What is God? Truth.

In our current series we’ve been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. This week I want to continue answering the question, ‘What is God?’ Previously we’ve seen God is a spirit who is infinite, glorious, blessed, perfect, all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere, knowledgeable, wise, holy, just, merciful, gracious, patient and good.

The last attribute of God that I want to look at in this series is truth. Firstly we see that Jesus explicitly calls the Spirit of God the Spirit of truth: ‘And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--the Spirit of truth’ (John 14:16-17). Thus God is truth itself.

This means that God does not lie: Even Balaam the pagan sorcerer in Numbers acknowledges this when God gives him a message for the pagan King Balak: ‘God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? (Numbers 23:19). When God says something, it happens as he cannot lie. This is in sharp contrast to humans who are full of falsehood.

Similarly Paul also makes the point that God is true in contrast to men being liars. Paul is arguing against the idea that the lack of faith among the Jews shows God is unfaithful: ‘What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God. What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar’ (Romans 3:1-4). Man is the liar and not God.

And truthfulness of God is important to uphold. Why? Because our salvation depends on it. Humans are in a mess. You only have to read the paper to understand that we are full of sin and unable to help ourselves. But Jesus who is God says: ‘I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life’. (John 5:24). Now if God is a liar, then we are lost. But if God is not, then we’d better make sure we believe in Jesus so that we can have eternal life.

Do you believe God is true? Do you believe that God is telling the truth when he tells you that if you believe in his Son’s death you have eternal life?

Joel Radford

What is God? Good.

In our current series we’ve been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. This week I want to continue answering the question, ‘What is God?’ Previously we’ve seen God is a spirit who is infinite, glorious, blessed, perfect, all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere, knowledgeable, wise, holy, just, merciful, gracious and patient.

This week we also see that God is good. The Bible tells us this many times, but we also see evidence of God’s goodness around us. We can see God’s goodness in the creation that he created as ‘very good’ (Genesis 1:31). We also see God’s goodness in the way he looks after his good creation: ‘The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing’ (Psalm 145:9-16).

And if that were not enough to confirm the goodness of God, we can also see the goodness of God in blessing humans even though they are sinful. Not just with blessings in this life but in the life to come. Lamentations tells us that salvation can be experienced by sinners who seek God: The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD’ (Lamentations 3:25-26). Similarly Nahum tells us that God gives security to those who trust in him: ‘The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him’ (Nahum 1:7).

In fact, once you become a Christian, the Bible promises that all things that happen to you are part of the good God working for your good: ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose’ (Romans 8:28).

Do you recognise God’s goodness and seek more of his goodness through trusting in him?

Joel Radford.

What is God? Merciful, gracious and patient

In our current series we’ve been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. This week I want to continue answering the question, ‘What is God?’ Previously we’ve seen ten things about God: He is a spirit, infinite, glorious, blessed, perfect, all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere, knowledgeable, wise, holy and just.

This week we see that God is also merciful, gracious and patient – attributes that are all closely related to one another. In Nehemiah we read how these attributes of God were displayed in his relationship to the sinful Israelites: ‘They sinned against your ordinances, by which a man will live if he obeys them. Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen. For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you admonished them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you handed them over to the neighboring peoples. But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God’ (Nehemiah 9:29-31).

And God is still merciful, gracious and patient with sinners today. The author of Hebrews gives us this advice: ‘Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need’ (Hebrews 4:16). Humans are in a desperate time of need. They have sinned repeatedly against the almighty God and need his mercy and grace. And thankfully we can approach him for grace and mercy. But how? If God is a just God then as we have already seen in previous weeks, he cannot show us grace and mercy and still be just. The author of Hebrews explains to us that our sin is dealt with in the sacrifice of Christ: ‘But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself’ (Hebrews 9:26). In Jesus the justice of God was met for our sin and so God can graciously and mercifully let us into heaven.

And thankfully God is patient today too, waiting for you to believe in his son’s sacrifice for your sin. We read in 1 Peter: ‘He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance’ (2 Peter 3:9).  So do you acknowledge that God is merciful and gracious toward your sins, forgiving them through Jesus’ sacrifice at the cross? Or will you try his patience?

Joel Radford.

What is God? All knowing, all wise, holy and just

In our current series we’ve been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. This week I want to continue answering the question, ‘What is God?’ Previously we’ve seen ten things about God: He is a spirit, infinite, glorious, blessed, perfect, all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible and everywhere.

Another thing we must understand about God is that he knows all things. This means he knows all about his creation, including the sins of his creatures: ‘Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account’ (Hebrews 4:13). Most unsettling to think God knows every one of your sins.

But God doesn’t just know everything, he is also able to apply that knowledge which demonstrates his wisdom. And, like his knowledge, his wisdom is greater than anyone’s. Thus it is no surprise that Paul says elsewhere: ‘Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!’ (Romans 11:33).

Also we know that God is holy. To be holy means to be set apart – to be different from others. And God is most definitely different from everything else and therefore holier than everything else. Thus we read in Isaiah that the Seraphim in heaven cry in God’s presence: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory’ (Isaiah 6:3).

