Truth Magazine

By Bobby Witherington

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6). Yes, God is! He exists. Yea, the evidences which unanimously and unmistakably argue the existence of God are so great that only a “fool” would say “in his heart, There is no God” (Psa. 14:1).

However, the God Who “is” is not a disinterested, uninvolved Being, Who is content to continue His Own existence while manifesting no interest in anything or anyone else. The God Who “is” is a God of action! with regards to the total works of God, Jesus’ words, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” (Jn. 5:17), surely constitute an understatement. In fact, the first verse in the Bible, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1), emphasizes the works of God – in this case, the works of God in creation.

Even as the finite can not fully comprehend the infinite, neither the Person of God nor the works of God can be fully comprehended by mere man, nor can they be adequately set forth in one short article, or in a vast series of lengthy articles. “The works of God” encompass many areas of endeavor. However, we shall confine our remarks to the works of God in two realms the works of God in creation, and the works of God in redemption. Concerning each aspect of God’s work, huge volumes could be written (and have been); hence, the greatest difficulty will be in determining what to exclude.

Before discussing specific works of God, for the sake of clarification, we point out that the word “God” in Genesis 1:1 is translated from the Hebrew Elohim. This word is a plural noun, and it signifies a plurality of Persons Who constitute the “Godhead” (cf. Acts 17:29; Rom. 1:20; Col. 2:9). “God” in the Persons of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Heb. 1:1,2; John 1:1-3,14; Gen. 1:1,2) “created the heaven and the earth.” Together they constitute the one God (Deut. 6:4), or the one Godhead (Rom. 1:20). Each of them is called “God” because each constitutes Deity and Divinity. Expressed differently, each of them is “God” because each possesses the qualities of Godhood. If we can accept the fact that one humanity consists of many humans (each possessing human-hood), then we should have no problem accepting the fact that one Godhead can consist of three Persons (each possessing Godhood). With this in mind, we should have no difficulty understanding Genesis 1:27 wherein God (Elohim) said, “Let us make man in our image . . . .” Hence, in our discussion of “the works of God in Creation and Redemption” we will not in every instance, in our usage of the word “God,” distinguish between the respective persons of the Godhead. Suffice it to say that all three Persons of the Godhead were intimately involved in the creation of the material universe, and in the redemption of lost sinners.

The Works Of God In Creation

The Bible appropriately and uniquely begins with these words, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). Thus, the Bible begins with God. It does not begin with mere change. It does not begin with matter. It does not begin with nothing. It begins with God! However, it does not begin with the beginning of God, for God had no beginning. He is “from everlasting to everlasting” (Psa. 90:2). He is the eternal “I AM” (Exod. 3:14). So in “the beginning” God already was. Hence, “the beginning” of Genesis 1:1 is the beginning of the material universe, but before that “beginning” there was God! God is the first Cause that caused everything else. Acknowledge this sublime truth and everything else falls into place; deny it, and nothing makes sense, including our very existence. That which creates, of necessity, must come before the creation.

“God created (Heb. bara) the heaven and the earth.” Of the word bara (“created,” Gen. 1:1), we note these comments: “This verb is of profound theological significance, since it has only God as its subject. Only God can `create’ in the sense implied by bara. The verb expresses creation out of nothing, an idea seen clearly in passages having to do with creation on a cosmic scale” (Nelson’s Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament, p. 84). It is significant that the first verb in the Bible is bara (“created”), which means to bring something out of nothing! Thus, is it any wonder that the first four words in the Bible are “in the beginning God”? Only God could be the subject of Genesis 1:1!

“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day” (Gen. 1:2-5). Thus, in words so few, yet so profound, the events which occurred on “the first day” of the creation week are told. In a deliberate effort to avoid profuseness, we simply call attention to the organizing work of the Spirit of God to deal with that which was “without form, and void,” to the creation of light, and the dividing of the light from the darkness – all in immediate response to what “God said.”

