Transcript by • Q 3 What do the Scriptures principally teach? • The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what.

by
• Q 3 What do the Scriptures
principally teach?
• The Scriptures principally teach,
what man is to believe
concerning God, and what duty
God requires of man.
Westminster Shorter Catechism
MOST IMPORTANT: KNOWING GOD
• Jeremiah 9:23 Thus says the LORD: “Let not
the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the
mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich
man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who
boasts boast in this, that he understands and
knows me, that I am the LORD who practices
steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in
the earth. For in these things I delight,
declares the LORD.”
ETERNAL LIFE: KNOWING GOD
• John 17:1 When Jesus had spoken these
words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and
said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your
Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you
have given him authority over all flesh, to give
eternal life to all whom you have given him.
3 And this is eternal life, that they know you
the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you
have sent.
NO IDOLS: KNOW GOD
Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before
me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved
image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in
the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down
to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a
jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the
children to the third and the fourth generation of
those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to
thousands of those who love me and keep my
commandments. 7 “You shall not take the name of
the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not
hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
GOD’S
ATTRIBUTES – CHARACTER – NAME
• Sovereign, Eternal, Infinite, Independent,
Unchanging, Infallible, Transcendent,
Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent,
Creator, Sustainer, Triune
• Holy, Good, Personal, Relational, Truthful,
Faithful, Wise, Loving, Merciful, Gracious,
Patient, Righteous, Just, Wrath
• Romans 9:19 You will say to me then, “Why does
he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”
20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to
God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why
have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter
no right over the clay, to make out of the same
lump one vessel for honorable use and another
for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to
show his wrath and to make known his power,
has endured with much patience vessels of wrath
prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make
known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy,
which he has prepared beforehand for glory
• Romans 9:19 You will say to me then, “Why
does he still find fault? For who can resist
his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to
answer back to God? Will what is molded
say to its molder, “Why have you made me
like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over
the clay, to make out of the same lump one
vessel for honorable use and another for
dishonorable use?
GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
OUR RESPONSIBILITY
• Isaiah 45:9 “Woe to him who strives
with him who formed him, a pot
among earthen pots! Does the clay
say to him who forms it, ‘What are
you making?’ or ‘Your work has no
handles’?
GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
OUR RESPONSIBILITY
• We are responsible for our choices
• If God should judge you it would agree with:
– Your treatment of Him
– Your treatment of other people
– Your treatment of yourself
• God’s judgments are always based on His
justice in condemning sin
• It is always wrong & absurd for a mere human
to accuse God of wrongdoing
• Romans 9:22 What if God, desiring to
show his wrath and to make known
his power, has endured with much
patience vessels of wrath prepared
for destruction, 23 in order to make
known the riches of his glory for
vessels of mercy, which he has
prepared beforehand for glory
GOD’S PATIENCE
• 1 Timothy 1:15 The saying is trustworthy and
deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus
came into the world to save sinners, of whom
I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for
this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus
Christ might display his perfect patience as an
example to those who were to believe in him
for eternal life.
GOD’S PATIENCE
• 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his
promise as some count slowness, but is
patient toward you, not wishing that any
should perish, but that all should reach
repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will
come like a thief, and then the heavens will
pass away with a roar, and the heavenly
bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and
the earth and the works that are done on it
will be exposed.
HOW PEOPLE ARE DIVIDED
• Many roads with same destiny: False
• One road with same destiny: False
• Two separate roads: False
– Jews: heritage, tradition, rituals, good works
– Gentiles
• One road with a fork in the road: True
– All are sinners that deserve eternal punishment
– Fork in the road: God’s will/JESUS CHRIST
• Justice for those He lets go their own way in unbelief
• Mercy for those He elects to regenerate and to believe
• All for His glory
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness
of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the
truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain
to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 So
they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew
God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks
to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and
their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to
be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the
glory of the immortal God for images resembling
mortal man and birds and animals and creeping
things. 24 Therefore God gave them up…
PRINCIPLES
• God’s ultimate purpose in all that He wills is to
glorify Himself by proclaiming His name
• God glorifies Himself by showing mercy & grace
to those who do not deserve it – the elect
• He glorifies Himself by dispensing justice to
those who deserve it – the reprobate
• You are saved because God in eternity past
decided to love you for His glory
• We are all responsible for our choices
HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ARE ELECT?
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Godly sorrow over your sins
Confess your sins
Repent from your sins
Faith in, trust in, belief in the Lord Jesus Christ
Live to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ
Testify to the Lord Jesus Christ
Learn about/know the One Holy Triune God
Love the One Holy Triune God
Love people