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I. God having revealed Himself.
II. God having spoken.
III. God having come forth.
IV. God having entered.
V. God being triune.
VI. The revelation of the Triune God according to the pure word in the Bible:
А. God being unique.
B. God being triune:
1. I and Us, Me and We.
2. The Father, Son, and Spirit.
3. The three all being God:
а. The Father being God.
b. The Son being God.
c. The Spirit being God.
4. The three being eternal:
а. The Father being eternal.
b. The Son being eternal.
c. The Spirit being eternal.
5. The three co-existing.
6. The three being one:
а. The Son being the Father.
b. The Son and the Father being one.
c. The last Adam becoming a life-giving Spirit.
d. The Lord (the Son) being the Spirit.
7. All three being in us.
C. The Triune God being a mystery.
VII. The heart of God — love.
VIII. The actions of God — righteous.
IX. The word of God — faithful.
X. The nature of God — holy.
XI. The expression of God — glory.
XII. The names of God:
А. In the Old Testament (Hebrew):
1. God:
а. El.
b. Eloah.
c. Elohim.
d. El Shaddai.
e. El Elyon.
f. El Olam.
2. Jehovah:
а. Jehovah-‘osenu.
b. Jehovah-jireh.
c. Jehovah-ropheka.
d. Jehovah-nissi.
e. Jehovah-meqaddishkem.
f. Jehovah-shalom.
g. Jehovah-ro‘i.
h. Jehovah-tsidqenu.
i. Jehovah-shammah.
j. Jehovah-tsebaot, or Jehovah-sabaoth.
3. Lord:
а. Adon.
b. Adonai.
B. In the New Testament (Greek):
1. Theos.
2. Pater.
3. Despotes.
4. Kurios.
5. Jesus.
6. Christos.
7. Hagion Pneuma.
XIII. Knowing God:
А. The importance of knowing God.
B. How to know God.
The topics in chapters 17 through 33 cover matters to practice after believing in the Lord. In this volume we begin to examine matters that a believer should know and pursue after being saved. The first matter relates to the knowledge of God. We need to see and know some crucial points concerning various aspects of God.
1. “Both His eternal power and divine characteristics, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world” (Rom. 1:20 see also Psa. 14:1; 19:1-2; 53:1; Acts 14:15-17; 17:26-27; Heb. 11:6).
God has revealed Himself in the universe through His creation. Since the creation of the world, God’s eternal power and divine characteristics have been manifested to men. Although men cannot see God, they can know Him through His creation. Therefore, creation is a proof of a creating God: “The heavens declare the glory of God, / And the expanse proclaims the work of His hands” (Psa. 19:1). All creation is a proof of the Creator. The order in the universe and the regulation of all things is a proof of the manifestation of God. Even the existence of human beings is a proof of God. When we consider the existence of all things and the regulation of the universe, we should realize that there is a God who created and governs the universe. When we consider the things related to ourselves and to our origin, this should also cause us to “seek God...grope for Him and find Him” (Acts 17:27). With such proof and evidence, a man will say, “There is no God,” only out of stubbornness (Psa. 14:1; 53:1). Every reasonable man should confess and believe that there is a God when he sees the things in the universe and the order in the universe.
1. “God, having spoken of old in many portions and in many ways to the fathers in the prophets, has at the last of these days spoken to us in the Son” (Heb. 1:1-2 see also 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21; Matt. 22:31).
God not only reveals Himself through His creation in the universe, but He also explains and reveals Himself through His speaking. When a person speaks, his speaking reveals his inner thoughts so that others may know him. If I stood in front of you without speaking, you would not be able to know or understand me. If God only created the universe but did not speak, we would be able to know of His existence, but we would not be able to know Him or the things in Him. But God has spoken. His Word reveals Himself, His heart’s desire, and everything within Him. In ancient times He spoke in the prophets; in the last of these days He has spoken in the Son (Heb. 1:1-2). Everything that He has spoken through the prophets and the Son is recorded in the Bible. Therefore, the Bible is the word He has spoken. He inspired the Bible; that is, He moved people to speak His word through His Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21). Everything that we need to know about God has been included in the Bible. We do not need to conduct research or guess concerning these matters, because He has clearly revealed them to us through the Bible. Just as the creation is a proof of God’s existence, the Bible is a revelation of God Himself. We can know Him by the creation, and we can know and understand Him by the Bible.
1. “Great is the mystery of godliness: He who was manifested in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16).