And in similar matter-of-fact language the events which occurred on the other days of the creation week are succinctly related. Hence, on the “second day” God “made the firmament,” the expanse, or the space above the earth which we call the sky, and which probably contains the first and second heavens (cf. 2 Cor. 12:2). On the “third day,” God gathered the waters “together unto one place,” caused the dry land to appear, brought forth plant life, and established His decree that everything would bear fruit “after his kind” (Gen. 1:9-13). On the “fourth day,” God decreed that there be “lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night,” that they would “be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years,” and made “two great lights,” the greater light to “rule the day,” and the lesser to “rule the night.” He also made the stars (Gen. 1:14-19). On the “fifth day” God brought forth fish life and fowl life, and decreed that each should bring forth “after his kind” (Gen. 1:20-23). On the “sixth day,” God created animal life, and “every thing that creepeth upon the earth,” and He created man in His own “image” (Gen. 2:2). God did not rest because He was tired. “. . . the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary. . .” (Isa. 40:28). God “rested” in that He ceased creating. However, the fact that He ceased creating does not mean that He withdrew Himself from the creation, never to show further concern. Even now God upholds “all things by the word of his power” (Heb. 1:3), “ruleth in the kingdoms of men” (Dan. 4:25), and “giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25).

Yes, the works of God are clearly depicted in the creation. In Genesis 1 the words “God created” occur five times (vv. 1, 21, 27). The words “God called” appear four times (w. 5,8,10). The expression “God made” appears five times (vv. 7, 16, 25, 31). The words “God said” occur nine times (w. 3,6,9,11,14,20,24,26,29). Other verbs of action also appear in Genesis 1. But the greatest emphasis is on what “God said” or on the power of His word. In the words of Psalms 33:9, “He spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.” With regards to the material universe God’s word was irresistible. In fact, man alone has the power to resist (Rom. 13:1,2), and to neglect the word of God (Heb. 2:1-4). However, man does not have the power to resist the dire consequences of his actions!

With no desire to yield to bumper-sticker triteness, I must say “God is a good God!” He created a big, beautiful universe. He framed the world with order, elegance, and variety. He established the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms. He provides for man’s every material need. The crowning work of His creation was the creation of man in His Own image. And man is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psa. 139:14), having been made a “little lower than the angels . . .crowned . . . with glory and honor,” and made “to have dominion over the work” of God’s hands (Psa. 8:5,6). And God created woman as man’s perfect counterpart (Gen. 2:21-24), and made it possible for husband and wife, in harmonious marital bliss, to be “heirs together of the grace of life” (1 Pet. 3:7). Is it any wonder that the Psalmist exclaimed, saying, “O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” (Psa. 8:1,9).

The Works Of God In Redemption

With regards to the material universe, the works of God are “great,” “manifold,” “marvelous” and “holy” (Psa. 92:5; 104:24; 139:14; 145:17). However, the Bible is not primarily a record of God’s work in creation; rather it is a profound and glorious treatise on the works of God in redemption. And these works are even greater, for they illustrate how great is God’s love, how sinful sin is, and the awesome extent to which Divinity was willing to go in order to redeem fallen humanity.

How wonderful it would have been had inspiration’s beautiful picture in the first two chapters of Genesis remained unblemished by the ugliness of sin! But, alas! such was not to be. In Genesis 3 Satan, the deceiver, the “father” of lies (Jn. 8:44), our “adversary” (1 Pet. 5:8), appeared, lied, and tempted Eve through “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 Jn. 2:16; Gen. 3:3-6). Eve, and then Adam, ate of the tree of which God had said, “Thou shalt not eat” (cf. Gen. 2:17). With God’s law having been transgressed, sin entered the world (1 Jn. 3:4; Rom. 5:12), and in its wake came all the woes, disappointments, and miseries which have befallen man, including death, both physical and spiritual. And to think, “fools” still “mock at sin” (Prov. 14:9)! But they won’t be in hell one minute until they learn how unfunny sin really is!

