THE CHRISTIAN BELIEF IN GOD

9. What is the Christian belief in God?

We believe in one eternally existent, infinite God, Sovereign of the universe. That he only is God, creative and administrative, holy in nature, attributes, and purpose (Manual, page 25 [1]). "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord" (Deut. 6:4). "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God" (Psalm 90:2). "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1: 1). "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable" (Psalm 147:5). "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts" (Isaiah 6:3) "Unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen" (I Tim. 1:17).

10. What is the nature of God?

God is a Spirit, one God, Triune in essential being, revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Manual, page 25 [1], adapted). "God is a Spirit" (John 4:24). "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matt. 28:19). "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen" (II Con 13:14).

11. How may we know the existence of God?

The existence of God is made known in His creative acts, in His providential care, in the revelation given of Him in the Holy Scriptures, and by the Holy Spirit in our hearts. "For the visible things of him [God] from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead" (Rom. 1:20). "The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works..... The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfieth the desire of every living thing" (Psalm 145:9, 15, 16). God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (Gal. 4:6)

12. How is the Fatherhood of God revealed?

His Fatherhood is revealed in His love and power, in His providential care over man and as the Giver of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. "The kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared" (Titus 3:4). "... Your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45). "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

13. How did the Son of God become man?

The Son who was eternally one with the Father became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary, so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say the Godhead and manhood, are thus united in one person very God and very man, the God-man (Manual page 26 [2] adapted) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:1, 14). "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was" (John 17:5). "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (Matt. 1:23). "And the angel answered and said unto her [Mary], The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). "For in him [Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9).

14. What is the special work of the Son?

He is the revelation of God and the Redeemer of the world. We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and that He truly rose from the dead and took again His body [now glorified], together with all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith He ascended into heaven and is there engaged in intercession for us (Manual, page 26 [2] adapted). "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). "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us" (Rom. 8:34).

15. What is the work of the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Triune Godhead is ever present and efficiently active in and with the Church of Christ, convincing the world of sin, regenerating those who repent and believe, sanctifying believers, and guiding into all truth as it is in Jesus. (Manual, page 26 [3]). "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:16, 26). "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment When he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth ... He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you" (John 16:8, 13, 14). "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5). "God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth" (II Thess. 2:13).