Question | What is God? |
---|---|
Answer | God is a Spirit, 1 infinite, 2 eternal, 3 and unchangeable 4 in his being, 5 wisdom, 6 power, 7 holiness, 8 justice, goodness, and truth. 9 |
The Baptist Catechism Set to Music
Benjamin Beddome’s Exposition
Is God a Spirit?
Yes.
God is a Spirit,
John 4:24
Is he incorporeal and invisible?
Yes.
Ye have not heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape,
John 5:37
Is he a perfect spirit?
Yes.
He is light, and in him is no darkness,
1 John 1:5
Is he an active spirit?
Yes.
My Father worketh hitherto,
John 5:17
Is he a self-sufficient and independent spirit?
Yes.
His name is I am that I am
Exodus 3:14
Is he an immortal spirit?
Yes.
Who only hath immortality,
1 Timothy 6:16
Is he above all other spirits?
Yes.
He is the Father of spirits,
Hebrews 12:9
Can we then form any adequate conception of the divine Being?
No.
What likeness can you compare unto him,
Isaiah 40:18
Are the organs of sense improperly ascribed unto him?
Yes.
Hast thou eyes of flesh or seest thou as man seeth,
Job 10:4
Can he be gratified with carnal things?
No.
I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy fold,
Psalm 50:9
Should he be worshipped in a spiritual manner?
Yes.
Whom I serve with my spirit,
Romans 1:9
May we expect spiritual blessings from him?
Yes.
Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings,
Ephesians 1:3
And is he the only suitable portion for our spirits?
Yes.
The Lord is my portion saith my soul,
Lamentations 3:24
Is God infinite and omnipresent?
Yes.
Whither shall I flee from thy presence,
Psalm 139:7
Is he in heaven?
Yes.
If I ascend up into heaven thou art there,
Psalm 139:8
But is he confined to heaven?
No.
The heaven of heavens cannot contain thee,
2 Chronicles 2:6
Is his essence diffused through the whole universe of things?
Yes.
He is above all and through all and in all,
Ephesians 4:6
Is he then near to every one of us?
Yes.
He is not far from every one of us,
Acts 17:27
Should this be a support to the saints under their burden?
Yes.
Be strong for I am with you, saith the Lord,
Haggai 2:4
And a spur to holy actions?
Yes.
Walk before me, and be thou perfect,
Genesis 17:1
Is God eternal?
Yes.
The eternal God is thy refuge,
Deuteronomy 33:27
Was he from everlasting?
Yes.
Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God,
Habakkuk 1:12
Will he be to everlasting?
Yes.
From everlasting to everlasting thou art God,
Psalm 90:2
Is he only eternal?
Yes.
I am the first, and I am the last, and besides me there is no God,
Isaiah 44:6
Should he therefore be feared?
Yes.
He is the living God, and an everlasting King, at his wrath the earth shall tremble,
Jeremiah 10:10
And be trusted?
Yes.
Trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength,
Isaiah 26:4
Is this perfection of God humbling to man?
Yes.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundation of the earth,
Job 38:4
And glorious to himself?
Yes.
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, be honour and glory for ever and ever,
1 Timothy 1:17
Is God unchangeable?
Yes.
Thou art the same,
Psalm 102:27
Is he absolutely so?
Yes.
With him there is no shadow of turning,
James 1:17
Is he so in his own nature and perfections?
Yes.
I am the Lord, I change not,
Malachi 3:6
And in his will?
Yes.
His Counsel shall stand,
Isaiah 46:10
And in his love?
Yes.
I have loved thee with an everlasting love,
Jeremiah 31:3
And in his special favours?
Yes.
The gifts and calling of God are without repentance,
Romans 11:29
May not God change through some unforeseen accident?
No.
For known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world,
Acts 15:18
Or through want of power to effect what he has determined?
No.
For he is the Almighty God,
Genesis 17:1
Is it well for us that God is unchangeable?
Yes.
Therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed,
Malachi 3:6
Is God wise?
Yes.
Counsel is mine and sound wisdom,
Proverbs 8:14
Doth his wisdom appear in creation and providence?
Yes.
He is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working,
Isaiah 28:29
And in redemption?
Yes.
Herein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence,
Ephesians 1:8
Is he infinitely wise?
Yes.
His understanding is infinite,
Psalm 147:5
Is he originally so?
Yes.
With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him,
Isaiah 40:14
Is he perfectly so?
