GOD OUR FATHERChapter 5

“I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH…”

Can you give a reasonable explanation of who God is and what God wants from us?

While we cannot discover God purely on our own, we can make reasonable conclusions using our ability to think and observe.

THE BLESSED TRINITY: ONE GOD, THREE PERSONS

Blessed/Holy Trinity – the mystery of the one God in three Divine Persons; it is a mystery that God has revealed to us, and it is the central mystery of the Christian Faith.

Unlike other monotheistic religions, Christians believe that the one God consists of three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

God has revealed Himself as the one and only God.

BELIEF IN THE ONE GOD

Comes from our Jewish ancestry as recorded in the Book of Deuteronomy:

Hear O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. You shall love the LORD your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might ~ The Shema, Book of Deuteronomy 6:4-5

BELIEF IN THE ONE GOD CON’T

Revealed by Jesus in the New Testament and later on understood by the Apostles

Christians came to understand God as ONE GOD, THREE DIVINE PERSONS

When we speak of their roles, we think of the FATHER as the CREATOR, the SON as the SAVIOR, and the HOLY SPIRIT as the SANCTIFIER.

It’s ok if you do not understand the mystery of the Blessed Trinity – it’s God!

CENTRAL POINT ABOUT THE TRINITY

God is not solitary, but a communion (community) of persons.

If this is true for God, this is also true about us – we are made for community.

Why would this be true about us?

THE FATHER ALMIGHTY: GOD THE FATHER Jesus called God “Abba”

implies a loving and intimate relationship with God.

Jesus revealed God the Father to us as a loving God who cares for us like a parent.

All of our human image of God is incomplete.

God is also a judge, a king, almighty, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient

THE FATHER: CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH

Science can explain the how the universe was created, but it is unable to explain why it was created.

The why can only be answered by our belief in God – who chose to create the universe out of nothing (ex nihilo), to share his love and goodness to every creature – especially humans, who were created in His image and destined to be in union with Him.

THE FATHER: CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH CON’T

Free-will is given to humans so that they can truly love.

Adam and Eve’s Original Sin disrupted God’s plan, but God never gave up. He sent Jesus to restore what we have lost and continue his work of creation.

TWO FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS OF THE CREATION STORY

“Why am I here?” – To know God, love God, and serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in the next.

“What is my ultimate destiny?” – Our highest destiny is to go to God, because we come from God and we belong entirely to God.

ANGELS

God is also the creator, not only of the things “visible” but those things that “invisible”

Angels – purely spiritual creatures; God’s messengers and our protectors; the Bible reveals three names – Michael, Gabriel, Raphael.

GOD IS TRUTH AND LOVE

“I Am Who Am” – God alone IS; He is the perfection of all that is and is not dependent on anything – everything else is dependent on something.

God is truth and God is love – God will never lie or deceive us; his love is steadfast and endures forever.