Understanding the importance of God's nature Hello and welcome to section two In this lesson we will delve into

the nature of God exploring some key aspects and their significance And by the end of

this study you will be able to identify four fundamental principles of God's nature in the field of

systematic theology One important question arises arises frequently What is God like So understanding God's nature

think of this like getting to know the main character of the greatest story that's ever been told

Now let's explore this in a couple simpler terms using passages for reference back to

the Bible We always go back to the Bible Keep it in context God's nature Think of this like

piecing together a puzzle God's nature is complex but it's perfect in makeup So by

understanding the connection of these different elements we can start to know who God is As we explore each

aspect we go deeper we gain a deeper understanding of God's nature and systematic theology helps

us organize and classify these different aspects and characteristics enabling us to better understand God's

holiness and his ultimate control Now what are some key pieces of God's nature In systematic theology God is loving

whoever does not love does not know God because God is love We see this in first

John 48 God's love it shines as a guiding light in our lives enveloping us with his compassion and

his care Number two God is wise o the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God

We see this in Romans 1133 So the omniscience of God enables us to perceive truth

with clarity This helps guide us through the complexities we go through in life It helps to

really shine light on the path of righteousness we should be following Number three God is all

powerful ah sovereign Lord You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power

and outstretched arm Nothing is too hard for you We see this in Jeremiah 3217 So this

speaks on God's omnipotence all powerful This really encompasses his ability to perform remarkable feats overcome

any obstacle that stands in his way Number four God is everywhere omnipresent Can anyone hide

in secret places so that I cannot see them declares the Lord do not I fill

heaven and earth We see this in Jeremiah 2324 So the the presence of God assures us that He

is always with us regardless of our physical location His comforting presence can bring us and should bring

us peace should bring us strength So these pieces may be complex but they fit

together in a way that could seem confusing For example if God is all loving why does suffering

exist So this is where systematic theology really comes in to help us better understand God's nature

and how these pieces all fit together Even when some of them seem to contradict each other it

may not give us all the answers but it allows us to really appreciate and explore the

mystery with each study It's like reading a very intriguing very captivating book many twists many turns many

ups and downs where every page it starts to reveal more and more of the

story and the story starts to make more sense Now why does it matter OK Why does this matter Understanding

God's nature is crucial for guiding our beliefs guiding our actions This helps us make choices aligned

with our faith aligned with our values An example of this is acknowledging God's limitless

love This should motivate us to show love and support to others Recognizing that His wisdom

urges us to seek righteousness in all aspects of our own lives While we can't fully be like God

we should strive to grow and be more Christ Like how do we do this

by reflecting his nature in our daily lives So in the field of systematic theology our aim it's not

to fully solve a puzzle Instead it is to gradually understand God's nature bit by bit by

bit This strengthens our faith over time provides us with knowledge about the world brings comfort in the mystery

of God's nature These are the most important things as we continue to study We

want our relationship to grow to deepen and our appreciation to grow and to deepen as well

So in this lecture we learn So in this lecture we learned how to understand God's nature

more clearly the four key pieces to God's nature and how to fit those pieces together

how they make more sense as we fit them together And we learn bit by bit we learn the

importance of practical application of God's nature to our own lives And the next lesson we will go deeper into

God's divine attributes omniscience omnipotence and omnipresence So in this lecture we will discuss God's

attributes and why they are so important What do we want to know about them What should

we always know about them to make sure you clearly understand what each of them

mean and how they work By the end of this lesson you will be able to clearly define each attribute

with a clear more direct understanding of God So what are the divine attributes The concept of divine

attributes This refers to the qualities that are often associated with God These attributes they highlight his nature and his

power So the three fundamental divine attributes are omniscience omnipotence and omnipresence So let's explore each of

these attributes in a little more detail So let's first start with omniscience God's all knowing nature

omniscience This represents God's complete knowledge and complete understanding of all things meaning He knows

everything he knows everything that will be everything that was He knows everything that has happened everything that

is happening and everything that will happen and will come in the future So all future

events the Bible it provides several verses that support this concept So for example in Psalm 147 verse five

it says great is our Lord and mighty in power His understanding has no limit So this verse tells us

that God's knowledge it surpasses all human comprehension We can only understand so much we can only comprehend

so much He possesses the perfect understanding That's where faith comes in and our reliance

on Him we want to grow So similarly in first John 320 it says if our hearts condemn us

we know that God is greater than our hearts and He knows everything So these verses what do

they teach us that God knows even the deepest secrets of our hearts and has a comprehensive understanding

of every section and part of our lives So in simple terms God's omniscience means He knows everything there

is to know He is aware of our thoughts He knows what you're thinking right now He knows what I'm

thinking right now what we are desiring and the actions that we're taking So this attribute provides

comfort provides reassurance knowing that God sees and He understands everything that you and I that we go

through And number two is omnipotence What is omnipotence God's all powerful nature Ok This

signifies and shows us God's unlimited power his ability to do anything He is the

almighty creator He created the universe created everything we can see everything we can't see In Jeremiah 3217

it says ah sovereign Lord you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm

