Thoughts on Discipling Part 3 Doctrine Part M

E9 Self-existence

F1 Definition:

G1 This is also known as aseity.

G2 God has no beginning and no end, He is always. He has no needs. He is dependent on nothing; all are dependent on Him.

G3 Because He needs nothing and is dependent on nothing, His word is true. His promises are true. His doings are true.

F2 God existed before anything else existed. He created all things: Psalms 102:24-27 GNB O God, do not take me away now before I grow old. O LORD, you live forever; 25 long ago you created the earth, and with your own hands you made the heavens. 26 They will disappear, but you will remain; they will all wear out like clothes. You will discard them like clothes, and they will vanish. 27 But you are always the same, and your life never ends.

F3 He is dependent on nothing and no one, for everything is dependent on Him: Isaiah 40:28-31 GNB Don't you know? Haven't you heard? The LORD is the everlasting God; he created all the world. He never grows tired or weary. No one understands his thoughts. 29 He strengthens those who are weak and tired. 30 Even those who are young grow weak; young people can fall exhausted. 31 But those who trust in the LORD for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak.

F4 God does not to be made alive, for He is the one who gives life: John 5:26 GNB Just as the Father is himself the source of life, in the same way he has made his Son to be the source of life.

F5 He is the giver, not the receiver: Acts 17:23 GNB For as I walked through your city and looked at the places where you worship, I found an altar on which is written, 'To an Unknown God.' That which you worship, then, even though you do not know it, is what I now proclaim to you.

F6 God needs nothing, ever. He gives, always. He does not get old, grow tired, run out of supplies, etc. Psalm 23:1 NET The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

E10 Self-sufficiency

F1 Definition: not dependent on anything or anyone to exist.

F2 He has no emotional needs, physical needs, spiritual needs, or financial needs. He has no need for worship or for worshippers.

F3 He has no need for a life giver, for He is the life itself.

F4 In the past, He needed nothing. In the present, He needs nothing. In the future, He will need nothing.

F5 Some verses:

G1 John 14:6 WEL Jesus explains to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

G2 Isaiah 40:28 BSB Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will never grow faint or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out.

G3 John 1:3-4 WEL Everything was made through him, and without him was nothing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light for people.

G4 Isaiah 40:28-29 GNB Don't you know? Haven't you heard? The LORD is the everlasting God; he created all the world. He never grows tired or weary. No one understands his thoughts.  29  He strengthens those who are weak and tired.

E11 Sovereignty

F1 Definition: It is usually defined as complete freedom from any control. That would be any control in any area. Pain might control me. I cannot go without sleep, for that would control me. The same could be said about breathing. There is no superior being that can control God in any way.

G1 Jerry Walls defines it thusly:

H1 So what is the sovereignty of God? Simply put, it is the truth that God is in control, that he has supreme power. It is the truth that he is the Lord of the Universe and of everyone and everything it contains. He gives Nebuchadnezzar as an example of God’s sovereignty.

H2 In the same article, Walls states: ...the sovereignty of God is everlasting, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation.

H3 Finally, he contrasts the Calvinist view with the Wesleyan view: 

Now here is a good place to highlight the difference between the Calvinist view of God’s sovereignty and the Wesleyan view. According to classic Calvinism, God’s sovereignty means that he determines literally everything that happens in the sense that he specifically causes everything to happen exactly as it does.

This can sound like a very pious thing to say, and at first it might seem to glorify God. But on closer inspection, it has very troubling implications. On this view, God caused Nebuchadnezzar to be proud, caused him to boast, and then caused his downfall, as well as his subsequent repentance. This is a troubling view because it means God actually caused his sin as well as his punishment.

The Wesleyan strongly disagrees. In the Wesleyan view, God did not cause or will Nebuchadnezzar to be proud. Rather, he became that way by his own free choices, by taking undue pride in his accomplishments. God then punished him to bring the truth home to him in order to move him to repentance. When he acknowledged the truth about God, he was restored to his kingdom.

G2 Another article explaining the difference: Kevin RK David, “Does God Need Ultimate Control to be Ultimately Sovereign?”

F2 God can do anything He wants, at any time, in any way, and no one can stop Him.

F3 God is sovereign over His sovereignty. He is not like the kings of Media/Persia. God is totally free. Nothing stops or hinders His freedom.

G1 Daniel 6:8 CSB Therefore, Your Majesty, establish the edict and sign the document so that, as a law of the Medes and Persians, it is irrevocable and cannot be changed.

G2 Daniel 6:12, 15 CSB So they approached the king and asked about his edict: "Didn't you sign an edict that for thirty days any person who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions' den? " The king answered, "As a law of the Medes and Persians, the order stands and is irrevocable."  ... Then these men went together to the king and said to him, "You know, Your Majesty, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or ordinance the king establishes can be changed.

F4 Other verses

G1 1 Timothy 6:14-16 BSB Keep this commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ 15, which God will bring about in His own time—He who is blessed and the only Sovereign One, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16 He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

G2 Revelation 4:11 NRSV You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.