And as God is holy, it is no surprise that God is just: ‘He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he’ (Deuteronomy 32:4). This means God does not let people who do wrong escape: ‘the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished’ (Nahum 1:3). This is scary to understand because we are all guilty and deserve to be punished. But thankfully God punishes his Son for our sins so that his justice is met and we can go free and dwell forever with him. But we must accept his offer of salvation through his Son by trusting that Jesus was indeed punished for us.

So do you recognise that God is all knowing, all wise, holy and just? Have you accepted Jesus as your Saviour so that God’s justice is met in him for your sins? Or will the just God one day personally punish you for your sins?

Joel Radford.

What is God? All-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere

In our current series we’ve been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. This week I want to continue answering the question, ‘What is God?’ Last time I wrote on the subject, we saw that God is a spirit, infinite, glorious, blessed and perfect.

Sixthly, God is all-sufficient. God has no need of anything from anyone. Paul says to the Athenians: ‘The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else’ (Acts 17:24-25).

Seventhly, God is eternal. He has always existed and always will exist. The Psalmist writes: ‘Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God’ (Psalm 90:2).

Eighthly, God is unchangeable. Unlike humans who constantly change, God does not: ‘Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows’ (James 1:17).

Ninthly, God is incomprehensible. You may have already realised this, particularly if you’ve understood that God is infinite and eternal. But Solomon also tells us this when he dedicates God’s temple that he built: ‘But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!’ (1 Kings 8:27). It is ridiculous to think that God can be contained in our feeble minds or anything which we might build.

Tenthly, God is everywhere. There is nowhere that God is not. The Psalmist tells us this: ‘Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you’ (Psalm 139:7-12).

So do you recognise that God is all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible and everywhere? Or do you sinfully imagine God to be something he is not?

Joel Radford.

Why is the resurrection important?

In the bulletin on Good Friday I wrote an article on the importance of Jesus’ death. We saw that Jesus’ death is significant because it is through Jesus’ death that we can have forgiveness of sins. But why do we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus at Easter too? Shouldn’t the focus simply be on the cross as that is where sin is paid for? Today I want to show that the resurrection is of crucial importance because it guarantees that Jesus really did pay for our sin on the cross.

If we are to understand the importance of Jesus’ resurrection, we must firstly understand death. The Bible teaches us that death is the result of sin: ‘For the wages of sin is death’ (Romans 6:23). Do you want to live forever? Don’t sin, and you won’t die. That’s the secret of eternal life. But the problem is we all have inherited original sin from Adam, our first parent, and we all commit actual sins ourselves too: ‘…sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned’ (Romans 5:12).

So to overcome death, we must first overcome sin.  And this is what Jesus says he does at the cross for you: ‘ He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed’ (1 Peter 2:24). But why should you believe that Jesus has indeed taken away your sin so you can overcome death? After all anyone can say that your sins are forgiven and that you’re going to live forever, but that doesn’t mean that your sins are actually forgiven and you have eternal life. The person could be lying or deluded that they have the power to forgive sins when they don’t. The test is whether that person who claims to wipe away sin, can defeat death which is the result of sin. If you can overcome death, then you must have overcome sin.

So the crucial question is, did Jesus defeat death and thus prove that he had defeated sin? Yes. The gospel accounts are clear that Jesus came back to life and is still alive today, proving that Jesus has justified us – we have been declared legally righteous before God because of Jesus and not legally unrighteous because of our sin. This is what Paul means when he says about Jesus: ‘He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.’ (Romans 4:25). Thus the resurrection is essential for the Christian. For without it, we are still dead in our sins. No wonder we celebrate the resurrection at Easter!

Do you trust in Jesus’ death for your sins and know that they have been paid for because you also know that Jesus has been raised from the dead? 

Joel Radford.

What is Good Friday all about?

On Good Friday, some people will question what Easter is all about. They may think that Easter involves chocolate in the form of an egg or rabbit. But Easter revolves around the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Good Friday is dedicated to remembering his death, and Easter Sunday his resurrection.

But why is Jesus’ death so important that we dedicate a whole holiday to it every year on Good Friday? Jesus’ death is significant because through it we are saved from our sins and have eternal life in heaven.

But do we need saving from sin? Yes. We are all sinners and so all need to be saved from sin.  Ecclesiastes tells us: ‘There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins’ (Ecclesiastes 7:20). Now you may say, ‘That’s the Bible’s opinion, but I am not a sinner.’ Oh, but you are. And the fact that you are telling yourself that you’re not, illustrates the point – you’re adding to your sin by lying about your true state. Whereas if you were honest, you would admit that you are not as good as you should be.

But shouldn’t you get to go to heaven for at least the good that you do, even if you do sin at times? No. Good works do not outweigh bad works. Even children understand this. Suppose a child was always obedient at school but then one day punched another child in the school playground. Despite the child’s (and parent’s!) possible protests, the child needs to be disciplined just as if they had regularly punched other children in the playground. The other children (and parents) would demand it – there should be no special treatment simply because of a good track record.

