Little Book About God · King, God Almighty. God is the “King of the ages” (1 Tim-othy 1:17), the “great king over all the earth” (Psalm 47:2). He is truly the “King of

THE LITTLE

BOOKABOUT

GOD

Little Book About God, The.indd 1 4/29/13 10:31 AM

Copyrighted material

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by per-mission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked nasb are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Cover by Dugan Design Group, Bloomington, Minnesota

THE LITTLE BOOK ABOUT GOD Copyright © 2013 by Ron Rhodes Published by Harvest House Publishers Eugene, Oregon 97402 www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-5185-2 (pbk.) ISBN 978-0-7369-5186-9 (eBook)

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

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Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1 . Reasons to Believe in God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 2 . God Is a Revealer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 3 . God Is Triune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 4 . God the Father . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 5 . God the Son . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 6 . God the Holy Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 7 . The Living God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 8 . God Is a Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 9 . God Is Personal and Relational . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 10 . God Is with Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 11 . God Is High Above Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 12 . God Has Many Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 13 . God Is Self-Existent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 14 . God Is Eternal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 15 . God Is Everywhere-Present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 16 . God Is All-Powerful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 17 . God Is All-Knowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 18 . God Is Sovereign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 19 . God Is a Planner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 20 . God Is Holy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 21 . God Is True . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 22 . God Is Righteous and Just . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 23 . God Is Loving and Gracious . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 24 . God Is Merciful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 25 . God Is Unchanging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 26 . God Is Glorious . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 27 . The Worship of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 28 . Face-to-Face with God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Postscript: God and His Promises . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63



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InTRoduCTIon

Thank you for your interest in this book! I pray that even though it is a little book, it will bring a big blessing to your life. It is uniquely formatted…

f Each chapter is short—just two pages.

f Each chapter begins by stating the big idea.

fThis is followed by bullet points that concisely expand on the big idea, with Bible references.

f I then quote a few of the very best Bible verses that illustrate the big idea.

fOn the second page of each chapter, I provide “fast facts” that relate to the big idea.

f Each chapter closes with some applications—“truths that transform”—and a thoughtful quote from a recent or not-so-recent Christian leader.

This abbreviated format allows for maximum informa-tion in minimal space. This is a little book, but it contains lots of information. Feel free to look up some of the verses I cite. That will greatly enrich your study.

Here’s an added benefit of the book. Because it con-tains 28 chapters, it is ideally suited for four weeks of brief daily devotionals on the doctrine of God.



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The Purple Color of This BookThe purple color of this little book is significant. It is

intended to reflect the royal and regal nature of our true King, God Almighty. God is the “King of the ages” (1 Tim-othy 1:17), the “great king over all the earth” (Psalm 47:2). He is truly the “King of kings” (1 Timothy 6:15).

Illumination Through PrayerI suggest that you begin each chapter with a short

prayer. Ask God to open your spiritual eyes of under-standing so that you can fully grasp what He wants you to understand. The psalmist set a great example for us. He prayed: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Psalm 119:18). The Holy Spirit delights in illumining our minds to spiritual truths (1 Co -rinthians 2:10-11).

Anticipate Spiritual BlessingAs you learn more about God, expect to be blessed

spiritually. Remember that Bible study is not just about head apprehension, it’s also about life-transforming heart appropriation (see Romans 12:2). Of course, we must be willing to submit ourselves to Scripture for this to occur. As Scripture puts it, we must be doers of the Word, and not just hearers ( James 1:22). Doers of the Word experi-ence the blessings of the Word (Psalm 1)!



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1Reasons to Believe in God

The Big ideaGod is not a fairy tale character. A number of convinc-ing philosophical arguments provide rational support for God’s existence.

What You Need to Know

fThe cosmological argument says that every effect must have an adequate cause. The existence of the universe is an effect that must have been caused by God.

fThe teleological argument notes that there is an obvious purposeful design of the world and uni-verse. The Designer must be God.

fThe moral argument says every human being has an innate sense of moral obligation. Where did it come from? It must have been God.

Verses to Contemplate“Every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God” (Hebrews 3:4).

“The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1).

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“His invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world” (Romans 1:20).

Truths That Transform

1. Because there is a Creator-God, you and I as creatures are responsible to obey Him (Psalm 119:2,44-45,60,100,112).

2. We are called to obey with our whole hearts ( Joshua 24:14-15; Romans 6:17-18).

3. Obedience brings God’s blessing (Psalm 1). Dis- obedience, however, brings God’s hand of discipline (Hebrews 12:5-11).

4. Obedience also yields happiness (Psalm 119:56).

a Quote to Ponder

“If the universe had not been made with the most exacting precision we could never have come into existence. It is my view that these circumstances

indicate the universe was created for man to live in.”

Robert Jastrow

FasT FacTsThe Kalam Cosmological Argument

Whatever had a beginning had a cause .

The universe had a beginning (nearly all scientists and philosophers agree on this) .

Therefore, the universe had a cause (God) .



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2God Is a Revealer

The Big ideaGod has always taken the initiative to reveal Himself to humankind.


fThere are two primary ways God has revealed Himself.

fGeneral revelation refers to the ways God has com-municated to all persons of all times. An example is God’s revelation of Himself in the world of nature (Psalm 19; Romans 1:20).

f Special revelation refers to God’s specific and clear way of speaking through His mighty acts in history, the person of Jesus Christ, and the prophets and apostles (whose writings are in the Bible).

