Basic Bible Teachings: Part II – Knowing God

1. Where Must We Begin?

To help us determine how to begin presenting basic Christian teachings, the Bible itself gives examples. Paul in Acts 17:19ff. answered a question about that by referring to a Greek inscription “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD,” explaining, “the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you.” Then he showed that “since we are the offspring of God,” we ought not to think of Him as like the man-made images that filled Athens. His introduction to the gospel in Acts 14:13ff. to less learned pagans, begins in a similar way by directing them away from their idols to the living God who made all things and provided for His creation. Paul in Romans 1:16ff, introduced the whole body of gospel teaching by showing that although God’s “eternal power and Godhead” are obvious in all that He has made man in his unrighteousness suppresses that revelation. Therefore he everywhere experiences the frightening consequences of that ungodliness and unrighteousness in the vices to which God, in judgment, “gives him up” (w. 24, 26, 28). Psalm 94:8–13 exposes the foolishness of rejecting the Creator. “He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see?” Can the Maker be less than what He made?

Since man’s predicament is in every way traceable to his deliberate revolt against and resulting ignorance of God, his salvation is really coming to know and be reconciled with God. See how John at the end of his first letter summarizes the matter: “. . . the whole world lies in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come, and has given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” Our Lord in His prayer to His Father in John 17 speaks ofHis being granted “authority over all flesh, that H e should give eternal life” to those whom the Father has given to Him. “And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

2. The Reality and Limits of Our Knowledge of God.

God reveals Himself to us so that we may know Him. This is possible because we were, up to a point, made like Him—“in His image.” In other respects, however, He is infinitely beyond us. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8, 9). Man instinctively revolts against these limits. Think of the Jehovah’s Witness’ usual objection to the Christian revelation of God: “God wouldn’t insult our intelligence by expecting us to believe what is unreasonable.” Who says He wouldn’t? The same attitude has become characteristic of our increasingly Liberal “expert” synod reports, which routinely “reinterpret” the Bible to conform to current scientific (physical, psychological or social) opinions. The Apostle Paul called us to unceasing warfare for the exactly opposite cause, “pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:4, 5).

3. The Trinity.

From the beginning of Genesis on, the Bible speaks of God as more than one (“Let us make man . . . .”), and yet as only One. Through the centuries Christian thinkers have vainly sought images to illustrate this seeming contradiction. How can we know, ifwe cannot understand Him? Because He reveals Himself to us as the only God, and yet as God the Father, our Creator, God the Son, our Savior, and God the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier. “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:18) “For through Him we . . . have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:18). “God sent forth His Son . . . that we might receive the adoption as sons. And . . . God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’ Therefore you are . . . a son, and . . . an heir of God through Christ” (Gal. 4:4–7).Thus the Christian faith is essentially faith in and a growing personal relationship with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Christians are admonished to, “building yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 20, 21).

4. The Creator.

How must we introduce the Christian faith? Some have suggested that we begin with the New Testament gospels. Reformed missionary leaders have pointed out that we cannot satisfactorily do that. We must rather begin where the Bible itself (Genesis 1) and Paul in his missionary witness (Acts 14 and 17) began, (and therefore also our creed begins). We must introduce God, “the living God who made” “the world and everything in it,” “God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.”

This approach brings us immediately into collision with the sophisticated paganism of today, just as it brought such a collision with the paganism of the Apostle’s time. “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Heb. 11:3). “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.” “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:6,9). God’s claims on the universe and everything in it are the claims of their Creator. And “Christians” who try to compromise those claims by deferring to unbelieving scholars who reject them are simply surrendering to God’s enemies.

5. God, the Provider.

Paul, in his examples of gospel testimony to an unbelieving world proceeded from introducing God as the Creator, to highlight His continuing providence for His creation. “Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). “He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and bas determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, so that they should seek the Lord . . . for in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:26–28).

Does God’s Providence govern and control everything? His Word says that He “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11), And our Lord assured His followers that although they would be “hated by all” for the sake of His name, “not a hair of your head shall perish” (Luke 21:18). How is this possible, if people are accountable for their own actions? God’s Word teaches both man’s responsibility and God’s total control. “If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it” (Amos 3:6)? In Isaiah 10: 5ff. God calls the Assyrian “the rod of My anger” commissioned to punish the wicked, yet holds that Assyrian completely to blame for the atrocities be has committed for his own wicked reasons. This double explanation comes out especially in the death of our Lord, with which Peter must charge his people. “Him, being delivered by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified and slain” (Acts 2:23).

The all-inclusive Providence of God is to be the sure encouragement of all real believers in Christ. They are to consider the birds and the flowers. If their “heavenly Father” provides even for these, will He not “much more” provide for His children (Matt. 6:25ff.)? This confidence in God also becomes our assurance that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28ff.). For no “created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

“When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way!”

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