Love For God

PNP VALUE FORMATION SEMINAR THE LOVE OF GOD (LOVE FOR GOD) A POSSIBLE OUTLINE

I. PNP CODE II. DOES GOD REALLY EXIST? A. Heb. 11:6. GIVE EVIDENCE. B. CONFLICTING CONCEPTS OF GOD.

Review world religions.

C. MAY WANT TO INCLUDE A DEFENSE OF THE BIBLE AS GOD’S ONLY WORD. III. WHO IS GOD?

We must know Him before we can really love Him. He can be known: 1Cor. 2:12; Prov. 2:1-6; Heb 1:2,3

A. THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. His “omni” characteristics that make Him unique. Compare and contrast each of these with man. 1. Creator - The one who made everything by the power of His word. He only is not created and totally dependent. Gen. 1,2 2. All-powerful- He has absolute ability to do anything. He does all things effortlessly. He is never tired. He is the source of all power. He cannot violate His own nature. Ps. 115:3; Is. 43:13 3. All-knowing - He knows and understands all things in limitless detail. He is the source of all knowledge. Past, present and future. Jer. 35:3; Is. 40:27; 14-15 4. All-present everywhere - He is equally present at every point in the universe all at the same time. He is spirit and fills the universe. Ps. 139:7-12; Jer 23:23,24 5. Unchanging - He is forever and perfectly the same in His character, attributes and plans. Since He is absolutely perfect in all He is and does He no need or ability to change. Ps.25:27; Mal. 3:6; Heb.13:8

6. Sovereign- He is the absolute and unchallenged authority in the universe. He is in complete control of all things, people and situations. Dan. 2:20,21; 4:34,35 7. Eternal (the uncreated creator) - He had no beginning and will have no end. He has always existed and will continue to live forever. He was never “born”. Impossible for created beings like us to fully understand. Ps. 90:2; 1Tim. 1:17; Deut. 33:27 8. Self-sufficient - He has no needs. He is completely independent. He needs no one and nothing. Ps.50:9-12; Jn. 5-26 9. Spirit (no physical body) - He has no physical form. No body. All physical things are created and limited. It is impossible to make anything that could accurately represent Him. Num. 23:19; Job 9:32; Jn. 4:24 10. Infinite - He has no limits. All his characteristics and attributes He possess to the superlative degree and beyond. Only he could be this way. Only one being in the universe could be this way. Ps. 147:5; 1Kings 8:27 11. Unity - All that He is, is a single, harmonious, unified whole. All the “attributes” and “characteristics” are human attempts to describe God. In Him all these things are one. There is no separation or conflict in Him. Deut.6:4 God is great, awesome and majestic. He is unique. He is one of a kind. No other being in the universe is like God. He is far beyond our limited ability to understand Him! He is unique. Is. 40:18, 22-26, 15-17. B.

THE CHARACTER OF GOD. His traits that He has given us the ability to

have . 1. Holy - 1) He is different from us. He is far above and beyond us in every way. 2) Holy is morally pure and perfect. Is.5:16; 6:3,5; Lev. 10:3; Heb. 4:15. 2. Love - A sacrificial giving. A commitment to serve not based in feelings or romance. Willing to suffer. Rom. 5:18; 1Jn. 4:19; Deut.7:7,8 3. Good - Morally perfect and wonderfully generous. Good is defined based on God as the standard. Ps.31:19; Matt. 5:45 4. Righteous - Always acting according to truth. Ps. 145:17 5. Just judge - always judging and acting fairly and impartially. Doing right. Rom. 3:26; Job. 10:11;Deut. 28:47 6. Mercy - A withholding of wrath. Not getting what you really deserve. Matt. 9:11-13, Titus 3:5; Phil. 2:27

7. Grace - An unconditional commitment to another for their benefit. Tit.3:7; Eph. 1:7 8. Truthful - What is real in the universe. The way things actually are. Opposite is false. There is one absolute and unchanging truth. Speaking, acting, dealing based on this fact. Heb. 6:17; 1Jn. 5:20 9. Faithful - Perfectly reliable. Keeping all promises. Lam. 3:22,23; Josh. 21:45 10. Patient - Waiting long time before acting to bring judgment and punishment. Holding back to allow time for repentance. 2 Pet. 3:9; Rom. 2:4 11. Compassionate and Kind - To have pity and to act to relive the suffering of another person. Ex.34:6; Ps.78:38; Neh. 9:31; 2Sam.22:26; Lk. 6:35

C. DON’T FORGET THE TRINITY! - Unity of essence, diversity of persons among equality. The Father personal and God. Jesus personal and God. The Spirit personal and God. One God, 3 in 1. God is great and different. Man can’t totally understand or explain Him in His nature. No explanation, unique, not able to be invented by man.

IV. WHAT HAS GOD DONE? (so that we might love Him?). A. WHO ARE WE? Sinners and sin has separated us from God. This explains man’s criminal tendency. We have no ability to do anything pleasing to God (Is. 64:6). We are spiritually dead. Sin is unbelief, then rebellion to do what we want instead of what God wants. In actions and attitudes. B. THE CROSS ROM. 5:8, 1John 4:9 -11. This is the ultimate illustration of love. go into detail about Christ’s physical and spiritual suffering for our sin. Emphasize the fact that His substitute payment was perfect, complete, and final. (Heb.10:1-16). Na Ganap Na!!!!!

C. THE OFFER OF SALVATION by GRACE through FAITH.

V. HOW DO WE EXPRESS LOVE FOR GOD? A. WRONG WAYS B. THE RIGHT WAY by obedience Jn.14:15 , not by sacrifice! Matt. 9:13; Amos

5:21-24 What is God’s will? First, BELIEVE Jn.6:29.

GOSPEL PRESENTATION

NOTE: The topic of selfless love and service toward others naturally follows this topic. When we are spiritually alive, love is a fruit of the Spirit. The great command is to love God first and then my neighbor. Love for God produces love for my fellow man ( 1Jn. 4 ). Jesus is agape love on the cross. When we experience His love then we love God and others. That is a Gospel opportunity again!