Preface
We have already talked about the existence of a true God in one of our Spiritual Voice booklets, "Is There a God? There are many ways to prove the existence of God. If you pick up a cell phone, you will be amazed. Why is it possible to connect all over the world without wires? It is because space is full of radio waves, so you can send your words to the other side, and the other side can immediately talk to you. What is even more amazing is that there are people talking to people all the time, but why are they not disturbed, and why are they not blocked by mountains and buildings? Without God, would there be natural radio waves to send you messages? The text of the first long-distance telegram sent by Morse, who invented radio, was: "What a miracle God has done!" Unfortunately, millions of people who called the telegram said there was no God! Darwin, the originator of evolution, was willing to recant his evolutionary theory before he left the world and accepted Christ as Savior, but unfortunately Darwin's students are still clinging to his abandoned evolutionary theory and saying there is no God!
When you truly believe in the true God, admit that you are a sinner, and trust wholeheartedly in the atonement of the Lord Jesus on the cross and in His resurrection from the dead, you will not only be saved, but you will have eternal life - life forever.
We trust in the true God, but what is this God like? This booklet, "Knowing the Trinity", is an introduction to all aspects of God. I hope you will read it carefully to clear up any false theories and gain a detailed understanding of the true God!
Chapter 1: The True God of the Trinity
Scripture reading: Gen 1:26, Mt 28:19, 2 Cor 13:14
God has revealed to us in the Bible that there is only one true God in the universe. "Polytheism" is a pagan belief that we cannot accept.
The Church has historically had different views on the Trinity. Although the Bible does not contain the words "Trinity", the "Trinity" is indeed a biblical truth, but it is a mystery (Deut. 29:29), which we cannot understand thoroughly, but we must believe that God is We must believe that God is "one and three, and three and one".
I. False Theories
The errors quoted below are all heresies, and we must be aware of them.
1. Sabellius Doctrine
In the early 3rd century, the Roman theologian Sabellius said: "The one true God (not three) is temporarily manifested to man in different capacities: the Father as Creator and Lawgiver; He is manifested in the Son as Redeemer; and in the Holy Spirit as Life-giver."
He denied the three persons of God, and this caused controversy in the Church.
The famous Latin writer of the time, Tertullian (125-230 A.D.), was a Roman lawyer. He repented in 190 A.D. In 202 A.D., he went to Carthage in North Africa and wrote the Patriarchal Treatise, which greatly influenced Ciprian and Augustine.
2. Arius Doctrine
In the early 4th century, Elder Arius of Alexandria (256-336 A.D.) was a debater. He looked at the Trinity in 325 AD and separated the nature of God. He said, "Christ is the highest created angel, the first to be created." He considered the deity of Christ to be second to the Father; he denied that Christ was with the Father from the beginning. He also says: "The Holy Spirit is born of the Son, the first created; the Son and the Holy Spirit are of a similar but not identical nature with God."
3. "Jehovah's Witnesses"
They say, "Jesus is a secondary God, and the Holy Spirit is a power. God is one and the same. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are secondary in nature and status to God the Father."
4. "Mormonism"
They say, "God is a trinity, three separate and cooperating gods; a man can become a god when he dies."
5. "The Christian Science Church"
They say: "God is a person without a body, God is only a human spiritual mind."
6. Morphology
They believe that there is only one God who reveals himself in three different forms or roles. For example, a man can be the husband of his wife, the father of his son, and the son of his father.
7. The Shouting School, Lee Chang-suk
He said, "God was in heaven, and then He became Christ and came to earth; and finally He became the Holy Spirit dwelling in the church."
8. The "Watchtower" and the New Theology
They do not believe in the true God of the "Trinity".
All of the above eight are heretics, and their theories are very wrong. We must not accept these false theories.
II、The Discovery of the Trinity in the Ancient Church
The Bible does not contain the words "Trinity", so who discovered this truth?
1. Father Tertullian (125-230)
He was the first to adopt the "Trinity". He used the word "essence" to describe the divine nature and all that it encompasses. The Father, the Son, and the Spirit all have their essence, and each essence is identical, but in different states. He used the Latin word Trinitas, which is the English translation of Trinity. He pioneered the "Trinity", which has been adopted by the Church ever since.
2. Athanasius (293-373)
He was a strong warrior who was appointed assistant to Archbishop Alexander and later became the overseer. He explained the "Trinity" very well. He later compiled the Athanasian Creed, which became one of the three major creeds of the ancient Church. He said that the "three persons" were not separate, because it was not polytheism.
Emperor Constantine was originally opposed to Arianism, but he later turned to Athanasianism, and Athanasius was banished five times.
3. The Council of Nicaea
It was convened by Emperor Constantine in 325 AD. The Council endorsed the Athanasian Creed and condemned Arianism as a heresy, expelled Arianism from the Church, and established the "Trinity".
4. Augustine
He emphasized the unity of essence and the trinity of personality. The three cannot be independent without one another, but all three have a complete essence. He reached the highest stage.
5. Calvin
He avoided using the terms "personality" and "trinity", but he defended the use of the Trinity, and he criticized those who opposed it. He says: "The essence of God is hidden in the Father and the Son; the Son and the Holy Spirit are not begotten of God the Father. Christ, as God, is self-existent, but He, as Son, belongs to the Father and is from the Father."
6. Wesley John
He believed in the "Trinity" and used this name, but he did not force others to use this name.
III、The One True God
The Bible has always been against polytheism. We should believe that there is only one God (Deut. 6:4-5, 1 Kings 8:60, Isa. 44:6-8, 45:5-6, 46:9, Gal. 3:20, Jas. 2:19).
All religions have their "gods", but we do not recognize them as gods.
It is impossible to be saved without believing in a god, but it is also impossible to be saved by believing in the wrong "god". Only complete trust in the true God is required for salvation. This true God is the Trinity as revealed in the Bible.
IV. The Truth of the "Trinity"
Mr. Wang Mingdao does not use the words "Trinity", but he believes in the Trinity.
1. The Bible does not have the words "Trinity".
The English word "trinity" is translated as "three persons". If we use the word triune, it can be translated as "trinity".
Not calling it "trinity" does not deny that God is three in one and one in three. It is not called "Trinity" to avoid the misunderstanding that we believe in a "triune" God, and to avoid the misunderstanding that it is the "body" of the "body". We do not call it the "Trinity" to avoid the misunderstanding that we believe in a "trinity" of gods, and to avoid the misunderstanding that it is the "body" of the "body" because God the Father and the Holy Spirit do not have bodies.