But wait! All is not lost. God, even before driving our first parents from the garden, promised a redeemer, the “seed” of the woman who would “bruise” the serpent’s head, and make human redemption possible (Gen. 3:15; cf. Gal. 4:4; Heb. 2:14).

Time passed, until ultimately man became so wicked that “it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth,” so God said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the earth” (Gen. 6:5-7). However, thanks be to God, there are always a few who refuse to run with the herd and who choose to walk with God. Noah was such a man, and to him God gave directions concerning how to be saved from the ravages of the flood. When the flood waters receded there were eight souls left remaining on earth, plus the remnant of the animals which had also been taken on the ark. So “God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” (Gen. 9:1). Hence, we soon begin to read of “the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth,” and of those born unto them after the flood (Gen. 10:1). Everyone on earth descended from Noah through these three sons. From Shem descended Terah, the father of Abraham (Gen. 11:11-32). To Abraham, God said, “I will make of thee a great nation” and “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” God also promised the land of Canaan to his seed (Gen. 12:1-7), a promise that was fulfilled completely (Josh. 23:43-45). Abraham fathered Isaac, who fathered Jacob, whose name was changed to “Israel” (Gen. 32:28), and from whom came the nation of Israel, a nation which in time truly became “a great nation” (Gen. 12-Exod. 1; 1 Kings 10). To the Israelites God gave the law of Moses that it might serve as a schoolmaster or a tutor to bring them unto Christ (Ex. 20:1-7; Deut. 5:1-21; Neh. 9:13; Gal. 3:19-25).

Let us briefly review. In Eden, following the fall, God promised the “seed” that would bruise the serpent’s head. Years later God spoke of the blessing which would come through the seed of Abraham. He raised up a nation, and gave it a law by which to be guided “til the seed should come to whom the promise was made” (Gal. 3:19). 1500 years later the Spiritconceived, virgin-born Son of God, incarnate in human flesh, as a babe, was laid in a manger in Bethlehem (Matt. 1:21-23; Luke 2:1-7)! This blessed One descended from Abraham (Matt. 1:1-17), and was the particular “seed” of Abraham through Whom the spiritual promises would be fulfilled (Gal. 3:16-29). His entrance into the world was “in the fulness of time” (Gal. 4:4), and all that expression signifies.

Jesus was born “under the law” (Gal. 4:4; Luke 2:21-24), and He fulfilled the law (Matt. 5:17-18). By His perfect life the righteous demands of the law were fulfilled. By reason of His death, the law was blotted out and nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14), and He is now the mediator of the New Testament (Heb. 9:15-17).

But, specifically, why did God send His Son into the world? “Because He loved the world,” someone replies. And that is correct! (Jn. 3:16). But, more specifically, why was it necessary for Jesus to enter this world of sorrow and woe?” So that He might die for our sins,” another answers. And that, too, is correct (Isa. 53:6,12; Matt. 26:28).

Now we are getting to the heart of the gospel, as well as to the “divine dilemma” with regards to human redemption. “All have sinned. . .” (Rom. 6:23), and “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Being a just God, God could not wink at sin. but being a merciful God, God longed to save sinners. However, God “cannot deny himself” (2 Tim. 2:13), which means that His extension of mercy would have to be offered in a manner in keeping with His own nature. In brief, the “divine dilemma” (as I call it, for want of a better expression) involved the matter of God being “just” while at the same time being a “justifier.” Unless the demands of justice were met there is no way that God could justify the sinner and at the same time be true to Himself. But what was sufficient to meet the demands of justice, and make human redemption possible? “Nothing but the blood of Jesus!” (cf. Rom. 3:23-26; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:20; Heb. 9:22; Matt. 20:28).

