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The Truth Project - Lesson Four – Theology: Who Is God?

Here are some highlights from another amazing lecture from Del Tackett, who asked: how can we define or describe God? We really can’t because we don’t even completely understand the eternal nature of God. It is amazing that He has chosen to reveal Himself to us and that He takes up residence in us.

The Westminster Confession attempted to answer this critical question, and they didn’t do too badly in the amazingness of God part. But I disagree with where they said that God is without passions. So does my Pastor. God is passionate about us! So much so that He sent His only Son to die on the cross so that we wouldn’t be separated from Him.

One of the incredible points that was brought up during this tour is that knowledge of God has not been destroyed but merely eclipsed – or hidden. That’s just like the enemy, isn’t it? Remember when Satan tempted Jesus in the desert? He spouted lots of lies veiled in nuggets of truth, but Jesus didn’t fall for it! So to eclipse God is like saying it’s okay to believe in God, but the fact that the only way to get to God the Father is through Jesus the Son is being hidden so that the world is fooled into thinking that belief in God is enough. Scary, isn’t it?

Jesus is eternal life. He is intimate relationship. He is how we know God. We can also know God by the names He has given to Himself in His Word. One such name, El Qanna, means jealous. This kind of jealousy isn’t the one we’re supposed to stay away from. That brand of jealousy says, “I want what you have and I hate you for having it.” God’s brand of jealousy is a righteous zeal that rises up when sin threatens a covenant relationship! WOW! I get the difference.

According to R.C. Sproul, we must establish two things: the existence of God and the trustworthiness of scripture. He says that, by doing this, 90% of the work to defend Christianity would be done. It’s no wonder why these two areas are under such heavy attack.

In my opinion, the piece de resistance of this tour was Del Tackett’s explanation of a personal crisis where he struggled with the validity of Scripture over the apparent conflicts in dating the Hebrew kings. The kingdoms of Judah and Israel used two different numbering systems and began their kingship calendars in two different months. They also utilized a tactic of co-regency: when the king felt threatened, he would share the throne with his son. Don’t miss this valuable piece of validation of Scripture! It happens to be one of the areas that the world is attacking to discredit God, the Word and the Gospel.

This teaching has been so thought-provoking. It is preparing me to refute the arguments that the world throws at witnessing Christians and is making me a better witness. I can’t wait for next week’s tour on Science!

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