Sunday Message, 26/2/2023, 11.30am
Know the Immutable Attribute of God
<Jas 1:17; Ps 135:15-17; Ro 5:8; Eph 3:18; Deu 6:25; Ps 119:172; 2Co 5:21>
Introduction
· <Jas 1:17> says, “… who does not change like shifting shadows.”
· Unlike humans, God will not change easily.
· Because God does not change, we are confident that the gospel we have accepted and are preaching is true.
· But the devil, Satan, often makes us doubt God’s word.
· Since God does not change, how does it affect us?
1. God is the only true God.
1) He is the God who creates something out of nothing.
· God used His word to create all things.
· Whatever God said was fulfilled.
· God is still using His word to work, because He is a God who does not slumber.
2) God detests idols and false gods.
· Read <Ps 135:15-17>.
· We must ponder over two questions:
① Will
man treat even the true God as his idol?
② Why does God not want people to
worship idols (false gods)?
· <Jas 1:17> “Every good and perfect gift is from above…”
2. God is love.
1) How great exactly is God’s love?
· Read <Ro 5:8; Eph 3:18>.
· Christ’s love is wide, long, high and deep.
① God’s
love is eternal.
② God’s love can embrace all sinners.
③ God’s love can bring us to the kingdom of heaven.
④ God’s love can forgive all transgressions.
2) We must have the right understanding of sin.
· The more a person understands that he is limited, insignificant and weak, the more he can appreciate the great love of God.
· Man cannot boast.
3. God’s righteousness, God’s holiness.
1) What is the righteousness of God?
· God Himself is the standard of righteousness.
· Read <Deu 6:25; Ps 119:172>.
· There is no way man can perfectly obey all of God’s instructions in his living and conduct.
· Read <2 Co 5:21>.
· How does justification by faith relate to or affect our daily living?
2) What is the holiness of God?
· “Be holy, because I am holy” (Ref. <Lev 19:2; 1Pe 1:16; Isa 43:15; Rev 15:4>).
· In the Old Testament, people must be cleansed before they could meet the holy God.
· Now, Lord Jesus has cleansed us.
· However, born-again persons must go through a long process of sanctification.
3) God’s righteousness and His holiness go hand in hand.
· A holy life has nothing to do with a person’s spiritual cultivation and character.
· Christian faith is by no means a religion that only teaches people to do good.