God has not only revealed Himself in the creation of the universe and in His speaking, but He has also come through His incarnation. He created all things to demonstrate His existence, He inspired the Bible to reveal and explain Himself, and He was incarnated as a man to manifest Himself. Although He revealed Himself through His creation and His speaking, He manifested Himself through incarnation. His creation pointed man to His existence, and His speaking enabled man to understand Him. However, His incarnation enabled man to see Him and meet Him. Thank the Lord that God has not only created and spoken but also manifested Himself in the flesh. The God who revealed Himself through His creation and His speaking has manifested Himself through His incarnation. Prior to His incarnation He revealed Himself to man, but through His incarnation He has manifested Himself to man. Jesus Christ was the manifestation of God in the flesh. This great mystery in the universe, the mystery of godliness, manifested God so that man could see God.
2. “No one has ever seen God; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:18, see also vv. 1, 4; 5:18-19, 23; 10:30; 12:44-45; 13:20; 14:9-10; Phil. 2:6-7; Heb. 1:3; Col. 1:15; 2:9).
God has been manifested to man through the only begotten Son. Before God was manifested in the Son, no one had ever seen God. The Son is the manifestation of God among men through incarnation. When men saw the Son, they saw God. To believe in the Son is to believe in God, to receive the Son is to receive God, and to honor the Son is to honor God because God is in the Son, and the Son is in God. The Father and the Son are one. The Son is the effulgence of God’s glory and the impress of His substance. He has the form of God, and He is the image of God. All the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him bodily. The Son declared God among men even though He was in the likeness of a man and in the form of a slave.
1. “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may be with you forever, even the Spirit of reality...He abides with you and shall be in you” (John 14:16-17).
God was incarnated in the Son. Although God was manifested among men, He could not enter into man. Although He could live among men, He could not abide in man. Therefore, when the Son was on the earth, He manifested God among men, and after He returned to the heavens, the Spirit was given so that God could enter into man and be with man. God was incarnated in the Son to be manifested among men, seen by men, and received by men. Following the death and resurrection of Christ, He came as the Spirit to enter into man, mingle with man, and be obtained by man. He went through this process in order to have a close, personal relationship with man and to be man’s life, salvation, and everything.
2. “We know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He gave to us” (1 John 3:24 see also 4:13; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Rom. 8:9-10).
The Spirit’s abiding in us is God’s abiding in us. Just as Christ is the embodiment of God, the Spirit is the realization of God. God was embodied in Christ and came among men. God is realized as the Spirit and enters into man. The Spirit has been given to us, and as His temple, God now dwells in us. This is God’s coming to dwell in us.
The Spirit is the transfiguration of God because He is the transfiguration of Christ. Christ was the embodiment of God. After Christ died, rose, and ascended, He descended as the Spirit. Therefore, the Spirit is the transfiguration of Christ, the transfiguration of God. This is the reason that the Spirit is called the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ. The Spirit is the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ. Thus, the Spirit’s dwelling in man is God’s dwelling in man and Christ’s dwelling in man. This is the true situation of all those who are saved and who belong to Christ. If a person does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not of Christ.
3. “Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20 see also 4:19; 2 Cor. 13:5; Col. 1:27; John 14:19-20; 17:21, 23, 26).
Christ is in everyone who believes in Him. Christ not only is in us, but He also wants to live in us and to grow and be formed in us so that we may be conformed to His glorious image (Rom. 8:29). Today He is in us as our hope of glory. In the future He will be our glory. As He lives in us and is joined with us, God is in us, and we are in God. Thus, the Triune God and we and we and the Triune God are one.
We must see and remember the four steps that God took in order for us to know of Him, to know Him and receive Him, to obtain Him, and to be one with Him. These four steps are (1) the creation of all things, (2) the revelation in the Bible, (3) incarnation, and (4) transfiguration as the Spirit. The creation of all things shows man that there is a God. The revelation in the Bible explains God to man. The incarnation manifested God to man, and His transfiguration as the Spirit allows God to enter into man and be obtained by man. Thus, He is revealed by the creation, explained by the Bible, manifested by incarnation, and made available as the Spirit. If we want to know Him, we must know these four major steps. This is basic knowledge concerning God. We must know the creation, the Bible, Christ, and the Holy Spirit in order to know God. We must have a clear understanding concerning creation, the Bible, Christ, and the Holy Spirit in order to have a thorough knowledge of God.
According to the Bible, God is triune. The word triune is more appropriate than the term three-in-one. Although we cannot find the word triune in the Bible, the fact that God is triune is revealed in the Bible (Matt. 28:19). Many people wonder how God can be three and also one. This matter is difficult to understand because our mind is limited. It is not possible to completely understand the matter of God being triune, just as we cannot completely understand how we are a tripartite being with a spirit, soul, and body. There are many things in the universe that our limited mentality cannot understand. We can apprehend their existence, but we cannot understand or explain them. If we lack understanding of such matters, it should not be a surprise that we cannot understand such a mysterious person as God. In regard to the matter of God being triune, the Bible clearly speaks of this, even though it does not provide details concerning how this is possible.
