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The Doctrine of God · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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My family and I have been in the area for about six months now.
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We came from a youth ministry in central Georgia.
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And it was actually a really hard decision to leave those youth in that church in general
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decision.
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My wife and I were talking together and we were asking ourselves whether or not we had
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done the right thing in coming here.
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And it was only a week later that we read of a local atheist group at the University of
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North Georgia that thought that it would be a great way to protest the pro-life movement
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by baking cookies shaped like children and ripping their heads off.
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So at that point we were convinced that what we had thought was the right thing for us
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to do was actually the right thing for us to do.
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So we're very grateful to be here today.
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If you are, if the kinds of things that we're going to be speaking about today interest you,
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if they pique your interest, I know that not everyone has the same types of interests, then
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I would encourage you to sign up at the back.
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But also, even if this isn't your thing, the kind of thing that we're going to be thinking
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about and speaking about, then I would encourage you to support the ministry in any other way
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that you can, whether it be administrative or anything like that.
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So now with those things, those preliminaries out of the way, we are going to be reading from
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Exodus chapter 3, verse 14.
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That's Exodus chapter 3, verse 14.
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And the word of God says,
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God said to Moses, I am who I am.
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And he said, say this to the people of Israel, I am has sent me to you.
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I know we've we've prayed, but I'd like to offer another prayer this morning.
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So let's please go to God in prayer.
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Father, I thank you for this another day of life and breath that you've granted us, that
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we may come before you in awe and humility on this Lord's day to worship and to magnify
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your name.
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For as you revealed to Moses, you are pure.
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I am this you are pure being itself.
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You want nothing you want for nothing, but you created us for no other purpose than you
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might be glorified.
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And father, today I confess to you that I am but a man.
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And apart from your grace working in me, I am nothing.
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I pray that you will guide my thoughts while we seek to plumb the depths of your being.
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I pray that you will both bless this, your word, as I proclaim it, as it is proclaimed and
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that you help us all to reason well through these issues.
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I pray that we do not engage in this study for its own sake, but that we may be transformed
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by this knowledge that we might glorify you and all that we think and all that we say and
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all that we do.
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In Christ's names we pray.
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Amen.
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All right.
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So before we get started to inform you of one more thing, and that is that some of the
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issues that we're going to be talking about today are deep.
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I actually, in speaking to people before I came out here, I was told that, well, Dan,
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that sounds more like a seminary lecture than it does a sermon.
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And I can understand that sentiment a little bit.
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Many modern Christians aren't accustomed to hearing the kind of message that you're going
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to hear today.
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And I think that's for a couple of reasons.
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One is because we often make a sharp divide between preaching and teaching.
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You'll note in Nathan's introduction, I'm trained as a teacher, not a preacher.
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And often the things that I say in that, I do come across more as teaching than they do
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preaching.
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But in all actuality, preaching and teaching are pretty much the same thing on a spectrum.
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You cannot teach without some exhortation and you cannot preach without some teaching.
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So preaching exhorts here to do something with the knowledge that they have.
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But you really, you have to do some teaching in all of preaching.
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And that's what we'll be focusing on heavily today.
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Second, I think that there's a strong streak of anti-intellectualism in the church.
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Many would look at today's topic and say that this kind of study is unnecessary or even
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unspiritual.
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They're content with a felt faith rather than one that's grounded in truth and reason rightly
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applied.
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This attitude needs to be remedied.
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And unexamined faith is one that is afraid of serious study.
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And if you are afraid of serious study, then you have a faith that poses no real threat
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to the unbelieving culture of our day.
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And I'm convinced that it also greatly hinders the process of sanctification.
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Now, why do I say that?
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Well, I say that because we, the church, haven't always done a good job in explaining to fellow
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believers or to our congregations on what exactly the work of the Spirit is.
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And the Reformed Confessions are unanimous on this.
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Today, for those who are born again, regenerated by the power of the Spirit, the Spirit does
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not create content in the minds of believers.
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I'll say that again.
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The Spirit does not create content in the mind of believers.
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The 1689 London Baptist Confession puts it this way.
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It says, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the
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saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word.
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The Spirit allows us to reason through Scripture, to see objective truth for what it really is.
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And as B.B. Warfield would say, that that objective truth that we see is glorious.
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And it is.
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R.C. Sproul and John Gerstner put it this way.
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They say, the internal testimony of the Spirit is divine light thrown on ordinary, natural human knowledge.
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They go on to say, the noetic effect of sin is not direct through a totally depraved mind,
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but indirect through a totally depraved heart.
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So regeneration renews our will so that we can make the right use of our God-given reason.
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And we must do a better job at exercising our intellect.
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That's why Paul says in Romans 12, 2, that we are to be transformed by the renewal of our minds.
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In Colossians 10, he says we are to be sanctified, that we are being sanctified,
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that we've put on the new self, and that we're being renewed in knowledge after the image of our Creator.
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Transformation comes by making use of God's ordinary means of grace,
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which includes reading, proclaiming, and reasoning through His revelation to us.
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And by His grace, by the illumination of the Spirit of God in us,
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by those means, that's what we're going to do.
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We're going to delve deeply into Scripture today.
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We're going to reason through it, and we're going to learn what the classical doctrine of God is,
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and why it's still...
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And we'll do it because, sadly, there are many evangelicals that are,
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if they do not reject the doctrine outright,
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they are trying to tweak it along the edges.
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And as we'll see, you cannot do that.
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The classical doctrine of God stands or falls as a unit.
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You cannot pull a thread without unraveling the whole sweater.
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But I also want us to see today how this doctrine leads us to doxology,
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how a proper understanding of it drives us to worship
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when we meditate on what God is,
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and as we behold any part of His creation,
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no matter how large or how small.
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And I say all that is...
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The reason why I'm going through all these things when we talk about the intellect
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and the illumination of all the Spirit
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is because the doctrine of God is not a doctrine that we arrive at easily.
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It's often been said that the Bible is not a textbook on systematic theology,
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and that's true.
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We don't have neat headings where it says that this section is about God,
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and this section gives us the doctrine of humanity and sin and redemption.
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No, we have to mine the text for information
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because we don't have that information,
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and we have to reason through exactly what it is that God is telling us,
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what it is that He's revealed to us.
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And the doctrine of God is an area that requires some heavy intellectual lifting
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if we are to remain within the bounds of orthodoxy.
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It's an area where believers can easily be led astray
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if they aren't familiar with the classical terminology,
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the words that we use to describe God's whatness, what He is.
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And part of the reason why this can be such a challenge
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is because of the way the Bible itself speaks about God.
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Some passages speak of God as having very human-like experiences.
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Genesis chapter 6, verse 6 through 7 says,
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And the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth,
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and it grieved Him to His heart.
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So the Lord said,
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I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land,
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man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens,
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for I am sorry that I have made them.
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Deuteronomy chapter 9, verses 7 through 8 say,
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Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God
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to wrath in the wilderness.
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From the day you came out of the land of Egypt
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until you came to this place,
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you've been rebellious against the Lord.
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Even at Horeb you provoke the Lord to wrath,
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and the Lord was so angry at you
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that He was ready to destroy you.
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Now a normal and plain reading of these passages
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seems to indicate that God can be provoked,
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that He gets angry,
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and that He grieves,
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that He has regrets,
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and all of these things,
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all of these emotions in response to His creatures.
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It would appear from these passages
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that God is called,
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caused to be something
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that He was not previously
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in response to something outside of Himself.
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He becomes angry,
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or He regrets in response to His creation.
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In short, it would seem
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that there is what some would call
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a reciprocal relationship
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between God and creation.
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He causes us to be,
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and we cause Him to feel and act
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in certain ways
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based upon our actions
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in time and space.
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And there are some
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who would actually take these passages
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very literally,
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but there are also passages
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that seem to deny
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that these very changes happen in God.
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For example, in Numbers 23, 19,
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it says,
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God is not a man that He should lie.
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He is not a son of man
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that He should change His mind.
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So if we read this plainly,
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again, it sounds like,
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well, God cannot change His mind
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or does not change His mind.
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1 Samuel 15, 29 says,
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And also the glory of Israel
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will not lie or have regret,
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for He is not a man
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that He should have regret.
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So again,
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this passage seems to stand in tension
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with the passages we've already read
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that say that God does change.
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Last one, James 1, 17,
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says,
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Every good gift
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and every perfect gift
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is from above,
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coming down from the Father of lights,
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with whom there is no variation
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and there is no shadow due to change.
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That God does not vary
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and He does not change.
