SEMESTER 1
116 – The Independence of God
BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE
COURSE: THEOLOGY I LESSON # 16
THE INDEPENDENCE OF GOD
INTRODUCTION:
1. By this, I am describing God’s ability to function perfectly and alone in all things.
2. He needs no one else for success, happiness or anything else. He is transcendent.
3. This is basically “sovereignty,” but while under that heading we shall consider action, under this one we will consider nature behind action.
I. INDEPENDENCE AND CREATURE EMPLOYMENT
1. Some object to the statement of this concept on the basis of God’s usage of creatures.
2. This is often the plea for incapability of sovereign evangelism, but note: I Cor. 4:7
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3. What God does (by choice) through creatures, He could do by other means. (I Cor. 2:4-5)
III: “God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” (Jn. 1:13)
4. Our responsibility to repent, believe and serve rises out of God’s authority, not His dependency.
5. All our abilities depend upon God’s ability, not vice versa. (Deut. 8:17-18)
II. INDEPENDENCE AND SELF-EXISTENCE
1. To reverse the order of the previous points, attacks the self-existence (an absolute attribute) of God.
2. Self-existence demands not only independent origin, but independent sustenance (transcendency).
III: We depend on energy, God makes it.
III. INDEPENDENCE AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY
1. Do not confuse God’s state of being and His communication to us of our responsibility. Compare Ps. 19:1 to I Cor. 10:31.
2. This may be misunderstood, by misunderstanding of verses like Judges 5:23 and Psalm 78:41.
IV. THE BLESSED STATE OF GOD
1. Consider these Scriptures: I Tim. 1:11 and I Tim. 6:15.
i. God’s happiness is neither increased nor diminished.
ii. If so, He pre-existed unhappily, or made a mistake in creating that which makes Him unhappy.
2. No conflict in God: He does as He pleases and is always pleased with what He does.
III: Was that which He created really “good”?
3. If not, either His wisdom, or His holiness is proven imperfect.
4. God has no limitations (infinity).
i. He is able to do as He wills.
ii. He wills only that which is ultimately holy.
5. God’s state of blessed happiness consists in His independent holiness.
i. Only sin (guilt of it) can destroy happiness.
ii. Only spiritual creatures, and God, can have guilt or innocence of it.
6. We can be truly happy only when we see God rightly and learn to rejoice in His holiness.
III: Isaiah’s vision. (Isa. 6)
7. Is God crippled or defeated by the sinfulness of, or the results of sin, or is He glorified in overcoming it?