1. “There is one God”; “There is no God but one” (1 Tim. 2:5; 1 Cor. 8:4, see also v. 6; Rom. 3:30).
These portions of the Bible clearly and definitely state that there is only one God.
2. “In the beginning God [plural] created [singular] the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).
The Bible clearly says that there is only one God, but in this verse, in the Hebrew language the word God is plural. This tells us that although there is one God, there is a particular characteristic — a plural aspect — in His person. This may cause some to think that there are separate persons who are God; however, the singular verb create in the Hebrew language counters such an understanding. The subject God is plural, but the verb create is singular. This proves that God is both plural and singular. According to the record of the Bible, the plural references to God point to the number three, and the singular references, to the number one. From the very first verse of the Bible, the revelation of God implies that He is triune.
3. “God [plural] said, Let Us make man in Our image [singular], according to Our likeness” (Gen. 1:26 see also 3:22; 11:6-7; Isa. 6:8).
At the end of the first chapter of Genesis, the Bible not only uses the plural word in Hebrew for God, but it clearly includes God’s reference to Himself as “Us.” This is one of many portions in the Bible that refers to God in the plural form. However, in Genesis 1:26 the word for image is in the singular form of the Hebrew language. Although the word God and God’s reference to Himself, Us, are both plural, the word image is singular. Us is plural, but the image of Us is singular. There is only one image. This proves that God is triune.
4. “As We are one” (John 17:22, see also v. 11).
Although the Lord’s word to the Father clearly contains the plural pronoun We, it also clearly indicates that the “We” are one. This again shows that God is triune.
5. “Into the name [singular] of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19).
Although the Lord speaks of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in this verse, the word name in the original Greek is singular. Although the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three, there is only one name. Thus, the Bible shows that the God who has been revealed is three and one; He is triune. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God.
6. “Chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father”; “Of the Son, ‘Your throne, O God’”; “Why has Satan filled your heart to deceive the Holy Spirit...You have not lied to men but to God” (1 Pet. 1:2; Heb. 1:8; Acts 5:3-4 see also Eph. 1:17; John 1:1; 2 Cor. 3:17-18).
In these verses the Bible clearly reveals that the Father, Son, and Spirit are all God. Based on the record of other portions of the Bible, this does not mean that the Father, Son, and Spirit are three separate Gods but that the Father, Son, and Spirit are triune.
7. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit”; “There are distinctions of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are distinctions of ministries, yet the same Lord; and there are distinctions of operations, but the same God”; “Chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father in the sanctification of the Spirit unto the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ”; “The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit” (2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 1 Pet. 1:2; Eph. 1:17).
These portions of the Bible, which speak of the apostle’s blessing for the believers, God’s inspiration of the believers, God’s choosing of the saints, and God’s revelation of Himself to the saints, all refer to God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. This shows that God is triune.
8. “Jehovah bless you and keep you; Jehovah make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; Jehovah lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace” (Num. 6:24-26).
God commanded the Old Testament priests to speak the name Jehovah three times in succession when they blessed the children of Israel. They were not charged to say “Jehovah” two times or even four times; God charged them to speak the name three times. This is very meaningful because the God who blesses is triune. The first reference to Jehovah involves His blessing and keeping. These are actions of God the Father. The second reference to Jehovah involves His shining and being gracious. These are actions of God the Son. The third reference to Jehovah involves His lifting up His countenance and giving peace. These, undoubtedly, are actions of God the Spirit. Therefore, this blessing involves the Father, Son, and Spirit — the Triune God — blessing, giving grace, and giving peace to His chosen people.
9. “Holy, holy, holy, Jehovah of hosts” (Isa. 6:3, see also v. 8).
According to the Old Testament, the priests referred to Jehovah three times in succession when they blessed the people. In a similar fashion, the seraphim in the heavens say “holy” three times in succession when they praise God. When they praise God, they say, “Holy, holy, holy,” because the God whom they praise is triune. In verse 8 the God whom they praise refers to Himself in the plural with the word Us.
10. “Your name be sanctified; Your kingdom come; Your will be done” (Matt. 6:9-10).
In the Old Testament the priests were charged to say the name of Jehovah three times when they blessed the people, and in the New Testament the Lord charged the believers to refer to God three times with the word Your when they prayed. This is because the God to whom the Lord wanted the believers to pray is triune. The first Your is associated with the name of God, which is related mainly to the Father. The second Your is associated with the kingdom of God, which is related to Christ. And the third Your is associated with the will of God, which is related to the Spirit. The name of God the Father, the kingdom of God the Son, and the will of God the Spirit can be seen in other portions of the Bible as well (John 17:5-6, 11; 1 Cor. 15:24-25; Eph. 5:5; Col. 1:13; Acts 13:2; 1 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:1). Consequently, the prayer that the Lord charged the New Testament believers to pray also proves that God is triune.
