1. The Son shared glory with the Father, Jn 17:5.
2. The Father loved the Son, Jn 17:24
3. God purposed to call us and save us by grace, 2 Tim 1:9.
4. God destined a secret and hidden wisdom, 1 Cor 2:7.
5. Eternal life was promised, Tit 1:2.
6. The sacrificial death of Christ was destined, 1 Pet 1:20.
7. God chose us in Christ to be holy and blameless before him, Eph 1:4.…
‘I became convinced many years ago, and time and exegesis have confirmed this again and again, that Paul always uses this phrase to denote, not the status which God’s people have from him or in his presence, but the righteousness of God himself. This is not to say that there is no such thing as a righteous status held by believers. There is. It is to deny that this is the referent of Paul’s phrase dikaiosune theou.main…
Jesus ‘spoke about the kingdom of God’ throughout his post-resurrection ministry, Acts 1:3. The kingdom is the ‘good news’ which Philip proclaimed to the Samaritans, Acts 8:12.
God’s rule originates in past eternity, as the words ‘appointed’, ‘plan’, ‘purpose’, ‘ordained’, ‘predestined’, and ‘foreknowledge’ suggest. (Ac 2:23; 4:28; 3:20; 20:27; 21:14; 13:48-49 )
It extends to the control of nations, Acts 17:26-27; and to the providential support of all human life, Acts 14:17; 17:25-26. But it is especially apparent in God’s provision of salvation; for it is God who calls men, Acts 2:39; adds to the church, Acts 2:47; turns men from wickedness, Acts 3:26; grants repentance and forgiveness, Acts 5:31; 13:48.…
It is argued by many that God is revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and we are not at liberty to tamper with divine revelation simply in order to satisfy our liturgical needs or to bow to cultural pressures. Maternal images of the Godhead do occur in Scripture, Num 11:11-12; Deut 32:18; Isa 42:14; 46:3-4; 66:7-9; Hos 11:3f; 13:8; Mt 23:37; Lk 13:20f; 15:8-10. Are these sufficiently numerous or weighty for us to demand that liturgical language be either inclusive or gender-free?…
1. What does it mean? God’s wrath is his ‘resolute action in punishing sin’. It is the active expression of his hatred toward irreligion and moral evil. ‘The wrath’ (Rom 2:5; 5:9) may refer to the future ‘day of wrath’, or to ‘present providential events and processes in which divine retribution for sin may be discerned’ (such as the action of the law in stirring up latent sin, Rom 5:20; 7:7-13, and the role of the magistrate in sentencing criminals, Rom 13:4f.) …
1. Since God created the world, we have ample demonstration of God’s divinity, Jer 10:11; Acts 17:24. None but God can create. Two books God has written which are sufficient to leave all without excuse: creation, Rom 1:20, and conscience, Rom 2:15. Every star in the sky, every bird that flies, is a witness against unbelief.
2. Since God created the world, we have a mighty assurance for our faith. What cannot our Creator-God do? Ps 124:8.…
Donald Macleod has some perceptive things to say on this subject:-
Here are are three reasons, among many others that might be given:-
I believe in God, because otherwise, I would ultimately have no-one
We regard jealousy as one of the ugliest and most destructive human attitudes. How then can it be right to worship a Being who describes himself as a ‘jealous’ God?
To many non-believers, it’s a no-brainer. The very idea of divine jealousy shows just how bankrupt the Christian concept of God is. James Kirk Wall, for instance, while describing himself as someone who ‘aspires to be patient and respectful’, cannot restrain himself from labelling the idea of a jealous God ‘insane’:-
…The Second Commandment declares that god is a jealous god.
1. Who is asking the questions?
Not the nations! – It’s God who is quizzing them, v1f.
God does allow his friends to question him (Abraham, v8, cf Gen 18; ‘Why?’, ‘How long’).
But he will not co-operate with questioning that is motivated by scepticism or idle curiosity. ‘Be silent’, v1. Cf Rom 3:19.
Apply this to apologetics (1 Pet 2:15), much of which is evidential:-
The gospel is not just a proposition to be debated
it is a summons to be believed
a command to be obeyed
The questions God asks of us are more important than the questions we might ask of God.…
