June 18, 2023 – Bible Doctrine 3 – Who Is God?

Lesson Date: June 18, 2023

Focal Scripture Passage: Genesis 1:1; Exodus 3:13-14; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 55:8-9; Daniel 4:35; Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 12:28-29; John 1:3, 18; 3:16; 4:24; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Colossians 1:16-17

AIM: To lead students to discover six characteristics that set the God of the Bible apart from all other so-called “gods,” and to yield themselves to God as part of His creation, made by Him and for Him.

Before class: Read the chapters containing the focal passages several times during the week.  Write the lesson title, Who Is God?, on the marker board or chalkboard.  Get enough copies of the Lesson Outline handout for your anticipated attendance.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Direct the students’ attention to the lesson title, Who Is God?, written on the board.  Tell them you are going to read the beliefs of some different religions about God (each religion is identified in parentheses for your information; don’t read that to the class).  Tell them to listen to see if any of these beliefs match what the Bible says about God.

Religious Group A believes in and worships three Gods that make up the trinity.  One is the creator of the universe, another is the preserver of the universe, and the third is the destroyer of the universe. These Gods, along with millions of other deities, are considered manifestations of either one supreme God or of a single, transcendent power. (Hinduism)

Religious Group B rejects the existence of the supernatural: therefore they believe there is no God, so self is worshiped in God’s place. (Humanism)

Religious Group C believes God is the true, divine nature in the deepest depths of every human being; in other words, our infinite, enlightened self. (Buddhism)

Religious Group D believes God is in everything, man is God, mind creates reality, and one’s own experience validates the truth. (New Age)

Religious Group E believes God is the creator of all things, and is all-powerful and all-knowing. God has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life. (Muslim)

Ask: “Do any of those beliefs match what the Bible teaches?” (some have some elements of truth, but none match exactly what the Bible says).  Ask: “If someone were to ask you what you believe about God, how would you answer?  Can you back up your beliefs with the Bible?”  Tell the class the title of today’s lesson is Who Is God?