Of course, more is involved than the mere shedding of Christ’s blood (as if there were anything “mere” about death by crucifixion!). It was through His death, burial, and resurrection that the gospel became a reality (1 Cor. 15:1-4). His blood purchased the church (Acts 20:28), and were it not for His death there would be no new covenant (Heb. 9:1517). Hence, those who are saved by the blood of Christ are those who contact the blood in gospel obedience (Rom. 6:1-18), are added to the blood-bought church (Acts 2:47; 20:28), which is the “one body” wherein is reconciliation (Eph. 2:16), and who then enjoy the continued cleansing effects of His blood by walking “in the light” (1 Jn. 1:7).

All of this is in keeping with that “mystery” which had been in the mind of God from “the foundation of the world,” which included the Gentiles being fellow heirs and of the same body, and which was ultimately brought to fruition and “revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Eph. 1:4; 3:3-6). Hence, when God first mentioned the “seed” of woman He had human redemption in mind. The same was true when He announced the blessings that would come through the “seed” of Abraham, when He gave the law to Israel, and when “the King of the Jews” was born in Bethlehem of Judea. And this is what was in the mind of Christ when He allowed Himself to be nailed to a wooden cross. Being the Son of God, and being the One by Whom God “made the worlds” (Heb. 1:2), Jesus had the power to strike all His enemies dead and remove Himself from the cross. But His death reflected the abundance of love – not the absence of power. So “for the joy that was set before him” Jesus endured the cross (Heb. 12:2), and that “joy” was in His anticipation of saved souls His death would make possible.

What infinite wisdom! What amazing grace! What abounding love! All other stories pale into insignificance when compared to the story of the works of God in human redemption. No wonder Paul determined “not to know anything. . . save Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2), and all that verse signifies! No wonder he refused to “glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. . . ” (Gal. 6:14)! But the best is yet to be! Only in heaven itself, when the eternal conflict has ended, and the redeemed are gathered to glory, will the full extent of the marvelous works of God be realized. Indeed, “Won’t it be wonderful there!” Let us therefore “cast off the works of darkness,” unsheathe our spiritual swords, rise to the challenge before us, “fight the good fight of faith,” and “be thou faithful unto death,” so that God may be glorified, we will be saved, and others whom we influence may be among the eternally grateful and infinitely happy beneficiaries of the redemptive works of God!

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 2, pp. 45-47, 52
January 17, 1985

By Harold Fite

It is difficult for the finite mind to grasp the absolute righteousness of God – to visualize a person void of error, who has always been right, and who will always be. Writing about this perfect attribute of God is humbling; for when we think about our righteousness in comparison with His, “we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6).

There are several Hebrew words translated “right” or “righteous.” The two most significant are yasar and mispat. The first has the sense of “being straight,” while the latter means “judgment.”

In the New Testament the word is dikaios, meaning “equal,” usually translated “just” or “righteous.” “Righteousness” is a moral attribute of God with man as its object. God is right, straight, just, and fair with man.

God’s righteousness is not a matter of arbitrary will, but the affirmation of His nature. He can do all things consistent with His nature and nothing contrary to it. No circumstances can ever occur in which He will depart from it. “Righteous and true are his ways” (Rev. 15:3).

God’s law is the expression of His righteous nature. God is holy, righteous, and good (Lev. 19:2; Ex. 9:27; Mk. 10:18), “so that the law is holy . . . righteous, and good” (Rom. 7:12). This is why moral law is unchangeable: the nature of God is unchangeable. With God “there is no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning” (Jas. 1:17). He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. To lower the standard of morality is to pervert God’s nature. He cannot change His moral law without changing His nature; if He did, He wouldn’t be God!

God cannot lie. His words are always consistent with His nature. Because God cannot lie, we have strong encouragement and hope of eternal life which He has promised to the faithful (Heb. 6:18; Tit. 1:2). “For how many soever be the promises of God, in him is the yea” (2 Cor. 1:20). “He is faithful that promised” (Heb. 10:23). “Let God be found true; but every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4).

