Revealing the True God
INTRODUCTION.
A. Throughout the world, there are many different ideas to what God is and what He looks like.
B. Consider the following quote from The World Book Encyclopaedia: “The various religions of the world use different terms in speaking of God. Moslems call Him Allah, and insist on the oneness of Allah. They believe that Allah decides all events and all the acts of men. Hindus believe in a single spiritual being called Brahman. They hold that Brahman has no traits of either good or evil, and cannot be known by human beings. They pray to other gods who are pale and limited expressions of the supreme Brahman. The Taoists in China seek submission to the Toa, the moving force of the universe. In Japan, the Shinto religion does not worship one supreme being. Shintoist pray to hundreds of nature gods and ancestors.” (The World Book Encyclopaedia, 1972, Vol. 8, pg 233)
C. In ancient times, people thought of their gods as “being much like men, with bodies, voices, and human desires.” Later, many came to “regard one of their gods as the most powerful. In Egypt, King Amenhotep IV, or Akhenaton, who reigned from about 1367 to 1350 B.C., made the god Aton the only one to be worshipped.” “In Greek Mythology, Zeus was king of the gods. The followers of Zoroaster chose their heaven god, Ahura-Mazda, as the supreme one.” (The World Book Encyclopaedia, 1972, Vol. 8, pg 233)
D. Needless to say, many people have their own ideas about what and who God is. The danger that Christians face is this: We may fall prey to letting the world’s thoughts influence our understanding of God.
E. Read Acts 17:22-31 and see where Paul addressed this very same subject.
I. WHAT GOD IS NOT.
A. God is not a god that dwells in temples made with hands. (Acts 17:24)
1. Jesus taught that His Father was in Heaven.
a. Matthew 5:16, 34, 45
b. Matthew 6:9
c. Matthew 10:32
2. Inspired New Testament writers:
a. Hebrews 9:23-24
b. 1 Peter 3:21-22
B. God is not a god whom people worship or serve with the hands of men. God needs nothing from us. (Acts 17:25a)
1. The building in which we meet to worship the Father is not a shrine or a temple.
2. We have no statutes or idols which represent the image of God.
3. God needs nothing. Mankind cannot provide anything which God lacks, for God lacks nothing at all.
II. WHO IS GOD?
A. God is the creator of the universe, the world, and everything in it. (Acts 17:24a)
1. Hezekiah acknowledged God as creator. (2 Kings 19:15)
2. Nehemiah gave God the credit for all creation. (Nehemiah 9:6)
B. God is Lord of heaven and earth. (Acts 17:24b; Matthew 11:25)
C. God is He who created man and placed man upon this earth. (Acts 17:26; Isaiah 45:12)
D. God is my creator and your creator; in Him we live, move and have our being. (Acts 17:28)
1. Consider the thoughts of Job. (Job 12:7-12)
2. Again Job acknowledged that God gives life. (Job 33:4)
3. Without God, we would be nonexistent. We must be ever thankful for our lives.
III. GOD DEMANDS REPENTANCE AND COMPLETE ALLEGIANCE.
A. The world must change from thinking that God is our creation, designed to be fashioned to our own ideas. (Acts 17:29)
1. Consider the words of the Psalmists. (Psalms 115:3-8)
2. How could God’s likeness be fashioned by man? Consider the things that God has done which we could not even begin to comprehend. (Isaiah 40:12-26)
B. Man must seek God and turn towards Him. (Acts 17:27)
1. Only God can show man the right way to live. (Jeremiah 10:23)
2. We must seek after and follow God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. (Mark 8:34)
3. God demands our whole being (heart, soul, mind, and strength (Luke 10:27)) be turned over to Him to be used for His cause. (Romans 12:1)
C. Now is the time when God demands all men to repent. (Acts 10:30)
1. Men are to repent and be converted. (Acts 3:19)
2. Men are to repent and be baptized. (Acts 2:37-38)
3. Just as belief and baptism are to be preached to all the world (Mark 16:15-16), so must repentance and the remission of sins be taught to the whole world. (Luke 24:47)
4. In order for any man to have salvation, he must repent and turn to God. (2 Corinthians 7:10)
IV. GOD IS THE TRUE SAVIOR OF MAN.
A. God has appointed a day for man to be judged by Jesus Christ. (Acts 17:31a)
1. All men must appear before the judgment seat of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:10)
2. The Lord will one day judge the living and the dead. (2 Timothy 4:1)
3. We know not when the judgment will come (Matthew 24:36; but the Lord has assured us that it will come. Because of this assurance, we must be living our lives according to His word so that we will hear the Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” (Matthew 25:21)
4. We must be concerned enough about judgment to be willing to tell the world, loved ones, friends, and family of Jesus’ coming and the eternal state of their souls.
B. The judgment has been made assured by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Acts 17:31b) Consider what Paul told the brethren in Corinthian. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
CONCLUSION.
A. There is only one true God. Whether or not we choose to accept and believe in God will determine where we spend eternity.
B. Who are you going to serve: The gods of this world, or the God of Heaven? Make the decision made by Joshua and many other faith men and women. (Joshua 24:15)
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Revealing the True God -- October 12, 2003 -- File # - 271
by John M. Duvall -- Lawton, OK