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Now again,
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when we read these texts plainly,
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they seem to stand in tension
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with the others we read.
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Which is it?
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Does God change
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or does He not?
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Now typically,
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when I read these passages
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to believers
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and I ask them these questions,
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I get the response
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that these verses
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that speak of God's changing His mind
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and regretting and repenting
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and those kinds of things,
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the response that I usually get
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from Christians is,
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well, that's anthropomorphic language.
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And that's absolutely right.
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It is.
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It's language that's applied to God
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that gives Him human-like traits
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so that we can understand
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what it is that He's communicating better.
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His condescension,
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His stooping down to speak to us
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in ways that we can understand.
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But in my opinion,
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even though that answer is right,
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if you cannot explain
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why it is right,
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then you're only writing,
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we're only writing on momentum
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that has been built up
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for 2,000 years of Christianity.
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Because if I come to the text,
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how do I know
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what is figurative language
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and what is not figurative language?
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How do we know that God is literally unchanging
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and figuratively changing?
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Why can't it be the other way around?
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Why can't He be figuratively unchanging
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and literally changing?
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And as some would claim,
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they would say,
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these ideas of God being unchanging,
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they don't believe them
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because it means that
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we can't have meaningful interaction
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between ourselves and God.
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God can't have meaningful interaction
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between Himself and creation.
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And it's this kind of approach
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that some have actually taken.
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They've rejected the classical doctrine of God
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and they've begun to recast God
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in the form of a man.
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For example,
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I'll give you this one example.
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One of my professors actually let me know.
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I'd heard of this Bible before,
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but he pointed out this passage
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that's actually really troubling.
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The guy's name is Finnis Jennings Dake.
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And if you've heard of the Dake Annotated Study Bible,
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then you've probably heard that name before.
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You can actually find that study Bible
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in many Christian stores.
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And, again,
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I hadn't heard of this particular passage before,
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but one of my professors showed it to me.
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And it's on page 97
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of the Dake Annotated Study Bible.
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It says,
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God has a spirit,
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or, excuse me,
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God has a personal spirit body.
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He has a shape.
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He has form.
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He has image and likeness of man.
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He has bodily parts,
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such as back parts,
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a heart,
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hands,
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and fingers.
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He has a mouth,
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lips,
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and a tongue.
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He has feet.
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He has eyes.
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He has ears.
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He has hair.
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He has a head,
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face,
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and arms,
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and other bodily parts.
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Now,
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if I were to actually project this quote
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onto the screen,
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that the thing that you would notice,
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I think,
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immediately,
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that I find troubling,
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is that every single thing
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that Dake says about God,
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he gets from Scripture.
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Every single thing
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that he says here
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about God's form,
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about his image
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and likeness of man,
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the fact that he has parts,
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such as back parts,
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a heart,
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hands,
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and fingers,
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all of those things
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have Scripture references.
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Every single one.
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Parts,
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such as back parts,
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Exodus 33,
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23,
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a heart,
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Genesis 6,
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6,
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8,
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21.
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Lips and a tongue,
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Isaiah 30,
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27 feet,
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Ezekiel 1,
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27.
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Eyes,
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Psalm 11,
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4,
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18,
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24,
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33,
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18.
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Ears,
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Psalm 18,
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6.
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And Dake would likely argue
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that all he is doing
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is he's taking Scripture
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at face value.
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That he is the one
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that's reading Scripture
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literally,
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and we are not.
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He would say that
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those who adhere
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to the classical doctrine
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of God
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are rejecting
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a plain and clear
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reading of Scripture.
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Now, obviously,
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we've got a problem here
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because we do hold
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that we believe
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in a literal
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or a plain reading
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of Scripture,
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but we also admit
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to the fact
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that there is
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non-literal language
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in Scripture.
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And the challenge
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before us
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when it comes
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to the classical
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doctrine of God
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is identifying
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figurative language
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when we see it.
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And that is my aim
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here today
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because there are many.
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Again,
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you can go to
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Christian bookstores
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and find this book,
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the Dake Annotated
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Study Bible,
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but in my opinion,
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it is heretical.
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So what we want
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to do today
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is clear the waters
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so that we can see
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more clearly
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what the classical
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doctrine of God
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is
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and how we arrived
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at it.
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Now, I'm not going
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to spend a lot of time
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going through
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the historical
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development
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of the doctrine.
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If you'd like
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to do that,
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you can.
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And we're not going
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to have time
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to go through
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every single
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attribute of God
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that the classical
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doctrine defines.
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I'll leave those
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things to your own study,
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but what I want
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to do here
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is simply to reason
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through Scripture
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with you
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so that the doctrine
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becomes more clear.
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Now,
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in that regard,
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there's really
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no better place
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to start
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than Genesis 1-1,
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which is where
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Scripture starts itself.
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Genesis 1-1,
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in the beginning,
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God created
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the heavens
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and the earth.
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A complimentary
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passage,
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Psalm 33-6,
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By the word
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of the Lord
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the heavens
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were made,
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and by the breath
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of His mouth
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all their hosts.
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Now, obviously,
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in the history
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of the church,
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we've held
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that these verses
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and others
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like them
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depict the difference
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between the Creator
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and the creature.
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That there is
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some kind of relationship
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between creature
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and Creator.
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and that God
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existed prior
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to the creation
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of the world
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and that He will
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continue to exist
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after this world
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passes away.
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God is not
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dependent
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upon anything
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for His existence.
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Rather,
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He is the only
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sufficient
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explanation
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for His own
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existence.
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Paul puts it
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this way.
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He says,
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God is not
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served
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by human hands
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as though
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He needed
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anything
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since He
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Himself
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gives to all
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mankind
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life
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and breath
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and everything.
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God doesn't
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need creation
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for anything.
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He doesn't need
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me for anything.
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While creation
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depends upon God
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for its existence,
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God,
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the Creator,
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doesn't depend
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on anything
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for His existence.
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And the Chronicler
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puts it this way
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in chapter 1 Chronicles
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29, 14.
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It says,
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But who am I
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and what is my people
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that we should be able
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thus to offer
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willingly?
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For all things
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come from you
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and of your own
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we have given
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to you.
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What is it
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that we
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who receive
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our very being,
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our existence
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from God
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can give back
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to God?
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Nothing.
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Absolutely
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nothing.
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There is nothing
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that we can give
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or offer
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to God
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that He has not
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first given
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to us.
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Whatever it is
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that God is,
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His existence
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is independent
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of His creation.
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There is nothing
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to offer Him
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that again
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hasn't first
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been given
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to us.
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And the word
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that we use
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for that
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in the history
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of the church
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is that God
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is entirely
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all say.
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One of His attributes
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is divine
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aseity.
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That is that
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God is of
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Himself.
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He is not
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caused to be
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anything
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by anything
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less than God.
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Now that doesn't
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mean that God
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is self-caused
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because self-causation
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is a contradiction.
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Something must be
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in order for it
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to cause itself
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to be.
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God would need
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to exist
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before He existed
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in order to cause
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Himself to exist.
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So it's a
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contradiction.
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No, what we
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mean when we
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speak of
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divine aseity
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that God
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is a
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say
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is that
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nothing
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other than
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God
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explains God.
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God is the
22:02
sufficient
22:03
explanation
22:04
for Himself.
22:05
Now the church
22:06
has made use
22:07
of philosophical
22:08
language in the
22:09
past
22:10
in order to
22:11
tease out
22:12
the implications
22:13
of divine
22:14
aseity.
22:15
And they've
22:15
done so
22:16
by pondering
22:17
what a
22:18
self-existing
22:19
being
22:20
must be.
22:22
They've
22:22
started
22:22
ontologically
22:23
and that's
22:23
a philosophical
22:24
term that
22:25
just means
22:26
it's the
22:26
study of
22:27
being as
22:28
being.
22:28
So they
22:29
want to
22:29
study
22:29
what God
22:30
is.
22:31
So whenever
22:31
we're talking
22:32
about the
22:32
classical
22:33
doctrine of
22:34
God,
22:34
we're talking
22:34
about God's
22:35
whatness,
22:36
what He
22:36
is.
22:36
We're not
22:36
talking about
22:37
who He
22:37
is.
22:38
We're talking
22:38
about Him
22:39
in His
22:39
being
22:40
ontologically.
22:42
Now you'll
22:43
see that
22:44
as
22:45
theologians
22:47
in the
22:47
history of
22:48
the church
22:48
started adopting
22:49
some of this
22:49
philosophical
22:50
language,
22:50
it began to
22:51
take shape
22:52
as some of
22:52
the classical
22:52
arguments of
22:54
God.