So it is with us and God. When we sin once, we deserve to be punished. No amount of good works before or after the sin will make up for that stain against our name. That is why Christ needed to die if we are to be rewarded with heaven. He needed to take our punishment for us so that our sins could be washed away by his blood.

But how does Jesus’ death apply to you? You need to accept it by turning away from your sin and trusting that Jesus died for your sins. And if you do that, you will have a far better Easter than any amount of chocolate will bring.

Joel Radford.

What is God? Spirit, infinite, glorious, blessed, perfect

In our current series we’ve been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. This week I want to start answering the question, ‘What is God?’ This week we’ll only look at five things that God is according to the Bible.

Firstly God is a Spirit. Jesus teaches this to the Samaritan woman: ‘God is spirit’ (John 4:24). But what does that mean? It means God doesn’t have a physical body like humans. God doesn’t have an actual heart, ear, foot or arm. So when God speaks of himself having such body parts, God is using a human’s knowledge of the body to try and help them understand something about him. The Bible is not suggesting that God is anything other than a spirit.

Secondly the Bible teaches us that God is infinite. Zophar rightly says to Job: ‘Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens above--what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below--what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea’ (Job 11:7-9). God is limitless.

Thirdly God is glorious. Stephen says of God: ‘The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran’ (Acts 7:2). What does it mean to be glorious? Glory means to be worthy of honour. And it doesn’t take much reading about the God described in the Bible to realise that he is indeed worthy of all glory, as the elders say in heaven: ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being’ (Revelation 4:11).

Fourthly God is blessed. Paul describes God to Timothy with the following words: ‘God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords’ (1 Timothy 6:15). What does it mean to be blessed? To be blessed usually has the idea of being praiseworthy and happily content. Which God is indeed!

Fifthly God is perfect. Jesus says: ‘Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect’ (Matthew 5:48). This means that God has no flaws, no problems, makes no mistakes.

So do you recognise that God is a Spirit, infinite, glorious, blessed and perfect? Or do you sinfully imagine God to be something he is not?

Joel Radford.

What do the Scriptures teach about God?

In our current series we’ve been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. This week I want to answer the question, ‘What do the scriptures make known about God?’

Firstly, the Bible teaches us who God is. We learn from the Bible that he exists.  Even God’s name, ‘I am’, tells us that God exists: ‘God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you'’"’ (Exodus 3:14).

Secondly the Bible teaches us that God is three in one. In Deuteronomy, Moses teaches the Israelites that God is one: ‘Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one’ (Deuteronomy 6:4). Yet we also see that God is three persons in one God. For example, we learn this when Jesus says that people are to be baptised into God’s name: ‘Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’ (Matthew 28:19). Notice Jesus baptises them into one ‘name’, not ‘names’. But then gives three people for one ‘name’. Thus the Bible teaches that within the Godhead there is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Individual persons, yet all God.

Thirdly the Bible teaches us about God’s decrees – what God planned would happen and what God plans will happen. For example God decreed that Jesus would die on the cross for sinful humans: ‘This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross’ (Acts 2:23). And it happened. But the Bible also tells us that God’s decrees even extend to you and your life in this world: ‘From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live’ (Act 17:26). And not only that, but God has decreed whether you will become a Christian: ‘In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory’ (Ephesians 1:11-12).

So do you read the Bible to find out who God is and what he has done and what he plans to do?

Joel Radford.

What do the Scriptures primarily teach?

In our current series we’ve been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. This week I want to answer the question, ‘What are the main things that the Bible teaches?’

The first thing the Bible teaches us is what we are to believe about God. It is not surprising that God’s word tells us a lot about him. After all, it is very hard to know much about anyone unless they actually start speaking to you. I could know some things about my wife from looking at her. And then I could know even more if I watched what she does. But unless she opens her mouth and talks, it is very difficult for me to get to know her very well.

It is the same with God. We might be able to conclude some things about his attributes from looking at what he has created, for example that he is at least a good and wise God. But unless God communicates with us verbally, we won’t know much about him at all. And thankfully God does speak about himself in his word, the Bible. For example God tells us that he is a God of justice: ‘The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies’ (Nahum 1:2). But also a God of mercy and love ‘Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. (Deuteronomy 7:9).

The second thing the Bible teaches us is what God requires of us. This is important because in the verse from Nahum we saw that God is just and that is scary. Scary because we recognise that we are sinners and deserve to be punished. But then the verse from Deuteronomy gives us hope – if God is merciful, then maybe he will show us mercy. So what does the Bible reveal that we should do? What does God require of us if we are to experience his mercy? God says: ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." (John 6:29). Who is the one God has sent that we’re meant to believe in? Jesus. If we believe in Jesus Christ as the one God sent to die for our sins, then we experience God’s mercy and enter into eternal life despite our sinfulness. This is what God requires of us.

So do you read your Bible because it tells you who God is and what God requires of you?

Joel Radford.