MAKES : TO KNOW HIS NATURE WITHOUT HIS CHARACTER IS TO KNOW A MACHINE THAT IS CAPABLE OF ANYTHING BUT WITHOUT A PURPOSE OR DESIGN. TO KNOW HIS CHARACTER WITHOUT HIS NATURE IS TO KNOW A PERSON CAPABLE OF THINKING AND ACTING WITH PURPOSE AND DESIGN, BUT UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING.
WHAT IS NATURE? Essence, Substance— Physical or Mental Nature is NOT PRAISE-WORTHY Beauty—Muscular–color– “NATURE” It can be appreciated, admired, etc. But it can not be praised , Because— It is Involuntary — Nature is NOT BLAME-WORTHY It is not wrong. — It is not evil — It is not to be punished for its existence Because– It is Involuntary . There is no difference between a rock and a nose. Both are part of NATURE, but no credit goes to the rock or the nose or its existence. Nor does any Blame go to the rock or nose for its existence. A. What is an Attribute? The permanent quality of something. B. What is a Natural Attribute? The permanent quality of a person’s Nature. [not the temporal body] THE NATURE OF GOD: What God Is. His NATURAL Attributes, Qualities ATTRIBUTE: A Permanent Quality –Example: A Roof on a House ———————————————————————————————— 1. IMMORTAL: ETERNAL: SELF-EXISTENCE –Unchangeable Nature— THE UNCONDITIONED/THE ABSOLUTE–#3 No Cause for His Existence: UNCAUSED: Uncreated: Always Existing: No Beginning: Not SELF-CAUSED/ NOT SELF-CREATED ENDLESS DURATION OF TIME . — (NOT TIMELESS)—Issue of Time!!! 1 Tim. 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, {be} honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Tim. 6:16 who alone possesses immortality SELF-EXISTENT NATURE, A NECESSARY EXISTENCE—THE FIRST CAUSE NO ONE IS THE “MOTHER OF GOD” #13–INDEPENDENT 2. INVISIBLE: GOD IS SPIRIT [He has SPIRITUAL ESSENCE] 1 Tim 6:16…and dwells in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen or can see. John 1:18 No man has seen God at any time. John 4:24 “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 3. UNCHANGEABLE: IMMUTABLE, CANNOT BE DIFFERENT BY NATURE. GOD’S SELF-EXISTENT NATURE CANNOT BE CHANGED OR CHANGE ITSELF. James 1:17 Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. 4. PERFECT MEMORY —HE Remembers all things Heb 6:10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. Heb 8: “I will remember their sins no more” = not take “into account” 5. PERFECT IMAGINATION –He can conceive of all Possibilities. 6. ALL-ABLE: ALL-POWERFUL: OMNIPOTENCE –[ALL MEANS UNLIMITED] Able to Do Anything and Everything Necessary to Accomplish His Wise and Benevolent Purpose. Power To Create Something When there is Nothing. All power TO KEEP HIS PROMISES , All Power TO ENFORCE HIS LAW and All Power TO SUSTAIN HIS GOVERNMENT. WHAT GOD CANNOT DO: A NATURAL IMPOSSIBILITY—[BY DEFINITION–a Triangle has 3 sides and cannot be a square which has 4 sides] Cannot make a Rock to big to move. The OBJECT OF POWER is Creation and Government of Material Universe Creation of a Universe of Moral Agents— ——but not the Government of Moral Agents 7. EVERYWHERE PRESENT: HE IS EVERYWHERE: OMNIPRESENCE [in EVERY PLACE—UNLIMITED PRESENCE.] He is in Every Place that Exists—He is HERE NOW. He is WHEREVER you ARE. — “—IN HIM we live and move and exist”-Acts 17:28 [ Before CREATION: GOD IS ALL THAT IS–“Pantheism”–Lewis] [CREATION IS WHERE GOD PUT IT—IT IS NOT INFINITE] 8. ALL-KNOWING: IGNORANT of NOTHING—OMNISCIENCE—(Perfect Knowledge of ALL THAT EXISTS) THIS IS BECAUSE AND A RESULT OF GOD BEING EVERYWHERE PRESENT: All Ideas and Objects and Events are Known to Him as they Exist or Happen: He Knows all of your THOUGHTS, INTENTS, ACTIONS, WORDS—ALL OF THEM. He knows when each sparrow falls. He numbers each hair on your head. He knows all JUSTICE and INJUSTICE/ALL SUFFERING AND EVIL. ISSUE OF FOREKNOWLEDGE HERE BY DEFINITION: THE FUTURE DOES NOT EXIST AND IS UNKNOWN and UNKNOWABLE 9. INFINITE (Unlimited)(Perfect) REASON/INTELLIGENCE— ” NATURAL” DIVINE REASON– Come let us Reason Together ALL INTELLIGENT REASONING, CONCEPTS, PRECEPTS, POSSIBILITIES, THEORIES, LOGICAL THINKING, ETC.— ARE HIS IN PERFECTION. — HE PERCEIVES ALL POSSIBLE OPTIONS OFFERED TO WISDOM. HE IS A PERFECT REASONER, A PERFECT IDEA THINKER HE HAS PERFECT PERCEPTION OF THE GREATEST GOOD[THE END ]. THE BEST MEANS TO ACCOMPLISH THE GREATEST GOOD—GOD’S PERFECT PLAN