Verses to Contemplate“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2).



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“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come” ( John 16:13).


1. The word “communication” brings to mind so meone telling us about himself—telling us what he knows, opening up his mind to us, asking for our attention, and seeking a response.

2. That is what divine revelation is all about. God does this through the Bible (2 Peter 1:21).

3. Rejoice that God speaks to you through the pages of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

a Quote to Ponder

“[The Bible is] God preaching, God talking, God telling, God instructing, God setting before us the right way to think and speak about him.”

J .I . Packer

FasT FacTsChrist Revealed…

God’s awesome power ( John 3:2)

God’s incredible wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:24)

God’s boundless love (1 John 3:16)

God’s unfathomable grace (2 Thessalonians 1:12)



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3God Is Triune

The Big ideaThere is one God, but in the unity of the one God are three coequal and coeternal persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—who are equal in deity but distinct in personhood.


fThere is only one true God (Isaiah 44:6-8).

f And yet there are three persons called God: the Father (1 Peter 1:2), Jesus the Son (Hebrews 1:8), and the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4).

fThere is three-in-oneness within the one God (Mat-thew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). That is, there are three “whos” (persons) in one “what” (God).

Verses to ContemplateOne God. “Thus says the Lord…I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god” (Isaiah 44:6).

Three Persons. “Go therefore and make disciples of all



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nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

Truths That TransformEach of the three persons of the Trinity played a pivotal

role in your salvation.

1. The Father sovereignly elected you to salvation (1 Peter 1:2).

2. The Son redeemed you at the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21).

3. The Holy Spirit regenerated you at the moment of conversion ( John 3:5-7).

a Quote to Ponder

“If there be one God subsisting in three persons, then let us give equal reverence to all the persons in the Trinity.”

Thomas Watson

FasT FacTsErrors to Avoid

Tritheism. This view says the Godhead is composed of three beings who are utterly distinct, just as Peter, James, and John were .

Modalism. This view says the Godhead is one person only and that the triune aspect of His being is no more than three modes of manifestation .



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4God the Father

The Big ideaGod the Father is the personal, sovereign, and majestic Creator of the universe, who reigns from on high.


fThe Father is the First Person of the Trinity (Mat-thew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

fGod the Father (1 Peter 1:2) is everywhere-present (Psalm 139:7-10), all-knowing (Romans 11:33), and all-powerful (1 Peter 1:5).

fThe Father planned and ordained salvation (Isaiah 53:6,10; John 3:16) and elected certain ones to sal-vation (Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:4). He is sov-ereign over all things (Isaiah 46:10).

Verses to ContemplateThere is “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:6).

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1).



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1. The Father’s love for you is infinite (1 John 3:1).2. The Father’s mercy toward you is immeasurable

(2 Corinthians 1:3).3. The Father brings comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3).4. We can cry out to God, “Abba! Father!” (Galatians

4:6).

a Quote to Ponder

“[The Father’s plan of salvation] includes the means by which salvation is to be provided, the objectives

that are to be realized, the persons that are to benefit by it, the conditions on which it is to be available, and the agents and means by which it is to be applied.”

Henry C . Thiessen

FasT FacTsThe Incomparability of God the Father

The false gods of paganism cannot compare with God the Father . This was taught in the Old Testament through…

Affirmation. “You alone are God” (Psalm 86:10) .

Negation. “There is none like God” (Deuteronomy 33:26) .

Rhetorical questions. “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?” (Exodus 15:11) .



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5God the Son

The Big ideaJesus Christ—the second person of the Trinity—is the divine and eternal Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of humankind.


f Jesus is the second person of the Trinity (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

f “Jesus” means “the Lord saves” (Matthew 1:21).

f “Christ” and “Messiah” both mean “anointed one” ( John 1:41).

f Jesus is God (Hebrews 1:8) and Lord (Matthew 22:43-44).

f In the incarnation, Jesus was 100 percent God (Colossians 2:9) and 100 percent man (Galatians 4:4-5; Hebrews 2:14).

f Jesus came to earth as the Savior ( John 4:42) and Redeemer (1 Peter 1:18-19).



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Verses to Contemplate“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32).

“He was even calling God his own Father, making him-self equal with God” ( John 5:18).


1. Jesus’s teachings are final (Matthew 24:35). 2. He unflinchingly placed His teachings above those

of Moses and the prophets—and in a Jewish culture at that (Matthew 5:21-22).

3. He always spoke in His own authority: “Truly, truly, I say to you…” ( John 5:24).

4. He asserted, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Mark 13:31).

a Quote to Ponder

“Christianity is not devotion to work, or to a cause, or a doctrine, but devotion to a person, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Oswald Chambers

FasT FacTsdivine names and Titles of Christ

Yahweh—the self-existent one ( John 8:58)

Elohim—Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6)

Lord—the sovereign ruler (Romans 10:12)



Documents

Little Book About God · King, God Almighty. God is the “King of the ages” (1 Tim-othy 1:17), the “great king over all the earth” (Psalm 47:2). He is truly the “King of