July 11, 2023 -- Revelation 15:3-4 -- The Basics of the Faith: What is God?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Great and amazing are your deeds,
   O Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are all your ways,
   O King of the nations!
Who will not fear, O Lord,
   and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
   All nations will come
   and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.
Revelation 15:3-4 ESV

Q. 4 What is God?

Answer: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.

The text this morning is the hymn of heaven. Those who’d conquered the beast by the blood of the Lamb and in the power of His Spirit are by the sea of glass with harps in their hands and are praising God, singing the song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb. What a glorious picture it is. This picture of heaven highlights a couple of the attributes of God. It is one of the reasons the Shorter Catechism includes this as a source text for question and answer 4.

It is the common error of our time to think of the Living God as a buddy, but not to fear Him. The Shorter Catechism includes many passages which focus on the greatness of God, and these show that He is to be feared and worshiped. Why feared?

Awe and reverence before God, the all-powerful One, should fill our imagination. Looking to Him with humble and contrite hearts should affect how we act, what we do, and what we choose to run away from as we realize it would be dangerous to true obedience.

Yet this God of terrible splendor is also our good Father, the source of every good that fills our lives (James 1:17). Spend some time today thinking of Him, Who is perfect in holiness and justice, full of goodness and the only source of Truth on all the universe. Praise Him that He has chosen to reveal Himself through Jesus Christ—the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. Hope in Him in times of extreme suffering and worry—for His Spirit is near to all who call on Him in truth (Psalm 145:18).

The Opening phrases of today's prayer are from Revelation 16:5c-7

Just are You, O Holy One, Who Is and Who Was,
   for You brought these judgments.
For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
   and You have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve!
Yes, Lord God the Almighty,
   true and just are Your judgments.
Our Father in heaven hallowed be Your Name.
Teach us to reverence You and honour You.
By the powerful presence of Your Spirit within us,
   cause us to meditate on Jesus, the Lamb of God,
   in Whom we triumph, and
   by Whom we are brought into the radiant glory of Your presence.
Amen.

https://youtu.be/4oGuGzCFEWI “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” Chet Valley Church

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