Copyright

Copyright © 2018 Sarah Titus, LLC.

www.SarahTitus.com

All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or in whole is

strictly forbidden without the express written consent of the
publisher.
 Table of Contents

Lesson 1: What Is Theology?

Lesson 2: The Personality of God
Lesson 3: The Attributes of God
Lesson 4: The Eternality of God
Lesson 5: The Immutability of God
Lesson 6: The Being of God, Part I
Lesson 7: The Being of God, Part II
Lesson 8: The Wisdom of God, Part I
Lesson 9: The Wisdom of God, Part II
Lesson 10: The Power of God
Lesson 11: The Holiness of God
Lesson 12: The Justice of God
Lesson 13: The Goodness of God
Lesson 14: The Truth of God
Lesson 15: The Love of God, Part I
Lesson 16: The Love of God, Part II
Lesson 17: The Sovereignty of God
 Lesson 1
What Is Theology?

Welcome to the study of God! In the coming lessons you will discover the attributes of God, His triune
nature (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and you will study each member of the godhead. You will be amazed
and blessed as you learn that every bit of what you learn about God has direct applications to your life.

This may be your first adventure with Systematic Theology. You will learn how to go about a study of a
doctrine of the Bible. Our study begins with Theology Proper, which is the study of God Himself. You
need to be aware of a few cautions before you begin the study of Theology Proper.

Systematic Theology is studying everything the Bible says on a certain subject. The process includes
applying all the methods of interpretation (hermeneutics) to each passage studied. The information from
each passage that is relevant to the doctrine being studied is then organized and summarized
systematically.

The most difficult part of systematic theology is the labor required to make sure you deal honestly and
accurately with each passage that contributes to the entire study. Before you include a passage in your
summary of a doctrine, you must be sure you are using it according to its proper interpretation. There are
common dangers in systematic theology you must avoid:

1. Incomplete study.

1 John 4:8. According to this verse, what is the definition of God?

Hebrews 12:29. According to this verse, what is the definition of God?

Which of the two definitions is correct?

2. Allowing one passage to overrule other passages.

1
 1 John 2:15. What is the command in this verse?

Matthew 5:44. What is the command in this verse? Are those people not
part of the world?

Which of the two passages is more important? Why?

3. Using your theology to determine your interpretation.

Matthew 24:13. Who will be saved? What is the requirement to be saved,

according to this verse?

Acts 16:31. Who will be saved? What is the requirement to be saved,

according to this verse?

John 10:28. Who will be saved? What is the requirement to be saved,

according to this verse?

2
 4. Discounting the importance of doctrine.

While you don’t run to your theology to interpret a passage, you study each
passage with the understanding that once you reach the correct interpretation,
your passage will fit with everything else the Bible says about the subject.

Introduction to Theology Proper

The word "theology" comes from the Greek words theos, meaning "God," and logos, meaning
"word" or "discourse." Theology is "a discourse about God." In our normal use of the word, we
take "theology" to include the entire breadth of Christian doctrines, including the study of the
existence and person of God the Father which we label "theology proper."

Nothing is more crucial to how you live your life than your concept of God. Nothing will
determine the quality of the worship of your church more than the people's understanding of
God's nature. Nothing will determine your commitment to prayer and the nature of your prayers
more than the way you understand God and what it means that He is your heavenly Father.

"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.

The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and
man's spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its
idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God.

. . . We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God.”1

How you view God will dramatically affect the way you live and the way you worship. Another
author built upon A. W. Tozer’s comments:

“. . . the ancient Norsemen, whose chief god, Thor, was a god of war, were warlike people. The
history of American Christianity affords a clear dual example of how notions about God
influence thinking and actions. The liberal theology of about fifty years ago stressed the love and
“Fatherhood” of God to the exclusion of other emphases and, consequently, gave rise to the
“social gospel,” an emphasis on doing good to all, thus bringing in the kingdom of God on earth
through societal betterment. The basic gospel message concerning sin and personal salvation was
largely ignored. On the other hand, in reaction to liberalism, fundamentalism often emphasized

1A.. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy. New York: Harper, 1961, p. 9.

3
the severity and justice of God as a corrective to the sentimentality of liberalism’s view. This
emphasis frequently led, in practice, to a rigid legalism and minute distinctions concerning right
and wrong – the essentials of Pharisaism – in fear of a severe God.”2

If we are to be the true church of God, which is the pillar and support of the truth (1 Timothy
3:15), we cannot allow distorted concepts of God to remain in the church. We must strive
relentlessly to keep our idea of God in accord with what He has revealed to us in His word.

