2: Lesson 1 Part 2 Book 1
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.“
“In the beginning …” We really don’t know just when that was. Evolutionists say the earth is millions of years old while Creationists believe it to be only a few thousand years old, but nobody really knows for sure. Whenever it was, however, we know that “in the beginning” it was God at work. There is no use trying to put a time frame on it because the Bible doesn’t tell us.
Even in the New Testament in John 1:1 it only says “In the beginning …” When the beginning was, time-wise, is not really vital for us to know. But the next word – “God” – Oh, how important that one is!
Mankind’s, and especially the church’s concept of God, it’s attitude toward God is very superficial. You’ve all heard such terms as “The Man upstairs,” or said something like “Somebody up there is watching over me.” But God is so immense, so powerful, so wonderful, that we have nothing with which to compare Him.
The only way to get a true picture of Him is from His Word. From there we can draw attributes of God … concepts, ideas, pictures of Him that are true.
Attributes of God
1. God is Sovereign.
He is absolute. Psalm 8:4 says “What is man, that Thou are mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him?” See also Romans 9:19-21. Everything that comes into being is a result of the sovereign choice and creation of God. Consequently, we should never question God, “Why did you make me as I am?” You are God’s unique creation. We live and move under a Sovereign God.
2. God is Grace and Love.
God’s attitude toward even the worst of sinners is that He wants to save him. See Romans 5:8-11, 20-21.
3. God is Infinite.
He is without end – without limit. Scientists tell us that the universe is expanding outward at a tremendous speed, but God is always beyond it. The universe will never go beyond our infinite God.
4. God is Omnipresent.
God is everywhere, always present. The Psalmist said,”… if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there.” See Psalm 139:7-17.
5. God is Omniscient.
He is all-knowing. There is not, or was not, or will never be a time when God had to seek advice or to consult someone or some source outside Himself, or study something out. Certainly within the Godhead there was counsel, but it was immediate, there was no debate among the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
6. God is self-existent.
He has no beginning, He has no end.
In Genesis 1:1, “God” refers to the Trinity – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This Triune God is Spirit, invisible, intangible – He is unable to be comprehended with the senses of man. But in Col. 1:15, speaking of Jesus, it says, “Who is the image of the invisible God, …” God became visible in the flesh; He became touchable.