We also do not call them "three in one God" because God is not "one": "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30), but one are one. The word "one" (Jn 17:22-23) does not have the word "one" in the original, but only "are one", which is translated are one.
We would prefer to call it the "Trinity" (which is the common term for the "Trinity"), because God is three in one and one in three.
(1) "Bit".
The original word is prosopon, and the English word person is derived from the Latin persona. This word cannot be translated as "person"; if it is translated as "person", many people do not understand it. God has neither bone nor flesh, for "God is a spirit" (John 4:24).
"Personality": a personality, a reason, an emotion, a self-determined instinct, an action, not an abstraction, so that God has a personality.
The Latin word Persona originally refers to an actor who wears a mask on stage and plays three identities. But the Bible is not talking about the three roles of God. All three persons are God, but there is only one God; all three persons are the Lord, but there is only one Lord; all three persons have the same nature, the same glory, and the same power.
Separately, "There is one Holy Spirit," "one Lord," and "one God" (Eph. 4:4-6), "for There is only one God, and one mediator between God and man ......." (1 Tim 2:5) "There is a difference in the gifts, but the Holy Spirit is one ......." (1 Cor. 12:4-6) "I asked the Father, and the Father gave you another Counselor ......." (Jn 14:16) The original word for "another" is allos, the same kind of "another", not the different kind of "another" heteros.
The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are separated into "one", "one", and "one". But together, God is not three, but "one God". The Bible never speaks of "three gods".
(2) "Body".
The word "body" in the "Trinity" does not refer to the body: "For in Christ dwells God in all the fullness of His nature, in form and in body." (Col. 2:9). (Col. 2:9) We do not call the word "body", not like the claim of Sabellius (who speaks of heresy), but he does not recognize the "body" of God, i.e., the essence of essence, which is ousia, i.e., His Spirit, His nature. Essence is not material, but refers to the one true God.
God does not have a body, "God is a spirit" (Jn 4:24). As for God's arms (Deut. 33:27), eyes (Deut. 33:20), ears (2 Kings 19:16), and mouth (Isa. 58:14), these are all "anthropomorphic", i.e., they are spoken in human terms so that we can easily understand them.
2. The inspiration of the Old Testament
The names of God are plural, but not many gods, but the Trinity.
(1) "Elohim", "God" (Gen. 1:1), the first time the Bible uses this word to call God. The Hebrew word has singular, dual, and plural forms. The Old Testament uses "Elohim" 2579 times and "Eloah" 314 times.
(2) Man was created by God: "And God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.'" (Gen. 1:26) (Gen. 1:26) This is plural. But "Himself" and "He" in verse 27 are singular.
"...... Remember the Lord who made you." (Eccl. 12:1) The original is "the Creator", plural.
"For he who made you (plural) is your husband (singular)" (Isa. 54:5).
(3) When man was expelled from the Garden of Eden: "And the LORD God said, That man has become like 'us' ......." (Gen 3:22)
(4) The disruption of the Tower of Babel: "We went down and disrupted their accent there ......." (Gen. 11:7)
(5) The Psalmist's name for "God" is in the plural form over 350 times. The Psalms also have a dialogue between the Father and the Son (2:1-9, 45:6-8, 110:1-5).
(6) The Old Testament implies that God is three and one.
(1) Three-fold blessing: "...... Thus shall you bless the people of Israel, saying, 'May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD make His face shine upon you and give you grace. May the LORD lift up His face to you and give you peace.' ......." (Num. 6:23-27)
② Three times in a row, "Holy! Holy! Holy! ......" (Isa. 6:3) and "I" and "we" in verse 8: "And I heard the voice of the Lord saying I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? Who will go for us? ......" (Isa 6:8)
③ "...... The Lord Jehovah (Father) sent me (Messiah) and His Spirit (Holy Spirit)." (Isa. 48:16)
④ "The heavens were made by the LORD's (Father's) command (referring to Christ); and all things were made by the breath of His mouth (the Holy Spirit)." (Ps. 33:6)
⑤ The singular and the plural are used: "Hear, O Israel! The LORD (singular) our God (plural) is the only Lord (singular)." (Deut. 6:4-5)
3. The inspiration of the New Testament
(1) "When Jesus (the Son) was baptized ...... He saw the Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) descending as a dove and falling on Him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is My (Father's) beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'" (Mt 3:16-17)
(2) "...... Baptize them in the name (singular) of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Mt. 28:19)
(3) The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ: "If the Spirit of God dwells in your hearts ...... if a man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." (Rom. 8:9)
(4) "There is a difference in gifts, but the 'Holy Spirit' is one; there is a difference in offices, but the 'Lord' is one. There are also differences in function, but 'God' is one. ......" (1 Cor. 12:4-6)
(5) The apostle's blessing: "May the favor of 'the Lord Jesus Christ,' the love of 'God,' and the touch of the 'Holy Spirit' be always with you all! " (2 Cor. 13:14)
(6) Concerning salvation: "What about the fact that 'Christ' offered Himself without blemish to 'God' through the 'eternal Spirit' ......?" (Heb. 9:14) "That is, chosen according to the foreknowledge of 'God the Father,' sanctified by the 'Holy Spirit,' to exert obedience to 'Jesus Christ' ......." (1 Pet. 1:2)
4. The name of the Trinity
(1) The Trinity is God.
The Father is God (Ex. 20:3, Ps. 100:3, Jn. 17:3, Rom. 1:7, 1 Pet. 1:2).
The Son is God (Isa 9:6, Jn 1:1, 10:30, 20:28, Ro 9:5, 1Ti 3:16, Tit 2:13, Heb 1:8, 1Jn 5:20).
The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4). Note that the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is never forgiven (Mt 12:31).
(2) The Trinity is Lord.
The Father is Lord (Ps. 6:15, 13:8, Ps. 2:4).
Jesus is Lord (Rom. 10:9, Rev. 17:14, 19:16).
The Holy Spirit is Lord (2 Cor. 3:17).
(3) The Trinity is Jehovah.
The Father is Jehovah (Ex. 3:15, 6:2-8, Ps. 83:18).
Jesus is the LORD (Isa. 40:3, Mal. 3:1, Mk. 1:3 "Prepare the word of the Lord").
The Holy Spirit is the LORD (Ps 15:14, Isa 11:2).
5. The work of the Trinity
(1) Creation of the universe, "In the beginning God (plural) created the heavens and the earth ......." (Gen 1:1-2).
(1) The Father created (planned) (Psalm 96:5, 102:25).