11. “Holy, holy, holy” (Rev. 4:8).
Just as there are verses in the Old Testament that refer to the name Jehovah and to the word holy three times in succession, there are verses in the New Testament that refer to Your and to the word holy three times in succession. In the Old Testament the priests on earth blessed the people in the name of Jehovah three times, and the seraphim in the heavens praised God three times, referring to Him as holy each time. In the New Testament the believers on earth refer to God as “Your” three times in their prayer, and the four living creatures in the heavens praise God three times, referring to Him as “holy” each time. This is revealed because the God to whom we petition, pray, and praise is triune.
The Bible shows that God is the Father, Son, and Spirit — the Triune God. The Father is the source, the Son is the manifestation of God to man, and the Spirit is the realization of God, the entrance of God into man. God the Father dwells in the heavens in unapproachable light, God the Son is manifested among men, and God the Spirit enters into and is realized by man.
As the Father is in the Son and is one with the Son, the Son is also in the Spirit and is one with the Spirit. The Son is the manifestation of the Father, and the Spirit is the realization, the entrance, of the Son. The Father is manifested among men in the Son, and the Son enters into man as the Spirit. The Father is in the Son, and the Son is the Spirit. The Father, Son, and Spirit are three yet at the same time one.
1. “You alone are God” (Psa. 86:10).
2. “I am Jehovah...; / Besides Me there is no God” (Isa. 45:5 see also Eph. 4:6; 1 Tim. 2:5).
3. “There is no God but one” (1 Cor. 8:4).
Both the Old and New Testaments clearly and definitely speak of God as one.
1. “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” (Isa. 6:8 see also Gen. 1:26; 3:22; 11:7).
In this verse God refers to Himself as both “I” and “Us.” Although we cannot say how He is both “I” and “Us,” we know that He is both. In the New Testament there are verses in which God refers to Himself with both singular and plural pronouns.
2. “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him” (John 14:23).
When the Lord, who is God, referred to Himself in this verse, He used the pronouns Me and My, but when He referred to God the Father, He used the pronoun We. Both Me and We refer to only one God.
3. “Holy Father, keep them in Your name, which You have given to Me, that they may be one even as We are” (John 17:11).
In this verse the Lord referred to Himself and to the Father using the word We. This is a mystery that is beyond human language and understanding.
1. “Baptizing them into the name [singular] of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19).
This verse clearly says that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have one name. There are three, but there is only one name. This is God being triune.
1. “Chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” (1 Pet. 1:2).
2. “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory” (Eph. 1:17).
Many places in the New Testament speak of God the Father.
1. “But of the Son, ‘Your throne, O God’” (Heb. 1:8).
The Son is called God.
2. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
The Word is Christ, the Son. Since the Word is God, the Son is God.
3. “Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever” (Rom. 9:5).
Christ is not only God but the God who is over all.
1. “Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to deceive the Holy Spirit...You have not lied to men but to God” (Acts 5:3-4).
In verse 3 Peter told Ananias that he had deceived the Holy Spirit, and in the following verse he equated this with lying to God. Thus, these two verses indicate that the Holy Spirit is God.
1. “Eternal Father” (Isa. 9:6).
This verse speaks of the Mighty God as being the Eternal Father. Thus, the Father is eternal.
1. “You are the same, and Your years will not fail” (Heb. 1:12).
According to this verse, the years of the Lord will not fail, that is, will not end. This is confirmed in Hebrews 7:3, which says that He is without beginning of days or end of life. Thus, He is eternal.
1. “The eternal Spirit” (Heb. 9:14).
According to this verse, Christ offered Himself without blemish to God through the eternal Spirit. Thus, according to the Bible, we must proclaim that the Father, Son, and Spirit are all eternal.
1. “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may be with you forever, even the Spirit of reality” (John 14:16-17 see also Eph. 3:14-17).
In these two verses the Son prayed to the Father to give the Spirit. Thus, the Father, Son, and Spirit all co-exist. In Ephesians 3:14-17 Paul prays that the Father would strengthen us through His Spirit into our inner man so that Christ could make His home in our heart. In both portions the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are mentioned. The three co-exist. According to Ephesians 3:14-17, the Father hears our prayer, the Spirit strengthens the believers, and Christ the Son makes His home in their hearts. This clearly shows that the Father, Son, and Spirit co-exist.
2. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Cor. 13:14 see also 1 Cor. 12:4-6).