22:55
For example,
22:56
one form
22:57
of the
22:57
argument from
22:58
change
22:59
involves a
23:00
couple of
23:00
terms that
23:00
I first
23:01
need to
23:01
explain.
23:02
And those
23:02
terms are
23:03
actuality
23:04
and
23:05
potentiality
23:06
or act
23:07
and potency.
23:09
actuality
23:11
or act
23:11
is simply
23:12
existence.
23:15
While
23:15
potentiality,
23:16
potency
23:17
or potential
23:18
is the
23:19
potential
23:20
for existing.
23:22
And all
23:22
created things
23:23
are this
23:24
mix of
23:25
potentiality
23:26
and actuality,
23:28
act and
23:28
potency.
23:30
For example,
23:31
at the most
23:31
basic level,
23:32
God has
23:33
actualized
23:34
me.
23:35
However,
23:36
not everything
23:37
that could
23:38
be true
23:38
of me
23:39
is actual.
23:40
While I
23:41
have the
23:41
potential
23:42
to speak
23:42
Italian,
23:43
I can't
23:44
speak
23:44
Italian.
23:44
You might
23:45
think it
23:45
because my
23:45
name is
23:46
Italian,
23:46
my last
23:47
name is
23:47
Italian,
23:47
but I
23:48
don't have
23:49
the ability
23:49
to speak
23:50
Italian.
23:51
The ability
23:51
to speak
23:52
Italian does
23:53
not exist
23:54
in me.
23:55
It's not
23:56
actual,
23:57
but the
23:57
potential
23:57
does.
23:58
That potency
23:59
within me
23:59
to speak
24:00
Italian must
24:01
be actualized
24:02
by something
24:03
that is
24:03
outside of
24:04
me.
24:05
like I
24:07
would need
24:07
a book
24:07
on Italian
24:08
or I
24:09
would need
24:09
to go
24:09
hire an
24:10
Italian
24:10
tutor.
24:11
Somebody
24:11
to bring
24:12
that potential
24:13
in me
24:14
to act
24:15
so that it
24:16
was actual,
24:17
so that it
24:17
was existing
24:18
in me.
24:20
I can't
24:21
actualize the
24:22
ability to
24:22
speak Italian
24:23
myself.
24:23
And this
24:24
is true
24:24
of all
24:25
created
24:25
things.
24:26
All created
24:26
things are
24:27
a mix
24:27
of act
24:28
and potency.
24:30
Every created
24:30
thing is this
24:31
composition of
24:32
what is actual
24:34
and potential
24:34
and every
24:35
created thing
24:36
requires something
24:37
to cause it
24:38
to move
24:39
from potency
24:40
to act.
24:41
Anything
24:42
that merely
24:42
has the
24:43
potential
24:44
to exist,
24:46
the potential
24:47
to exist
24:48
is still
24:48
not existing.
24:51
So anything
24:51
that has the
24:52
potential to
24:53
exist must be
24:54
caused to
24:55
exist by
24:55
something that's
24:56
already in
24:57
act.
25:00
And here's
25:01
the application
25:02
in that regard
25:03
that we make
25:04
to God.
25:04
If God
25:04
is all
25:05
say,
25:06
then there
25:07
is no
25:07
explanation
25:08
for his
25:08
being outside
25:09
of his
25:10
being.
25:11
And if any
25:12
potentiality
25:13
must be
25:13
actualized
25:14
by something
25:15
that's already
25:16
in act,
25:16
something that's
25:17
already actual,
25:18
then it must
25:19
be the case
25:20
that in God
25:21
there is no
25:23
potentiality.
25:25
There is no
25:25
potency.
25:27
That God
25:28
is pure
25:30
act.
25:31
Pure
25:32
actuality.
25:35
Since pure
25:35
act is the
25:36
lack of
25:37
potential,
25:38
then there is
25:39
no potential
25:39
for God
25:40
not to
25:41
exist.
25:41
And that's
25:42
why in the
25:42
history of
25:42
the church
25:43
they said
25:43
that God
25:43
is a
25:44
necessary
25:45
being.
25:46
He
25:46
necessarily
25:47
exists because
25:48
there is no
25:48
potential for
25:49
him not to
25:50
exist.
25:51
He is pure
25:52
act.
25:53
He is,
25:54
in other
25:54
words,
25:55
as some
25:56
have said,
25:56
he is
25:56
ipsum
25:57
s
25:57
subsistence,
25:59
the pure
25:59
act of
26:00
subsistence
26:01
being.
26:03
Paul says
26:04
in him we
26:04
live and
26:06
move and
26:06
have our
26:07
being.
26:08
We have
26:09
our being.
26:11
But only
26:12
God is
26:13
being itself.
26:15
He is the
26:15
pure act
26:16
of subsistence
26:18
being.
26:19
He is pure
26:19
act because
26:20
in him there is
26:20
no potential.
26:22
And he is
26:22
subsistence
26:23
being because
26:24
he is
26:24
existence
26:25
itself from
26:26
which all
26:26
existing
26:27
things derive
26:28
their being.
26:31
In the
26:31
beginning God
26:32
created the
26:33
heavens and
26:33
the earth.
26:34
Through him
26:35
all things
26:35
were made.
26:37
For by him
26:38
all things
26:39
were created.
26:39
All things
26:40
were created
26:40
by him
26:41
and through
26:42
him.
26:43
From him
26:44
and through
26:44
him and to
26:45
him are
26:46
all things.
26:48
God is the
26:48
fount of
26:49
all being
26:50
because he
26:51
is being
26:53
itself.
26:53
There is
26:54
nothing more
26:54
basic than
26:55
we can say
26:56
of God
26:56
that he
26:57
is his
26:58
own
26:58
existence.
27:00
God is
27:00
existence
27:01
itself who
27:02
gives existence
27:03
to everything
27:04
else that
27:05
exists.
27:06
That's why I
27:07
began our
27:07
scripture reading
27:08
with Exodus
27:08
3.14.
27:10
God said to
27:11
Moses I
27:11
am who
27:12
I am.
27:13
And he
27:14
said say
27:14
this to the
27:15
people of
27:15
Israel I
27:16
am has
27:17
sent me
27:17
to you.
27:19
Or it
27:20
may also be
27:21
translated I
27:21
am what I
27:22
am or I
27:23
will be
27:24
be what I
27:25
will be.
27:26
Now there's
27:26
certainly a
27:27
great deal
27:27
more we
27:27
can derive
27:28
from this
27:30
passage but
27:31
fundamentally God
27:32
is telling
27:33
Moses and
27:34
us today that
27:35
he is pure
27:37
I am
27:38
ness.
27:39
He is the
27:40
pure act
27:41
of being
27:42
itself.
27:44
And here's
27:44
the important
27:45
part.
27:45
God's
27:46
aseity
27:46
demands that
27:48
he is pure
27:48
actuality.
27:50
And his
27:50
pure action
27:51
actuality demands
27:53
that God
27:53
is ase.
27:55
That he is
27:55
self existing.
27:56
They're mutually
27:57
reinforcing.
27:58
If you have
27:59
one then you
28:00
have the
28:01
other.
28:02
From this
28:03
understanding
28:03
of God as
28:06
some being
28:07
that is purely
28:08
actual.
28:09
That he is
28:10
ase.
28:12
We can
28:12
derive all
28:14
of the other
28:14
classical
28:15
metaphysical
28:16
attributes of
28:17
God.
28:18
First of all
28:19
there can only
28:19
be one such
28:20
being.
28:21
There can
28:22
only be
28:23
one God
28:24
that is
28:25
ase.
28:25
One God
28:26
that is
28:27
pure
28:27
actuality.
28:30
And the
28:30
reason for
28:31
that is
28:31
because the
28:32
only opposition
28:33
to being
28:34
is non-being.
28:37
And nothing
28:38
in this
28:38
sense can
28:39
stand in
28:40
opposition to
28:41
God.
28:42
Nothing
28:42
cannot stand
28:43
in opposition
28:44
to God.
28:45
Nothing
28:46
cannot be
28:47
another
28:48
God.
28:48
God.
28:49
Likewise
28:50
you can't
28:50
propose
28:51
to such
28:52
being
28:52
because
28:53
there is
28:53
nothing
28:53
that would
28:54
differentiate
28:55
one from
28:56
the other.
28:57
In creation
28:58
we can look
28:59
at a forest
28:59
and we can
29:01
see that
29:02
there are
29:04
individual
29:05
trees and
29:05
trees are
29:06
composition.