② The Son creates (executes) (Jn 1:2-3, Col 1:16).
(3) Creation (operation) by the Holy Spirit (Psa. 26:12-13).
(2) Creator.
(1) Creation by the Father (Gen. 2:7).
(2) The Son created (Jn 1:2-3, Col 1:16).
(3) Creation by the Holy Spirit (Psa 33:4).
(3) Incarnation.
(1) The Father gave the only begotten Son (Jn 3:16).
(2) Jesus came into the world (Lk 2:11, Jn 1:14).
(3) Conception of the Holy Spirit (Mt 1:18, Lk 1:35).
(4) Salvation (Heb. 9:14).
(5) Resurrection.
(1) The Father makes alive (Deut. 32:39, 1 Sam. 2:6).
(2) The Son revives (Jn 5:21, 11:25).
(3) The Holy Spirit makes people alive (Rom. 8:11).
(6) The imprecation of man to write the Bible.
① God the Father implies (Jer. 36:1-4, 27-32, 2 Tim. 3:16).
(2) Christ implies (1 Pet. 1:10-12).
(3) The Holy Spirit implies (2 Pet. 1:21).
(7) Regeneration of man.
① The Father remembers the new name (Lk 10:20).
(2) The Son washes away sins with His blood (Rom. 3:25).
(3) The Holy Spirit performs (Jn 3:3-6).
(8) Concerning prayer.
① The Father accepts prayers (we ask the Father) (Jn 16:23).
(2) In the name of Jesus (Jn 16:23).
(3) The Holy Spirit guides us to pray (Rom. 8:26).
(9) Concerning fellowship.
"...... We have fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3) "The touch of the Holy Spirit" (2 Cor. 13:14, "fellowship", "what fellowship of the Holy Spirit", Phil. 2:1).
(10) Dwelling in the saints.
(1) God the Father "dwells in the congregation" (Eph. 4:6).
(2) "Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:20), "Christ is in your hearts" (Col. 1:27).
(3) "The Holy Spirit ...... dwells in you." (1 Cor. 6:19) God the Father dwells in the saints through Christ and Christ through the Holy Spirit.
(11) Sanctification.
① God sanctifies us (2 Cor. 7:1, 1 Thess. 5:23).
(2) Christ sanctifies us (1 Cor. 1:2, Heb. 10:10, 14, 29, 13:12).
(3) The Holy Spirit sanctifies us (1 Cor. 6:11, 1 Pet. 1:2).
As soon as we believe in Jesus, we are sanctified in status; but the actual sanctification of life depends on the Holy Spirit always examining and dealing with ourselves.
6. The Trinity is indistinguishable
God is one, but the divine nature of God exists in three forms in three persons. The three Persons are not separate, but exist in the same essence. The Trinity is conscious and self-directed, but is never separate or opposed to each other, but acts in unity. 7.
7. The Trinity is not divided into small and large
The Trinity is from eternity to eternity, and is of the same essence and the same personality, and is "one".
Jesus said, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). This is said in terms of divinity. But when Jesus came into the world, He made Himself nothing. He said, "The Father is greater than I" (Jn 14:28), and this is from the "Son of Man" aspect. The Holy Spirit came into the world and was sent in humility (Jn 14:26, 16:7).
The Bible is generally headed by the Father: "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" (Mt 28:19); and by Jesus: "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the touch of the Holy Spirit, be with you all always! (2 Cor. 13:14) and the Holy Spirit: "There are separate gifts, but the Holy Spirit is one. There are differences in ministry, but the Lord is one. There are also differences in function, but God is one." (1 Cor. 12:4-6) (1 Cor. 12:4-6) And the Father first, then the Holy Spirit, and finally Jesus: "who was chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, to be sanctified by the Holy Spirit, to be exalted in obedience to Jesus Christ ......." (1 Pet. 1:2) But generally it is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit that are spoken of.
8. Explain the parables of the Trinity
There are a number of parables about the Trinity, but some of them are not appropriate.
(1) Unreasonable metaphors.
Some people use the analogy of the Trinity with the fennel of the three leaves: not only the quality is the same, but also the shape of the three leaves is the same, which is not correct.
Some people use the human spirit, soul, and body to compare the Trinity: but remember, the Trinity is all of the same quality. We can only say: God is the Trinity, and He created man to be the Trinity.
Some people use the egg shell, the egg white, and the egg yolk as a metaphor for the Trinity, but the three qualities of the egg are not the same.
Some people use time as a metaphor for the Trinity: the past, the present, and the future. But the Trinity is always present at the same time.
Some people use the root, trunk, and fruit of a tree as a metaphor for the Trinity. But trees also have leaves, and some trees have flowers.
(2) The better metaphors are
(1) Matter: There is energy, movement and phenomena.
(2) Universe: There is space, time and matter.
(3) The body: There are height, width and length. The three degrees are not separate, but there are differences.
④ Electricity: power, light and heat.
⑤ The three states of water: Some people think that this is not very appropriate: because the three forms cannot exist at the same time.
But recently proved that steam, water, ice can exist at the same time: put some water in a test tube, and then erected in a glass bell slowly pumping, the hood of the gas pressure down to 4.579 mm column of mercury, and then the temperature down to 0.0075 ℃.
(3) The best analogy.
① Light: the essence of light, including three kinds of light: chemical light, which represents the Father (invisible, cannot feel or see); visible light, which represents the Son; invisible light, which represents the Holy Spirit.
The sun: the sun itself is in the sky, indicating that the Father is in the sky and does not come to the world; the sun, indicating that Jesus comes to the world and He is the true light; and the heat, indicating the Holy Spirit, although invisible, but the heat comes to the world.
9. Illustration of the Trinity
The same juice is poured into three cups.
The Spirit of God is not finite like the soul of man, but is simultaneously and fully latent in the Father, Son, and Spirit, and is homogeneous and cannot be divided.
We must believe in the existence of the Trinity in order to be saved: believing in the Gospel is believing in the Trinity. After believing in the Trinity and being saved, we must be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Some people call it the "Trinity"; it is better to call it the "Trinity" (three in one, one in three).
The relationship of the true God in the Trinity
Chapter 2: The Three "Omnipotents"
Scripture Reading: Psalm 139:1-19
Historically, the Church has used three "omnipresence" in speaking of God's performance: "omniscience," "omnipresence," and "omnipotence.
There is also "invisible", but this can be subsumed under "omniscience".
