GREAT BIBLE DOCTRINES - LESSON 1
THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
About this course:
Why is “doctrine” a negative word to so many people today? For a lot of people doctrine is just
meaningless and boring. One person said it “is as dry as bug dust.”
For other people doctrine just represents a bunch of restrictions and regulations which they would prefer
not to have in their life.
Others see doctrine as what Christians fight and divide about. I grew up in a church background which
emphasized doctrine, at least certain doctrines. Too often the focus was on the letter of doctrine instead
of Christ and his spirit. Not everyone was like that, but for many it was letter and rules without joy and
peace.
But real Christian doctrine has gotten a bad rap, an unfair stereotype. Actually true doctrine is a beautiful
and important thing. It needs to be taught.
In fact doctrine is teaching. That’s what the word means. It is teaching about some of the most wonderful
things there are: God, Christ, God’s amazing grace, how our sins are forgiven, salvation and deliverance
from the lower side of our natures, and how to live a good and wholesome life.
So when Jesus commissioned his apostles and disciples to go out and make disciples of all people, they
were also to “Teach them to obey whatever I have commanded you…”
There is no one better than Jesus, and when doctrine is related to the Lordship of Jesus, doctrine is
positive. Its sure truths are like the skeleton that holds the body upright. What we believe determines
what we become. Doctrinal beliefs set right boundaries and directions for us. Without sound, true doctrine
we get lost and end up where we don’t want to be.
For example, I knew a man who thought God wanted him to sacrifice his son, like Abraham was
commanded to do. Some people believe we originated from slime by pure accident. Some believe we
should bomb abortion clinics and shoot pornographers. Others believe we should hate gay people.
Students are being told there are no moral absolutes, or life beyond this life, and they begin to live that
way. But as Christians we believe there are truths and light from God that we should live by and hope in.
The course title is “Great Bible Doctrines.” Are some doctrines greater and more important than others?
Yes. Jesus talked about least and greatest commandments. Paul talked about central facts of the gospel
that are of “first importance.” He listed seven basic beliefs that unite us as Christians. This does not
mean we are to neglect lesser teachings, but simply that we are to give greatest attention to basic, core
truths that have the most to do with who we are and what we are here for. Thus this course.
Introduction to Lesson 1: Psalm 100:3---"Know that the Lord is God! It is He that made us, and we are
His..."
It is right that we should begin a course like this with the topic of God. There is nothing greater than God
and nothing can compare with him. Even the size of our vast universe defies our imagination, and God
who made it is greater still. God’s wisdom and glory seen in the universe should cause us to rejoice. But
our greatest joy should be in the fact that the God who is greater than everything is also perfectly good
and loving. The only thing equal to God’s greatness is his goodness. If it were otherwise, we would be
without hope. But God’s goodness is made perfectly clear to in Christ.
1. The Existence of God
A. The Bible begins with God - Genesis 1:1 - and is full of Him. The Bible does not argue
the existence of God. It assumes it as an evident fact.
1) "The fool says...there is no God" - Psalm 14:1.
2) "Anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that he rewards
those who earnestly seek Him" - Hebrews 11:6.
3) God is the first and greatest reality, the ground of all other being. His name
means "I am" – Exodus 3:14.
B. Logical arguments for God's existence
1) Intuition - All cultures have believed in a supreme being - Ecclesiastes 3:11.
2) Cause - Every effect requires a cause. A tree requires a seed; a house requires
a builder; so the creation requires a Creator.
3) Design - A watch requires a designer; a novel requires an author. These could
not come by accident. So also the wonderful universe and our wonderful bodies
require an intelligent Designer.
4) Morality - Humans have a moral conscience, a sense of right and wrong. The
animals do not have this. It must have come from God who is the perfect
standard of morality.
5) Prophecy - The hundreds of fulfilled prophecies in scripture could only have
come from God, for humans cannot foretell the future.
6) Christ - Humans could not have invented the character and teachings of Jesus.
And there is plenty of solid, eyewitness evidence that Christ rose from the dead.
Only God could do this.
7) Experience - Sober and credible people all through history have testified to their
experience of God. God is proved when his promises come true.
Inert matter does not purpose or act by itself. It must be moved or affected by mind. It is
far more reasonable to believe that behind all matter and all creation there is a great
eternal mind that we call God. The assumptions of the atheist require far more faith than
those of the Christian.
