WHAT IS GOD LIKE?

1
WHAT IS GOD
LIKE? Part 6
2
WHAT IS GOD LIKE? HIS
GRACE MERCY
The Grace and Mercy of God A. Definitions 1.
God's grace (Greek CHARIS) is His unmerited
favour toward sinners, 2. God's mercy (Greek
'ELEOS) is divine compassion manifested toward
the miserable and distressed.
3
3. In the Old Testament, the mercy of God was
made known to Israel by two Hebrew words a.
'HESEDH' - usually translated kindness or loving
kindness, b. 'HANAN' - usually translated to be
gracious. to be inclined to. and mercy. c.
Exodus 346 Deuteronomy 431 Exodus 3319
Psalm 1361. 4. As we study the mercy of God,
don't confuse it with emotional permissiveness or
as something we deserve God is merciful because
of His grace.
4
Because God is a Just God, He MUST punish
sinners Justice demands it. 1. Therefore, how is
it possible for God to remain Just and still
pardon the condemned sinner? 2. Romans 324-26.
a. Paul declares that God is a Just Judge because
He paid the price of our freedom by sending His
own Son to shed His blood for our redemption.
b. Therefore, God's wrath has been satisfied by
His grace and mercy which sent His Son into the
world to die on a cross.
5
c. It is upon the basis of Christ's sacrifice
upon the cross that all men, of all ages, may be
justified - Hebrews 915-22. d. God's unmerited
favour ( grace), as far as the Bible reveals, has
only been extended, to fallen man - not to fallen
angels, demons or Satan
(2 Peter 24 Matthew 25 41 ).
6
e. It is only with man, who is created in His
image, that God has been forbearing and
longsuffering (Exodus 3461 Romans 24-5
922-23 I Peter 320 2 Peter 39, 15).
7
WHAT IS GOD LIKE? HIS GRACE
MERCY
The mercy seat on the ark of the covenant WHERE
GOD'S JUSTICE AND MERCY MEET
8
(No Transcript)
9
3. The Bible makes it very clear that salvation
stems from God's grace and mercy Ephesians
28-9 Romans 1132 Titus 35-6 Hebrews 812.
a. Because salvation is made possible by God's
grace, it does not rule out man's acceptance of
that grace by faithful obedience - Hebrews 59
b. Through faith, repentance, confession and
baptism a man puts on Christ (John 824 Luke
133 Matthew 1032-33 Mark 1616 Galatians
327) and becomes a new creature (John 33-5
Titus 35-6). c. In obedience, the fallen man
has accepted God's grace.
10
WHAT IS GOD LIKE? SUMMARY
What we have learned so far 1) We looked at the
evidence and saw that it was more REASONABLE,
more RATIONAL and more IN KEEPING WITH KNOWN
FACTS of science, to believe that in the
beginning INTELLIGENCE has always existed rather
than MATTER. This intelligence Christians call GOD
11
2. We also understood that unless this
Intelligence revealed itself in a way that we
could understand we could never REALLY know what
God was like. So for the Christian - we believe
that this intelligence we call God has revealed
Himself through the Bible which Christians call
God's Word
12
3. SO WE THEN CAME TO THE QUESTION WHAT HAS GOD
REVEALED ABOUT HIMSELF? -
WHAT IS GOD LIKE?
13
WE SAW THAT 1. ESSENCE is what God IS - HIS
NATURAL "attributes". 2. ATTRIBUTES describe
what God DOES in relation to man -
HIS MORAL
"attributes".
14
WHAT IS GOD LIKE? SUMMARY
What we have learned so far WE SAW THAT GOD IS
ETERNAL - He is unlimited in TIME. The eternal
essence of God relates to time and space.
15
WE SAW THAT GOD IS SPIRIT -
A spirit is not matter as human beings are.
WE SAW THAT GOD IS UNITY -
there are three persons in the Godhead-
Father / Son / Holy Spirit
WE SAW THAT GOD IS OMNISCIENT - This
means that His KNOWLEDGE is unlimited.
16
WE SAW THAT GOD IS OMNIPOTENT - He
is unlimited in POWER. All POWERFUL with God all
things are possible.
WE SAW THAT GOD IS OMNIPRESENT - He
is unlimited in SPACE. God is always present.
WE SAW THAT GOD IS IMMUTABLE - This
is His UNCHANGEABLE nature. Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and
forever,"
17
WHAT IS GOD LIKE? SUMMARY
WE SAW THAT GOD IS HOLINESS -
God alone possesses ALL holiness because of
His perfect moral excellence.
WE SAW THAT GOD IS FAITHFUL -
God KEEPS His WORD His promises
to us are unalterable.
WE SAW THAT GOD IS TRUTH -
God has shown His truthfulness time and
time again
18
WE SAW THAT GOD IS GOOD -
God is perfect
In His goodness
WE SAW THAT GOD IS LOVE -
This is NOT a characteristic of God
-this is WHAT God is.
WE SAW THAT GOD IS MERCIFUL -
The mercy of God is the disposition of
His nature which leads Him to help us when we are
in misery and to pardon us when we have offended
Him.
19
WHAT IS GOD LIKE? SUMMARY
WE SAW THAT GOD IS JUSTICE -
His Knowledge and wisdom assure us,
He always KNOWS what is right and DOES what is
right
WE SAW THAT GOD IS WRATH He would be unjust if He
did not reward the faithful, the saints He would
be unjust if He did not Punish the Wicked, the
sinners
WE SAW THAT GOD IS GRACE He gives us
FORGIVENESS in Jesus which WE do not deserve.
20
BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE AND CARE FOR US HE SHOWED
THIS LOVE BY GIVING HIS SON TO DIE FOR US THAT WE
MIGHT BECOME THE CHILDREN OF GOD AND SHARE
ETERNITY WITH HIM
GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY
BEGOTTEN SON WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS?
21
WHAT IS GOD LIKE?
ETERNAL
LOVE
SPIRIT
OMNISCIENT
MERCY
OMNIPOTENT
IS THIS THE GOD YOU BELIEVE IN?
ESSENCE of GOD
HOLY
FAITHFUL
IMMUTABLE
OMNIPRESENT
TRUTH
GOOD
UNITY
WRATH
JUSTICE
GRACE