“Truth demands scrutiny; Error demands tolerance.”

2Paul Steeves, Getting To Know God, Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1973, p. 7.

4
 Lesson 2
The Personality of God

God is a Person, not merely a force in the universe or an idea in the mind of man. Many of the
corruptions of the doctrine of God (which we will study later in our series) include denying that
He is a person, or defining Him contrary to Scripture.

1. The elements of personality. What is it that makes a thing a person? Three elements are
involved.

A. Self-consciousness or intellect. What does this mean?

B. Self-determination or sensibility. What does this mean?

C. Morality or possessing a will. What does this mean?

2. God is the perfect Person.

The elements of personality apply to man as well as to God. Our creation was designed
by God to reflect His image and likeness. There is similarity between God and man, but
there is a great difference. God is infinite; man is finite. God is perfectly holy; man is
fallen and sinful. God is the Creator; man is the creation. Nevertheless, the similarity
between God and man which separates humans from the rest of creation involves the
elements of personality.

Genesis 1:26-27 What distinguishes man from animals?

5
3. God is incomprehensible. It is not possible for you to comprehend fully the person of
God.

Job 11:7

Job 36:26

Isaiah 40:18

Romans 11:33

4. God is knowable. Even though you cannot comprehend everything about God, you can
know Him personally as His adopted child and as His friend.

John 17:3

1 John 5:20

James 2:23 (2 Chronicles 20:7, Isaiah 41:8)

6
 Lesson 3
The Attributes of God

In each of the next several lessons we will focus on one attribute of God. This week we start
with God’s Infinitude.

Definition: An “attribute” of something is a quality that is intrinsic to it. The attributes of God
are qualities essential to His character as it is revealed in Scripture. They are sometimes referred
to as “the perfections of God.”

List: One of the best summaries of the attributes of God comes from the Westminster Shorter
Catechism. It is one of the most profound sentences ever penned by a human mind. We add two
words to round out our study. Memorize this sentence!

“God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness,
justice, goodness, truth, love and sovereignty.”

1. The most common and useful way theologians have categorized God’s attributes is to
organize them is into incommunicable and communicable attributes. The incommunicable
attributes are those that apply only to God. The communicable attributes are those that
should be present in man in at least some partial way. Circle the attributes that would be
considered incommunicable and underline the ones that would be considered
communicable:3

Infinitude Eternality Immutability Being Wisdom

Power Holiness Justice Goodness Truth
Love Sovereignty

2. What does each of these passages say about God’s infinitude?

Job 11:7-9

3
An important thing to remember about defining God’s attributes is we must not start with characteristics
of man and then merely make extensions to describe God. God is not merely described by these
characteristics, God is these things in the ultimate sense; these characteristics find their authorship in God.
For example, God does not simply take on the attributes of love and justice, God is love and justice.

7
 Psalm 147:5

Psalm 40:5

Psalm 89:2

Psalm 71:15

Psalm 139:1-18

3. How might you summarize the infinitude of God? How does this relate to God’s
omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence?

4. What do these verses say about the proper attitude one you should have toward God in
light of His infinitude and how you should speak about God to others?

What does Psalm 145:3 say about our worship of God?

8
What does Matthew 5:48 reveal about God’s justice, holiness, and love?

What does John 3:36 say about God’s grace and wrath?

9
 Lesson 4
The Eternality of God

God, as the Creator of time, is in no way constrained by time. He is free to act within time, but
He is not limited as to time. He is without beginning or end. God transcends time as we
experience the sequence of events, and He lives in one indivisible present.

Eternity is too vast for human thought. The best we can do is to think of it as “before” a
beginning or “after” an end. Human language is inadequate to describe eternity thoroughly. The
Hebrew word olam means “endlessness, or to the end of the ages.” In the New Testament, the
phrase is eis tous aionous ton aionon, or “unto the ages of the ages.”

1. God created time when He created everything else (Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning” refers
to the beginning of time). What does each of these passages say about God?

Genesis 21:33

Psalm 90:1-2

Isaiah 44:6

Isaiah 57:15

John 8:58

10
 1 Timothy 1:17

2. What does Habakkuk 1:5-12 say about God’s promises? When is their term up?

3. According to Jude 24-25 how does your standing with God as a Christian relate to God’s
eternality?

4. The eternality of God is related to His immutability (unchangeableness). What comfort

can you take from Hebrews 13:8?