Yes.
The foolishness of God is wiser than man,
1 Corinthians 1:25
And is he incomprehensibly so?
Yes.
O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God,
Romans 11:33
Is there any counterworking his wisdom?
No.
There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel, against the Lord,
Proverbs 21:30
Doth all wisdom proceed from him?
Yes.
He giveth wisdom unto the wise,
Daniel 2:21
Should we therefore seek it at his hands?
Yes.
If any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of God,
James 1:5
Is God powerful?
Yes.
Power belongeth unto God,
Psalm 62:11
Can he do all things?
Yes.
Is there any thing too hard for me,
Jeremiah 32:27
Can he do all things with the greatest ease?
Yes.
He taketh up the isles as a very little thing,
Isaiah 40:15
Can he do all things in the most perfect manner?
Yes.
He is a rock, his work is perfect,
Deuteronomy 32:4
Is God’s power necessary to give a sanction to his laws?
Yes.
There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy,
James 4:12
Is it irresistible?
Yes.
None can stay his hand,
Daniel 4:35
Is it subject to decay?
No.
The Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
Isaiah 59:1
Does it extend to evil spirits and wicked men?
Yes.
The deceiver and deceived are his,
Job 12:16
Is it then a great folly to sin against such a God?
Yes.
Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy, are we stronger than he,
1 Corinthians 10:22
Is God holy?
Yes.
He is the holy one of Israel,
Isaiah 41:21
Is he supremely holy?
Yes.
There is none holy as the Lord,
1 Samuel 2:2
Does the holiness of God particularly appear in the work of redemption?
Yes.
Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness,
Isaiah 1:27
Have the heathens by the light of nature acknowledged the holiness of God?
Yes.
I know that the spirit of the holy Gods is in thee,
Daniel 4:9
And do spirits above make it the matter of their praise?
Yes.
They continually say, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,
Revelation 4:8
And should we imitate them herein?
Yes.
Bless his holy name,
Psalm 103:1
Is God just?
Yes.
The Lord is righteous,
Psalm 129:4
Is he absolutely and perfectly so?
Yes.
Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid,
Romans 9:14
Is he just in inflicting temporal judgments?
Yes.
O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of face,
Daniel 9:7
And eternal vengeance?
Yes.
Is God unrighteous, who taketh vengeance,
Romans 3:5
Does the justice of God eminently appear in the undertaking and sufferings of Christ?
Yes.
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness,
Romans 3:25
Should we then acknowledge the justice of God?
Yes.
Howbeit thou art just,
Nehemiah 9:33
And seek to avoid the direful effects of it?
Yes.
Escape for thy life, lest thou be consumed,
Genesis 19:17
Is God good?
Yes.
Thou, Lord, art good,
Psalm 86:5
May his goodness excite our wonder?
Yes.
How great is his goodness,
Zechariah 9:17
And should it excite our gratitude?
Yes.
O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good,
Psalm 106:1
Is God universally good?
Yes.
He is good to all,
Psalm 145:9
Is he good to sinners?
Yes.
He sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust,
Matthew 5:45
Is he in an especial manner good to his own people?
Yes.
That I may see the good of thy chosen,
Psalm 106:5
Doth God take the contempt of his goodness heinously?
Yes.
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness,
Romans 2:4
Is God a God of truth?
Yes.
These things saith he that is true,
Revelation 3:7
Is he true to his promises?
Yes.
Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob,
Micah 7:20
And to his threatenings?
Yes.
But my words, did not they take hold of your fathers?
Zechariah 1:6
And to Christ?
Yes.
Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David,
Psalm 89:35
Is God unchangeable in his truth?
Yes.
The truth of the Lord endureth for ever,
Exodus 7:2
Should we therefore believe God?
Yes.
We should judge him faithful who hath promised,
Hebrews 11:11
And that rather than man?
Yes.
Let God be true, but every man a liar,
Romans 3:4
But though we believe not, does God continue faithful?
Yes.
For what if some did not believe, shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
Romans 3:3
The Westminster Larger Catechism
Question | What is God? |
---|---|
Answer | God is a Spirit, 1 in and of himself infinite in being, 2 glory, 3 blessedness, 4 and perfection; 5 all-sufficient, 6 eternal, 7 unchangeable, 8 incomprehensible, 9 everywhere present, 10 almighty, 11 knowing all things, 12 most wise, 13 most holy, 14 most just, 15 most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. 16 |