A. Introduction.
1. The knowledge of God:
a. Is it possible to know God? Why can not man arrive at such knowledge?
b. God is revealed in:
1) Creation.
2) Scripture.
2. Scripture as the revelation of God.
a. How we came to have Scripture:
1) Primary Author and secondary “authors.”
2) The Spirit guides the Church in determining the canon of Scripture.
b. Our confession concerning Scripture:
1) The Bible is inspired (Verbal inspiration; plenary and organic inspiration).
2) The Bible is infallible:
a) Are there possibly errors in the Bible? (Historical, scientific, etc.?)
b) We maintain that the original manuscripts were without any error at all.
B. The Names and Essence of God.
1. The Essence (Being) of God—He is Spirit of infinite perfections.
a. We can never define God.
b. But we can confess that which He reveals of Himself.
2. The Names of God:
a. The idea of a name: a revelation to us of the nature of the Being.
b. The common Names of God:
1) Jehovah: I am, or, Unchangeable One.
2) Elohim: Excellent One.
C. The Attributes of God.
1. Incommunicable (not reflected in the creature).
a. These are: independent; oneness; simplicity; infinite; immutable.
b. Why can these not be “communicated” to man?
2. Communicable (reflected in the creature).
a. These are three-fold:
1) Of intelligence: wisdom and knowledge.
2) Of will: goodness (love, grace, mercy, longsuffering), holiness, truth, and righteousness.
3) Of power.
b. When this is reflected:
1) In the original creation (the image of God in man: holiness, knowledge, and righteousness).
2) In the regenerated Christian.
D. Persons of the Godhead:
1. The idea of the Trinity: three Persons in One Being.
a. Give proof for the trinity.
b. Errors of Unitarianism and Arianism.
2. Significance of the Trinity for us:
a. It is the basis of covenant fellowship.
b. It is the only possibility of revelation to us.
E. The Works of God.
1. Internal: concerning God’s Persons and Essence (Being).
2. External (in eternity):
a. Providence which includes: preservation, cooperation, and government.
b. Predestination:
1) Election.
a) The Arminian idea of foreseen works as basis for election.
b) The Reformed contention: sovereignly and freely determined by God.
2) Reprobation.