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Tell the class this is our third lesson in the Survey of Bible Doctrine.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (God’s Revelation of Himself to Man).
   • State that you hope each of them have read the Bible every day this week.
   • Say: “God has gone to the trouble of revealing Himself to mankind, but what has He revealed about Himself in the Bible?”
2. God is ONE.
   • Ask everyone to turn to Deuteronomy 6, and then read Deuteronomy 6:4.
   • Ask: “What does this verse tell us about God?” (God is ONE; in other words, He is the one and only true God).
   • Tell the students the first characteristic of the God of the Bible is that God is ONE.
   • Explain the following:
     • This verse is part of a statement of faith God commanded His people (the Jews) to recite every day.
     • The belief in one God (as opposed to multitudes of gods) is known as monotheism.
     • The first of the Ten Commandments also speaks of God’s oneness: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Ex. 20:3).
   • Ask: “Those verses about God’s oneness are from the Old Testament, but does the New Testament say anything about God being ONE?”
   • Ask everyone to turn to Mark 12, and then ask a volunteer to read Mark 12:28-29.
   • Tell the class that Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:4, affirming that God is ONE.
   • Summarize: Every religion worships one or more so-called “gods,” but the God of the Bible is the ONE and only true God.
3. God is a SPIRIT.
   • Ask everyone to turn to John 4, and then ask a volunteer to read John 4:24.
   • Ask: “What did Jesus tell us about God?” (God is a SPIRIT).
   • Tell the students the second characteristic of the God of the Bible is that God is a SPIRIT.
   • Stress the fact that one way God is different from us is that we live in mortal fleshly bodies, but God is not confined to a fleshly body.
   • Ask everyone to turn to John 1, and then read John 1:18.
   • Ask: “What does this verse tell us about God?” (since He is a SPIRIT, no one has ever seen Him.
   • Explain the following:
     • Since God is a SPIRIT, He is invisible to our mortal eyes.
     • This is why we should not make statues or visual images of God: none could ever accurately portray Him.
     • Since He is not confined to a physical body, God is not limited by space; in other words, He can be everywhere at once.
   • Summarize: Some religions worship man or images of other creatures, but the God of the Bible is a SPIRIT.
4. God is PERSONAL.
   • Tell the students the third characteristic of the God of the Bible is that God is PERSONAL.
   • Explain the following:
     • God is not merely an impersonal, unknowable force.
     • Like us, He exhibits the characteristics of personhood.
   • Ask everyone to turn to Exodus 3, and then read Exodus 3:13-14.
   • Ask: “What do these verses reveal about God?” (like us, He has a name).
   • Ask everyone to turn to Isaiah 55, and then ask a volunteer to read Isaiah 55:8-9.
   • Ask: “What do these verses reveal about God?” (God thinks, but His thoughts are higher than ours).
   • Ask if any volunteer(s) would quote John 3:16.
   • Ask: “What motivated God to send His Son?” (His love for humanity).
   • Tell the class that this reveals that God feels: He has emotions like we do).
   • Ask everyone to turn to Daniel 4, and then read Daniel 4:35.
   • Ask: “According to this verse, what causes God to act?” (His will).
   • Tell the students that like us and other persons, God wills.
   • Ask if any volunteer(s) would quote Genesis 1:1.
   • Tell the class that verse reveals that God acts on His will.
   • Summarize: Some religions worship some impersonal force, but the God of the Bible is PERSONAL: He has a name, He thinks, He feels, He has a will, and He acts on His will.
5. God Reveals Himself as the TRINITY.
   • Ask everyone to turn to 2 Corinthians 13, and then ask a volunteer to read 2 Corinthians 13:14.
   • Ask: “Who is named in that verse?” (Jesus Christ, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit).
   • Tell the students the fourth characteristic of the God of the Bible is that God reveals Himself as the TRINITY.
   • Explain the following:
     • God is one God, but He reveals Himself and acts in three persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
     • The three persons of the Trinity all exist simultaneously, with distinct roles, but they are still one God.
     • Another term for the Trinity is the triune Godhead.
     • During the Last Supper, Jesus clearly told His disciples that He was going to His Father, but would send the Holy Spirit to be with them, comfort them, guide them, and teach them (John 16:7-15).
   • Ask everyone to turn to Matthew 3, and then ask a volunteer to read Matthew 3:16-17.
   • Ask: “Where was God the Son?” (in the water being baptized).
   • Ask: “How was God the Spirit manifested?” (He descended upon Jesus in the visible form of a dove).
   • Ask: “What did God the Father do?” (spoke audibly from heaven).
   • Tell the class at Jesus’ baptism all three persons of the Trinity were clearly revealed.
   • Summarize: Some religions worship multiple gods, but the God of the Bible reveals Himself as the TRINITY: one God who exists and functions as three persons.
6. God is the CREATOR.
   • Remind the class that we have already quoted Genesis 1:1, which says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
   • Ask: “What does that verse reveal about God?” (He created heaven and earth).
   • Ask everyone to turn to John 1, and then read John 1:3.
   • Ask: “How many things were created by God?” (all things).
   • Tell the students the fifth characteristic of the God of the Bible is that God is the CREATOR.
   • Ask everyone to turn to Colossians 1, and then ask a volunteer to read Colossians 1:16.
   • Ask: “What did God create?” (everything in the universe, including invisible spirits like angels).
   • Tell the class that verse says everything was made BY God and FOR
   • Summarize: Some religions worship created things like animals, men, or celestial bodies, but the God of the Bible is the CREATOR of everything in the universe.
7. God is the SUSTAINER.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Colossians 1:17.
   • Tell the students the sixth characteristic of the God of the Bible is that God is the SUSTAINER.
   • Explain that the word consist means that God sustains all of His creation; He literally holds the entire universe together.
   • Summarize: Some religions have to maintain and dust off their idols, but the God of the Bible is the SUSTAINER of everything in the universe.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the students that the title of today’s lesson is Who Is God?  Give each of them a copy of the Lesson Outline handout.  Review the lesson by reading the six main points from that outline, along with the implications for us:

God is ONE – we must not worship anything or anyone else.

God is a SPIRIT – we must worship Him “in spirit and in truth.”

God is PERSONAL – He knows us personally and loves us.

God Reveals Himself as the TRINITY – the Father chose us, the Son died for us, and the Spirit lives within us.

God is the CREATOR – God made us.

God is the SUSTAINER – God sustains our lives as long as He has work for us to do.

Stress that these facts set the God of the Bible apart from all the so-called “gods” worshiped by other religions.  Remind the students that Colossians 1:16 says, “all things were created by Him, and for Him.”  Tell them since all things were created BY God and FOR God, then we exist to serve and bring glory to Almighty God.  That is our purpose for existence.

Ask: “Does your life glorify God?  If you are not willing to live in such a way that your life brings glory and praise to God, then why should He keep you alive?”

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Tell them to yield to God as part of His creation, made by Him and for Him.  Tell them if their life doesn’t glorify God, to repent of their sins and ask for God’s forgiveness right now.  Tell them to do all they can this week to glorify God.  Voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Tell the students to keep the Lesson Outline handout in their Bibles so they can refer to it again later.  Ask everyone to memorize John 1:3.  Tell them next week we will learn more about God.