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Lesson 4 God the Father Lord's Days 8 - 10 God the Father A true Christian may be aware of comfort for himself, now and in the future, when in possession of the favor of God. This blessedness is in the hands of a triune God. The knowledge of a triune God is indispensable for salvation. This lesson speaks of the Trinity in general and of God the Father in particular.
Q. 24. How are these articles divided? The Trinity in the Bible God reveals Himself in the Bible, both in the Old and in the New Testament, as a triune God. We mention here only a few texts. In Psalm 33:6 we read, "By the Word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth." God the Father (here mentioned as LORD) has through His Son (here mentioned as the word of the LORD, because God the Father speaks in and through Him), and through His Holy Ghost created heaven and earth and all things that are therein. And in 1 John 5:7 we read: "For there are Three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these Three are one." The origin of the Apostles' Creed When we carefully read the Apostles Creed, we see that we can divide the articles into articles about God the Father, about God the Son, and about God the Holy Ghost. This confession tells us that there is a triune God. This creed originated from the baptism form: "I baptize thee in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Due to the struggle against errors, the confession has been extended. It was in the fifth century that it attained the form that is has today. Creation is the work of a triune God. Notice this in Psalm 33 which was quoted above. However, it is true that the work of the Father stands in the foreground in creation. To God the Son the work of deliverance is particularly ascribed. The salvation which was thought out by the Father and merited by Christ must be applied in our heart. That is the particular work of the Holy Ghost. Therefore it speaks of God the Holy Ghost and our sanctification. By sanctification is meant the inner renewal is meant, so that the image of God is perfectly restored in man (see question and answer 8). However, the division in the answer does not imply that the other Persons are not involved with the work which is particularly ascribed to one Person.
Q. 25. Since there is but one only Divine Essence (a), why speakest
thou of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?
(a) Deuteronomy 6:4, Ephesians 4:6, Isaiah 44:6, 45:5, 1 Corinthians 8:4,6; Triune The word "triune" is not literally to be found in the Bible, but Deuteronomy 6:4 and 1 John 5:7 clearly reflect what the term means. In Deuteronomy 6:4 we do read the confession of faith of Israel: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD!" And in Matthew 3:13-17 we read how the three Persons were present at the baptism of the Lord Jesus. The Father spoke from heaven; the Son went up out of the water; and the Holy Ghost descended like a dove upon Him. The Lord Jesus commanded that baptism be in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. See Matthew 28:19. The inquirer has a problem here. He wants to say, "If there are three, then it cannot be one, because one is not three, and three is not one." From this we realize that this doctrine is beyond our comprehension. Therefore we answer, Yet it is clearly revealed to us; we can not fathom this mystery: there is one Being whom we call God and still there are three Persons, whom we also individually call God. Job's friend, Elihu, said, "Behold, God is great, and we know Him not" (Job 36:26). There is one God, existing in three Persons. We believe this because God's Word teaches this, and not because we are able to understand it. The only thing that we can do is repeat with reverence what God's Word says. What we can know of God He has revealed to us, that is, made know to us. God has revealed Himself in His Word, and only from the Word of God do we know who God is. The three Persons are necessary We cannot do without one of the Persons. The Trinity concerns our salvation. The Father elected from all eternity. He created us in time. Throughout our entire life we experience His care. The Son merited deliverance, and the Holy Ghost applies the merited deliverance. He who through faith may know the three Persons is blessed.
Q. 26. What believest thou when thou sayest, "I believe in God the
Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth"?
