God Exists

Dear Brethren,

We have just returned from keeping the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day.  These are some of the annual Feast Days which are commanded by God to be kept (Leviticus 23).  When kept in their order throughout the year, these Holy Days reveal God's Plan for mankind and His purpose for creating human life. These Feasts of the Lord picture the wonderful new world tomorrow.  It will be a world, as the Bible says, which will usher in the Kingdom of God on earth.

"There will be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."  (Revelation 21:4)

This world does not believe in the great Creator God.  And as a result of this unbelief, God’s bountiful blessings are being removed one by one.

"Without faith it is impossible to please [God]: for he that comes to God must believe that [God exists], and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."  (Hebrews 11:6)

As a result of their unbelief, the world today is filled with sickness, diseases of all kinds, the most appalling poverty, hatred and violence of every kind.  Nation after nation has Godless, corrupt, warring governments.  What's more, the world now lives in imminent danger of all life on earth being eradicated.  All life would be destroyed in the not too distant future except for another event the Bible speaks of which will save the planet and prevent mankind from ending its existence.

"Except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved alive: but for the elect's sake, whom He hath chosen, He hath shortened the days."  (Mark 13:20)

Peter prophesied that in the last days people would reject the Truth of God and show contempt for the promise of Jesus Christ's coming.

"There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, saying, Where is the promise of His coming?"  (2 Peter 3:2-3)

In this issue of the "Countdown to the Return of Jesus Christ," we begin a series on the Statement of Beliefs of the Church of God.  These beliefs form the basics of the foundation of our faith.

God the Father:  God the Father is the eternal, glorious, supreme Creator of the heavens and the earth, the source of all life, and the Divine Father of Jesus Christ.  God is a personal Spirit being, the epitome of love, wisdom, justice, power, goodness, and mercy.  God is the Sovereign Ruler and sustainer of all that is.  In His magnificent infinite Plan, God is reproducing Himself through mankind.  God is creating us in His image to be the Children of God and members of the everlasting Family of God.

God is Sovereign:  “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth are thine; thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.”  (1 Chronicles 29:11)

God is supreme in power and authority in the entire universe, and yet He is intimate and near to us.  "Who is man that God should be mindful of him?"  (Psalms 8:4)  God knows our every thought and action, and yet He is merciful.  "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy."  (Psalms 103:8)

"God is Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."  (John  4:24)

God is Love: "He that loves not knows not God; for God is love.  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him… We have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him.”  (1 John 4:8, 9, 16)

God is Creator:  "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  (Genesis 1:1)

"God that made the world and all things therein."  (Acts 17:24)

“God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”  (Genesis 1:26  )

God is Lawgiver: "God spoke all these words, [Ten Commandments]."  (Exodus 20:1)

God is Real:  God can be seen in creation and history. "The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead."  (Romans 1:20)

“Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Children of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the Children of God and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. (1 John 3:1-2)

God is Sustainer:  "He upholds all things by the Word of His power."  (Hebrews 1:3)

God is Ruler:  "The Lord God omnipotent reigns."  (Revelation 19:6, Psalms 96:10)

God is Planner:  God's purpose in man is to reproduce the Divine God Family.  "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the Children of God, even to them that believe on His name.”  (John 1:12)

God is Judge:  "The Lord comes to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and judge the people with His Truth.”  (Psalm 96:13)

God is Almighty and Omnipotent:  "The Lord said unto Abram, I am the Almighty God."  (Genesis 17:1)

God is the Source of Life:  "God the Father raised Jesus from the dead."  (Acts 17:31)

"God breathed the breath of life; and man became a living being."  (Genesis 2:7)

God is Savior:  "...according to the commandment of God our Savior."  (Titus 1:3, 3:4, Psalms 106:21)

God is a Family:  "God the Father of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.”   (Ephesians 3:15)

God is our Father:   "We have received the Spirit of sonship, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."  (Romans 8:15)

God is First:  "You shall not have any other gods before Me."  (Exodus 20:3)

Brethren, it is important that we know and put these foundational truths and first principles into practice.  "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall."  (2 Peter 1:10)

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Sermon:

"God Exists"