The Nature of God

Illuminate Seminar 5The Nature of GodRoad MapWho is God?Names of God

Biblical PerspectivesGod as Trinity

Historical PerspectivesPatristics and Councils

Theological PerspectivesNature and Attributes

Illuminate AimsTo understand Titles and Names of God.

To understand Biblical perspectives on the Nature of God.

To understand the Nature and Attribute of God.

To critically engage with Theological doctrines on Trinity.

Tonights session is an introduction, thus it will not cover the whole topic on the nature and attributes of God. But it will aim to introduce key themes that will be later explored.

We have been exploring the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit through understanding the Biblical, historical and theological perspectives.

This session will contribute and assist our understanding of God. Who is God?Write down the names and titles of God.

Who is God?Elohim- God: Self- existent

YHWH- LORD- (Jehovah/ Yahweh) Separated from adonai to often refer to LORD GOD, Jehovah God

Adonai- Lord- Ruler, King/ sometimes used to refer to Jehovah. Adonai is often used to refer to the Greek translation of Kurios (Lord) I AM who I Am (I cause to be what I cause to be) is a pun on the Name YAHWEHThis was a common thing in the Old Testament. Names indicated the character of the person. E.g. Rachel, Leah, Jacob etc.Yahweh is the only God who can bring into existence out of nothing. The name Yahweh is related to I AM who I AM.Contextually this is interpreted in chapter 6. The definition is given in these verses. Exodus 6:1-36Then theLordsaid unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.2And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am theLord:3And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my nameJehovahwas I not known to them.4And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.5And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.6Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am theLord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:7And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am theLordyour God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.8And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am theLord.

Biblical PerspectivesExodus 4- IAM who IAM-

Exodus 6- God tells moses that his ancestors knew God as El Shaddai but his name, he had not neccesarily revealed.

God was insinuating that now you will know me by name! God wanted to be a personal God, that you would know God by name. To separate them from the idolatry of the Egyptians and foreign nations. This is the God who..A God who rescues people from Bondage

A God who saves and a God who creates community

A God who wants us to know him

A God who wants to bring people into an abundant life

John 8:58-59Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

59Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

TrinityThe word trinity itself is not mentioned in the scriptures, but is used to express the doctrine of the unity of God as subsisting in three distinct persons. It was first used by Theophilus (A.D. 168-183) and then Tertullian (220 A.D.)

Try to Understand Itand Youll Lose Your Mind.Try to Deny It and Youll LOSE YOUR SOUL!St. Augustine

OLD TESTAMENT

Genesis 1:26Genesis 3:22Genesis 11:7Genesis 18:11 Kings 8:60Isaiah 44:6

NEW TESTAMENT

John 10:32Mark 12:29, 32Matthew 28:19John 14:26Colossians 2:92 Corinthians 13:141 John 5:7-8

Biblical PerspectivesBiblical PerspectivesOften we dont need to prove logically that the trinity exists, if we prove that:

That Jesus is not a creature.The Holy Spirit is a person.

GODFather, Son, Holy SpiritFatherSpiritSonGODFatherSpiritSonIs not the sonIs not the SpiritIs not the Father GODHistorical Perspectives/ PatristicsHistorically, the early church and the councils had a difficult time dealing with the doctrine of God. This was primarily due to a large focus on Christology. Thus, there was a lack of attention paid to pneumatology. The early church had to defend doctrines against Christ and the Spirit.

Can you highlight what is heresy?Four Discourses against the AriansArius maintains that the Son was not always; for, whereas all things were made out of nothing, and all existing creatures and works were made, so the word of God Himself was made out of nothing, and once He was not, and He was not before His origination, but He as others had an origin of creation.HeresiesArianismDocetismAppolinarianismMonismMacedoniansAdoptionism NestorianismPatripassianism

Nicaea 325Webelievein oneGod, the FatherAlmighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and in oneLord Jesus Christ, theSon of God, the only-begotten of his Father, of thesubstanceof theFather,GodofGod, Light of Light, veryGodof veryGod, begotten (), not made, being of onesubstance(, consubstantialem) with the Father. By whom all things were made, both which be inheavenand in earth. Who for usmenand for oursalvationcame down [fromheaven] and wasincarnateand was made man. He suffered and the third day he rose again, andascendedintoheaven. And he shall come again tojudgeboth the quick and the dead. And [webelieve] in theHoly Ghost. And whosoever shall say that there was atimewhen theSon of Godwas not ( ), or that before he was begotten he was not, or that he was made of things that were not, or that he is of a differentsubstanceoressence[from the Father] or that he is a creature, or subject to change orconversion all that so say, theCatholicandApostolicChurchanathematizesthem.Cappadocian FathersGregory of Nazianzus in his oration on the Deity of the Holy Spirit, comments on the distinction of the three persons in the Holy Trinity. Gregory states that

neither is the Son Father, for the Father is one, but he is what the Father is; nor is the Spirit Son because he is God, for the Only-begotten is one, but he is what the Son is. The three are one in Godhead, and the one three in properties.Nature and Attributes of GodGod is one- Deutronomy 6:4God is Spirit- John 4:24Self existent- Psalm 14:1, Numbers16:22Omnipresent- Isaiah 44;6Omnipotent- Genesis 1, Habakkuk 3:6, Omnibenevolent- John 3:16,Psalm 145:17Omniscient- Jeremiah 1:5, 23:24, Isaiah 55:8Immutable- Psalm 102:25-28Transcendant: Psalm 113:4,5Next IlluminateJune 24th Time 7:30- 9pmTopic: The Holy Spirit