Lesson One
THREE THINGS YOU MUST KNOW

Chapter 2: God

In this chapter we study about God. Is there a God? You must have heard this question before and perhaps you yourself have asked the question many times. Perhaps the Word of God is very familiar to you.

First of all, let us see what the Bible says about God. In the first chapter we saw that the authority for all truth must be found in the Bible. In Psalm 14:1 we read: "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" The verse continues by stating that the fools who say there is no God are "corrupt" and "their deeds are vile."

Let us look at the world of nature. You know that the earth on which you live is a globe. Consider the ocean. Oceans of water cling to this globe without a single drop falling off! Think of those countless stars, all of them far larger than our earth. They stay in their right position throughout the universe. Do you think all this is an accident—without a superhuman Creator?

Think about yourself as a person. When you do wrong you hear a voice inside of you saying you have done wrong. You feel heavy and guilty in your heart. We generally call this voice "conscience." Do you think it is there by accident and without any purpose? "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands" (Psalm 19:1). "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen" (Romans 1:20).

Yes, there is a God. Now then, let us study about the NATURE OF GOD.
First, God is Spirit (John 4:24). This means that we cannot see or touch Him. He is not a physical being like you and me. He is not limited by time and space. He is there right beside you as you study this lesson, and He is also in far-away places—perhaps 10,000 miles away from you—at the same time. He was there when your great-great-great-great-grandparents lived, and He is with you now, and He will be with your children and their children and their children's children. He remains unchanged.
Second, God is a Person. He is not someone who does not understand our feelings, sorrows, joys, or thinking. Sometimes we are inclined to feel that God is some awesome, cold and impersonal being, someone who has no relationship with us at all in our day-to-day life.

This notion is wrong. God knows, feels and wills. He understands our feelings, knows our thoughts, and He desires happiness for us. Third, He alone is the true God. There are no other gods besides Him. "There is one God" (I Timothy 2:5).

Now that we have seen that God is a Spirit, and a Person, and that He is the only true God, let us study about His ATTRIBUTES or qualities.
First, He is everywhere. "Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?…Do not I fill heaven and earth?" This is the proclamation of God Himself (in Jeremiah 23:24).
Second, He knows everything. "The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good" (Proverbs 15:3). This means that He knows everything about you. Every small thought that you think you can hide in the innermost recesses of your heart—God knows.
Third, there is nothing impossible with God. He is almighty. Jesus, the Son of God, said that "with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26). Fourth, God is eternal. He is not limited by time. He exists from eternity to eternity. "Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God" (Psalm 90:2).
Fifth, God is unchanging. We are constantly changed by circumstances and environments. But God is not. "I the Lord do not change." This is the statement of God Himself (Malachi 3:6). Sixth, God is holy. There is no sin, evil, corruption, or untruth in Him. "The Lord detests the way of the wicked… The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked" (Proverbs 15:9 & 26). "Your sins have hidden his face from you" (Isaiah 59:2). God cannot allow sin between you and Him, because He is holy.
Seventh, God is righteous. This means God is just or impartial. His judgments are right and just. "Righteous are you, O Lord, and your laws are right" (Psalm 119:137).
Lastly, God is love. This is the most important characteristic of God as far as your daily life and the practical application of the Christian faith in your life are concerned. When you know that God is almighty, holy, just and eternal, it is easy to be afraid of Him, because you know that "nothing good lives in you" (Romans 7:18).

But when you believe that God is also love—this awakening prompts your loyalty and faithfulness to Him. He loves you so much that He gave His only Son to die in your place so you can be forgiven of your sins. He loved you even before you were born. He loves you now. He will always love you. Because He loves you He cares for you. He wants you to bring to Him all of your troubles and sorrows because He can and wants to provide comfort and solutions.