Nothing is too hard for you So what does this verse tell us that God's power is extraordinary There is

nothing beyond his capability Another verse another good example of this is in Matthew 1926 It

says Jesus looked at them and said with man this is impossible But with God all things

are possible So these words from Christ they should remind us that God's power It extends beyond basic

human limitations human understanding human comprehension all of these attributes are difficult for us to comprehend

God's omnipotence This should assure us that He is in control of all circumstances He can accomplish

anything according to his will This should also give us a great hope and encourage

us to trust in his ability to work miracles in our lives Now number three

is omnipresence What is omnipresence mean It simply means God is everywhere at all time He is not limited by

any physical boundaries or constrained by time Time is different For God time is different

in eternity than it is for you And I we see this in Psalm 1 39 7

to 10 It says where can I go from your spirit Where can I flee from your presence If

I go up to the heavens you are there If I make my bed in the depths you are there

If I rise on the wings of the dawn if I settle on the far side of the sea

even there your hand will guide me So you are even there anywhere I can

think of your right hand will hold me fast Now these verses they show us and give us the idea

that God's presence It includes the entire universe Omnipresence should assure us that He is always with us

He's with us no matter where we are what we are going through God is there

in any of our thoughts any of our actions we can know that He is there

He is listening His constant presence can provide us with comfort with guidance with a greater security sense of

peace We can find in knowing that we are never alone God is intimately involved wants to be

intimately involved in every aspect of our lives So to summarize God's attributes divine attributes they are

omniscience omnipotence and omnipresence They reveal important characteristics of God's nature who God is how He is able to be

who He is He is all knowing all powerful and all present everywhere at all Times So these

characteristics these attributes inspire us foster that deeper understanding of God's character and invite us to develop a closer

relationship with Him Though these concepts they are big may seem confusing at times They remind us of God's

unfathomable nature and his desire for a personal connection with you And I so in the next lesson

we will discuss the triune God which is God in three persons that is the

Father the Son and the Holy Spirit We will explain how there can be one

God in three persons the Trinity Father Son and Holy Spirit In this lesson we will discuss

the Triune God How there can be God one God in three persons How does

that work By the end of this lesson You will have a clear understanding on the Father

the Son and the Holy Spirit and how they are all one So what is

the Trinity The Trinity is the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit the doctrine of

the Trinity Ok This is an important belief we find in Christianity It is the understanding that God one God

exists in three distinct but inseparable persons Ok So the Father the Son So the Father

is God the son is Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit While this could be challenging can be

challenging to comprehend fully the concept of the Trinity It is central to Christian faith What

is the Father's role firmly established in the Bible in Genesis 11 affirms this stating

in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth So God the Father is the creator of

all things characterized as eternal possessing unlimited power unlimited knowledge and omnipresence the ability to be everywhere

at all times Even Jesus during during his earthly ministry recognized God's authority and close relationship

with him Jesus frequently prayed to God the father addressing him as abba which signifies an intimate father child bond

The Father is an important part of the Trinity He created the entire universe and he created everything in the

universe He is eternal He is wise and always present So Jesus shows respect for

the Father We can see this in scripture where He seeks guidance He seeks strength and he asks

for affirmations from Him just like you and I should do and want to do in our

earthly walks This shows how deep and sacred their relationship is and really highlights the Father's role

as the first person of the Trinity Now the son second person is Christ Jesus Christ second person

of the Trinity the Son of God who is both fully divine and fully human So according to the

gospel of John we see John 11 it says in the beginning was the word and the word

was with God and the word was God So what does this verse tell us what is it

telling us This verse is showing us that Jesus referred to as the word existed from the very beginning shares

all the same divine attributes and nature of God Through his incarnation Jesus willingly took on human form to

reconcile between humanity and God for our sins to pay for our sins and our salvation

So Jesus life death and resurrection all hold significance for us as believers He offers

salvation to all who put their faith in Him by accepting Christ as our Lord

and Savior We can experience that forgiveness of our sins and the gift of eternal life

the fullness of God's love and his mercy This is really revealed in the person

and work of Jesus Jesus who sacrificed himself on the cross to redeem humanity from

sin So through Christ's resurrection Jesus triumphed over death This gave us hope and the promise of

new life For those of us who believe in Him as we say in John 316 for God so

loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in

Him shall not perish but have eternal life So this verse is the essence of the gospel message and

the gift of salvation offered through Christ remembering that Christ was half God half human So the Holy Spirit

the third person of the Trinity holds a big role in the lives of believers What

does the Holy Spirit do How does the Holy Spirit work This presence promised by Jesus by Christ himself

This serves us as a constant guide and source of power So as we see in John 1416 to 17