These are the terms used by theologians. This is true, but we should not use the word "omnipotent" because it is not a biblical term, and "omnipotent" is used in a derogatory sense, for example, to say that someone is "omnipotent". For example, to say that someone is "good at nothing" means that he is not good at all.
Psalm 139 is more complete in these aspects: 1.
1. God is "all-knowing" (vv. 1-6); 2.
2. God is the fullness of all things (vv. 7-12); 3.
God is "omnipotent" (vv. 13-19).
I. "Omniscience" (Psalm 139:1-6)
1. Omniscience
The title of Psalm 139:1-6, "Praise the Lord for his omniscience," is a later addition to the title.
Only Peter mentions "omniscience" in the New Testament: "Peter was troubled because Jesus said to him for the third time, 'Do you love me?' He said to Jesus, 'Lord, you are omniscient. .......'" (John 21:17) But the original verse is "Lord, You know all things", which is translated as "know nothing". This shows that the Bible does not say that God is omniscient.
2.In fact, the Lord is "ignorant".
He knows no sin: "God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Cor. 5:21) (2 Cor. 5:21) The words "without sin" are "without knowledge of sin" (see the small print). It turns out that God "knows good and evil" (Gen. 3:22), and "evil" means "sin". God knows what sin is. But Jesus had no experience of sin, so He was said to "know no sin".
Jesus did not know the "day and hour" of His return (Mt 24:36), and it does not say "that year" or "that near time" (vv 32-33), but "that day and hour". Here it does not say "that year" or "that close period" (v. 32-33), but "that day and that hour", that is, "that day" and "that hour". It is not that God does not know, but that the "Son", the Son of Man, "does not know either". We must not project which day or hour Christ will come again, for no one knows this. 3.
3. God is "all-knowing"
God is "not ignorant of all things" (1 John 3:20).
(1) He knows all things (Ps. 147:4, Mt. 10:29-30).
(2) He knows mankind (Psa 139:2).
He knows the thoughts of man (Jer 17:9-10, Mt 9:4, Lk 11:17). He knows the secrets of the heart (Psa 44:21). He knows the words of men (Psa 139:4, 19:14). He knows the deeds of men (Psa 139:3, Rev 2:2, 9, 13, 19, 3:1, 8, 15). He knows the sitting and rising of man (Psa 139:2). He knows man's pain (Ex. 3:7). He knows the needs of man (Mt 6:32). He knows the weakness of man (Psa 103:14). He knows the foolishness of man (Psa 69:5). He knows the desires of man (Acts 1:24, Rom. 8:27). He knows those who belong to Him (Jn 10:14, 2Ti 2:19).
(3) He knows the past, the present and the future (Isa 42:9).
(1) He knows the past (Acts 15:18): Man relies on books, relics, etc. to know the things of the past, but God originally knew them.
② He knows the present: God has complete knowledge of nature (Gen 15:5, Ps 147:4-5, Isa 40:26). He knows not only the number of the stars, but also the name of each star. Who among us can know the names of all the people in the world?
(3) He knows the future (Isa 41:21-23, 42:9, 46:10, 48:5-7). 1/4 of the Bible is prophecy, and Isaiah records more of God's prophecies. 4.
4. "The riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God" (Rom. 11:33)
(1) Human wisdom and knowledge: Wisdom is given by God, and knowledge is learned.
(2) God's wisdom and knowledge: God has it all, so there is no need to learn it.
(3) Knowledge must be used with wisdom.
Man has a wealth of knowledge, but many lack the wisdom to use it. God has an abundance of wisdom to use knowledge (Isa 40:13-14).
The "invisible" and "unknowing" (Dt 16:9, Ps 34:15, Pr 15:3, Jer 23:24, Heb 4:13).
The "knowledge" of God
(1) To the good (Gen. 16:13, Ex. 3:7, Deut. 2:7, Ps. 103:13).
(2) To the wicked (Ps 139:12, Prov 15:11, Heb 4:13).
(II). "Nothing is absent" (Psa 139:7-12)
1. "Omnipresence
The title "Omnipresence" in Psalm 139:7-12 was added by a later generation. We might as well say, "God is the fullness of all things" (Eph. 1:23). 2.
2. God is "absent"
(1) He is not in the lake of fire: Although He "dwells in the underworld" (Ps 139:8), the underworld is not the lake of fire (see the book "The Lake of Fire" in the 13th edition of the Spiritual Sound Series). God also dwells in the "dark places" (1 Kings 8:12), but He is not in the lake of fire.
(2) He is not in the place of sin: gambling houses, brothels, dance halls, and robbers' dens, etc. God is not there.
(3) He is not in the hearts of sinners: He is only in the hearts of believers (Eph 4:6). 3.
We should avoid "pantheism"
They think that there is a God everywhere and that everything is God. Some say, "Since Jesus is the door, therefore all doors are God." This is heresy.
We know that man cannot fill all things, because man has a body. An astronomer's mind can be on the planets, but his body cannot be on all the planets.
Angels and demons are spirits, but they cannot fill all things, for they are limited.
God alone is full of all things (1 Kings 8:27, Psa 22:12, 14, Jer 23:23-24): God is not only a Spirit, but He is an unlimited Spirit. He is "above all and through all" (Eph. 4:6).
He is present in all parts of the universe at all times.
God has special manifestations: He is in the tabernacle (Num. 9:15-23, Ps. 3:4); in the temple (1 Kings 8:18, Joel 3:17); in the holy place (Hos. 9:3); in the church (Jn. 14:28, 1 Cor. 3:16); with a special presence (Mt. 18:20); and in the heavenly sanctuary.
God is full of all things, but He is here and there, and this is His wonder.
III. "Nothing is impossible" (Ps 139:13-19)
1. "Omnipotence
The Bible does not have these words, nor does it even have a title. This is the traditional statement of the Church. 2.
God is incapable of something
(1) "He cannot turn His back on Himself" (2 Tim. 2:13).
Some say, "God cannot create a stone that He cannot hold." In fact, this statement is illogical in itself. If He could "create" such a large stone, He would be able to hold it; if "God could not create a stone that He could not hold," He would be "turning His back on Himself," but He is But He is "not able to turn away from Himself".
(2) He cannot sin: The Bible specifically mentions that "God can never lie" (Heb. 6:18).
(3) He cannot change (Ps. 102:26-27).
(1) He cannot change His nature: He does not do anything contrary to His nature, nor can He do it.
(2) He cannot increase or decrease.
(3) He cannot evolve.
④ His knowledge cannot increase or decrease.
(5) His power cannot increase or decrease.
