part 4 of the “Chief End of Man” series as we prepare for the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ…
QUESTION 4: What is God?
ANSWER: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
Explanatory questions and answers
OF THE NATURE AND PERFECTIONS OF GOD IN GENERAL
Q. 1. What is the first fundamental truth to be believed, and upon which all other truths depend?
A. That God is; or that there is a God, Heb. 11:6 — “He that cometh unto God, must believe that he is.”
Q. 2. Is this fundamental truth known by the light of natural reason?
A. Yes; as the apostle declares, Rom. 1:20 — “The invisible things of God, from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made; even his eternal power and Godhead.”
Q. 3. In what volumes has God discovered the knowledge of himself to all mankind?
A. In the great volumes of creation and providence; which he opens to all the world.
Q. 4. What says the volume of creation as to the being of a God?
A. All creatures in general, and every creature in particular, say that God “made us, and not we ourselves,” Psalm 100:3.
Q. 5. What says the volume of providence?
A. It says, that the same God who gave us being, upholds us therein; and governs us to the end for which he made us, Heb. 1:3.
Q. 6. Is not every man’s own being, a convincing evidence that there is a God?
A. Yes; for, “in him we live, move, and have our being.” No man can have any hand in his own formation in the womb, Psalm 139:15, 16; nor can he add a cubit unto his stature, or make one hair of his head either white or black, Matt. 6:27; and 5:36.
Q. 7. Though the works of creation and providence declare that God is, can they also tell us what God is?
A. They afford us some dark glimpses of his eternal power, wisdom, greatness, and goodness; but it is only by and through the scriptures of truth, set home on the soul by his Spirit, that we can attain the saving knowledge of God, and of his perfections, John 5:39; 2 Pet. 1:19; Rom. 15:4.
Q. 8. Who is it that reveals God to the sons of men in the word?
A. Christ, the eternal Son of God: “No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him,” John 1:18.
Q. 9. What account of himself, has God given us in the scriptures?
A. There are three short, but comprehensive descriptions which he has given of himself there: (1.) That God is light, 1 John 1:5. (2.) That God is love, 1 John 4:8, 16. (3.) That God is a Spirit, John 4:24.
Q. 10. Why is God said to be light?
A. Because of his infinite purity and omniscience, Hab. 1:13; Heb. 4:13; and because he is the fountain and father of all light, whether material, natural, gracious, or glorious, James 1:17.
Q. 11. Why is God said to be love?
A. Because, according to the manifestation he has made of himself in Christ, love is the reigning excellency of his nature, which gives a dye or tincture to all his other perfections, in their egress, or exercise about the salvation of sinners, of mankind, John 3:16; 1 John 4:8-10.
Q. 12. Why is he said to be a Spirit?
A. Because he is necessarily and essentially a living intelligent substance; incorruptible, incorporeal, without flesh, or bones, or bodily parts, Luke 24:39.
Q. 13. How far does God transcend all created spirits?
A. He is as infinitely above the being of all created spirits, as he is above the conception of all intelligent creatures. Job 37:23 — “Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out.”
Q. 14. Since God is a most simple and pure Spirit, why are bodily parts, such as eyes, ears, hands, face, and the like, ascribed to him in scripture?
A. Such figurative expressions ought not to be understood in their literal sense, but according to the true scope and intent of them; which is to set forth some acts and perfections of the divine nature, to which these members of the body bear some faint resemblance. Thus, when eyes and ears are ascribed to God, they signify his omniscience; hands are desired to denote his power; and his face, the manifestation of his favor: and in this light, other metaphors of like nature, when applied to God, ought to be explained.
Q. 15. Is it lawful to form any external image of God with the hand, or any internal imaginary idea of him in the fancy?
A. It is absolutely unlawful and idolatrous; condemned in the Second Commandment, and other scriptures, Deut. 4:12, 15. Rom. 1:23. Man cannot form an imaginary idea of his own soul or spirit, far less of Him who is the Father of spirits.
Q. 16. What may we learn from God’s being a spirit?
A. To worship him in spirit and in truth, John 4:24.
Q. 17. What is it to worship him in spirit and in truth?
A. It is to worship him, from a real and saving knowledge of what he is in Christ to lost sinners of mankind, John 17:3.
Q. 18. Is it possible for man to attain the real and saving knowledge of God?
A. Although neither men nor angels can have a comprehensive knowledge of God, Job 11:7-9; yet, besides the speculative and merely rational knowledge of him, which men have, and may have much of, by the light of nature, a saving and satisfying knowledge of him is attainable, and is promised in the word, Jer. 24:7 — “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord.” And John 6:45 — “It is written in the prophets, they shall be all taught of God.”
Q. 19. Wherein consists the saving knowledge of God?
A. It is like the white stone and new name, which no man knows but he that receives it, Rev. 2:17; and he that attains it, cannot make language of it, but silently admires what he cannot comprehend: only, there is no saving knowledge of God, but in and through Christ the Savior, 2 Cor. 4:6.
Selah