God expressed His righteousness by punishing sin while saving the sinner. The world, Jew and Gentile, had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). Justice demanded that sin be punished; yet God was merciful. Both justice and mercy were exercised by God in sending His Son as the sacrifice for sin. Jesus died on the cross as a sinner, for sin, to take away sin. “Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21). God demonstrated His righteousness by being just and the justifier of those who have faith in Christ (Rom. 3:24-56). “He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous” (1 Jn. 3:7).

God’s righteousness demands a just judgment. This nation’s symbol of justice is an 18th century engraving of a blindfolded woman, holding a sword in her right hand and scales in the left. The sword represents strict administration of justice, determined by the scales. The blindfold is a symbol of impartiality.

God does not have to be blindfolded to render impartial judgment. Peter said, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34,35).

When the city of Sodom lay under the sentence of destruction, Abraham asked God, “Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25). Abraham reasoned correctly: “That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that be far from thee.” It is inconceivable that God would destroy the righteous with the wicked.

Was God unjust in rejecting the Jews while accepting the Gentiles? The Jews thought so! In the ninth chapter of Romans, however, Paul shows conclusively God’s sovereign right in rejecting the one and accepting the other. “He has mercy on whom he desired, and he hardens whom he desires” (Rom. 9:18). The Jews would reason, “Why does he still find fault? For who resisteth his will?” Their reasoning would take this course: if God extends mercy upon whom He wills, and hardens whom He wills, we are what God made us and the choice was not ours. Why should God then find fault in one who is acting as God made him? Who is resisting His will?

God does not arbitrarily harden one, or choose one over another in the matter of salvation. Whether we obtain mercy or are hardened, depends on our choice. “He that covereth his transgression shall not prosper; but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy” (Prov. 28:13).

The Jews were rejected because they rejected God’s way. They stumbled over the stone of stumbling, Jesus Christ. “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid” (Rom. 9:14).

The punishment of the wicked is just. It would not only be unfair, but against the righteous nature of God to have the same disposition of heart toward the wicked as He does toward the righteous. “If we shall deny him, he also will deny us: if we are faithless, he abideth faithful; for he cannot deny himself” (2 Tim. 2:12,13). God will render to every man according to his works. Those who live in harmony with God’s will receive eternal life. Those who obey unrighteousness receive wrath and indignation (Rom. 2:6-8).

God’s righteousness provides man a solid base from which trust and confidence come. “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of thy throne” (Psa. 89:14). If we stay right with God, we have the assurance that we shall receive the crown of righteousness which the righteous judge has promised (2 Tim. 4:8).

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 2, pp. 35, 56
January 17, 1985

By Aude McKee

God’s Word teaches the absolute necessity of knowing God. In John 17:3, Jesus in His prayer to the Father said, “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.” In 2 Thessalonians 1:8, that truth is stated in negative form. Paul said that Jesus shall be revealed from heaven “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In both these passages, “knowing God” means a great deal more than having some understanding of His existence. Of necessity it includes all of those concepts, convictions and emotions that lead to action that brings about a right relationship with God.

By Creation

Man’s first concept of God comes through creation or, as some might state it, through nature. In Psalms 19:1, we are told that “the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” Then in the verses that follow it is stated that the knowledge created things bring is not limited by the language men may speak or where they may live. Paul, as he argues that the Gentiles are guilty before God and in need of the gospel, shows that God’s eternal power and Godhead can be known by “the things that are made” (Rom. 1:18-21). Who can look at majestic mountains, the beauty of a rising or setting sun, or walk through a flower garden without being impressed with the glory of the Creator? How could a person stand by the ocean and watch the mighty waves roll in, without remembering that it is God who says, “Here shall thy proud waves be stayed”? The awesome power of God is revealed in nature. In addition, the goodness and severity of God are made known by created things around us. The air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat have all been supplied by a gracious and good God. But the God who created the sun and the gently falling rain, is the God who can allow the storms to rage. Man, himself, is a part of God’s creation and had we been able to see man before sin entered his life, we could have had a better understanding of God’s love and concern. However, we can come close to that experience by watching children. A poet has written these lines:

“The innocent child.