This verse speaks of the grace of Christ the Son, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship, or flowing, of the Holy Spirit, showing that the three co-exist. First Corinthians 12:4-6 speaks of the gifts of the Spirit, the ministries of the Lord, and the operations of God. Here we can see the Spirit, the Lord, and God. Once more this reveals that the Spirit, the Son, and the Father co-exist and work simultaneously. The Spirit gives gifts, the Lord ministers, and the Father operates.
1. “A child is born to us, / A Son is given to us; / And the government / Is upon His shoulder; / And His name will be called / Wonderful Counselor, / Mighty God, / Eternal Father, / Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6).
The baby named Jesus, who was born in a manger in Bethlehem, was called Mighty God. If we believe that the child born to us is the Mighty God, we must also believe that the Son given to us is the Eternal Father. The Son is the Father. This is based on the pure Word of God.
2. “Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father and it is sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, Have I been so long a time with you, and you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how is it that you say, Show us the Father?” (John 14:8-9).
1. “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).
This word clearly shows that the Son and the Father are one.
1. “The last Adam became a life-giving Spirit” (1 Cor. 15:45).
Jesus is the last Adam, and the life-giving Spirit is the Holy Spirit. Apart from the Holy Spirit, there is no other Spirit who can give life, yet this verse clearly indicates that Jesus, who is called the last Adam, became a life-giving Spirit.
1. “The Lord is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17).
Lord in this verse refers to Jesus, and Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit. To say that the Lord Jesus is the Spirit is absolutely according to the Bible.
1. “One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Eph. 4:6).
This verse clearly says that the Father is in us.
2. “In that day you will know that I am...in you” (John 14:20).
The Son is also in us.
3. “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).
4. “Do you not realize about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?” (2 Cor. 13:5).
5. “The Spirit of reality...shall be in you” (John 14:17).
The Spirit is also in us.
The Father is in us, the Son is in us, and the Spirit is in us. This is very clear. According to our experience, however, these three are one because the Father, Son, and Spirit are one.
1. “The Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
This is a mystery. Are the Word and God one, or are They two? They are both.
2. “The Lord is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17).
In this verse the Lord and the Spirit are spoken of as being one because the Lord is the Spirit, but later in the same verse the Spirit of the Lord is mentioned. This indicates that there is an aspect of distinction. Are the Lord and the Spirit one, or are They two? This is a mystery.
3. “But of the Son, ‘Your throne, O God...Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You’” (Heb. 1:8-9).
In verse 8 the Son is called God, but verse 9 speaks of God as being His God. It is not possible to explain this mysterious matter.
4. “Seven Spirits” (Rev. 1:4; 4:5; 5:6).
The one Spirit of God in Ephesians 4:4 is called the seven Spirits in the book of Revelation. This is another mystery.
Because the Triune God is a mystery, our limited mentality cannot completely understand the Triune God as a doctrine. The Triune God is for our experience and enjoyment. God being triune is for His economy. He is triune to dispense Himself into us and to become our life and our everything. The Triune God is for our experience and enjoyment.
1. “God so loved the world” (John 3:16).
God’s heart is love, so He loves the world.
2. “Who desires all men to be saved” (1 Tim. 2:4 see also Matt. 23:37; 8:3; Ezek. 18:23; 33:11; Isa. 49:15; Jer. 3:1).
God desires all men to be saved because He loves man. Because His heart is love, He desires to save men, He is willing to save men, and He does not want men to perish. His love is greater than a mother’s love for her children and greater than a husband’s love for his wife.
1. “Shall the Judge of all the earth not do justly?” (Gen. 18:25 see also Deut. 32:4).
God’s actions are righteous. He is the Judge of all the earth, so He cannot act unrighteously. Everything He does is absolutely righteous.
2. “You may be declared righteous in Your words” (Rom. 3:4).
God’s righteousness is manifested and declared even in His judgment and rebuke of men.
3. “With a view to the demonstrating of His righteousness in the present time, so that He might be righteous and the One who justifies him who is of the faith of Jesus” (Rom. 3:26 see also 1 John 1:9).
God justifies those who are of the faith of Jesus because He is righteous. His justification demonstrates His righteousness; that is, it shows that He is righteous. We were sinful and unrighteous and could not be justified according to God’s standard of righteousness. Therefore, God caused Jesus, who was without sin, to receive His righteous punishment on our behalf (1 Pet. 3:18). For our sake, He judged the Lord Jesus according to His standard of righteousness to satisfy His righteous requirement. When we believe in the Lord Jesus, receive Him, and are joined to Him, God must justify us according to His righteousness. He can no longer righteously condemn us. The Lord Jesus, who shed His blood for our sins according to God’s righteousness, bore our punishment. Now when one believes in the Lord Jesus, God forgives his sins because He is righteous. He cannot be unrighteous and refuse to forgive those who believe in the Lord Jesus.