Sunday School Lesson--Power to Spare

Power to Spare

Theme: God is the Almighty

 

Text: Genesis 17:1-8

 

A1 Outline

• B1 God's covenant with Abraham Genesis 17:1-8

 

A2 Notes and questions

• B1 Who is God talking to? (Abraham).


• B2 Who does God reveal things, give messages to, etc.? (Prophets)


• B3 Is Abraham a prophet? (Yes, Now therefore, restore the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours. (Genesis 20:7 NKJV).


• B4 What is a prophet? Amos 3:7
  
  
  
  • C1 The Hebrew word is נָבִיא nâbı̂y' naw-bee' It means prophet and spokesman. The first use is in Genesis 20:7.
  
  
  • C2 A spokesperson for God. Some were men, and some were women (Exodus 15:20, Judges 4:4, Luke 2:36, etc.).
  
  
  • C3 Qualifications:
    
    
    
    • D1 A call Amos 7:14-15
    
    
    • D2 A ministry Amos 7:15, Ezekiel 2:3-4
    
    
    • D3 100% accuracy Deuteronomy 13:1-3,
    
    
    • D4 Hatred of sin and love of righteousness
    
    
    • D5 Lover of truth
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • C4 Dispensation
    
    
    
    • D1 Old Testament starting with Abraham and continuing to John the Baptist (Matthew 11:9-14) and Anna (Luke 2:36), the widow.
    
    
    • D2 New Testament
      
      
      
      • E1 The Apostles
        
        
        
        • F1 Of Jesus Christ, this is the 12 (Matthew 10:2-4, Acts 1:26)
        
        
        • F2 Of the church, these are those who lived while the Apostles of Jesus Christ still lived. The Apostles of Jesus Christ could verify that these individuals were apostles. After the Apostle John died, there was no one who could verify people who claimed they were apostles. Compare Romans 1:1, 2 Corinthians 8:23, and Philippians 2:25).
        
        
        
        
      
      
      • E2 Agabus (Acts 11:28 and Acts 21:10) and the daughters of Philip (Acts 21:8-9). These lived before any of the Scripture was written.
      
      
      
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • C5 How do we know if there are prophets today?
    
    
    
    • D1 Their message must be compared to the New Testament writings. If different, the message is false. If true, it is not needed, because we already have that message written to us.
    
    
    • D2 False prophets are real. Experiences are real, but is their message true?
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• B5 How old is Abraham?


• B6 What name does God give Himself?
  
  
  
  • C1 The name "Almighty God" is the Hebrew Original Word: שַׁדָּי Part of Speech: Noun Masculine Phonetic Spelling: (shad-dah'-ee) H7703 and means almighty, the all powerful, omnipotent.
  
  
  • C2 Why does God use this name to Abraham? (To emphasize to Abraham that His promises and covenant will happen).
  
  
  
  


• B7 The word perfect means blameless. Why does God command this of Abraham? How can we be blameless today?
  
  
  
  • C1 "Jesus said to him, “He that is bathed need only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you." (John 13:10, EMTV)
  
  
  • C2 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9, EMTV)
  
  
  
  


• B8 Why did God change Abram's name to Abraham?


• B9 Is the covenant that God made with Abraham still in force? (Genesis 17:7 "everlasting").


• B10 What are the promises of this covenant with Abraham? (The land of possession (Israel) forever, a large amount of descendants, and that He will be their God forever).


• B11 God's power
  
  
  
  • C1 The problem of evil. Why is there evil in the world, if God is omnipotent, omniscient, and all-loving?
    
    
    
    • D1 It is the curse upon creation because of sin. Genesis 3 especially Genesis 3:13-19
    
    
    • D2 It is the natural consequence of bad decisions. Proverbs 11:15, Proverbs 19:15, Genesis 6:5-7, etc.
    
    
    • D3 It is the chance happening of disasters because of a cursed world. Luke 13:4-5, John 9, 2 Timothy 4:20, etc.
    
    
    • D4 It is because people are sinners (law breakers). Proverbs 11:1, Proverbs 15:4, Proverbs 17:23, etc.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • C2 Extent
    
    
    
    • D1 Calvinists believe that God decrees everything that happens and renders it certain. Every rape, murder, death is decreed by God. Every healing, every blessing, every salvation has also been decreed by God.
    
    
    • D2 Classical/reformed Arminians believe that God is sovereign in that He can do what He wants, when He wants, how He wants, and no one can change it. Decisions that people make are truly free. People can genuinely resist or not resist salvation.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • C3 God is the law giver. He is judge. He sentences. These are absolute, and no one can avoid these. God is also redeemer, if one meets His conditions.
  
  
  • C4 How does God help people?
    
    
    
    • D1 He sends rain on the just and the unjust. Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17, etc.
    
    
    • D2 He wishes all to be saved, that is, forgiven and reconciled to Himself. 2 Peter 3:9, John 3:16, etc.
    
    
    • D3 He can heal. He can strengthen. He can encourage, etc.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • C5 God's power is seen in
    
    
    
    • D1 Creating
    
    
    • D2 Miracles
    
    
    • D3 Judgment
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• B12 How can our knowledge of God's power, strength, and authority be used to help others?