5. What can you conclude about the word “eternal” from John 3:36, Matthew 25:46, and
Revelation 20:10?

Memorize this sentence!

“God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness,
justice, goodness, truth, love and sovereignty.”

11
 Lesson 5
The Immutability of God

God never changes. His attributes neither increase nor decrease. Nothing can cause Him to be
inconsistent with His own nature. He could not be more than He is or less than He is.

1. Read the following verses and note what each reveals about God’s unchangeableness…

Psalm 102:24-27

Isaiah 46:9-10

Malachi 3:6

Psalm 33:11

James 1:17

Numbers 23:19

12
 2. What does Malachi 3:6 teach us about God’s promises?

3. What does 2 Timothy 2:13 teach us about the faithfulness of God?

4. Even when things on earth seem change for the worse, and you find yourself confused,
what comfort does God’s word offer you in passages like Psalm 46:1-3?

5. If God is immutable, then what does it mean when Scripture says God repents or is sorry?
Genesis 6:6 and 1 Samuel 15:10-11…

Do you have it memorized yet?...

“God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness,
justice, goodness, truth, love and sovereignty.”

13
 Lesson 6
The Being of God, Part I

God exists eternally and independently of everything else. He is present in all His creation, is in
complete control of everything, and knows everything of all times simultaneously. He exists
entirely of Himself.

1. You, as a being, have an origin – a beginning. You were created by God, or you might
say derived from God. God has no origin. He is the source of all things. There never
was a time or place when or where God was not. Read the following verses and note what
each reveals about God’s being…

Exodus 3:14

Psalm 36:9

John 5:26

Psalm 42:2 and Psalm 84:2

2. Related to God’s infinite being, the source of everything, is God’s omniscience – His full
knowledge of everything. What do the following verses have to say about God’s
knowledge?

Matthew 11:21 and 1 Samuel 23:11-12

Isaiah 44:28 and Acts 2:23

14
 1 John 3:20 and Psalm 147:5

3. Now a question for private contemplation, or discussion if you wish: Which “being” is on
the throne of your life? Consider this observation by A. W. Tozer…

“The natural man is a sinner because and only because he challenges God’s selfhood in relation
to his own. In all else he may willingly accept the sovereignty of God; in his own life he rejects
it. For him, God’s dominion ends where his begins. For him, self becomes Self, and in this he
unconsciously imitates Lucifer, that fallen son of the morning who said in his heart, ‘I will
ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God…; I will be like the Most
High.’”

- A. W. Tozer4

We have studied the attributes of God up through God’s being. Do you have it memorized yet?

“God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness,
justice, goodness, truth, love and sovereignty.”

4 A.W Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy: The Attributes of God: Their Meaning in the Christian Life.

15
 Lesson 7
The Being of God, Part II

In the previous lesson we observed that God’s infinite being is related to another attribute of
God – His omniscience. Also related to God’s infinite being is God’s omnipresence – His
existence everywhere, all the time, even outside of the constraints of time and space. There
are some difficult passages in light of God’s omnipresence.

1. What does it mean that God dwells in heaven but “comes down” to earth (Genesis 11:5,7;
18:21; Exodus 19:18,20; Matthew 6:9)?

2. How can someone “go out of His presence” (Genesis 4:16; Jonah 1:3)?

3. How can the Lord “not be among you” or “not be with you” (Numbers 14:42-43)?

4. In light of God’s independent existence, including His omniscience and omnipresence,

what do these verses offer that you can use to share with nonbelievers about Christ and
also use to encourage other Christians?

Matthew 6:8

John 8:585

5See the list of the “I AM” statements in the footnote on John 6:35 in The MacArthur Study Bible.

16
 Hebrews 4:13

Matthew 28:20

We have studied the attributes of God up through God’s being. Do you have it memorized yet?

“God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness,
justice, goodness, truth, love and sovereignty.”

17
 Lesson 8
The Wisdom of God, Part I

The wisdom of God is related to the knowledge of God, but it is not the same as knowledge.
God’s wisdom is His omniscience qualified by His holy will. God applies His knowledge to
attaining His purposes in a way that glorifies Him most.

This is the first of God’s attributes that is communicable. He is not only wise in Himself, but
He calls man to be wise, to seek His wisdom, and to participate in fulfilling His purpose so
that He is glorified.

Wisdom and knowledge are not the same in man. They do not always accompany each other.
An uneducated man may be superior to a scholar in wisdom. Knowledge comes through
study, and it provides the theoretical framework for living. Wisdom comes from intuitive
insight into things, and it allows a man to put knowledge into action.