29:07
We look
29:08
at the
29:08
forest and
29:09
we see
29:10
that all
29:10
of the
29:10
trees share
29:11
the same
29:12
essence.
29:12
They all
29:12
participate
29:13
in this
29:13
idea of
29:14
treeness.
29:16
But what
29:17
differentiates
29:18
one tree
29:18
from another
29:19
is that
29:19
this tree
29:20
is made
29:20
of this
29:20
stuff and
29:22
this tree
29:22
is made
29:23
of this
29:24
stuff.
29:24
If you
29:25
get rid
29:25
of all
29:25
the stuff
29:26
all of
29:26
the matter
29:27
then all
29:27
you're left
29:28
with is
29:28
the idea
29:29
of
29:29
treeness.
29:31
And in
29:31
God
29:32
there is
29:33
no matter.
29:34
There's
29:34
nothing to
29:35
differentiate
29:35
his being
29:36
so that
29:37
God just
29:38
is one
29:39
with his
29:39
being.
29:40
You cannot
29:40
say that
29:41
there are
29:41
two such
29:42
beings
29:42
because
29:42
there's
29:43
nothing
29:43
that would
29:44
be able
29:44
to
29:44
differentiate
29:45
one from
29:46
the other.
29:47
God is
29:47
pure
29:48
being
29:48
itself.
29:49
He just
29:50
is.
29:53
He is
29:54
the first.
29:55
He is
29:55
the last.
29:57
Besides
29:57
him there
29:57
is no
29:58
God.
29:58
There can
29:58
only be
29:59
one God
30:00
who is
30:01
being
30:01
itself.
30:03
Moving on
30:04
since God
30:04
is pure
30:05
actuality
30:06
then it
30:06
also follows
30:07
that God
30:07
is simple.
30:08
That is
30:08
God is
30:09
not
30:09
composed
30:10
of parts.
30:12
He is
30:12
indivisible
30:13
but
30:14
whatever
30:14
is not
30:15
simple
30:15
if you
30:15
have
30:15
something
30:16
that is
30:16
not
30:16
simple
30:17
if you
30:17
have
30:17
something
30:17
that is
30:18
composed
30:19
of
30:19
parts
30:20
then that
30:21
thing
30:21
has the
30:22
potential
30:22
to be
30:23
divided
30:23
but God
30:24
has no
30:25
potential
30:25
and God
30:27
so God
30:27
must
30:28
it must
30:28
be true
30:28
that God
30:29
is not
30:29
composed
30:30
of parts
30:31
whatever
30:31
is composed
30:32
of parts
30:32
has the
30:33
potential
30:33
to be
30:33
decomposed
30:35
but in
30:36
God
30:36
there is
30:37
no
30:37
potential
30:37
he is
30:38
pure
30:38
act.
30:39
He has
30:40
no
30:41
potential
30:41
to
30:41
change
30:42
or to
30:43
be
30:43
divided.
30:45
We could
30:45
also say
30:45
that whatever
30:46
is composed
30:46
depends
30:47
on its
30:48
parts
30:48
to be
30:49
what it
30:50
is
30:50
and those
30:51
parts
30:51
are less
30:52
than the
30:52
whole
30:52
but if
30:53
God
30:53
himself
30:54
had
30:54
parts
30:55
then he
30:56
would
30:56
depend
30:56
on those
30:57
parts
30:57
to be
30:58
what
30:58
he
30:58
is
30:59
but if
31:00
God
31:00
is
31:00
I'll
31:00
say
31:00
then he
31:01
cannot
31:01
depend
31:01
on
31:02
anything
31:02
less
31:02
than
31:02
himself
31:03
to be
31:04
what
31:04
he
31:04
is
31:05
if he
31:05
were
31:05
composed
31:05
of
31:06
parts
31:06
we'd
31:07
have
31:07
to ask
31:07
!
31:07
well what
31:08
principle
31:08
is it
31:08
that
31:09
hold
31:09
these
31:09
parts
31:10
together
31:10
what
31:11
is
31:11
the
31:11
thing
31:11
that
31:11
holds
31:12
God
31:12
together
31:12
and
31:13
whatever
31:13
that
31:13
thing
31:14
is
31:14
that's
31:15
God
31:15
not the
31:16
thing
31:16
that's
31:16
composed
31:17
of parts
31:17
because
31:18
it's
31:18
a more
31:19
fundamental
31:19
or
31:20
transcendent
31:20
principle
31:21
than
31:21
God
31:22
himself
31:22
but we
31:24
don't
31:24
accept
31:25
that there
31:25
is
31:25
any
31:25
principle
31:26
that
31:26
stands
31:26
above
31:27
God
31:27
that
31:28
causes
31:28
him
31:29
to
31:30
be
31:30
what
31:31
he
31:31
is
31:31
pure
31:32
being
31:32
itself
31:32
doesn't
31:33
require
31:33
anything
31:34
to make
31:34
it
31:34
be
31:35
it
31:35
just
31:35
is
31:38
God
31:38
can't
31:38
be
31:39
composed
31:39
he's
31:39
infinitely
31:40
simple
31:40
or one
31:42
in his
31:42
being
31:43
the Puritan
31:44
Stephen
31:44
Charnock
31:45
in his
31:45
work
31:46
the existence
31:46
and attributes
31:47
of God
31:47
says
31:48
God is the
31:48
most
31:49
simple
31:49
being
31:50
for that
31:51
which is
31:51
first in
31:51
nature
31:52
having
31:52
nothing
31:52
beyond
31:53
it
31:53
cannot
31:54
by any
31:55
means
31:55
be thought
31:56
of as
31:56
compounded
31:57
for
31:57
whatsoever
31:58
is so
31:59
depends
31:59
upon the
32:00
part
32:00
whereof
32:01
it is
32:02
compounded
32:02
so
32:03
it is
32:03
not
32:03
the
32:04
first
32:04
being
32:05
so
32:06
this
32:06
is
32:07
not
32:07
new
32:07
teaching
32:08
these
32:08
are
32:08
things
32:08
that
32:09
were
32:09
accepted
32:10
by
32:10
early
32:11
Christians
32:11
and the
32:11
Reformation
32:12
just
32:12
carried
32:13
those
32:14
ideas
32:14
through
32:15
and this
32:17
is how
32:17
we know
32:17
that the
32:17
God of
32:18
Phenis
32:18
Dake
32:18
is wrong
32:19
his fault
32:19
God
32:20
doesn't
32:20
have
32:20
the
32:21
parts
32:21
that
32:21
Dake
32:22
ascribes
32:22
to him
32:23
and we
32:23
know
32:23
this
32:24
because
32:24
we
32:24
have
32:24
some
32:25
idea
32:25
of
32:26
what
32:26
God
32:26
is
32:26
like
32:27
in
32:27
his
32:28
very
32:28
being
32:29
he
32:29
cannot
32:29
be
32:30
composed
32:31
and
32:32
pure
32:32
act
32:33
he
32:34
cannot
32:35
be
32:35
composed
32:36
and be
32:36
a
32:37
say
32:37
and that's
32:40
how we
32:40
know
32:40
that the
32:41
language
32:41
all of
32:41
those
32:42
verses
32:42
all of
32:43
those
32:43
things
32:43
that
32:43
whenever
32:44
I
32:44
read
32:44
what
32:45
Dake
32:45
had
32:45
initially
32:46
written
32:46
all of
32:47
those
32:47
verses
32:47
that
32:47
seem
32:48
to
32:48
confirm
32:49
what
32:50
it
32:50
is
32:50
that
32:50
he
32:50
is
32:50
saying
32:51
about
32:51
God
32:51
now
32:52
we
32:52
can
32:52
understand
32:53
to
32:53
be
32:54
figurative
32:54
because
32:55
we
32:55
have
32:55
an
32:55
understanding
32:56
of
32:56
God
32:56
as
32:57
all
32:57
say
32:57
and
32:58
an
32:59
understanding
32:59
of
32:59
God
32:59
as
33:00
pure
33:00
act
33:01
and we
33:01
know
33:02
that it's