He is all-powerful (Gen 17:1, 2 Cor 6:18, and 8 times in Revelation)
He is not "omnipotent", but "all-powerful".
(1) He transcends nature.
(2) He transcends mankind (Dan. 4:30-32).
(3) He transcends angels.
(4) He transcends Satan.
(5) He surpasses death (Heb. 2:14-15).
The wonder of God's creation proves that He is all-powerful; but He is limited: whatever He should not do, He limits Himself from His power.
God's omnipotence and our relationship
1. Relationship with us
God knows everything about the world. He must repay every man according to his deeds (Rom. 2:8).
He sees and knows everything that Christians say and do. Many times we are afraid of what people know, but not of what God knows. We can hide from people, but not from God. He knows every word we say and every thought we have. If we think carefully, God knows everything about us, so we will not dare to sin.
2. God is full of all things
If a so-called God is not full of all things, then this "God" is not God. The true God of the Trinity in whom we believe is full of all things.
He is in the high heavens and in the hearts of believers, and that is general. But we need His special presence even more: "For wherever two or three are assembled in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Mt 18:20) (Mt 18:20) With God's presence, we should not be afraid.
We have difficulties and sorrows, and someone knows, is with us, sympathizes, and comforts us, but the one who is with us is powerless; he can only comfort us, but cannot solve our problems.
We have a God who is "able to do all things" (Psa 42:2), who is "able to do all things" (Mt 19:26).
When we are in trouble, God will give us a way out: "In You there is nothing difficult" (Jer 32:17). We need not be afraid of anything, for our God is all-powerful and delivers all who turn to Him!
Chapter 3: The Beautiful Name of God
"How beautiful is Your name, O Lord our God, in all the earth!" (Psalm 8:1)
God is known by many names. Many Christians do not know God's name, they do not know what it has to do with them, and they do not know how to praise His great and beautiful name.
I. God
"God" is not originally His name, just as "man" is not a personal name. Each of us has our own name.
God, the original Bible has several different names. Before we discuss the name of God, let's look at the translation of "God".
The Bible is generally translated as "God", but there are also translations as "God". This is the Chinese translation, and there is no difference in the original language.
In ancient China, the word "God" was used. The ancients called their gods "God" and "Heaven". Taoism's "Jade Emperor" is also known as "Jade Emperor God". The so-called "God", that is, in the emperor "emperor" of "on" the god. God is translated as "God" is this meaning.
Later, the Chinese Bible translated "God" as "God", and in the word God above and empty a space. Some people think they respect God, so they leave a space blank, but why doesn't Jesus or the Holy Spirit leave a space blank? It turns out that the word "God" occupies two compartments, and the word "God" occupies only one. The reason for the empty space is to make the arrangement the same.
The translation of God as God indicates the true God, while the false God is translated as "God".
The original Bible uses the same word for both "true God" and "false gods".
The word "God" is translated as the true God, but the false gods are not translated as "false gods", which is different from the original. In fact, when translating "God" as the true God, the word "God" is still used, such as "God-man", "holy", "miracles", "miracles", "miracles" and "miracles". Why not translate the word "God" as "God-man", "God-holy", "God-miracle", "God-power", etc.? Why not "God the man", "God the Holy", "God the miracle", "God the power", etc.?
The Bible that translates "God" also has the word "God" in it, but the Bible that translates "God" does not use the word "God" once. But the Bible that translates "God" does not use the word "God" once, and does not translate "God-man" or "God-signs", etc. Therefore, we should call it "God" and not "God". If our Bible translates "God", when we read it, we should pronounce "God" as "God".
（II）、The names of God in the Old Testament
There are many names for God, and we will now discuss them separately.
1. Single name
(1) Elohim, which means "the mighty one": "the most high God" (Gen. 14:18).
(2) Elah, the object of worship (singular). Apart from Jeremiah 10:11, only Ezra and Daniel use this word.
(3) Elohim: the object of worship (plural).
Elohim and Elohim were common ancient names for demons associated with wood, wells, or rocks, and later became the patron saints of certain peoples. Genesis 33:20 refers to the name of the God of Israel. It also refers to the name of the altar made of stone.
Elohim is a plural noun: it is the plural of Eloah, which means The Supreme.
It is used 2570 times in the Old Testament to refer to the power and authority of God (Gen. 1:1, Ps. 19:1). He is the Mighty One, the God of creation (Gen. 2:4).
God, the unique and plural God, is a combination of El (Elohim) and Allah (Alah), which means "to swear" and "to be faithful". This means that our God is the one true God in three. We" is used in Gen 1:26, "Himself" and "He" in verse 27, and "we" in verse 3:22. We" is used in 3:22.
The Bible also uses this word to refer to false gods (1 Kings 11:4-5).
(4) Jehovah.
This is one of the most common and special names in the Old Testament, the name of God's covenant with man (Ex. 3:1-2, 19:3, Jer. 31:31-34), and is used 6,823 times in the Old Testament.
① This means "from eternity" (Ex. 3:14-15, Isa. 40:28).
② Havah:
This is made up of the word "Yahweh" or "Yahweh", which means "to become". He is a "self-existent" one who reveals Himself to man.
God is about morality; Yahweh is about nature.
YAH: This is the abbreviation of YHWH, which is the final verse of HalleluYah.
The Septuagint translates JHWH as "Lord" Kurios, the English translation of Lord, but with 4 large letters LORD, and Elohim as "God" Theos.
In about 1520 AD, Christian theologians combined the vowel letters of Adonai and the subvowel letters of JHWH to form Jehovah, which was originally a hypothetical word that became sacred after four centuries of application. The word is pronounced Jahweh.
④ The first mention of Jehovah in the Bible.
This word is not used in Genesis 1, but in 2:4: "The creation of the heavens and the earth came about in the day when the LORD God created them." This was after man was created. After God created man, he put him in the Garden of Eden (2:8).
⑤ This is a special name for salvation.
The LORD God sought man (Genesis 3:9-13) and gave him a garment of skin (3:21).
(6) He is a God of thunder and lightning (Ex. 19:16, 20:18, 1 Kings 18:38): the thunder is the voice of God (Ex. 19:19, Ber. 37:5, Moses 1:2) and the lightning is the arrow of God (Ps. 18:14, Hab. 3:11).
(7) In the centuries after the captivity.
They used "Jehovah" in ordinary conversation, but when they contrasted with paganism, they used "the living God" (Jer 10:10, Dan 6:20).
(5) Adonai (Gen 15:2): This is the plural of Adon.