You, my son,

Have shown me God

Your kiss upon my cheek

Has made me feel the gentle touch

Of Him who leads us on.

The memory of your smile when young

Reveals His face “

What mother does not have some knowledge of God’s love and holiness as she cares for her little ones day after day? Where is there a man who doesn’t understand God’s love a little better as he basks in the adoration of his grandchildren?

By His Word

Not only has God made Himself known through creation, but we can be eternally grateful that our knowledge and understanding does not stop there. God has revealed Himself through His Word – the Bible. By a diligent investigation of this book we can come to a much fuller understanding of God than would be possible through nature alone. By a study of God’s Word, we learn much about God through His dealings with man long before there was a written revelation. When we read the accounts of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and the flood, Abraham, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and Israel’s sojourn in Egypt, many of the attributes of God stand out. God had the record of these events penned long after they occurred “for our learning” (Rom. 15:40). Many of the modern-day misconceptions about God could be dispelled by seeing His love, goodness, justice, mercy, anger, discipline, etc., displayed in these events.

Then, as we study God’s divine revelation – the Bible – we come to that time when we have a clearer picture of God’s dealings with man as those events occurred. We study the book of Exodus and see Moses as he goes up on Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments from God along with the other laws that were joined to that decalogue. Through an investigation of the Old Testament, our understanding of Jehovah is enlarged. Another article in this special issue deals with the names of God and a study of these reveals much about His power, authority, righteousness, etc. We also learn that God is not bound by time – He is eternal. He is not limited by space – He is omnipresent. His justice, holiness, and goodness are infinite. He can know anything and everything He chooses to know (see Psa. 8,89,90,139; Isa. 6:1-3; etc.). Perhaps something that needs to be stressed is that God’s impartiality is evident even in the Old Testament. God made a promise to Abraham that in his seed all families of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:3). From that time on, God’s dealings with man revolve around the fulfillment of that promise! What a wonderful God is revealed to us in the Old Testament as we see Him perfecting His plan to send His own Son to the world. From Adam until now there has never been a person (save Jesus) who lived above sin. The God of the Old Testament is a God who knew that to be true and began to make provisions for man’s salvation.

Thus far in our investigation of God, we have seen that man’s first concept of God comes through the created things around him. The light from this source might be likened to that given by the stars. But God has given Himself a better witness than this. He has revealed Himself to man through the Old Testament, and this might be compared to the light that comes from the moon. Then comes the sunlight of revelation – the New Testament. This is heaven’s complete and final revelation to man and all that man needs is provided therein. God is Spirit and He is to be worshiped (Jn. 4:24). God is love (1 Jn. 4:8). God is faithful (1 Cor. 1:9). God is not slack concerning His promises and is not willing that any should perish (2 Pet. 3:9). God is all wise (Rom. 16:27). God is good (Matt. 19:17). He cannot lie (Tit. 1:2). He is able to make Israelites out of stones (Matt. 3:9). All things are possible with Him (Matt. 19:26). God knows the hearts of all men (Acts 1:24). He does not forget (Heb. 6:10). It is a fearful thing for the disobedient to fall into His hands (Heb. 10:31). God is just and the justifier of those who believe in Jesus (Rom. 3:26). These Scriptures just touch the “hem of the garment,” but they may help us to appreciate the amount of information given to us about God in the New Testament.

But perhaps the most practical information we have about God in the New Testament is that provided in the life of Jesus Christ. In John 14, Jesus spoke with His disciples about God, and He pointed out to them that if they had known Him, they should have known His Father also. Philip, one of the twelve, took it all very literally, and so he said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father and it sufficeth us.” Jesus’ reply was, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?” Not one of our readers would think for a minute that God and Jesus looked alike physically. God is Spirit and “a spirit hath not flesh and bones. . . ” (Lk. 24:39). Jesus was God (divine) according to John 1:1, and He was made flesh (v. 14). In the New Testament, we can see Jesus as He lived on earth. As we see Him reacting to circumstances, as we see His tears, as we hear His groaning, as we witness flashes of anger at the evil conduct of men, as we hear Him condemn the hypocrisies of the Pharisees and preach the Sermon on the Mount, as we view His walk from Gethsemane to the cross, and as we hear Him commission the apostles to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,” we are seeing and hearing God!