1. How is God’s wisdom described by Paul in these two passages in Romans?

Romans 16:27

Romans 11:33

2. Psalm 104 has been called “a poet’s version of Genesis.”6 How is God’s wisdom related
to His creative work in Psalm 104:24? What do His works put on display?

3. 1 Corinthians 2:6-7 contrasts two kinds of “wisdom.” What are they? How is God’s
wisdom described?

6 C.H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David.

18
 4. In Ephesians 3:8-10, Paul speaks of his divine assignment to spread the gospel to the
Gentiles. What attribute of God is involved in the unfolding of His sovereign plan and
how does Paul describe it?

5. Since wisdom is a communicable attribute of God, you should seek and possess wisdom
as well. Where should you obtain wisdom according to Psalm 19:7?

6. James wrote to dispersed Jewish Christians who were suffering persecution. What is
commanded in James 1:5? What can Christians anticipate if they obey?

7. Later, in James 3:17, how does James characterize the wisdom that God gives those who
seek it from Him?

The book of Proverbs is replete with teachings of wisdom. Next week we will delve into some
key chapters to learn more about the characteristics of godly wisdom.

19
 “God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness,
justice, goodness, truth, love and sovereignty.”

Lesson 9
The Wisdom of God, Part II
Review: In the last lesson, we saw that the wisdom of God is related to the knowledge of God,
but it is not the same as knowledge. God’s wisdom is His omniscience qualified by His holy will.
God applies His knowledge to attaining His purposes in a way that glorifies Him most. We also
saw that God’s will is a communicable attribute. He calls man to be wise, to seek His wisdom,
and to participate in fulfilling His purpose so that He is glorified.

Several places in Proverbs, wisdom is personified as a woman who provides many benefits to
those who seek her and who pay attention to her advice. This lesson focuses on the divine
attribute of wisdom as it is to be reflected in the life of the believer. Read Proverbs 1 and
Proverbs 8 and answer the following questions about “her.”

1. What is “she” (wisdom) doing and who is she seeking according to Prov. 1:20-21?

2. Describe the two sides of wisdom in Prov. 1:22-27 and how each relates to the way she is
received?

3. According to Prov. 1:28-33, what should be expected by those who reject godly wisdom?

4. What is the call of wisdom in Prov. 8:1-5? Does it sound familiar?

20
 5. What are some products of wisdom according to Prov. 8:6-8?

6. What is the value of wisdom according to Prov. 8:9-11?

7. Read Prov. 8:12-16 and describe several things there that are associated with wisdom.

8. What is in store for those who love “her” according to Prov. 8:17-21?

9. What is wisdom’s relationship with Creation according to Prov. 8:22-31?

10. What is contained in the concluding “Therefore…” in Prov. 8:32-36?

“God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness,
justice, goodness, truth, love and sovereignty.”

21
 Lesson 10
The Power of God

The power of God means that He is able to perform anything consistent with His nature. God not
only possesses power, but because of His infinitude He is all-powerful.

1. Read each of the following passages and in your own words, describe what can be
learned about God’s power in each of them?

Genesis 18.14, Jeremiah 32:17

Job 42:1-2

Matthew 19:25-26

Revelation 1:8; 4:8; 11:17

2. Is there anything God cannot do? Each of the following passages seem to describe some
limitations on God’s power. For each passage, describe what the limitation is.

Habakkuk 1:13

Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2

22
 2 Timothy 2:13

James 1:13

1 Samuel 15:29

3. We have already described God as all-powerful. If someone challenged you be pointing

out the apparent contradiction between this statement and the apparent limitations on
God’s power in the passages above, how might you explain?

4. Read Psalm 33:6, Hebrews 1:3, 11:3, John 1:1-3, and Colossians 1:17. What is the
means God most commonly uses to manifest His power in the physical world?

5. Man cannot demonstrate almighty power, as in creation. Nevertheless, power is one of

God’s communicable attributes in the sense that He provides power for you to be able to
accomplish His will. What do Genesis 17:1-3, Ephesians 1:19, 3:20-21, and Colossians
1:29 reveal about your ability and God’s power?

“God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness,
justice, goodness, truth, love and sovereignty.”

23
 Lesson 11
The Holiness of God

The essence of the meaning of holy in both Greek and Hebrew is “set apart.” There are two ways
in which God is holy. First, He transcends His creation; therefore, He is set apart from the
universe because the universe is His creation and not His person. Second, God is holy in the
sense that He is perfectly pure, and therefore He is set apart from sin and from the consequences
of sin in this fallen world.