(a) Genesis 1 and 2, Exodus 20:11, Job 33:4, Job 38 and 39, Acts 4:24 , 14:15, God the Father the Creator True faith confesses that God is Father. God is the eternal Father of His Son Jesus Christ. In addition faith says that God is the Almighty One and that He is the Creator of heaven and earth. God says, "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace and create evil: I the Lord do all these things" (Isaiah 45:7). Creation is a matter of faith. In the Bible we read: "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear" (Hebrews 11:3). The creation is not eternal, but had a beginning. The first Bible verse reads, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). Being the Almighty One, God could do this. Thus things did not come into existence through evolution or by development. God created everything, also man. He also upholds all things. He governs all that is created. How? He does so by His eternal counsel and providence. "Counsel" means that God governs everything according to a specific plan. "Providence" (to provide is to care for) indicates that God provides all things necessary. The true believer may call God his Father, because God has adopted him, for Christ's sake, as His child. He who has such a Father that created heaven and earth may also trust that he will receive everything which he needs for soul and body. By "all things necessary" is meant: that which we miss, but yet cannot miss. Necessary means everything which we really need. Also in harm and danger, God's child may believe that God will turn all afflictions in his life to his advantage, will turn them into something good. Hunger, war, unemployment, broken relationships, sicknesses, and losses all prove that life is a valley of tears. Paul says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). God can do all of this because He is the Almighty One. He will and shall perform it because He is a faithful Father.
Q. 27. What dost thou mean by the providence of God?
(a) Acts 17:25,27-28, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Isaiah 29:15-16, Ezekiel 8:12; Coincidence, fate or providence? Joseph said to his brothers, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good" (Genesis 50:20). His brothers sold him as slave to get rid of him. At the same time, God had His hand in it; He permitted Joseph to go into Egypt to save his family from death by famine. This is it what the Christian here confesses. It was not a coincidence (as modern people believe) or a blind power called fate (as the heathen from ancient times believed), but God governs all things. He foresees everything that will yet take place. But He also provides in all things: He has His hand in all that happens. He is all-knowing and almighty. He is active everywhere with His power. When a contractor is finished building a house, he no longer has anything to do with it, but turns it over to the owner. It is not so with God's creation. God continues to care for it. If He would not do so, everything would collapse. We do not see this with our natural eyes. Only faith knows: my heavenly Father cares for me, always, both in great and in small things, in spiritual life as well as in natural life. This is true when everything goes well for me and when it seems as if things are not going well for me. God's government and our responsibility Naturally, this causes questions, questions which we (with our understanding corrupted by sin) cannot completely resolve. God even governs the sinful actions of man, and yet people remain entirely responsible for what they do: they sin, not by coercion, but out of free will. "For His power and goodness are so great and incomprehensible, that He orders and executes His work in the most excellent and just manner, even then when devils and wicked men act unjustly" (Belgic Confession of Faith - Article 13).
Q. 28. What advantage is it to us to know that God has created, and by
His providence doth still uphold all things?
(a) Romans 5:3, James 1:3, Psalm 39:9, Job 1:21-22; Patience, thankfulness, and trust There is much suffering in this world, because we have all sinned so terribly against God. But why is it that in this life the one suffers much more than the other? We will never be able to fathom this. The Christian only believes that all things are governed by God. His doings are incomprehensible, but at the same time, they are righteous, holy, and good. And then the Christian may still know something more: God loves him, and nothing can separate him from that love of God. This makes him patient in adversity and thankful in prosperity. That gives him a firm trust and confidence for the future. At times he can still be afraid of the power of the devil and of sinful people, and of the power of sin in his own life. However, he may know that his faithful God and Father will always deliver him. Paul knew of the dangers which threatened the Christian: "For Thy sake (for the confessing of God's Name) we are killed all the day long." But immediately it is said: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35-39). The comfortlessness of modern theology The comfortless modern theology says that God suffers because of the evil in this world. Evil would only be governed by dark powers. God would not have the power to take away all evil, but He would be willing to help us in the battle against it. And one day He will conquer it. This unbelief of God's almighty power conflicts with the word of the risen Christ, "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28:18). Everyone knows of questions about the purpose of suffering, but only One has the final word. All questions about the government of God are not so easy to resolve, but one thing is beyond all doubt, as Elihu said to Job, "Far be it from God, that He should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that He should commit iniquity!" (Job 34:10). Questions for Lesson 4 (Lord's Day 8-10)
1. How and when did the Apostles' Creed come into existence? (Answer 24)
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