Adonai means master, lord (Mal. 1:6), and is a manager. This is the relationship to a servant. Adonai can refer to either man or God.
A slave should obey his master. Unlike a hired hand, a slave cannot resign, but can only obey (Gen 24:1-12). Obedience is the only requirement for sustenance (Phil. 4:19).
If you obey your master, you will not have to worry about your life.
The high priest still used the name "Jehovah" when blessing or praying in the temple, but used the word "Lord" Adonai when praying in the synagogue or reciting the Old Testament.
(6) Rock Tsur (Isa 44:8): This is the only verse in the Bible that uses the word rock to refer to God.
(2) Compound names: Four compound names headed by "Elohim" El
(1) Elohim-Elohim El Elyon.
It means "the Most High" (Psalm 7:17). This name was used in two very important places in the Old Testament.
(1) Melchizedek is called "God Most High" (Gen. 14:17-20, 22), which is related to the Gentiles.
(2) The devil is called "the Most High" (Isa 14:13-14).
(2) Elohim - El Roi: The meaning of "God who looks after people" (Gen. 16:13).
(3) Elohim El Shaddai: The meaning of "God Almighty" (Gen 17:1, Ps 91:1).
There are 48 times in the Old Testament, and this is the name specifically used in Job, 31 times.
The adjective is derived from the Greek word "shad," which often refers to a mother's bosom and means "keeper. This Almighty is associated with the issue of lactation (Gen. 49:25, Psa. 3:12, Ps. 22:19, Song of Songs 1:13, 4:5, 7:3, 8, 8:1, 8, 10). God is a lactator and a giver of power. Elohim E1 already means Almighty, and with the addition of Shaddai, it means that the Almighty God is the God who satisfies.
(4) Elohim El Olam: "The everlasting God" (Gen. 21:33, Isa. 40:28, Dan. 12:7, Mic. 5:2). The Chinese Bible translates it as "the living God", but the original text is "the eternal God".
"Orim" is used for mystery or concealment (2 Kings 4:27, Ps 10:1) and refers to infinite time or age.
"With the times" (Lev 25:32), "ancient times" (Ep 24:2), indicates that God is of long standing (Ps 90:2). This is related to time. 3.
3. The compound names beginning with "Jehovah"
(1) Jehovah Elohim (Genesis 2:4): This is the first compound name.
(1) Relationship with mankind: He is the Creator (Gen. 2:7-15); He is the moral authority (vv. 16-17); He creates and governs mankind (2:18-24, 3:16-19, 23-24); He redeems (3:8-15, 21).
(2) The relationship with Israel (Genesis 24:7, 28:13, etc.).
(2) "The Lord is the one who sanctifies you" (Ex. 31:13).
This name is first used in Exodus and later appears several times in Leviticus. This is the God who sanctifies people.
(3) The seven names of the LORD concerning salvation.
① Jehovah Tziganeh Tsidkenu, "Jehovah our righteousness" (Jer 23:6) means: This refers to the Millennial Messiah, who is the righteous one of Israel. Just as Jesus is our Justifier.
(2) Shalom of Jehovah (Ps 6:24), meaning "the peace-giver of the Lord": This is the name of the altar of Jehovah that Gideon built for the Midianites before he conquered them with 300 men.
After we are called righteous, we have peace.
(3) The meaning of Jehovah Re'aroah, "The Lord is my shepherd" (Psalm 23:1): This is the most easily understood of the compound names of Jehovah, indicating that God is the merciful, the great, and the chief shepherd.
④ Jehovah Elohim Jireh, meaning "the Lord will prepare" (Gen 22:13-14): On the basis of salvation, God prepares all our needs.
⑤ Jehovah Rapha, "The LORD is the one who heals you" (Ex 15:26): This includes healing of the spirit, soul and body.
(6) Jehovah Nissi, "The Lord is my banner" (Ex. 17:15): After the Israelites came out of Egypt and won the first battle, "Moses built an altar and called it 'Jehovah Nissi. '"
We have God as our banner in spiritual warfare, and we will prevail in the Lord.
(7) Jehovah Shammah, which means "the place of the Lord" (Ezekiel 48:35). This refers to the temple of the millennial kingdom.
We are victorious in the Lord and always have His presence.
(4) If we apply the 7 names of the LORD to us, we are complete.
① The LORD is our righteousness: We are justified by faith.
(2) Jehovah Shalom: When we are justified, we have peace.
③ Jehovah Rai'ah: We have the Lord as our shepherd.
④ Jehovah Elohim: God has provided for us all our needs.
⑤ Jehovah Rapha: God is the healer of our spirit, soul and body.
6. Jehovah Nissi: In spiritual warfare, we will prevail through the Lord.
(7) Jehovah Shammah: We have the special presence of the Lord after our victory.
4. "The LORD of hosts" (1 Sam. 1:3)
(1) "Sabaoth" means "the Lord of hosts". This word comes from the Hebrew word Tsaba (meaning "Lord"), which means the commander of the heavenly army.
(2) Wrong interpretation.
(1) Some say, "The army means the army of Israel." If this is the case, then the Lord is seen as the "God of war". The term "armies" often does not have a title and cannot be the armies of Israel: the Pentateuch, Joshua, and Shmuel record many battles without mentioning "armies". Before that, it was "the Lord Jehovah" (Genesis 15:2), with God as the Lord. Later David only said, "In the name of the Lord of hosts" (1 Sam. 17:45), noting the word "in".
Some say it refers to the starry hosts (Ps 5:20), for they are often referred to as "the armies of heaven". But here it does not refer to the stars of heaven (more on this later).
(3) Some people think that "all the armies" refers to the "messengers of God" (Gen. 32:1-2), i.e., the beings on earth and in heaven, but this is also not true.
(3) The "hosts" are the heavenly army composed of angels (Ps 68:17, 104:4, 148:2, Mt 26:53): in particular, Isaiah 6:1-3 speaks of the "seraphim" and says "the LORD of hosts".
(4) "The LORD of hosts": Mostly used after the division of Israel between the north and the south and when they were defeated.
Jeremiah mentions it 80 times, Haggai 14 times, Zechariah 50 times, and Malachi 25 times when the nation was about to die and suffer punishment.
We especially need the protection and help of the "LORD of hosts" when we are in distress or failure.
The Name of God in the New Testament
The New Testament does not have the words "Jehovah", but it has other names.
1. "God" (Mt 1:23) Theos
This word is the Hebrew word "Jehovah", which replaced the Old Testament word "God of Israel".
The word "God" is used most often in the New Testament, especially in the attribute "my God" or "our God".