If you do not understand holiness7 you cannot begin to comprehend God. A deist (see Section
Four, part VII) takes the idea of God’s holiness too far, believing that God is separated from His
creation to such an extent that He is not involved in the world. A legalist takes the holiness of
God too far by failing to balance it with His love and grace and mercy. A libertine ignores the
holiness of God, saying that His grace overshadows His holiness.

1. How do these verses contribute to the concept of God’s holiness?

Psalm 99:1-3

Isaiah 40:25

Habakkuk 1:12-13

7Some say that holiness is God’s primary attribute. Others argue that love is His primary attribute.

All such debate is a waste of time, and it is dangerous. It is a waste of time, because if there were such a
thing as a “primary attribute” of God, the Bible would say so, and there would be no doubt. It is dangerous
because any time a person exalts one attribute of God out of balance with the others, the fullness of who
God is gets lost, and those who are out of balance misrepresent God by what they say and do. Recall A.
W. Tozer’s comment in the introduction to this section about how “We tend by a secret law of the soul to
tend toward our mental image of God.”

24
 Psalm 24:3-4

Isaiah 6:3, Revelation 4:8

2. How does the holiness of God apply to men? How is a sinful person able to stand before
holy God? What are the practical applications of the holiness of God? Consider these
questions as you read the following verses and discuss how each contributes to the
answers to these questions:

Isaiah 6:5-7

Isaiah 59:1-2

Job 42:5-6

Hebrews 10:10, 14

Ephesians 5:26-27

1 Peter 1:16, Leviticus 11:44

25
1 Thessalonians 4:3

Romans 12:1

26
 Lesson 12
The Justice of God

God’s justice is His application of what is right. To be justified is to be declared righteous. God’s
holiness requires that He execute justice, which includes punishing sin. The reign of God over
creation stands upon the foundation of His justice. God’s justice is one aspect of His holiness
applied to His creatures.

1. How do these verses contribute to the concept of God’s justice?

Psalm 89:14

Exodus 9:27; 2 Chronicles 12:6; Daniel 9:14

2 Thessalonians 1:6-7

Revelation 16:5

2. According to Psalm 58:11, how will God deal with those who strive to live righteously?
According to Psalm 7:9-11, what is God’s attitude toward those who do not?

27
 3. Romans 10:3 contrasts two “kinds” of righteousness sought and practiced by men. What
are they? Why is one to be sought and the other to be avoided?

4. What kind or righteous work is not forgotten by God according to Hebrews 6:10?

5. In 2 Timothy 4:7-8, near the end of his life, Paul reflects on his walk with Christ. What
does Paul anticipate and how does he describe those who can anticipate the same?

6. According to 1 John 1:9, what provision for you comes from God’s righteousness when
your righteousness fails and you sin instead?

“God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness,
justice, goodness, truth, love and sovereignty.”

28
 Lesson 13
The Goodness of God

Goodness is the perfection of God that shows itself to His creatures in kindness, grace and
mercy. God is good to all men, but unbelievers forfeit the full benefits of His goodness.

1. How do these verses contribute to the concept of God’s goodness?

Psalm 119:68

Exodus 33:19

Psalm 145:9, 15-16

James 5:11

Psalm 86:5

2. As another one of God’s communicable attributes, goodness should be evident in our

lives as His creatures. What does Luke 6:35-36 say about our responsibility?

29
 3. What are some aspects of God’s goodness described in Romans 2:4? What should every
man’s response be to receiving these things from God?

4. Once you have truly tasted God’s goodness, what is the evidence of its impact according
to 1 Peter 2:1-3?

5. What else should the goodness of God provoke in us according to Psalm 136? Look for
the repetition.

“God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness,
justice, goodness, truth, love and sovereignty.”

30
 Lesson 14
The Truth of God

The Old Testament word for truth, emeth, comes from a root word that means “to confirm or
support.” What is true, therefore, is reliable, trustworthy and faithful. It is firm, so you can take a
stand upon it. From that basic definition comes the secondary sense that truth is reality as
opposed to falsehood. The person who is true is one who is reliable, and he speaks the truth and
does not lie.

The New Testament word for truth, aleitheia, is closely related to the Old Testament word. The
main emphasis in the New Testament is that truth is not hidden or suppressed. As with the Old
Testament word, this word also portrays accuracy and reliability.