We must know the salvation of God not only according to His love but also according to His righteousness. Madame Guyon once said that even if God wanted to change His mind regarding her salvation, He could not do it, because He had already judged her on the cross. This truly is a word of one who knew God’s salvation, and it truly is a word of one who knew God. Because of His righteousness, God has to save those who believe in the Lord. If God’s salvation was based only on His love, our salvation would not be firm, because He could cease to love us, and if our salvation was based only on love, God would not be wrong or unrighteous if He ceased to love us. Thankfully, our salvation is based on both His love and His righteousness. Because He is righteous, our salvation is firm. His righteousness requires Him to save us when we believe in the Lord Jesus. In this regard, our salvation does not rest upon His love but rather upon the fulfillment of His legal responsibility according to His righteousness.
1. “Nor will I be false to My own faithfulness. / I will not profane My covenant, / Nor will I change what has gone forth from My lips” (Psa. 89:33-34 see also Heb. 6:18; 10:23; Psa. 119:89; Isa. 40:8; Matt. 24:35).
God’s actions are righteous, and His word is faithful. In God’s salvation His word strengthens His actions. God’s actions accomplish His salvation, and His word, which is according to His faithfulness, confirms and establishes His actions as being beyond change. Because of His faithfulness, He cannot nullify the words that have gone forth from His lips. This is true not only of God but of any faithful person; once a word leaves the mouth of a faithful person, it cannot be nullified.
God cannot lie, so the word that He speaks to us is completely faithful and reliable. It cannot be changed or nullified. His word is established in the heavens. The grass will wither, the flowers will fade, but His word is eternally established. Even if the heavens and earth pass away, His word cannot pass away.
Furthermore, the words that God speaks to us in the Bible are not ordinary words or promises; they are a covenant He has established with us. The words of the Bible are a covenant that God established with us according to His faithfulness. The words in the Bible are a testament; consequently, the Bible is composed of the Old and New Testaments. God’s word will not change, and He will keep His covenant. He is bound by His word and by His covenant.
1. “You shall be holy because I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:16 see also Lev. 11:44-45; 20:7; Heb. 12:14).
God’s nature is not only holy; it is holiness itself. In chapter 8 we saw that to be holy is to be separated from everything. To say God’s nature is holy is to say God’s nature — God’s essence — is separated from everything else. Because God’s nature, His essence, is holy, He wants us to be holy, to be separated from everything other than Him. If we are not holy as He is holy, we cannot see Him or come near to Him.
1. “The glory of Jehovah settled on Mount Sinai” (Exo. 24:16 see also Ezek. 1:28; 3:23).
God Himself is glory. There is always an appearance of glory when God manifests Himself to man. The glory of God is equal to the God of glory. Moses and the children of Israel saw the glory of God settling on Mount Sinai, and Ezekiel saw the glory of God. When they saw the glory of God, they saw God Himself. When they were before the glory of God, they were before God Himself.
2. “They exchanged their glory / For the image of an ox that eats grass” (Psa. 106:20 see also Jer. 2:11; Rom. 1:23; John 12:41; Acts 7:55; Heb. 1:3).
Jeremiah 2 says that the God of Israel was the glory of Israel. Man replaced God with idols, but Psalm 106:20 and Romans 1:23 both say that man replaced God’s glory with idols. Therefore, these few portions show that the glory of God is God Himself. The glory of God is God Himself, especially when He appears to man (John 12:41; Acts 7:55). The Lord Jesus is the expression of God, so He is the effulgence of God’s glory (Heb. 1:3). Every person, event, or object that manifests God expresses God’s glory. The phrase give glory to God means to express God.
This is the first name in the Bible. It has the following variations.
El is translated into English as “God.” It is singular and denotes God the Mighty One. It is first used in Genesis 14:18.
Eloah also is translated into English as “God.” It is singular and denotes God as the almighty One who should be worshipped. It is first used in Deuteronomy 32:15 and 18.
The name Elohim is plural and means “the Mighty One.” It is first used in Genesis 1:1.
The following names are compound names containing El.
El means “the Mighty One,” and Shaddai comes from the Hebrew word meaning “breast” or “udder.” This divine title reveals that God is the Mighty One with an udder, that is, the all-sufficient Mighty One. It is first used in Genesis 17:1. In English it is translated as “the All-sufficient God.” Hymns, #671 speaks of this name. With respect to this name, God is like a mother who nurses her infant at her breast. He is complete and sufficient.
El Elyon means “the preeminent Mighty One.” It is first used in Genesis 14:18. In English it is translated as “God the Most High.”