THE FOLLOWING NATURAL ATTRIBUTES QUALIFY GOD AS A MORAL AGENT: MORAL AGENCY OF GOD: PERSONALITY, HE IS A PERSON WE ARE PERSONS, THEREFORE OUR CREATOR MUST BE PERSONS LIKE US. [INCLUDE #9 INFINITE INTELLIGENCE] 10. FREE-WILL. — He has LIBERTY to choose in either direction. He has RESPONSIBILITY for the choices He makes. GOD Has The Ability To Make Choices— THEREFORE: HE can have Character. God DECIDED to make Man, He DECIDED to make a PROMISE to Abraham, David, etc. 11. SENSIBILITIES — GOD Experiences Sensibilities Common To All Moral Agents.—HE Feels And Desires, Etc.(Grief, Joy, Delights, etc.) Desires that all men be saved. Takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. GOD’S FEELINGS, DESIRES, COMPASSIONS, SORROWS ARE INFINITE IN DEGREE. 12. CONSCIOUSNESS/AWARENESS —HE Knows that He knows HE LACKS NO KNOWLEDGE OF HIS OWN ACTIVITIES. HE PERFECTLY KNOWS HIMSELF. 13. CONSCIENCE — THE “MORAL REASON” —– Source of the MORAL LAW PERCEIVES AND DICTATES TO GOD THE MORAL OBLIGATION UPON HIM TO BE BENEVOLENT GIVES HIM KNOWLEDGE OF THE MORAL LAW, AND IMPOSES OBLIGATION: PRONOUNCES GUILT IF THERE IS DISOBEDIENCE TO THE MORAL LAW; PRONOUNCES PRAISE FOR OBEDIENCE TO THE MORAL LAW. THIS IS THE SOURCE OF GOD’S JOY. It is A LAWGIVER—-A JUDGE CHARACTER: CHARACTER: THE NEXT QUESTION IS: WHAT IS CHARACTER? It is the result of Choice. It is a moral quality. Character is either BLAME-WORTHY or PRAISE-WORTHY. BECAUSE — Character is Voluntary. Character is either virtue or vice LOVE is Virtue SELFISHNESS is Vice Character is either obedience or disobedience to Moral Law. CHARACTER is Relationship Character is how you choose to relate to Other People NATURE is what a Person IS. CHARACTER is WHY a Person DOES. NATURE IS —– WHAT! What you ARE. CHARACTER IS —– WHY! Why you ACT. THE NEXT QUESTION IS: WHAT IS THE MEASURE OF CHARACTER: 1. WHAT IS THE MEASURE OF CHARACTER? 2. HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHAT CHARACTER A PERSON HAS? 3. THERE HAS TO BE A MEASURE TO DETERMINE CHARACTER. 4. THE ONLY MEASURE OF CHARACTER IS: The Moral Law of God. The MORAL LAW of GOD: IT IS THE MEASURE OF CHARACTERS 1. THE MORAL LAW CANNOT BE SET ASIDE. 2. THE MORAL LAW DOES NOT COME FROM GOD’S WILL, BUT FROM GOD’S NATURE. 3. IT IS AN IDEA IN THE DIVINE INTELLIGENCE AND CONSCIENCE. 4. IT CAN ONLY BE DESTROYED OR CHANGED IF THE NATURE OF GOD CAN BE DESTROYED OR CHANGED. THE NEXT QUESTION IS : WHAT DOES THE MORAL LAW REQUIRE? ANSWER: THE MORAL LAW COMMANDS US TO LOVE GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOR. THE NEXT QUESTION IS : WHERE DO WE FIND THE MORAL LAW? 1. It is found in OUR NATURES: IN the NATUE of every Moral Agent there is a CONSCIENCE. This Conscience contains the knowledge of the MORAL LAW, and gives pressure of MORAL OBLIGATION, to obey this MORAL LAW. The CONSCIENCE then PRAISES the moral agent for obeying the MORAL LAW, or else it CONDEMNS the MORAL AGENT for disobeying it. This is also declared in the BIBLE : Romans 2:14-15 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the LAW written in their hearts, their CONSCIENCE bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 1. It is found in the revealed TEN COMMANDMENTS 1. “You shall have no other gods before Me. 2. “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. “You shall not worship them or serve them; 3. “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. 4. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 5. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you. 6. “You shall not murder. 7. “You shall not commit adultery. 8. “You shall not steal. 9. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 10. