In a world that is desperately in need of hope. In a world where the objects of hope that our culture holds up seem increasingly unstable, where can we find a hope that is worthy of our trust? In the reality that our God is a promise keeping God. Paul recounts the hope we have in Christ by telling him: “If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him.” The reason we can have a secure hope in these promises is because Hebrews 10:23 tells us that “He who promised is faithful.” And we see evidence of His faithfulness written across all the pages of scripture and all the days of our lives.
The mercy of God is the flipside of His justice. God alone is both perfectly just and yet at the same time perfectly merciful. In fact, it is the justice of God that makes His mercy so much more awesome and astounding. The cross represents the fullest way in which these two seemingly opposite realities are brought into perfect unity. On the cross Jesus died so we could be the recipients of God’s mercy in the only way that would still allow God to act with perfect justice. The overflow of the mercy we received through Christ is that we should reflect God’s mercy to others.
God is infinite. He existed before anything or anyone else. He alone is uncreated. He alone is without any needs. As Father, Son and Spirit He even has perfect relationship within Himself, which means He did not create humanity because He was lonely or in need of companionship or love. God needs nothing! When He asks us to give, first ourselves but also our time and our treasure, it is not because He needs. Instead, it is an invitation that He extends to us for our benefit and good and for His glory.
God is infinite. He existed before anything or anyone else. He alone is uncreated. He alone is without any needs. As Father, Son and Spirit He even has perfect relationship within Himself, which means He did not create humanity because He was lonely or in need of companionship or love. God needs nothing! When He asks us to give, first ourselves but also our time and our treasure, it is not because He needs. Instead, it is an invitation that He extends to us for our benefit and good and for His glory.
Have you ever noticed that children seem born with a sense of what is “fair?” That’s because one of the ways we reflect God as His image bearers is in our desire for justice. God is just. In fact, in Deuteronomy 32:4 God’s Word tells us that “all His ways are just.” Justice is not simply something God desires it is core to who He is. He is the measure of justice and the one who ultimately metes out justice. God’s justice is ultimately seen most clearly on the cross. Because God is just, sin must be paid for, there is no other option. The only option is whether we accept the payment Christ made or whether we pay the price ourselves.
In Psalm 139 the Psalmist declares that the knowledge of God is so extensive that He knows every thought and action He takes. This is true but it only begins to scratch the surface of what we mean when we say that God is omniscient. When we say God is omniscient we say there is nothing in all creation or all history (past, present, future) that God does not know. As the Psalmist states it is a knowledge that “too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.” The omniscience of God has implications for all sorts of things: on what we pray for and how we pray, on where we ought to turn for wisdom, on the trustworthiness of what God promises to us, but maybe most importantly it changes how we understand His love for us. It means that even though God knows everything about us, He still loves us and chose to send His son to redeem us.
In Psalm 139 the Psalmist declares that the knowledge of God is so extensive that He knows every thought and action He takes. This is true but it only begins to scratch the surface of what we mean when we say that God is omniscient. When we say God is omniscient we say there is nothing in all creation or all history (past, present, future) that God does not know. As the Psalmist states it is a knowledge that “too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.” The omniscience of God has implications for all sorts of things: on what we pray for and how we pray, on where we ought to turn for wisdom, on the trustworthiness of what God promises to us, but maybe most importantly it changes how we understand His love for us. It means that even though God knows everything about us, He still loves us and chose to send His son to redeem us.
In Psalm 139 the Psalmist declares that the knowledge of God is so extensive that He knows every thought and action He takes. This is true but it only begins to scratch the surface of what we mean when we say that God is omniscient. When we say God is omniscient we say there is nothing in all creation or all history (past, present, future) that God does not know. As the Psalmist states it is a knowledge that “too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.” The omniscience of God has implications for all sorts of things: on what we pray for and how we pray, on where we ought to turn for wisdom, on the trustworthiness of what God promises to us, but maybe most importantly it changes how we understand His love for us. It means that even though God knows everything about us, He still loves us and chose to send His son to redeem us.
In Psalm 139 the Psalmist declares that the knowledge of God is so extensive that He knows every thought and action He takes. This is true but it only begins to scratch the surface of what we mean when we say that God is omniscient. When we say God is omniscient we say there is nothing in all creation or all history (past, present, future) that God does not know. As the Psalmist states it is a knowledge that “too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.” The omniscience of God has implications for all sorts of things: on what we pray for and how we pray, on where we ought to turn for wisdom, on the trustworthiness of what God promises to us, but maybe most importantly it changes how we understand His love for us. It means that even though God knows everything about us, He still loves us and chose to send His son to redeem us.
It’s Week 1 of our newest series called “God Is…” – looking at the attributes and character of God. This week we discuss how God Is Holy, which means that He is separate and set apart from all else that is. It’s an essential part of His nature. Tied into this, His holiness means that He is absolutely pure, completely unstained by sin or evil. As Christians this is essential to know because in His holiness He calls those of us who are His people, His children to reflect Him by also being holy. He alone is the standard by which holiness is to be measured or judged. Tune into the the Rewind Podcast where Pastors Derik and Darryl get practical as we discuss how Christ gives us His holiness since we cant be holy on our own, and what a life of holiness really looks like. Thanks for texting in your questions! Don’t stop asking!