33:02
figurative
33:03
language
33:03
that way
33:04
it's
33:05
anthropomorphic
33:06
God's
33:06
way of
33:07
condescending
33:08
to us
33:08
so that
33:08
we can
33:09
speak
33:09
of him
33:10
in ways
33:11
that we
33:11
can
33:11
understand
33:12
but we
33:13
can
33:13
take this
33:14
further
33:14
we
33:14
can
33:15
say
33:15
that
33:15
okay
33:15
in
33:16
addition
33:16
to
33:17
his
33:17
simplicity
33:18
that
33:19
this
33:19
idea
33:20
of
33:20
God
33:20
is
33:21
all
33:21
say
33:21
that
33:21
he
33:21
is
33:22
pure
33:22
act
33:22
that
33:23
immutability
33:24
also
33:25
flows
33:25
from
33:26
this
33:26
doctrine
33:26
God
33:27
cannot
33:27
change
33:28
change
33:30
entails
33:31
passing
33:31
from
33:31
potential
33:32
potentiality
33:34
to
33:34
actuality
33:35
what is
33:36
potential
33:36
to what
33:37
is
33:37
actual
33:38
but
33:39
God
33:40
does not
33:40
contain
33:40
in himself
33:41
any
33:42
potential
33:42
he
33:44
cannot
33:44
become
33:45
what
33:45
he
33:45
is
33:46
not
33:46
he
33:46
doesn't
33:47
become
33:47
at all
33:47
he
33:48
is
33:48
today
33:48
what
33:49
he
33:49
was
33:49
yesterday
33:50
and
33:50
he
33:51
will
33:51
be
33:51
tomorrow
33:51
what
33:52
he
33:52
is
33:53
today
33:53
and
33:55
this
33:55
is
33:55
how
33:55
we
33:55
know
33:55
that
33:56
all
33:56
of
33:56
those
33:56
verses
33:56
in
33:57
the
33:57
Bible
33:57
again
33:57
that
33:57
depict
33:58
God
33:58
as
33:59
changing
33:59
his
33:59
mind
34:00
or
34:00
as
34:01
repenting
34:02
we
34:03
know
34:03
those
34:03
verses
34:04
as well
34:04
to be
34:04
anthropomorphism
34:05
God's
34:06
condescension
34:07
speaking to
34:07
us
34:08
in ways
34:08
that we
34:09
can
34:09
understand
34:10
so
34:11
when
34:11
God
34:11
says
34:12
in
34:12
Malachi
34:12
3
34:13
6
34:13
that
34:14
I
34:14
the
34:15
Lord
34:15
do
34:15
not
34:16
change
34:17
then
34:18
he
34:18
does
34:19
not
34:19
change
34:19
and
34:19
he's
34:20
not
34:20
saying
34:20
that
34:21
that
34:22
in
34:22
my
34:22
character
34:23
I
34:23
do
34:24
not
34:24
change
34:25
he's
34:25
not
34:25
saying
34:26
that
34:27
well
34:27
my
34:27
will
34:28
does
34:28
not
34:29
change
34:29
no
34:29
he's
34:30
saying
34:30
that
34:31
he
34:32
does
34:32
not
34:32
change
34:33
in
34:33
his
34:34
very
34:34
being
34:35
God
34:36
is
34:36
immutable
34:37
and
34:38
from
34:39
this
34:39
we
34:39
also
34:39
get
34:39
from
34:40
his
34:42
immutability
34:42
we
34:42
could
34:43
carry
34:43
it
34:43
on
34:43
further
34:43
to
34:44
his
34:45
eternality
34:46
Isaiah
34:47
57
34:48
15
34:48
says
34:49
that
34:49
God
34:49
inhabits
34:50
eternity
34:51
now
34:52
time
34:53
involves
34:53
change
34:54
but
34:54
what
34:54
is
34:54
change
34:55
but
34:55
a
34:55
movement
34:56
from
34:56
what
34:56
is
34:56
potential
34:57
to
34:57
what
34:57
is
34:57
actual
34:58
but
34:59
again
34:59
God
34:59
does
34:59
not
35:00
have
35:00
potential
35:01
in
35:01
him
35:01
so
35:02
God
35:02
does
35:02
not
35:03
change
35:03
and
35:03
therefore
35:03
stands
35:04
above
35:05
and
35:05
outside
35:06
of
35:07
time
35:07
God
35:08
is
35:08
the
35:08
unchanged
35:09
being
35:12
cause
35:12
of
35:12
being
35:13
that
35:14
allows
35:14
change
35:15
to
35:15
happen
35:15
in
35:16
time
35:17
and
35:17
in
35:17
creation
35:18
but
35:18
he
35:18
himself
35:19
is
35:19
unchanged
35:21
by
35:22
that
35:23
causation
35:23
by
35:23
his
35:23
causing
35:24
things
35:24
to
35:25
exist
35:25
now
35:28
we
35:28
could
35:28
also
35:29
say
35:29
that
35:29
immutability
35:30
also
35:30
entails
35:30
the
35:31
idea
35:31
of
35:31
impassibility
35:32
and
35:33
this
35:33
is
35:33
one
35:33
of
35:33
those
35:34
that
35:34
people
35:34
really
35:35
have
35:35
a
35:35
hard
35:35
time
35:35
with
35:36
because
35:37
impassibility
35:38
means
35:38
that
35:38
God
35:38
is
35:39
not
35:39
subject
35:39
to
35:40
passions
35:40
it's
35:42
really
35:42
misunderstood
35:43
by many
35:44
people
35:44
it
35:45
doesn't
35:45
mean
35:45
that
35:45
God
35:45
doesn't
35:46
have
35:46
emotions
35:46
rather
35:47
it
35:48
means
35:48
that
35:48
he
35:48
cannot
35:48
be
35:48
caused
35:49
to
35:50
experience
35:50
emotions
35:51
as
35:52
people
35:52
do
35:52
there's
35:53
no
35:54
change
35:54
in
35:55
his
35:55
state
35:55
of
35:55
being
35:55
he
35:56
does
35:56
not
35:56
move
35:56
from
35:56
being
35:57
happy
35:57
to
35:57
being
35:58
sad
35:58
from
35:59
being
35:59
loving
35:59
to
36:00
being
36:00
wrathful
36:01
God
36:04
nothing
36:05
outside
36:05
of
36:06
God
36:06
can
36:07
cause
36:07
God
36:08
to
36:08
be
36:09
what
36:09
he
36:09
is
36:10
not
36:10
God
36:17
when
36:18
we
36:18
say
36:18
that
36:19
God
36:20
is
36:20
love
36:21
does
36:21
God
36:22
love
36:22
absolutely
36:23
yes
36:23
God
36:24
loves
36:24
but
36:24
what
36:24
we're
36:24
saying
36:25
is
36:25
that
36:25
there's
36:25
nothing
36:25
outside
36:26
of
36:26
God
36:26
that
36:26
causes
36:27
him
36:27
to
36:27
love
36:28
what
36:28
we're
36:29
saying
36:29
is
36:29
that
36:29
there
36:30
is
36:30
an
36:30
in
36:31
God
36:31
there
36:31
is
36:32
an
36:32
eternal
36:32
disposition
36:33
that
36:34
is
36:34
loving
36:35
that
36:35
is
36:35
love
36:36
but
36:37
that
36:37
is
36:38
not
36:38
caused
36:38
to
36:39
be
36:39
by
36:39
anything
36:39
outside
36:40
of
36:40
himself
36:41
this
36:43
can
36:43
be
36:43
said
36:43
about
36:43
any
36:44
of
36:44
his
36:44
other
36:44
emotions
36:45
as
36:45
well
36:45
when
36:45
we
36:45
speak
36:45
about
36:46
his
36:46
anger
36:46
or
36:46
his
36:47
wrath
36:47
we
36:48
mean
36:48
his
36:48
eternal
36:49
and
36:49
immutable
36:49
disposition
36:50
towards
36:51
evil
36:51
all
36:53
of
36:53
the
36:53
emotions
36:53
described
36:54
of
36:54
God
36:55
and
36:55
scripture
36:56
are
36:56
just
36:56
descriptions
36:57
of
36:57
his
36:57
immutable
36:58
disposition
36:59
now
37:01
finally
37:01
and I
37:02
mentioned
37:02
this
37:02
earlier
37:02
I'll
37:03
mention
37:03
it
37:03
again
37:03
!
37:04
God's
37:04
necessity
37:05
!