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” 2. It is reinforced and affirmed by JESUS : Mt 5:17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. And: Matt 22:36-40 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘ YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” 3. It is ratified and affirmed by PAUL: Romans 13:8-10 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” LOVE DOES NO WRONG to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law. THE MORAL LAW COMMANDS US TO LOVE GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOR. THE MORAL LAW COMMANDS US TO LOVE GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOR. The NEXT QUESTION IS: WHAT IS LOVE: THE DEFINITION OF JESUS: 1. Matthew 5:43-44. “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR, and hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, LOVE your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. 2. Luke 6:27-35 “But I say to you who hear, LOVE your enemies, DO GOOD TO THOSE who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. “Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. “Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. “And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way. “And if you LOVE THOSE who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. “And if you DO GOOD to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. “And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, in order to receive back the same amount. “But LOVE your enemies, and DO GOOD , and lend, EXPECTING NOTHING in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. A PRACTICAL DEFINITION OF LOVE: 1. It is the Decision of the will — [a choice to obey the command of the Law.] 2. to promote the GOOD of another person, — [not just be happy if it happens] 3. expecting nothing in return.– [motive: no selfish intent] The NEXT QUESTION IS: WHAT IS THE GOOD? The GOOD is the Well-being of a person. It is called happiness, blessedness. THE NEXT QUESTION IS: HOW IS IT MEASURED? JESUS ANSWERS: Matthew 7:12 “Therefore, however you want people TO TREAT YOU, so TREAT THEM, for this is the Law and the Prophets. The COMMAND of the MORAL LAW to UNCONDITIONALLY PROMOTE the GOOD of another PERSON is the OBLIGATION of every MORAL AGENT, and the MEASURE of CHARACTER. THEREFORE : IF A PERSON OBEYS THE MORAL LAW, HIS CHARACTER IS GOOD . IF HE DISOBEYS THE MORAL LAW, HIS CHARACTER IS EVIL . THE NEXT QUESTION IS: CAN A PERSON HAVE A CHARACTER THAT IS PARTLY GOOD [HOLY] AND PARTLY EVIL [SINFUL] AT THE SAME TIME? ANSWER OF JESUS : No, a person is either good or evil. Matthew 6:24: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 7:16-18 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit. “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. The CHARACTER of GOD A. What is Character? It is the Moral Quality of the free-will choice of a Moral Agent to OBEY or DISOBEY, THE MORAL LAW. B. What is an Attribute? The permanent quality of something. C. What is a Moral Attribute? The permanent quality of a person’s Character. DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTER OF GOD. God’s CHARACTER is described in one word: LOVE “God is LOVE” – 1 John 4:8, 16 DEFINITION OF LOVE: [Given above] 1. It is the Decision of the will — [a choice to obey the command of the Law.] 2. to promote the GOOD of another person, — [not just be happy if it happens] 3. expecting nothing in return.– [motive: no selfish intent] THE DEFINITION OF JESUS: Luke 6:27-35 “But I say to you who hear, LOVE your enemies, DO GOOD TO THOSE who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. “Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. “Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. “And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way. “And if you LOVE THOSE who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. “And if you DO GOOD to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. “And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, in order to receive back the same amount. “But LOVE your enemies, and DO GOOD , and lend, EXPECTING NOTHING in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
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