Jesus assures his disciples by saying and I will ask the father and he will give you

another helper to be with you forever even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it

neither sees him nor knows him So we think of the Holy Spirit as our helper as our spiritual

guide the power of Christ So through the Holy Spirit we receive this empowerment for our spiritual growth We can

gain a deeper understanding of God's truth The Holy Spirit also acts as a comforter in times of adversity in

times of need And we are going through things that are easy that are difficult this helper freely

given by God provides peace guidance to us even in the midst of those difficult times and challenges

So the Holy Spirit's abiding presence this ensures that God is always with His people offering us that

strength that we need when we need it most we can always remember that we have the Holy

Spirit with us at all times So to summarize the Trinity it's a foundation of

belief in Christianity The Father the Son and the Holy Spirit are the three parts of the Triune God Father

Remember as the creator the son is the redeemer half human half God died for

our sins And the Holy Spirit is the guide and comforter So each person of

the Trinity plays a very unique role in the salvation spiritual journey of us as believers Though this

concept may remain mysterious to some it shows us the complexity and the majesty of

God himself So remember the Trinity it's not about three separate gods but one God who manifest himself

in three persons This should help us build our understanding grow our understanding of God's nature and his

relationship with humanity with us By embracing the trinity we can strengthen our faith and we can

encourage a more personal connection with each person of the Godhead of the Triune God In the next

lesson we will discuss the problem with evil and how we seek to understand God's justice the problem of

evil and the Odyssey and systematic theology So the problem of evil is a philosophical theological challenge that has confused

humanity for centuries This problem addresses the apparent contradiction between the existence of evil and

the belief in a benevolent and all powerful God Like we discussed in the last

lesson how can an all loving and all powerful God How can that God allow the

existence of evil and allow suffering to continue to go on in the world So in response to this the

Odyssey seeks to provide explanations justifications for the presence of evil The Odyssey attempts to reconcile the existence of evil

with the belief in a good and mighty God So by exploring this topic we can

better understand the nature of God the human experience and the ways in which evil can

be understood within a religious framework So the problem of evil let's first define the Odyssey What

is the Odyssey What does it mean How does it work The Odyssey is a theological concept

It attempts to justify God in the face of evil It is also defined as

the defense of God's goodness and omnipotence all powerful in the face of evil So the problem of evil arises

from the observation that evil and suffering exist in the world So despite the existence of a supposedly

loving and omnipotent God it questions why a benevolent God would permit such pain and injustice to occur in

the world Why are these evil things we see allowed to occur and continue to

occur So this dilemma it challenges our understanding of God's attributes and it can raise doubts about his existence

about his goodness and his power You know does he actually have that power in James One verses

and sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith

produces perseverance So what does this verse mean What is it telling us that it is important to

note that evil and suffering are not necessarily evidence against God's existence or against God's goodness

the presence of evil This could be attributed to human free will to natural disasters or the consequences

of living in a fallen world So how do we seek justifications Here The Odyssey refers to

the attempts made by various religious philosophical traditions to explain why evil exists in the presence of a loving and

a powerful God So we can see in Romans 828 and we know that in all

things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his

purpose So while there are numerous theodicy let's explore a few of the more common ones and give some

explanations on them So free will right One of the most prevalent one of the main explanations suggests

that the existence of evil is a result of human free will and humans have free will to choose

we can choose God we can choose evil God created us with that ability to make that choice And

that's important in the presence of evil It's a consequence of mankind's misuse of free will

when Adam made the wrong decision in the garden that's what set everything in motion

Now soul making is another one Some the Odyssey propose that the presence of evil serves a greater purpose in

the development and the refinement of our human souls The argument is made that made

that adversity and suffering lead to personal growth lead to empathy moral character right When we go through

tough times we go through hard things we can develop we can develop more Number three is divine

mystery Another perspective acknowledges that human beings have a limited understanding compared to an omnipotent God It suggests that

God's ways are beyond our human comprehension which they are and some events may occur

for reasons that we cannot fully grasp that you and I cannot fully understand and

we probably never will and then redemptive suffering This the Odyssey asserts that God allows

suffering for a greater outcome such as the redemption the transformation or even the purification of

individuals or the entire world humanity So we see in Isaiah 45 7 I form the light and

create darkness I bring prosperity and create disaster I the Lord do all these things So

to summarize the problem of evil questions how the existence of evil aligns with the belief

in an all loving and an all powerful God The Odyssey is an attempt to reconcile this dilemma by providing

explanations and giving us justifications for the presence of evil and why evil exists Various the Odyssey propose

different explanations such as the role of human free will What does that role play in our decision making

in the outcomes in evil in evil's presence the soul making processes the mystery of God's ways

or the concept of redemptive suffering while the problem of evil remains a big and unresolved challenge and it always

will exploring these concepts can help us navigate the more complex areas of our human existence

and highlight the overall need for greater compassion and personal growth in the face of these challenges So congratulations

on finishing this section Please take some time spend some time filling out the worksheets and taking the

section quiz The quizzes are very helpful in retaining the information In the next section

We start getting into humanity into sin and discussing salvation