37:05
flows
37:06
from
37:06
his
37:06
being
37:07
pure
37:07
act
37:08
from
37:08
his
37:08
pure
37:08
actuality
37:09
because
37:10
he
37:10
does
37:10
not
37:10
have
37:11
any
37:11
potential
37:12
to
37:12
not
37:12
exist
37:13
his
37:13
infinity
37:14
follows
37:14
also
37:15
because
37:15
potential
37:16
is the
37:16
very
37:17
thing
37:17
that
37:17
limits
37:18
being
37:18
I'm
37:19
limited
37:19
in
37:20
my
37:20
being
37:20
by
37:21
my
37:21
potential
37:22
I
37:22
have
37:22
the
37:23
potential
37:23
to
37:24
learn
37:24
Italian
37:24
and
37:25
that
37:25
potential
37:25
is
37:26
what
37:26
limits
37:26
me
37:27
but
37:28
because
37:29
God
37:29
does
37:29
not
37:29
have
37:30
any
37:30
potency
37:31
in
37:31
him
37:31
then
37:32
that
37:32
means
37:32
that
37:32
he
37:33
is
37:33
not
37:33
limited
37:33
by
37:34
anything
37:35
there's
37:36
no
37:36
potential
37:37
for
37:37
him
37:37
to
37:37
be
37:37
limited
37:38
in
37:38
any
37:38
way
37:39
now
37:41
all
37:42
of
37:42
God's
37:42
basic
37:43
metaphysical
37:44
attributes
37:45
flow
37:46
from
37:46
his
37:46
pure
37:46
actuality
37:47
his
37:48
pure
37:48
isness
37:49
St.
37:50
St.
37:50
Augustine
37:50
says
37:51
it
37:51
is
37:52
absolute
37:52
is
37:53
that
37:53
true
37:54
is
37:55
and
37:55
the
37:55
true
37:55
sense
37:56
of
37:56
the
37:56
word
37:56
that
37:56
I
37:56
long
37:57
for
37:57
that
37:58
is
37:59
which
37:59
is
38:00
in
38:00
that
38:00
Jerusalem
38:01
which
38:01
is
38:01
the
38:01
bride
38:02
of
38:02
my
38:02
Lord
38:03
where
38:03
there
38:04
will
38:04
not
38:04
be
38:05
death
38:05
and
38:05
there
38:05
will
38:06
not
38:06
be
38:06
failing
38:06
elsewhere
38:09
he
38:09
says
38:09
for
38:09
God
38:09
is
38:10
absolute
38:10
being
38:11
and
38:12
therefore
38:12
all
38:13
other
38:13
being
38:14
is
38:14
relative
38:15
!
38:15
that
38:15
is
38:15
relative
38:16
was
38:16
made
38:17
by
38:17
him
38:17
Thomas
38:20
Aquinas
38:20
says
38:20
there
38:21
is
38:21
some
38:21
first
38:22
being
38:22
whom
38:23
we
38:23
call
38:23
God
38:24
and
38:25
that
38:25
this
38:25
first
38:25
being
38:26
must
38:26
be
38:27
pure
38:28
act
38:29
without
38:30
any
38:30
admixture
38:31
of
38:32
any
38:33
potentiality
38:34
God
38:35
is
38:35
I
38:36
am
38:36
this
38:36
itself
38:37
and
38:37
it's
38:37
this
38:37
classical
38:38
doctrine
38:39
of
38:39
God
38:39
that
38:39
the
38:40
church
38:40
has
38:40
confessed
38:41
!
38:41
throughout
38:41
its
38:42
history
38:42
the
38:43
reformation
38:44
did
38:44
not
38:45
alter
38:46
this
38:47
doctrine
38:47
in
38:48
the
38:48
least
38:48
but
38:48
there
38:49
are
38:49
some
38:49
prominent
38:49
reformers
38:50
today
38:50
that
38:51
said
38:51
one
38:51
of
38:51
the
38:51
things
38:51
that
38:52
was
38:52
left
38:52
undone
38:53
by
38:53
the
38:53
church
38:54
is
38:54
to
38:54
revise
38:55
this
38:55
doctrine
38:56
of
38:56
God
38:56
and
38:56
it's
38:57
some
38:57
prominent
38:57
names
38:58
we don't
38:58
have
38:58
time
38:58
to go
38:59
into
38:59
the
38:59
who
38:59
the
38:59
what
39:00
or
39:00
the
39:00
why
39:00
that
39:01
are
39:01
attempting
39:01
to
39:02
revise
39:02
this
39:03
classical
39:03
doctrine
39:03
of
39:04
God
39:04
but
39:05
the
39:05
reformers
39:06
themselves
39:06
didn't
39:06
do
39:07
that
39:07
they
39:07
just
39:08
carried
39:08
it
39:08
over
39:08
into
39:09
their
39:09
own
39:09
confessions
39:09
the
39:11
Westminster
39:11
confession
39:12
of
39:12
faith
39:12
the
39:13
Savoy
39:13
declaration
39:14
and
39:15
the
39:15
1689
39:15
London
39:16
Baptist
39:16
confession
39:17
of
39:17
faith
39:17
are
39:17
all
39:18
in
39:18
agreement
39:18
specifically
39:20
in
39:20
chapter
39:20
2
39:21
section
39:22
1
39:22
of the
39:23
London
39:23
Baptist
39:23
confession
39:24
said
39:24
the
39:24
Lord
39:24
our
39:25
God
39:25
is
39:25
but
39:26
one
39:26
only
39:27
living
39:27
and
39:27
true
39:28
God
39:28
whose
39:29
subsistence
39:29
is
39:30
in
39:30
and
39:31
of
39:31
himself
39:32
now
39:32
notice
39:32
that
39:32
language
39:33
the
39:33
language
39:34
that
39:34
I'm
39:34
still
39:34
using
39:35
is
39:35
the
39:35
language
39:35
of
39:35
the
39:35
confession
39:36
that
39:36
God
39:36
is
39:36
subsistent
39:37
being
39:37
he
39:40
is
39:40
infinite
39:41
in
39:41
being
39:41
and
39:42
perfection
39:42
whose
39:43
essence
39:44
cannot
39:44
be
39:44
comprehended
39:45
by
39:45
any
39:45
but
39:46
himself
39:46
he
39:46
is
39:46
a
39:47
most
39:47
pure
39:47
!
39:47
spirit
39:48
he
39:48
is
39:49
invisible
39:49
without
39:49
body
39:50
without
39:51
body
39:51
or
39:52
parts
39:53
or
39:54
passions
39:54
there's
39:55
the
39:55
doctrine
39:55
of
39:55
simplicity
39:56
there's
39:58
the
39:58
doctrine
39:58
of
39:58
impassibility
39:59
right there
40:00
in the
40:00
confession
40:01
who
40:02
only
40:04
has
40:04
immortality
40:05
dwelling
40:05
in the
40:06
light
40:06
which
40:06
no
40:06
man
40:07
can
40:07
approach
40:07
unto
40:08
who
40:09
is
40:09
immutable
40:10
immense
40:11
eternal
40:11
incomprehensible
40:13
!
