by Nick Bibile
The Bible teaches that God has clearly shown that He exists. We know this in two main ways:
From creation – what we see around us.
From within – our conscience and inner sense of right and wrong.
Many ask, “Where did God come from?” or “Who made God?” Scripture answers by saying that God is not like created things. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1). This does not mean a person is unintelligent, but that sin has blinded the heart.
“The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1). Every day creation speaks: the sun, the balance of life, our bodies, and the order of the universe. Just as a painting requires a painter and a watch requires a watchmaker, creation requires a Creator.
Quotation– John Calvin:
“There is within the human mind, and indeed by natural instinct, an awareness of divinity.” (Institutes, 1.3.1)
Questions
What in creation points you to God? __________________________
Why do people still deny God even with evidence? __________________________
Everything we know has a beginning—except God. “From everlasting to everlasting You are God” (Psalm 90:2). God was not created. He always existed and always will exist.
God calls Himself “I AM” (Exodus 3:14), meaning He depends on nothing and no one. Jesus affirmed that God is the living God (Mark 12:26–27).
Quotation – Stephen Charnock:
“God is eternal, without beginning, without end, without succession.” (Existence and Attributes of God)
Questions
Why is it important that God never changes or dies? __________________________
How is this different from false gods? __________________________
God does not need anything from His creation. We depend on Him for life, breath, and everything else.
“He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything” (Acts 17:25).
God is independent in:
His being – He exists by Himself.
His wisdom – No one teaches Him.
His will – He does what pleases Him.
His power – No one can stop Him.
Quotation – Herman Bavinck:
“God alone is absolute; all that exists is dependent upon Him.” (Reformed Dogmatics)
Questions
Who depends on God? __________________________
Does God depend on us? __________________________
God does not need us, yet He freely chooses to love and save us. He did not create humanity because He was lonely or lacking anything.
“If I were hungry, I would not tell you” (Psalm 50:12).
Believing in God does not add to Him, and unbelief does not take away from Him. Our worship benefits us, not God.
Quotation – A.W. Pink:
“God has no needs; His joy, blessedness, and sufficiency are all within Himself.”
Questions
What does God need from us? __________________________
Why then does God command worship? __________________________
God never changes in who He is or what He promises. People change. Circumstances change. God does not.
“I the Lord do not change” (Malachi 3:6).
When the Bible speaks of God ‘repenting,’ it uses human language to describe His response to human change—not a change in His nature.
Quotation – John Calvin:
“God’s repentance is not a change of will, but a change in the work according to our capacity.”
Questions
Why is God’s unchanging nature comforting? __________________________
What would happen if God could change? __________________________
God is not limited by time, space, or power. We are finite; He is infinite.
“Can you fathom the mysteries of God?” (Job 11:7).
God is:
Infinite in time – eternal
Infinite in space – present everywhere
Infinite in perfection – holy, loving, wise, and just
Reformed Voice – Thomas Watson:
“God is infinite; He is not bounded by place or measure.”
Questions
Why can we never fully understand God? __________________________
How does God’s presence affect your daily life? __________________________
The Bible teaches there is only one true God.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).
God is not made of parts. His attributes are not divided. God does not have love, holiness, or justice—He is loving, holy, and just.
We must never separate God’s love from His holiness or His mercy from His justice.
Quotation– Francis Turretin:
“God is one, not only in number, but in essence, without composition or division.”
Questions
Why is it important that there is only one God? __________________________
Which attribute of God do you appreciate more now, and why? __________________________
The Bible clearly teaches that there is only one God. This truth naturally leads us to a deeper question: How does the one God reveal Himself? Scripture answers with the doctrine of the Trinity.
The Trinity means:
There is one God in essence.
This one God exists eternally as three distinct Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Each Person is fully God, not part of God.
The Persons are not confused, divided, or ranked in nature.
This does not contradict God’s unity. Instead, it explains how the one God truly exists.
God
Is One
“The
Lord our God, the Lord is one.”
(Deuteronomy 6:4)
The
Father Is God
“Grace
to you and peace from God our Father.”
(Philippians 1:2)
The
Son Is God
“The
Word was God.”
(John 1:1)
“My
Lord and my God!”
(John 20:28)
The
Holy Spirit Is God
“You
have lied to the Holy Spirit… You have not lied to men but to
God.” (Acts
5:3–4)
The
Three Are Distinguished, Yet United
“Baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit.” (Matthew
28:19)
One name—three Persons.
No illustration perfectly explains the Trinity. God is greater than all comparisons. But this truth helps us avoid error:
God is not one Person appearing in three roles.
God is not three gods working together.
God is one in essence, three in Person.
Salvation: The Father planned redemption, the Son accomplished it, and the Spirit applies it.
Prayer: We pray to the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit.
Love: God did not need creation to love—eternal love exists within the Trinity.
Quotation
John Calvin
“We worship one God, who subsists in three Persons.” (Institutes, 1.13.2)
Herman Bavinck
“The Trinity is the heart of the Christian faith; it is the living God Himself.”
Thomas Watson
“The Trinity is purely an object of faith; the plumb line of reason is too short to fathom this mystery.”
Modalism: God is not one Person switching masks.
Tritheism: God is not three separate gods.
Subordinationism: The Son and Spirit are not lesser than the Father.
All three Persons are co-equal, co-eternal, and consubstantial.
Questions
Why is it important that God is both one and three? __________________________
How does the Trinity help you understand salvation more clearly? __________________________
Knowing who God is leads us to worship, humility, trust, and obedience. Theology is not meant to make us proud—but to make us adore God.
“From Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever.” (Romans 11:36)