El Olam means “the Eternal Mighty One.” It is first used in Genesis 21:33. In English it is translated as “the Eternal God.” This name denotes that God is the mysterious God throughout the ages. Psalm 90:2 speaks of God as being “from eternity to eternity.”
Jehovah means “He who is, who was, and who is coming,” or “the One who existed, exists, and will exist eternally.” It means that God eternally is and will not change; He has existed from eternity. He eternally exists, and He will not cease to exist (Exo. 3:14-15; Rev. 1:8). In the New Testament the Lord Jesus said, “I am” (John 8:24, 28, 58), which refers to the name Jehovah. The name Jehovah is included in the following ten compound names.
Jehovah-‘osenu means “Jehovah our Maker” (Psa. 95:6).
Jehovah-jireh means “Jehovah will provide” (Gen. 22:13-14).
Jehovah-ropheka means “Jehovah who heals you” (Exo. 15:26).
Jehovah-nissi means “Jehovah is my banner” (Exo. 17:15).
Jehovah-meqaddishkem means “Jehovah who sanctifies you” (Exo. 31:13; Lev. 20:8; 21:8).
Jehovah-shalom means “Jehovah is peace” (Judg. 6:24).
Jehovah-ro‘i means “Jehovah is my Shepherd” (Psa. 23:1).
Jehovah-tsidqenu means “Jehovah our righteousness” (Jer. 23:6).
Jehovah-shammah means “Jehovah Is There” (Ezek. 48:35).
Jehovah-sabaoth means “Jehovah of hosts” (1 Sam. 1:3; Jer. 2:19).
This name has a singular form and a plural form.
This name is translated into English as “Lord.” It is singular and means “master.” It is first used in Exodus 23:17.
This is the plural form of the name adon, and it also means “master.” It is first used in Genesis 15:2.
In general three different names are used in the Old Testament to refer to God. The first is God, the second is Jehovah, and the third is Lord. God emphasizes His power, especially in creation, and Jehovah emphasizes His relationship with man. Jehovah is first used in Genesis 2:4 where it speaks of God in relation to man. The compound names based on Jehovah show further aspects of His relationship with man. The simple meaning of this name is “I am.” He is everything to man. Whatever man needs, He is. In His name, it is as if there is a blank after “I am,” which can be filled in by faith with whatever man needs. If a man needs healing, Jehovah can be his healing. If man needs peace, Jehovah can be his peace. Whatever man needs, Jehovah can provide. He is like a blank check that can be filled in with whatever man needs. This name is so precious and sweet to us!
Theos is “God” in English. It is equivalent to the Old Testament Hebrew names of El, Eloah, and Elohim. It is often used to refer to the Triune God. In the New Testament it is used to refer to the Father (1 Pet. 1:2), to the Son (Heb. 1:8), and to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4).
Pater is “Father” in English. It is a name that specially reveals Him (John 20:17; 1 John 3:1). In the New Testament an Aramaic (Chaldean) word is also used, abba, in relation to God the Father. Abba is a transliteration that means “father” (Mark 14:36; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6).
Despotes is “Sovereign Master,” or simply “Master” in English. It means “the Ruler.” The New Testament uses it to refer to God (Luke 2:29; Acts 4:24; Rev. 6:10) and to the Lord Jesus (2 Pet. 2:1; Jude 4).
Kurios is “Lord” in English, and it is equivalent to the Old Testament Hebrew names adon and adonai (Matt. 1:20; Mark 12:29). When the New Testament quotes verses from the Old Testament, it often replaces the name Jehovah with kurios. This is the name that is used when the Lord Jesus is referred to as God (John 20:28; 1 Cor. 12:3; 5:4).
Jesus in Greek is equivalent to the Hebrew name Joshua (Num. 13:16); it means “Jehovah Savior” or “the salvation of Jehovah.” Thus, the Lord Jesus is Jehovah who is in a relationship with man, who comes to be man’s Savior, and who becomes man’s salvation. This name is used for the Lord Jesus as a man (Luke 1:31; Matt. 1:21).
This name is Greek and is simply transliterated as “Christ.” The Hebrew word is Messiah (John 1:41), which means “the anointed” (Dan. 9:25-26). In the Old Testament, when a person became a king, priest, or prophet, he was anointed with oil. The Lord Jesus was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:18). He is the anointed One of God, God’s Christ. Therefore, this name refers to the ministry of the Lord Jesus (Matt. 1:16; Luke 2:26; Acts 2:36).
Hagion pneuma is “Holy Spirit” in English. The New Testament uses it to refer to the Spirit as a person (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14).
1. “Rendering vengeance to those who do not know God” (2 Thes. 1:8).
When the Lord Jesus comes again in the future, some will receive His vengeance, punishment, and eternal destruction and will depart from His presence and from the glory of His strength because they do not know God. This shows how crucial it is for us to know God.
