What Does the Word Say?

God is perfect and everything he does is perfect. Given his ultimate, perfect, purpose for creation, which is the manifestation of his glory, he was not free to create a world without sin. He is omnipotent, but that does not mean that he can do anything, he cannot violate his own nature; for example, he cannot lie. As part of his perfect plan, God manifests the glory of his grace in saving a people for himself. http://www.whatdoesthewordsay.org/uncategorized/85-gods-will-is-…-absolutely-free/

The will is the power of self-determination. Neither we nor God have absolute freedom of the will. God’s nature places constraints on his will. For example, he cannot lie and he cannot die. We also have constraints, but within those constraints and taking all factors into consideration, we do exactly what we most want to do at every moment. God does not save all people, even though doing so would please him, because doing so would not serve his ultimate purpose as well as this world does. http://www.whatdoesthewordsay.org/podcast/84-gods-will/

God is zealous to guard his own glory, the honor of his name, and the honor his church, which is the bride of Christ. That zeal is his jealousy. It is a good trait that represents a faithful love. Human jealousy is often corrupted by sin, but God’s jealousy is pure. http://www.whatdoesthewordsay.org/uncategorized/83-god-is-jealous/ ‎

God brings comprehensive peace to his chosen people. First, we have peace with God. Secondly, we have peace with each other. And thirdly, we receive the peace of God, which enables us to joyfully negotiate all of life’s trials. http://www.whatdoesthewordsay.org/uncategorized/82-the-god-of-peace/

The fundamental profession of a Christian is, “Jesus is Lord.” This means that we owe him absolute, unquestioning obedience in every area of life. God is holy in the sense of being transcendent, but he is also the Holy One among us; Jesus Christ came to save us and he is God with us; Immanuel. His purpose is to create a holy church to be the bride of Christ. The holiness of Christ is the pattern for us to follow because we are predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son. The short answer to the popular question “What would Jesus do?” is, he would obey the Father. In the Lord’s prayer, we pray that God’s will be done and his kingdom, which implies his rule, come. http://www.whatdoesthewordsay.org/uncategorized/81-holiness-is-t…-for-a-christian/

God is holy and he calls his covenant people to be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord. God makes his chosen people holy. First, he causes them to be born again. Then, as their covenant Lord, he sanctifies them. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus in Lord, either voluntarily in this life as a redeemed child of God, or before being sent to eternal hell. God’s wrath is an aspect of his holiness. http://www.whatdoesthewordsay.org/uncategorized/80-god-is-the-holy-lord/

God’s holiness means that he is completely separate from his creation and that he is morally perfect. Our defining problem is that we are sinners in the presence of a holy God and cannot save ourselves. But, praise God, he came to earth as Jesus Christ to solve our sin problem. God saves his people to make them holy and bring them into his presence forever. http://www.whatdoesthewordsay.org/uncategorized/79-god-is-holy-holy-holy/

We are born sinners under the wrath of God, but God the Father so loved the world that he sent his eternal Son to become incarnate, live a perfect life of obedience, and then give his life as an atoning sacrifice for his people. The cause of our salvation is the love of the Father, who planned it, the love of the Son, who accomplished it, and the love of the Holy Spirit, who applies it to believers. http://www.whatdoesthewordsay.org/uncategorized/78-gods-love-the…age-of-christmas/

God’s goodness includes his mercy, grace and patience. God emphasized his goodness when he appeared to Moses. We should not presume upon God’s mercy, he is also just and must punish sin. Our sins affect our children and grandchildren, so we should be extremely careful to not sin. God uses trouble to cause us to turn to him. If we don’t seek holiness in this life, we would not enjoy holiness in heaven and won’t be there. http://www.whatdoesthewordsay.org/uncategorized/77-gods-goodness…ace-and-patience/

All people are seen by God as being in Adam, or in Christ. To be in Adam is to be subject to death because of sin. To be in Christ is to have eternal life because we are redeemed by his sacrifice. If it were not for Christ, no one could be saved. God’s goodness shines brightly in his providing a Redeemer. http://www.whatdoesthewordsay.org/podcast/76-god-is-good-i…ng-us-a-redeemer/

God is not the author of sin, but he is completely sovereign over it. There is no eternal evil force. God allowed sin into his creation for his own greater glory. Sin first appeared with the fall of Satan, which occurred because he became proud and did not take proper account of the Creator/creature distinction. Sin is not good, but the troubles it produces can be used to bring about good effects, both in this life and in eternity. http://www.whatdoesthewordsay.org/podcast/75-the-fall-of-satan/ ‎

God is good and all that he does is good. His purpose in creation is the manifestation of his own glory, which is fully realized in eternity, not this life. He is not the author of sin, but he allowed it into his creation so that he could demonstrate his perfect justice and wrath in punishing unrepentant sinners and his perfect mercy in saving his elect. http://www.whatdoesthewordsay.org/uncategorized/74-a-theodicy-go…d-but-allows-sin/ ‎

God is good and the ultimate standard for good. As with all ultimate standards, circular reasoning is involved in justifying this standard. But the alternative is human reason, and human beings do not agree on what is good nor do we have the authority of power to define what is good. Christians must use God’s word as their standard. The presence of evil has been argued to prove that God cannot be both good and omnipotent, but that argument is based on a false assumption. God allowed evil into his creation for his own greater glory in demonstrating his justice and mercy. http://www.whatdoesthewordsay.org/uncategorized/73-god-is-good/

Common views about slavery, abortion, homosexuality and other issues show that most people, including professing atheists, believe in absolute morality. But God is the only possible basis for absolute morality. God’s moral laws are a reflection of his perfect character. Satan tempted Eve by challenging God’s truthfulness. Christians must always seek to convey truth. http://www.whatdoesthewordsay.org/podcast/72-god-is-truth-…lished-moral-law/ ‎

The God of the Bible is the only true God. He defines what God should be and he is that God. His revelation in the Bible is also completely true and he alone has the authority to define what is morally right. http://www.whatdoesthewordsay.org/podcast/71-god-is-truth-in-every-way/ ‎