40:14
Almighty
40:14
every way
40:15
infinite
40:15
most
40:16
holy
40:16
most
40:17
wise
40:18
most
40:18
free
40:18
most
40:19
absolute
40:19
working
40:20
all
40:20
things
40:21
according
40:21
to the
40:22
counsel
40:22
of his
40:22
own
40:23
immutable
40:23
and most
40:24
righteous
40:24
will
40:24
for
40:25
his
40:25
own
40:25
glory
40:26
and
40:26
again
40:26
three
40:27
of the
40:27
most
40:27
fundamental
40:28
reformed
40:29
confessions
40:29
confess the
40:32
same thing
40:32
they're
40:33
in
40:33
agreement
40:34
we could
40:34
also go
40:35
to the
40:35
belgic
40:35
the belgic
40:36
confession
40:37
says
40:37
we all
40:38
believe
40:38
in our
40:38
hearts
40:38
and confess
40:39
with our
40:39
mouths
40:40
that there
40:40
is a
40:40
single
40:41
and
40:41
simple
40:42
spiritual
40:43
being
40:44
the
40:44
doctrine
40:44
of
40:45
divine
40:45
simplicity
40:46
they put
40:46
it right
40:47
at the
40:47
front
40:47
of their
40:47
confession
40:48
simple
40:49
spiritual
40:50
being
40:51
whom
40:51
we call
40:51
God
40:52
he is
40:52
eternal
40:53
incomprehensible
40:54
invisible
40:55
unchangeable
40:56
infinite
40:57
almighty
40:58
completely
40:59
wise
40:59
just
41:00
and good
41:00
and the
41:01
overflowing
41:02
source
41:03
of all
41:03
that is
41:04
good
41:04
the
41:05
reformers
41:06
confessed
41:06
the
41:07
classical
41:07
doctrine
41:08
of God
41:08
and this
41:09
doctrine
41:09
has
41:10
historically
41:10
been
41:11
articulated
41:11
in terms
41:12
foundationally
41:14
of God's
41:15
aseity
41:15
and his
41:17
being
41:17
pure
41:18
act
41:18
but sadly
41:19
there's
41:20
some
41:20
in the
41:21
evangelical
41:21
community
41:22
who have
41:22
set
41:22
themselves
41:23
up
41:24
as
41:24
opponents
41:25
to this
41:26
doctrine
41:26
again
41:28
I mentioned
41:29
even in the
41:30
reform community
41:30
we are not
41:31
immune to
41:32
it
41:32
but I want
41:35
to point out
41:36
one thing
41:37
about the
41:37
way that
41:38
we've
41:38
constructed
41:38
this
41:39
doctrine
41:39
today
41:39
and why
41:40
I said
41:41
at the
41:42
very beginning
41:43
that you
41:43
cannot pull
41:44
on a thread
41:45
of the
41:46
classical
41:46
doctrine
41:46
of God
41:47
and not
41:47
have
41:48
the
41:48
whole
41:48
sweater
41:49
unravel
41:50
you can't
41:52
pull the
41:52
thread
41:52
of
41:52
impassibility
41:53
without
41:54
denying
41:54
immutability
41:55
denying
41:57
immutability
41:57
means that
41:58
God is
41:59
not being
42:00
but he
42:01
is
42:01
becoming
42:02
and that
42:03
is exactly
42:04
what we're
42:04
denying
42:05
in his
42:05
aseity
42:06
and his
42:07
pure
42:09
actuality
42:10
so if you
42:11
say that
42:11
God is
42:12
not being
42:13
but he
42:13
is becoming
42:14
then we
42:14
have to
42:15
ask
42:15
what is
42:15
the cause
42:16
of his
42:17
becoming
42:17
if we
42:19
say that
42:19
God brings
42:20
this about
42:21
then we've
42:21
entered into
42:22
the realm
42:22
of self
42:22
causation
42:23
and we've
42:23
already
42:23
proven that
42:24
to be
42:24
an absurdity
42:25
he is
42:27
the cause
42:27
of everything
42:28
else
42:29
his being
42:30
is the
42:31
only sufficient
42:32
explanation
42:33
for himself
42:34
so that
42:37
we could
42:38
also say
42:38
that there's
42:39
no way
42:40
that God
42:41
could be
42:42
caused
42:42
to be
42:43
anything
42:44
that he
42:44
is not
42:45
from
42:45
outside
42:46
of
42:46
himself
42:47
if we
42:49
say that
42:49
creation
42:50
causes
42:50
God
42:51
to become
42:52
today
42:53
what he
42:53
was not
42:53
yesterday
42:54
then we're
42:55
put in the
42:55
position of
42:56
saying that
42:56
God
42:57
needs
42:58
something
42:58
to bring
42:59
about
43:00
some
43:00
change
43:01
in his
43:02
being
43:03
he needs
43:04
creation
43:04
in order
43:05
to actualize
43:06
some potency
43:07
within himself
43:08
and if
43:09
God needs
43:10
anything
43:10
if there's
43:12
any potency
43:12
in God
43:14
then God
43:14
is not
43:15
ase
43:15
God is
43:17
not
43:17
self
43:17
existing
43:18
however
43:20
if God
43:20
is
43:21
the
43:21
subsistent
43:24
act
43:24
of pure
43:25
being
43:26
as the
43:26
church
43:26
has
43:27
historically
43:27
taught
43:28
then we
43:28
get
43:29
aseity
43:29
and we
43:30
get all
43:31
the other
43:31
metaphysical
43:32
attributes
43:33
of God
43:34
that go
43:34
with it
43:35
and you
43:36
might think
43:37
that this
43:37
is all
43:38
fine and
43:39
good
43:39
you might
43:39
think
43:39
that this
43:40
is a
43:40
bit
43:41
high
43:41
brow
43:42
and
43:43
it's
43:44
not
43:44
and it's
43:45
not
43:45
irrelevant
43:45
to our
43:46
situation
43:46
today
43:47
it has
43:48
apologetic
43:48
applications
43:49
if we
43:50
go out
43:50
there are
43:51
many
43:51
atheists
43:52
today
43:52
who will
43:53
say
43:53
that the
43:53
attributes
43:54
of God
43:54
are
43:55
incompatible
43:56
and
43:56
contradictory
43:57
whereas
43:58
if you
43:58
hold to
43:58
the
43:59
classical
43:59
doctrine
43:59
of God
44:00
then you
44:00
can see
44:00
that they
44:00
are
44:01
not
44:01
but in
44:03
addition
44:03
to that
44:04
as I
44:07
mentioned
44:07
before
44:08
there are
44:08
those
44:08
that are
44:09
trying to
44:09
undermine
44:10
that
44:10
doctrine
44:10
and that
44:11
position
44:11
if you
44:12
want to
44:12
look into
44:12
it a
44:13
little
44:13
more
44:13
is known
44:14
as
44:14
theistic
44:14
personalism
44:15
theistic
44:17
personalism
44:17
is an
44:18
attempt to
44:18
make God
44:19
into something
44:20
that we
44:20
can wrap
44:21
our brains
44:22
around
44:22
and as
44:24
proponents
44:25
do this
44:26
God
44:26
starts looking
44:27
less
44:27
and less
44:28
and less
44:29
like God
44:31
and more
44:32
and more
44:33
and more
44:33
like a
44:35
man
44:35
God
44:37
may be
44:38
an all
44:39
powerful
44:40
and all
44:40
knowing
44:40
man
44:41
but he's
44:41
much like
44:41
a man
44:42
nonetheless
44:42
it's an
44:44
implicit
44:44
or if not
44:45
outright
44:46
rejection
44:46
of another
44:48
doctrine
44:48
and that
44:48
is the
44:49
doctrine
44:49
of God's
44:50
incomprehensibility
44:51
and that's
44:53
the idea
44:53
that no
44:53
finite
44:54
creature
44:55
no creature
44:56
can
44:58
can fully
44:59
grasp
44:59
the infinity
45:00
of God's
45:01
essence
45:02
that doesn't
45:03
mean we can
45:03
know nothing
45:04
about God
45:05
we can
45:06
it just
45:06
means that
45:06
as soon as
45:07
we grasp
45:08
some truth
45:09
about God
45:10
something about
45:11
his goodness
45:11
then it
45:12
escapes us
45:13
as it
45:13
hurdles off
45:14
into eternity
45:14
into infinity
45:15
so that we
45:16
can know
45:17
something of
45:18
God's
45:18
goodness
45:19
but then
45:20
magnified
45:20
to infinity
45:21
we lose
45:23
our handle
45:23
on it
45:24
we lose
45:24
our grasp
45:25
of it
45:25
and if you
45:28
notice that a
45:28
lot of the
45:29
words that we
45:29
use to
45:30
describe God
45:31
have built
45:33
into them
45:33
this idea
45:34
that God
45:34
is incomprehensible
45:35
we say
45:37
that God
45:37
is infinite
45:38
it's just
45:39
a negation
45:40
that God
45:40
is not
45:40
finite
45:41
we say
45:41
that God
45:42
is immaterial