2. God's nature
A. God is spirit - John 4:24; Acts 17:29. (We can know about God with the mind but can
only know him with our spirit through the Holy Spirit - 1 Thessalonians 5:23;
1 Corinthians 6:17; Ephesians 2:18; 6:18; Jude 20; Romans 8:26,27.)
B. God is a person - not just "mind" or "goodness" or "a principle" or "a force".
1) His names in scripture:
2
a) El --the mighty or powerful one (first appears in Genesis 14:18). This is
a title rather than a personal name.
b) Elohim - plural of El - Genesis 1:1.
c) Ya or Yahweh (or Jehovah) --the eternal, self-existent One; the personal,
covenant, revealing God, companion of human beings. (This is God's
memorial name - compare Exodus 3:14,15. The ASV translates it
"Jehovah;" the AV, RSV, NASB, and NIV translate it "LORD" (in capital
letters). It is written in the Hebrew, "YHWH" (tetragrammaton).
1. YHWH-Jireh: The LORD Will Provide - Genesis 22:13,14.
2. YHWH-Rapha: The LORD Your Healer - Exodus 15:26.
3. YHWH-Nissi: The LORD My Banner - Exodus 17:8-15.
4. YHWH-Shalom: The LORD Our Peace - Judges 6:24.
5. YHWH-Ra-ah: The LORD My Shepherd - Psalm 23:1.
6. YHWH-Tsidkenu: The LORD Our Righteousness - Jeremiah
23:6.
7. YHWH-Shammah: The LORD is Present - Ezekiel 48:35.
2) The Scriptures ascribe personal attributes to God: He thinks - Romans 11:34; He
has free will - James 4:5; He is sorry - Genesis 6:6; is angry - 1 Kings 11:9;
grieves - Genesis 6:6; is jealous - Deuteronomy 6:15; loves - Revelation 3:19;
hates - Proverbs 6:16.
3) We are created in God's image - Genesis 1:27 - and we have personality;
therefore God has personality.
4) There is only one true God - Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6;
Ephesians 4:4-6. (There are three persons within his oneness - Matthew 28:19;
2 Corinthians 13:14).
3. The attributes of God
A. Attributes that arise from God’s nature:
1) Perfect knowledge (omniscience) - Job 37:16; Psalm 147:4,5; Romans 11:33;
1 Samuel 16:7; Proverbs 15:3; Hebrews 4:13; Isaiah 46:9,10).
2) Limitless power (omnipotence) - Job 42:2; Genesis 17:1; 18:14; Matthew
19:26; Psalm 135:6; the exception being that God cannot do something contrary
to his nature, such as lying - Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2.
3) Present everywhere (omnipresence) - Jeremiah 23:23,24; Psalm 139:7-12;
Acts 17:27.
4) Eternal, having neither beginning nor ending - Psalm 90:2; Exodus 3:14;
Revelation 1:8.
5) Unchanging (immutable) - Malachi 3:6; Psalm 102:27; James 1:17;
Hebrews 13:8.
B. Some attributes that arise from God’s character:
3
1) Infinite holiness - Isaiah 6:3; 57:15; Revelation 4:8; 1 Peter 1:15,16;
James 1:13.
2) Infinite goodness - Psalm 145:9; Matthew 19:17.
3) Infinite righteousness - Psalm 116:5; 145:17; Romans 2:6,11.
4) Infinite mercy and loving kindness - Psalm 103:8; Ephesians 2:4; Romans 5:8.
5) Infinite love - 1 John 4:8; John 3:16; Romans 8:38,39. Sin destroys the people
God loves and his discipline and punishment of evil is part of his love.
6) Infinite faithfulness - 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Peter 3:9.
7) Infinite orderliness - 1 Corinthians 14:33.
8) Infinite wisdom - Romans 16:27; 11:33; Daniel 2:20; 1 Corinthians 1:25.
C. The contrast between the Living God and idols:
1) God made humans in his image, whereas humans make their idol gods
in the image of humans or other created things.
2) God reveals his righteous will to humans, while humans put their own will
and lusts in the mouth of their idols. So idolatry is, in effect, the worship of self
and one’s own will.