2. "Lord" (Acts 19:20) Kurios
The Hebrew word Elohim, replacing Adonai and Jehovah.
The Lord, the sovereign, governing God of all things, English as Lord.
3. Father Pater, father or ancestor
(1) The relationship between the Old Testament Father and Israel: In the Old Testament, God was the Father of the entire nation of Israel (Deut. 32:6, Isa. 63:16). Only Solomon, God promised him, "I will be his father, and he shall be my son." (2 Sam. 7:14) Solomon is the one who calls God Father on behalf of the nation. Furthermore, there is no single Israelite who can call God Father.
(2) In the New Testament, God is the Father of every believer (Eph. 3:14, Heb. 12:9, Jas. 1:17). He is God, the Creator of all things (1 Cor. 8:6), the Father of each of us Christians, and the Father of Christ (Jn. 14:11, 17:1).
4. Names of Jesus
1. Jesus (Mt 1:21)
The meaning of "Savior". The Old Testament Y'SHUA, i.e. Jehovah is salvation. Jesus is the same as "Joshua". 2.
2. Christ (Mt 1:1)
Christ means "anointed one", "king". This word is derived from the Hebrew word for Messiah Mashiach (Jn 1:41, 4:25). Jesus is the Savior and Christ is the King.
V. The Great God
The God we believe in is the true God, the Trinity, and the great God.
1. "I am"
"I am that I am" (Ex. 3:14). The original Old Testament word "I am" refers to God.
Jesus is God. When He said, "I am," the enemy fell back (Jn 18:5-6). 2.
2. God is the beginning and the end
"The Lord God said, 'I am Arafa, I am Omer .......'" (Rev. 1:8) (Rev. 1:8)
The word "I am" is "without beginning and without end", referring to His divinity. The beginning and the end here are in reference to His work (creation and redemption). 3.
3. we should know God as great
Many believers are saved but never grow. They stop at salvation. We should honor the Lord and never exalt ourselves. We should humble ourselves, consider ourselves as dust, and praise the Lord with dust on our lips. When we know the greatness of God, we should bow down and worship from the heart, and always praise God as great.
4. Do not call God's name in vain (Ex. 20:7)
For the name of God comes by inspiration.
Chapter 4: The Nature of God
The "nature of God" is what kind of God our God is. We must know something about God. If we do not know God well enough, we will not be able to grow spiritually!
The attributes of God are divided into two types: the "absolute attributes" (i.e., natural attributes), which cannot be transmitted, and the relative attributes (i.e., virtuous attributes), which can be transmitted.
What are the attributes of God? In a word, it is "perfect", the most complete, the most perfect. It seems to be known to man, but it is not known to man. No one can fully know the nature of God. It is only when God reveals Himself that we can know.
I. The Absolute Nature
This is a natural attribute that cannot be passed on to anyone. That is to say, man cannot share it, because man is created and therefore does not have this attribute of God. If man had this attribute, he would claim to be God! The absolute attributes of God that man does not have are
1. No beginning, no end
God is "from the beginning and eternal" (Ex. 3:13-14): "from the beginning" is without beginning, and "eternal" is without end (Ps. 90:2, Rev. 1:8). (Ps. 90:2, Rev. 1:8). God is the eternal God (Deut. 33:27), the eternal God (Rom. 1:23). 2.
2. God is a Spirit (Jn 4:24)
The spirit is invisible to the naked eye (Bk 23:8-9, Jn 1:18, 1 Cor 6:17). Of course, man also has a spirit, which God created, but man's spirit is not omnipotent, omniscient, and full of all things. Our God is omniscient, omnipotent, and full of all things. 3.
3. God is unique (John 17:3)
This uniqueness is pure unity, unlike man, who is a spirit, soul, and body, made up of different parts.
4. God is infinite (Jer 23:24)
He is not limited by time and space.
(1) He is supreme (Isa. 46:9-11).
(2) He is unmeasurable (Rom. 11:33): "His wisdom cannot be measured" (Ps. 147:5, Isa. 40:28); "His greatness cannot be measured" (Ps. 145:3).
(3) He cannot be fully understood (Rom. 11:33): Why does He make "life in the world to be troubled" (Psa. 5:7-9).
(4) He is the greatest (2 Chron. 2:5): There is no one like Him in all the ages (Ex. 9:14).
(5) He is "unchanging" (Heb. 1:10-12)
(1) He Himself never changes (Mal. 3:6, Heb. 13:8, Jas. 1:17).
(2) He does not repent (Num. 23:19, 1 Sam. 15:29, Ps. 110:4).
His will is unchangeable. He will never repent of His faithfulness, wisdom, power, and love (Ps. 110:4, Jer. 4:28, Ezek. 24:14).
(3) God's "remorse".
"When the LORD saw that man's sin was great in the earth, and that all his thoughts were evil all the days of his life, the LORD 'repented' of having made man on the earth, and was grieved in his heart. (Genesis 6:5-7) Why does it say that God does not repent, but here it says that God repents?
The original word "repent" (Genesis 6:6) is nacham, the same word as "repent" in Jeremiah 8:6. The word "repentance" in Hebrews 12:17 in the New Testament means sorrow, grief, and mercy.
(1) God's repentance is not like man's repentance for his own sins.
(2) God repents because man refuses to repent of his sins, and then He repents and grieves, which results in punishment (Gen. 6:13-22).
(3) When man repented of his sins, God turned his back on repentance and did not send plagues (Nah 3:5-10).
④ Moses asked God to "turn" and "repent" (Ex. 32:12), and God repented and did not send a plague (Ex. 32:14, cf. Ps. 90:13, 106:45).
The Bible often declares in advance that God will repent (Jer 18:7-10, 26:3, 13, 19, Joel 2:13-14), and the word "repent" is often used in conjunction with the word "change of mind".
Relative Properties
The absolute attributes of God are unique to God and are not passed on to anyone; the relative attributes of God (the attributes of character) can be passed on to people, that is, they can be shared with people.
This is the nature of God, and it turns out that Christians have the nature of God: "...... then they must partake of the nature of God." (2 Pet. 1:4) Having the nature of God brings forth the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).
The nature of God is multifaceted, but can be grouped into three categories.
1. "Most holy" (divine holiness)
We usually say "holy," but God does not need anything to be "holy" because God is "holy" in the first place. The English word holy comes from the Yogi Saxon word haling, hal, which means healthy, complete, etc. Man needs to be "clean," but God himself is holy, the most holy.