God is “true” in every sense. He is firm, reliable and trustworthy. His word is accurate and never
misleads. Christ, God in flesh, was “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

1. How do the following verses contribute to the concept of God’s truth?

Exodus 34:6

Deuteronomy 7:9

Psalm 111:7

Psalm 132:11

John 17:17

31
 Psalm 19:9-10

2. To what does John equate knowing “the only true God” in John17:3?

3. Man cannot be perfectly true, like God is, but truth is one of God’s communicable
attributes. Read Psalm 51:6. What does God want you to do with truth in this context?

4. Who are the only ones who can fellowship with God according to Psalm 15:1-2?

5. Read John 8:31-32. What is a practical function of truth in the life of a believer? There is
an “if” clause in these verses; what is the evidence seen in those who know the truth?

6. What is another way believers are obligated to live out truth in their daily lives according
to Ephesians 4:15 and 4:25?

“God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness,
justice, goodness, truth, love and sovereignty.”

32
 Lesson 15
The Love of God, Part I

As helpful as the Westminster Shorter Catechism’s list of the attributes of God is, we will follow
the example of most theologians who include two more attributes in the list of the perfections of
God: love and sovereignty.

The definition of the Greek word agape is probably the best way to begin to understand the love
of God. This word, which was not often used in Greek literature before the New Testament,
describes acting in the best interest of another regardless of considering the possibility of
receiving anything in return. It is love that is self-sacrificing and unstained by any motive of
personal gain. It is love displayed in actions, regardless of positive or negative feelings toward its
object. In harmony with His other attributes, God Almighty is a God of love.

1. How is God described in 2 Corinthians 13:11?

2. Read 1 John 4:7-10, 16 and describe what it says about love, God, and you…

3. God’s love goes far beyond the “norm”, or what the world understands to be “love.” How
does God’s love differ according to Matthew 5:44-45 and what are its implications for
how you should love?

33
 4. According to each of the following verses, who are the objects of God’s love?

Matthew 3:16

John 17:23-24, 26

Jeremiah 31:34 and Deuteronomy 7:6-8

1 John 3:1

John 14:31

John 16:27

John 3:16

Next week in Part II, we’ll look at some of the ways God expresses His love toward us and how
we ought to reflect the love of God in our own lives.

34
Keep working on your memorization!

“God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness,
justice, goodness, truth, love and sovereignty.”

35
 Lesson 16
The Love of God, Part II

The definition of the Greek word agape is probably the best way to begin to understand the love
of God. This word, which was not often used in Greek literature before the New Testament,
describes acting in the best interest of another regardless of considering the possibility of
receiving anything in return. It is love that is self-sacrificing and unstained by any motive of
personal gain. It is love displayed in actions, regardless of positive or negative feelings toward its
object. In harmony with His other attributes, God Almighty is a God of love.

In this Part II of the Love of God, we’ll look at some of the ways God expresses His love toward
us and how we ought to reflect the love of God in our own lives.

1. What do the following verses teach us about some of the ways God expresses His love
toward us?

John 3:16

1 John 4:9-10

Hebrews 12:6-11

2. In each of the following verses, what do you learn about God’s love and your
responsibility in light of it?

1 John 4:19-21

36
 1 John 2:4-6

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

1 John 3:17-24

1 Peter 1:22-23

“God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness,
justice, goodness, truth, love and sovereignty.”

37
 Lesson 17
The Sovereignty of God

Some theologians do not regard sovereignty as an attribute of God, because they see it as a
prerogative and not as something that is part of His nature. But since God is the Creator, and
since He controls all His creation, it is appropriate to include sovereignty in any description of
Him. God cannot be Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer without being sovereign.

By “sovereignty” we mean simply that God is supreme; He is King; He is almighty. Statements

of Scripture declare the sovereignty of God in several ways.

1. What do the following verses teach us about God’s sovereignty?

1 Chronicles 29:11

Psalm 22:28

Matthew 6:13

Ephesians 1:3-6

1 Peter 1:1-2

1 Timothy 6:15-16

38
 Revelation 17:14

2. What ought our attitude to be toward the sovereign God according to 1 Peter 5:6 and
James 4:10?

3. Read James 4:13-15. How can you live and plan your life in light of the knowledge of
God’s sovereignty?

4. What does Malachi 1:6 imply your attitude should be toward the sovereign God?

5. It is one thing to know that God is sovereign, but quite another to live in accordance with
this knowledge. What is the mistake made by many who claim Jesus as Lord according to
Luke 6:46-49?

This is the end of our look at the attributes of God, but keep working on committing this to
memory:

“God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness,
justice, goodness, truth, love and sovereignty.”

39