Philip had a “front row seat” and had seen God as no Old Testament worthy had ever seen Him, but failed to appreciate it. But had you ever realized that we today have advantages that Philip and other never had? It is like seeing a football game on TV. It is true that you miss being an eye-witness, and the excitement of being in the crowds, etc., is lacking, but when the game is over, you have had a better view of the entire happenings than someone in the stands. We have a prospective of the life of Jesus from four inspired writers, and in addition to that, in the epistles the Holy Spirit has provided, we have application of the teaching of Jesus to our everyday lives. How blessed we are to have “all scripture,” and we can know God as no others have ever known Him.

Before this article is finished, however, we need to observe that Jesus’ statement in John 17:3 means a great deal more than a mere knowledge of the existence of God and an appreciation of His attributes. Vine says that “ginosko in the N.T. frequently indicates a relation between the person knowing and the object known . . . . Thus in Matt. 7:23 `I never knew you’ suggests `I have never been in approving connection with you.”‘ For God to know us, He must approve us. In 2 Timothy 1:19, Paul said that “. . . the Lord knoweth them that are His.” God approves, God endorses those that are His. In Matthew 25:1-13, where Jesus tells the story of the five wise virgins and the five foolish ones, in verse 12, he said to the foolish virgins, “I know you not.” He did not approve or endorse their conduct. Now, if God’s knowing us means that He approves or endorses us, would it not follow that for us to know God we must approve or endorse God and what His Word teaches? In 1 John 2:3-5, the Holy Spirit says, “And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that with, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected. Hereby know we that we are in Him.” Jesus said that life eternal depends on knowing Him and knowing His Father. So in order to have life eternal, we must obey God and His Son, Jesus. Paul spoke of people who “profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Tit. 1:16). Each of us ought to have as his goal in life to know God and to be known of Him. We need to approve God and what He teaches, that He might approve us.

Here may be some who read these words who have never done more in approving or endorsing God than believing that He is. One of the purposes of this article is to encourage all of us to have a greater appreciation of God and His attributes. But we must go further. We must repent of our sins because the Lord requires it (Acts 17:30; Lk. 13:3). We must confess the faith we have in God’s Son before men (Matt. 10:32; Acts 8:37; Rom. 10:9-10). We must be immersed in water in order to reach the saving blood of Jesus (Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:1-6; Gal. 3:26-27; 1 Cor. 12:13; 1 Pet. 3:21). But we need to point out to each of us that there is a life to live after baptism. Knowing God is on-going. We could, at any time in our lives, affirm that we “know Him, but in works deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” May each of us know God by becoming Christians (obeying the gospel), and then maintaining that relationship by humble service (obedience) to the end of our lives.

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 2, pp. 48-50
January 17, 1985

By Irvin Himmel

In the natural realm there are many remarkable demonstrations of power. A hurricane moves in from the sea and carries tons upon tons of water and packs winds of such force that a wide path of destruction and flooding results. A tornado sweeps down from the sky and turns strong buildings into twisted masses of rubble. Think of the power of an earthquake that shakes structures of concrete and steel, that rattles windows hundreds of miles away, and may send thousands to their deaths in a matter of minutes!

We live in an age of power. Nuclear devices have been produced that are capable of blasts many times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. We have powerful rockets to take astronauts to and from the world of space. People who lived a few generations ago would be awed by our powerful engines, plants for generating electrical power, and all our tools and gadgets that are power operated.

But there is no power in all the realm of nature’s forces, nor in the inventions of human ingenuity, that can compare with the power of God.