(1) "Most holy" best reveals the nature of God. "Holy" is the sum of the attributes, just as the white color of the spectrum is the sum of the seven colors (Lev 19:2, Ps 99:9, 1 Pet 1:15-16). The primary virtue of the universe is the "Most Holy".
(2) Never sin.
God is holy and the source of all virtues. God is incapable of sin (Lev 11:44-45). He will never commit a moral wrong. The mark of holiness is "uprightness" (Ps. 25:8).
(3) God is holy, so man is not free to go before Him (Isa. 6:5).
(4) God's holiness sanctifies all persons and things that belong to God.
We are justified and saved by faith in Jesus, but at the same time we are "sanctified": "...... are cleansed, sanctified, and justified." (1 Cor. 6:11) This is sanctification in status. As soon as we believe in Jesus, we are sanctified by the blood of the Lord, and God calls us righteous. But after we are saved, we are to show our holiness in our lives, which is actual sanctification.
People need to be sanctified, and things need to be sanctified, especially in the Old Testament, especially in the Tabernacle.
(5) God is the most holy, so He is forbidden to do evil (Ex. 20:5, Ep. 24:19). We must live holy lives and never turn to evil, for God is holy and forbids evil.
2. Righteousness (Psalm 145:17)
Righteousness is the result of holiness. In other words, righteousness is what maintains the holiness of God.
(1) God's inherent righteousness (Ex. 9:27): He is righteous, so that He hates sin in His heart.
(2) God is righteous in His actions: "He judges the nations in righteousness" (Ps. 67:4). He does not judge people wrongly. He rewards good and punishes evil, "for our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29).
(3) Righteous anger.
For God is holy and righteous, and He does not condemn the guilty as innocent. He is a righteous God and does not get angry easily, but He has righteous anger. When the people of Sodom sinned greatly and did not repent, His wrath came upon them (Genesis 19:24-28).
In Noah's day, God gave them 120 years to repent, but they did not repent, and eventually God had to destroy the world with a flood (Gen. 7:6-12). God gave the Amalekites several hundred years to repent, but they refused to repent and God destroyed them.
The world also judges people in righteousness. If God does not judge people according to righteousness, He is not God.
3. Love
The Chinese Bible translates the word "love" as "compassion" after Buddhism. Buddhism talks about "great compassion", but when you look at the statue of Buddha, you don't feel "compassion". We should not translate "compassion". Our God is not compassionate, but loving.
(1) Some say, "The Old Testament is wrath; the New Testament is love." In the Old Testament, God destroyed Sodom and the Canaanites; in the New Testament, God says, "Love your enemies.
But Jesus summarized the law as loving God and loving people (Mt 22:34-40). He also quoted from the Old Testament in Hosea 6:6, "I love mercy, not sacrifice." (Mt 9:13, 12:7) The Old Testament speaks of "lovingkindness" four times more often than the New Testament, 26 times in Psalm 136 alone (cf. also Ps 103:8-17, Ezek 18:23). On the other hand, the most severe judgments and wraths were administered by Jesus.
(2) "Mercy".
Kindness, mercy, love, compassion, and smiles with dignity.
(3) Mercy (Mt 9:36).
God sees our despair, emptiness, grief, etc. and has compassion on us.
(4) Grace:
God's love saves us from eternal punishment; God's grace gives us blessings we do not deserve.
God's grace is found in every age: the first (Gen. 6:8) and the last (Rev. 22:21).
Grace is a free gift (Rom. 3:24): God's grace is more than man's transgressions (Rom. 5:20).
"Grace and peace" (Rom. 1:7): This phrase is often found in the greeting, but we cannot reverse the order. The Bible does not say "peace and grace", but always grace before peace.
(5) "Love".
"God is love" (1 John 4:8), but we cannot say that "love is God". Love and holiness are inseparable, otherwise it would be lustful love. Love cannot be separated from righteousness, otherwise it would be "spoiled love". The crucifixion of Jesus was an expression of God's justice and love.
Of all the attributes of God, love is the most attractive. Love (including mercy and kindness) is the most difficult thing to explain to angels because they have never had such experience.
(6) Love in general.
God loved Israel (Jer. 31:3) because Israel was God's elect.
God loves the world (Jn 3:16): The world is a sinner, and God loves them. But if the world refuses to believe, it will perish.
God loves the church (Eph 5:25-32): The church is the body of Christ and will be the bride of Christ. God loves the church with an everlasting love.
The Prodigal Son (Lk 15:12-24): Many say that the prodigal son is the world, but the fact that the prodigal son will return home means that he is saved.
We can only use the prodigal son's return home to preach the gospel. He was a son, but he left home and loved the world and became a prodigal son. When he was desperate, no one went to the pigsty to preach the gospel to him, but he automatically "came to his senses and said, 'How many hired servants does my father have and how much food does he have left .......'" (v. 17) The world cannot call the Father Father, but only the Christian is the Son of God, and he can call God "Father".
The prodigal son, though prodigal, "was far away, and when his father saw him, he was moved with compassion and ran to ......." (v. 20) There are many prodigal sons in the church, but God loves them to the end. Mr. Moody said, "The Bible does not record a single prodigal son who did not return home." As long as you are a true believer and a son of God, you will definitely go home. "A slave cannot dwell at home forever; a son dwells at home forever." (John 8:35) Therefore, "once saved" is "always saved". This is the eternal love of God for His Son.
(7) Special love (Ps. 146:8, 1 Pet. 3:12): Special love is not spoiling.
A person who loves the Lord and does what He says is loved by God (Jn 14:23).
A spiritual Christian is especially loved by God (Gal. 2:20).
God loves a person who is willing to give (2 Cor 9:7).
A person who suffers for the Lord and is faithful to the death is especially loved by God (Mt 5:11-12, Rev 2:10).
4. Other Attributes
In addition to God's holiness, justice and love, all other goodness is His attribute.
God is good (Ps. 25:8). God is true (Rom. 3:4, Titus 1:2). God is faithful (Deut. 7:9). God is patient (Num. 14:18). God is gentle (2 Sam. 22:36, Ps. 18:35, Psa. 15:11). God is humble (Ps. 113:6), etc.
We cannot learn the absolute attributes of God, but we can imitate all the relative attributes of God. To be a spiritual Christian, we must be cured of the wickedness of the body by the Holy Spirit, imitate Christ, and live out the attributes of God. This is what God requires of each of us as Christians.
We are not only to trust in God to become a saved Christian; we are also to rely on God to be preserved in the midst of trouble; and we are to live the character of God to become a victorious Christian!