3) Christianity is much about relationship. It is not enough to know about
God; we must know God. In a prayer to God Jesus said, “this is eternal life: that
they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” –
John 17:3. God gives us graciously what we need and delights in answering our
prayers. We approach him in the context of a reverent but loving relationship.
This is summed up in the Hebrew word hesed, meaning steadfast covenant love.
God not only loves people but strongly pursues a loving relationship with them.
We worship God not just when we want to get something from him, but because
we are continually grateful to him and want to constantly tell him how we love
and trust him.
In contrast, the pagan gods were often thought of as indifferent to
humans and their needs. The thought of idolaters is to manipulate their gods to
get what they want. They sometimes think that they must mutilate themselves or
offer a human sacrifice, even to sacrificing their child in the fire to get their god’s
attention. Christians who do not really know God and have a loving personal
relationship with him may try to manipulate him much like the idolaters do. They
may want God in their lives only for insurance. If we only go to God when we
need something, that is not loving God but using him. Do you feel loved or
respected when a relative only contacts you when they need money?
The God revealed in scripture is perfectly holy and righteous. He also
requires holiness and righteousness of his people (sin destroys us). In contrast,
unrighteous and immoral behavior is often attributed to the pagan gods and evil
acts are even a part of some pagan worship.
4
4. Our relationship to God.
A. We should "have faith in God" and trust him as a Father - Mark 11:22; Hebrews 11:6;
Psalm 14:1; Matthew 6:9-13. No other is as trustworthy as God.
B. We should recognize God as our Creator and Lord and humble ourselves before him -
Ephesians 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5,6; Genesis 1:26, 27.
C. We should reverence him and serve him in godly fear - Hebrews 12:28; Psalm 89:7.
This is not morbid fear but loving respect.
D. We should worship him in spirit and truth - John 4:24; Ephesians 2:18; 6:18;
Romans 8:15,16; Matthew 15:8,9.
E. We should realize that all blessings come from him and should be thankful - James 1:17;
1 Thessalonians 5:18; Romans 1:21.
F. We should have "no other gods before him" - Exodus 20:3; Matthew 4:10; Romans
1:25.
G. We should seek to obey him in all things, even hard things, trusting him for the outcome -
Ecclesiastes 12:13.
H. We should always remember that we are accountable to him - Romans 14:10-12;
Hebrews 12:23.
Conclusion: Particularly let us think of God as our Creator, Father, and Judge. Let us thank and
reverence him as Creator, trust and love him as our Father, and fear and obey him as our righteous
Judge.
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
– Thomas Ken
All people that on earth do dwell,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;
Him serve with fear, His praise forth tell;
Come ye before Him and rejoice.
The Lord, ye know, is God indeed:
Without our aid He did us make;
We are His flock, He doth us feed,
And for His sheep He doth us take.
O enter then His gates with praise,
Approach with joy His courts unto;
Praise, laud, and bless His name always,
For it is seemly so to do.
For why? The Lord our God is good;
His mercy is forever sure;
5
His truth at all times firmly stood,
And shall from age to age endure.
– William Kethe
Thought questions for discussion:
1. What has caused “doctrine” to be a negative word in many people’s minds today? Is “doctrine”
used as a negative word in scripture? What is “doctrine” from a Biblical standpoint, and what is
the good sense of the word?
2. Is fear of God good? What is the difference between healthy fear and morbid fear?
3. Do you have trouble humbling yourself before God when your will and his will conflict? What can
you do about this?
4. Do you have trouble expressing reverence to God? In what concrete ways can you show
reverence?
5. What causes some people to get distorted, bad and unbiblical concepts of God? How do these
misimpressions of God affect people’s lives? What can be done to correct the wrong ideas of
God?
5. When we understand God as the scriptures present him, what will be the result?
6. Why do many modern men and women not want to believe in God?
© by G.B. Shelburne, III. May be reproduced for non-profit, non-publishing instructional purposes provided this full copyright notice is included
and document content is not altered (format may be altered). South Houston Bible Institute, PO Box 891246, Houston, TX 77289, USA,
telephone 281-990-8899, email shbi@shbi.org, web site www.shbi.org. Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE:
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION © 1978 and 1984 by the New York International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible
Publishers. Some courses are available via Distance Learning.