Demonstrated In His Works

No greater power is conceivable than the creation of all things out of nothing. Read the first chapter of Genesis and be impressed with the power of God. “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Heb. 11:3).

The crowning act of creation was the formation of man. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Gen. 1:27).

Job reflected on the power of God in these words: “He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them. He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it. He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end . . . He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth the proud. By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent. Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?” (Job. 26:7-14).

God is to be praised for His great power. “He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite” (Psa. 147:4, 5). “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast” (Psa. 33:6-9).

God’s power is exhibited in His providential care for His people. No force was strong enough to prevent the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham. It might have seemed a time that He had forgotten the descendants of Abraham, for they were slaves in a foreign land, but when the time drew near for Israel to become a nation and to receive the law, God remembered His covenant with Abraham. He brought Israel out of Egypt “through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm” (Deut. 5:15). God reminded the people at Mt. Sinai, “I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself” (Ex. 19:4).

“The works of the Lord are great . . . He hath showed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen” (Psa. 111:2-6). “Come and see the works of God . . . He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot . . . He ruleth by his power for ever . . .” (Psa. 66:5-7).

Emphasized In Names And Titles

Some of the names and titles applied to God in the Bible underscore His strength and might. I now give a few examples.

El is a basic name for God in the Old Testament. It is “One of the oldest designations for deity in the ancient world,” and “seems to suggest power and authority.” It “bears not only the connotation of might, but also the idea of transcendence of the Deity” (H.B. Kuhn, Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, II: 761).

El Shaddai is a compound name (“the Almighty God”). It seems to denote “strength, stability, and permanence” (Kuhn). Abraham needed to realize that God could perform what He had promised, even if to men it seemed impossible. for this reason, God said to the ninety-nine year old patriarch, “I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect” (Gen. 17:1).

Elohim is another name for God in the Old Testament. “Though the entymology is obscure, the word may have come from a root meaning strong. “Plural in form, Elohim indicates “a plentitude of power” (Godron H. Clark, Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, p. 239).

Tsur, meaning “Rock,” is applied to God in Isaiah 44:8. Like a strong rock, God is able to provide security for His people. This name for God points to His eternal strength.

Openly Declared In Scripture

The Bible teaches that God is powerful, but more than that, it depicts Him as all-powerful. If there is any limitation of power, it is a restriction which God has willed through His own free choice. “Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places” (Psa. 135:6).

Job humbly acknowledged before God, “I know that thou canst do every thing. . .” (Job 42:2).

Sarah laughed when God said she would bear a son in her old age. God asked Abraham, “Is any thing too hard for the Lord?” (Gen. 18:14).

After Nebuchadnezzar had recovered from a period of insanity, he praised “the most High,” “the King of heaven,” admitting that God “doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” (Dan. 4:35).

On the island of Patmos, John “heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God.” “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth” (Rev. 19:1,6).

God is infinite in power and might. He is never hindered by lack of strength and ability. “The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea” (Psa. 93:4). He is “strong in power” (Isa. 40:25). The finite mind is too limited to fathom the depth of God’s endless power.

Exhibited in the Gospel

There was a working of “mighty power” wrought in Christ when God raised Him from the dead (Eph. 1:19,20). God works mightily in us when we are “quickened” and raised up together with Christ (Eph. 2:5,6). The spiritual power to change our lives is channeled by means of the gospel. Paul referred to the gospel as “the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16).

To preach the gospel is to preach Christ. To some the preaching of the cross is foolishness, “But unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18).

The transforming power of the gospel should never be underestimated. It can save the vilest sinner. All who use human schemes and gimmicks to “make converts” are substituting human power for the power of God to save the lost.

Let us not be like the Sadducees who knew neither the Scriptures, “nor the power of God” (Matt. 22:29). Let us be careful that our faith does not stand in the wisdom of men, “But in the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:5).

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 2, pp. 40, 53
January 17, 1985