45:43
a negation
45:44
that God
45:45
is not
45:45
material
45:46
he is
45:46
immutable
45:47
another negation
45:48
that God
45:49
is not
45:50
mutable
45:50
he is
45:51
impassable
45:52
and all
45:53
of these
45:54
things are
45:54
just negations
45:55
we're
45:56
only saying
45:59
what God
46:00
is not
46:01
like
46:01
and they
46:02
serve to
46:02
establish
46:03
the acceptable
46:04
boundaries
46:05
about how
46:06
we speak
46:07
about God
46:08
about how
46:08
we speak
46:09
about what
46:09
God is
46:10
but we
46:12
know that
46:13
ultimately
46:14
he is
46:14
incomprehensible
46:15
in his being
46:16
Job 11
46:18
7
46:19
says
46:19
can you
46:20
find out
46:20
the deep
46:21
things of
46:21
God
46:22
can you
46:23
find out
46:23
the limit
46:25
of the
46:25
almighty
46:26
and the
46:27
answer of
46:28
course
46:28
is no
46:29
finite
46:29
creatures
46:29
we don't
46:30
have that
46:31
capability
46:31
we don't
46:32
have that
46:32
capacity
46:33
God
46:34
is not
46:35
like
46:36
a man
46:37
and we
46:38
must not
46:39
make him
46:39
out to
46:40
be like
46:40
a man
46:41
for our
46:42
own
46:42
self-serving
46:43
purposes
46:43
so that
46:44
we can
46:44
say
46:44
perhaps
46:45
that we
46:46
understand
46:47
more about
46:47
God
46:48
than we
46:48
really
46:48
do
46:48
rather
46:51
instead of
46:51
doing that
46:52
what do
46:52
we do
46:52
we sing
46:53
praises
46:53
to him
46:54
great
46:54
is the
46:55
Lord
46:55
and greatly
46:56
to be
46:57
praised
46:58
and his
46:59
greatness
46:59
is unsearchable
47:00
we cannot
47:02
know him
47:02
in his
47:03
being
47:03
and we
47:04
shouldn't
47:05
try
47:05
so what
47:07
do you
47:07
do
47:08
when you
47:09
come face
47:10
to face
47:10
with the
47:11
pure act
47:12
of being
47:12
itself
47:13
with one
47:15
who contains
47:16
all
47:16
perfections
47:18
in
47:18
and of
47:19
himself
47:20
what do
47:20
you do
47:21
you do
47:23
what
47:23
Isaiah
47:23
did
47:23
you fall
47:24
on your
47:24
face
47:25
and you
47:25
say
47:25
woe
47:26
is me
47:26
for I
47:27
am
47:27
lost
47:28
for I
47:30
am a
47:31
man
47:31
of unclean
47:32
lips
47:32
and I
47:33
dwell
47:33
in the
47:33
midst
47:33
of people
47:34
with
47:34
unclean
47:35
lips
47:35
for my
47:36
eyes
47:36
have
47:37
seen
47:37
the
47:37
king
47:38
the
47:38
lord
47:39
of
47:39
hosts
47:39
what
47:41
do
47:41
you
47:41
do
47:42
when
47:43
one
47:43
who
47:43
was
47:44
not
47:44
a
47:44
man
47:45
becomes
47:47
a
47:48
man
47:48
condescends
47:49
to become
47:49
a man
47:50
to add
47:50
to himself
47:51
a human
47:52
nature
47:52
what do
47:53
you do
47:53
when that
47:54
man
47:54
proclaims
47:55
a message
47:56
of reconciliation
47:57
between
47:57
God
47:58
and man
47:58
and goes
47:59
on to
47:59
both
47:59
live
48:00
and to
48:01
die
48:01
for
48:01
us
48:02
you
48:03
stand
48:04
in
48:04
all
48:04
you
48:06
stand
48:06
in all
48:07
of his
48:07
infinite
48:08
love
48:09
and you
48:10
weep
48:10
over
48:10
your
48:11
sin
48:11
you
48:12
repent
48:13
and you
48:13
turn to
48:14
him
48:14
forsaking
48:14
all else
48:15
to follow
48:16
him
48:16
no
48:18
we
48:18
we
48:18
have
48:19
to
48:19
there's
48:19
no
48:20
option
48:20
for us
48:20
that we
48:21
must
48:21
resist
48:21
any
48:22
attempt
48:23
to make
48:23
God
48:24
look more
48:25
like us
48:25
because
48:26
he
48:26
doesn't
48:27
need
48:27
us
48:28
yet
48:28
he
48:28
made
48:29
us
48:29
and
48:29
he
48:30
showed
48:30
us
48:30
and
48:30
continues
48:31
to
48:31
show
48:31
us
48:32
today
48:32
the
48:32
extent
48:33
of
48:33
his
48:33
love
48:34
through
48:34
his
48:34
condescension
48:35
his
48:35
condescension
48:36
and
48:36
Christ
48:37
taking on
48:38
a human
48:39
nature
48:39
for us
48:39
and his
48:40
condescension
48:40
and his
48:41
abiding
48:41
word
48:42
which we
48:42
still have
48:43
access
48:43
today
48:44
that we
48:44
can
48:44
understand
48:45
by the
48:46
work of
48:46
the
48:46
spirit
48:47
in us
48:47
the
48:48
classical
48:49
doctrine
48:49
of
48:49
God
48:49
is
48:50
not
48:50
inconsequential
48:51
it's
48:53
important
48:53
and as
48:55
Charles
48:55
Spurgeon
48:55
notes
48:56
there's
48:57
no
48:57
higher
48:58
or
48:59
noble
49:00
object
49:01
on
49:01
which
49:01
we
49:02
can
49:02
set
49:02
our
49:02
minds
49:03
than
49:04
God
49:04
himself
49:05
and
49:06
I'll
49:06
leave
49:06
you
49:06
with
49:07
this
49:07
final
49:08
thought
49:08
from
49:08
Spurgeon
49:09
it's
49:09
an
49:09
extended
49:10
quote
49:10
but
49:10
I
49:10
think
49:11
it
49:11
gave
49:12
me
49:12
chills
49:12
when
49:12
I
49:12
read
49:12
it
49:13
so
49:14
I'm
49:15
going
49:15
to
49:15
read
49:15
it
49:15
to
49:15
you
49:15
Spurgeon
49:16
says
49:16
nothing
49:18
will
49:18
so
49:18
enlarge
49:19
the
49:19
intellect
49:20
nothing
49:21
so
49:22
magnify
49:23
the
49:23
whole
49:24
soul
49:24
of
49:24
man
49:25
as
49:25
a
49:26
devout
49:26
earnest
49:27
continued
49:28
investigation
49:29
of the
49:30
great
49:30
subject
49:31
of the
49:31
deity
49:32
the
49:33
most
49:33
excellent
49:34
study
49:34
for
49:34
expanding
49:35
the
49:35
soul
49:35
is
49:36
the
49:36
science
49:36
of
49:37
Christ
49:37
and
49:38
him
49:38
crucified
49:39
and
49:40
the
49:40
knowledge
49:41
of
49:41
the
49:41
God
49:43
head
49:43
in
49:44
the
49:44
glorious
49:44
trinity
49:45
the
49:46
proper
49:47
study
49:47
of
49:47
the
49:48
Christian
49:48
is
49:48
the
49:48
God
49:48
head
49:49
the
49:50
highest
49:50
science
49:51
the
49:51
loftiest
49:52
speculation
49:53
the
49:53
mightiest
49:54
philosophy
49:55
which can
49:55
engage
49:56
the
49:56
attention
49:56
of a
49:57
child
49:57
of
49:57
God
49:58
is
49:58
the
49:58
name
49:59
the
49:59
nature
50:00
the
50:00
person
50:01
the
50:02
doings
50:02
and
50:03
the
50:03
existence
50:04
of
50:04
the
50:05
great
50:05
God
50:05
which
50:05
he
50:06
calls
50:06
his
50:06
father
50:06
there
50:08
is
50:08
something
50:08
exceedingly
50:09
improving
50:09
to
50:10
the
50:10
mind
50:10
and
50:11
a
50:11
contemplation
50:14
of
50:15
the
50:15
divinity
50:15
it's
50:17
a
50:17
subject
50:17
so
50:18
vast
50:18
that
50:18
all
50:19
our
50:19
thoughts
50:19
are
50:19
lost
50:20
in
50:20
its
50:20
immensity
50:21
so
50:21
deep
50:22
that
50:22
our
50:22
pride
50:23
is
50:23
drowned
50:23
in
50:23
its
50:24
infinity
50:24
other
50:25
subjects
50:25
we can
50:26
comprehend
50:26
and
50:26
grapple
50:27
with
50:27
in
50:28
them
50:28
we
50:28
feel
50:29
a
50:29
kind
50:29
of
50:29
self
50:30
content
50:30
we
50:31
go
50:31
on
50:31
our
50:31
way
50:32
with
50:32
the
50:32
thought
50:32
behold
50:33
I
50:33
am
50:33
wise
50:34
but
50:35
when
50:35
we
50:35
come
50:36
to
50:36
this
50:36
master
50:37
science
50:37
finding
50:38
that
50:39
our
50:39
plumb
50:39
line
50:40
cannot
50:40
sound
50:40
its
50:41
depth
50:41
and
50:42
that
50:42
our
50:43
eagle
50:43
eye
50:44
cannot
50:44
see
50:45
its
50:45
height
50:46
we
50:46
turn
50:47
away
50:47
with
50:47
the
50:47
thought
50:48
I
50:49
am
50:49
but
50:49
of
50:50
yesterday
50:50
and
50:51
know
50:51
nothing
50:52
let's
50:54
pray
50:54
go
50:56
go
50:57
to
50:57
go
50:58
to
50:59
to
51:00
the
51:00
!
51:00
go
51:00
to