2. “I delight in...the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6).
Although God delights in man’s sacrifices to Him, He delights in man’s knowing Him even more. Our knowledge of God is more important than our service to God. We cannot merely serve God without pursuing knowledge of Him. Our service to God should be based on our knowledge of Him. If we serve God but do not know Him, we will not be acceptable to God.
3. “The people who know their God will show strength and take action” (Dan. 11:32).
Knowing God can strengthen us. Many times we are weak because we do not know God. Our strength depends on the degree of our knowledge of God. Only those who know God will show strength and take action. To take action means “to expand.” Those who know God will be strong to expand their horizons and extend their boundaries and break new ground for God. On the earth today God needs those who would know Him in this way.
4. “To know Him” (Phil. 3:10).
Christ is the embodiment of God; the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily for us to gain and enjoy (Col. 2:9). Not only are God’s life and power in Christ, but His wisdom and knowledge are also hidden in Christ (v. 3). We must know Christ in order to enjoy everything of God. Christ is the embodiment of God. To know Christ is to know God. This causes us to gain God and to enjoy Him.
1. “They did not approve of holding God in their full knowledge” (Rom. 1:28).
If we want to know God, we must approve of holding God in our full knowledge. Most people confess that there is a God, but very few know Him, because they do not approve of knowing Him. They approve of earning money, entertainment, and many other things of the human life, but they do not approve of knowing God. Worldly people are not the only ones who are like this; many Christians do not approve of knowing God in their full knowledge. Some approve of getting an education. Some approve of doing business. Some approve of their family. Some approve of their clothing and appearance. Some approve of recreation and entertainment. They approve of many things, but they do not approve of knowing God. Consequently, they cannot know Him. They cannot know God, because they do not want Him or love Him. Only those who want and love God, and who want and love God to the extent of being captured by Him, can know God. Whenever such a person thinks about God, he approves Him. When he hears God’s name, he senses its sweetness. Only this kind of person can know God. We must ask the Lord to give us a heart that approves Him so that we can leave everything that is apart from Him, loving Him singly and pursuing Him as the approved One so that we may know God.
2. “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Him whom You have sent, Jesus Christ” (John 17:3).
Knowing God and knowing Christ bring eternal life, and knowing God and knowing Christ are eternal life. Eternal life is the life of God. We obtain and possess this life by knowing God and Christ, and this life enables us to know God and Christ. God’s life is in us, causing us to know and sense what God likes and wants and what He does not like or want. If we live and act according to the inward feeling that comes from the life of God, we will know God.
3. “I will impart My laws into their mind, and on their hearts I will inscribe them...All will know Me from the little one to the great one among them” (Heb. 8:10-11).
Every life is a law. God’s life within us also is an inward law that causes us to know God; this knowing is possible whether we have been saved for a long time or have just been recently saved. A newborn child spits out bitter things that are put into his mouth, and he will eat sweet things that are put into his mouth. He can differentiate between what is bitter and what is sweet by the function of life, not by knowledge that comes from teaching. This function of life comes from the law of life. Knowing God is a matter of life, not of outward knowledge. Knowing God is based not on outward letters of the law, ordinances, or rituals but on the inward law of life. Our knowledge of God is related to life. It is according to inward life, not outward mentality. It is God’s life as the law of life in us, expressing its function so that we may know God inwardly. If we want to know God, we must know the inward law of life and follow the inward sense of life.
4. “Therefore let us know, let us pursue knowing Jehovah” (Hosea 6:3).
Even though we have the life of God that enables us to know God, we still must pursue knowing God. This will enable the life of God to manifest its function and cause us to know God.
5. “If you receive my words...then you will...find the knowledge of God” (Prov. 2:1-5).
We cannot know God according to our concept or by our feeling, because our feeling can be wrong. Even our physical sense of hot and cold can be inaccurate when we are sick. Our heart and spirit can also be affected by “sicknesses” that cause our feelings to be wrong. Therefore, we must regard the word of God as our spiritual thermometer and let God’s word be the deciding factor in knowing God.
6. “That...God...may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of Him” (Eph. 1:17).
If we want to know God, we need a spirit of wisdom and revelation. Revelation enables us to see; wisdom enables us to understand. If we only see but cannot understand, we still cannot know, so we must have revelation and wisdom. This is something only God can give, so we must petition God for it.
7. “On account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, on account of whom I have suffered the loss of all things...that I may gain Christ” (Phil. 3:8).
We must also pay a price to know God. If we count the knowledge of God and of the Lord as something excellent, we must be willing to suffer the loss of all things for it. The extent of the loss that we suffer is the extent to which we can know God and gain the Lord. Our knowledge of God is related to our suffering the loss of all things.
