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The Divine Godhead

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Dec 15, 1910

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 87, No. 50.

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The Divine Godhead

By M. E. Steward

God, the Father

M. E. STEWARD
“Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace.” Job 22:21.
THERE are three Beings in the Godhead: God, the Father; Jesus Christ, the Word; and the Holy Spirit. “These three are one.” 1 John 5:7.
“Canst thou by searching find out God?” Job 11:7.
1. “How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” Rom. 11:33.
2. “With God is terrible majesty.” Job 37:22.
3. “Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” Ex. 15:11.
We may and should know much of God.
1. Through the knowledge of him “are given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.” 2 Peter 1:3.
2. “Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation.” Isa. 33:6.
3. “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3.
We may learn of God from three sources:—
1. From nature. Rom. 1:20. “The heavens declare the glory of God.” Ps. 19:1. “The earth is full of thy riches.” Ps. 104:24-32.
2. From the Bible; from the life and character of Christ, who was just like his Father; and from the law of God, which is a transcript of God’s character. The Saviour and the law, like two golden threads, run from the beginning to the end of the Bible.
3. From his dealings with individuals and nations, from our own personal experiences, and from all his providences.
God, the Father, is—
1. “Eternal;” “from everlasting to everlasting.” 1 Tim. 1:17; Ps. 90:2.
2. “Immortal;” that is, unchangeable. James 1:17.
3. “Invisible;” “whom no man hath seen, nor can see.” 1 Tim. 6:16.
God is also—
1. Omniscient. “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Col. 2:3.
2. Omnipotent. “With God all things are possible.” Matt. 19:26.
3. Omnipresent. By his Holy Spirit. Ps. 139:7-11.
The Father is infinite in all his attributes:—
1. “God is love,” not God has love. 1 John 4:8. His nature is love. The love of Jehovah is universal. “His tender mercies are over all his works.” Ps. 145:9. It is unchangeable. “With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17. He is self-denying. God gave his well-beloved Son to become a man, knowing the possibility of the failure of his flesh to endure the tests to which it must be subjected.
2. God is just. He “will by no means clear the guilty.” Ex. 34:7. In himself there is not the slightest deviation in any way from the exact right.
3. God is holy. Rev. 4:8. Holy means wholly, referring to sacred things. God is all goodness; he is constantly working to bring about good. He is “wholly” kind, compassionate, and magnanimous. “I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth; for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.” Jer. 9:24. The object of one’s delight is a reflection of his nature. “Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” Ex. 15:11. Angels, with master minds, veil their faces in his presence. Yet, wonderful condescension! “when we pray, our God loves to have us call him Father.”
God is a person.
1. Said he at creation, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Gen. 1:26.
2. “There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” 1 Cor. 15:44. God has a spiritual body. “God is a spirit.” John 4:24.
3. Christ was the express image of his Father’s person. Heb. 1:3.
Man’s attitude toward God.
1. To the wrong-doer God is an object of aversion, a terror, and will yet be a consuming fire. Heb. 12:20.
2. To the righteous he is altogether lovely, “the chiefest among ten thousand,” the dearly loved and loving Father.
“How dread are thine eternal years, O everlasting Lord! By prostrate spirits day and night Incessantly adored.”
“Yet I may love thee too, O Lord! Almighty as thou art; For thou hast stooped to ask of me The love of my poor heart.”
“Only to sit and think of God, O, what a joy it is! To think the thought, to breathe the name, Earth has no higher bliss!”
Sanitarium, Cal.