Chapter 2
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Work through what the church teaches, with the Scripture behind it close at hand. Tap a reference to read it right where you are. The creeds, confessions and catechisms here are historic and faithful, and good to read, but they are not all part of what this church professes.
To learn what we profess, see Our Beliefs.
1. The Lord our God is but one only living and true God;
1 Corinthians 8:4 KJV Read in context
4As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
1 Corinthians 8:6 KJV Read in context
6But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
Deuteronomy 6:4 KJV Read in context
4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
whose subsistence is in and of Himself,
Jeremiah 10:10 KJV Read in context
10But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
Isaiah 48:12 KJV Read in context
12Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
infinite in being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself;
Exodus 3:14 KJV Read in context
14And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
a most pure spirit,
John 4:24 KJV Read in context
24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto;
1 Timothy 1:17 KJV Read in context
17Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Deuteronomy 4:15-16 KJV Read in context
15Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: 16Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
who is immutable,
Malachi 3:6 KJV Read in context
6For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
immense,
1 Kings 8:27 KJV Read in context
27But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
Jeremiah 23:23 KJV Read in context
23Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?
eternal,
Psalm 90:2 KJV Read in context
2Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
incomprehensible, almighty,
Genesis 17:1 KJV Read in context
1And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
every way infinite, most holy,
Isaiah 6:3 KJV Read in context
3And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
most wise, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will,
Psalm 115:3 KJV Read in context
3But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
Isaiah 46:10 KJV Read in context
10Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
for His own glory;
Proverbs 16:4 KJV Read in context
4The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Romans 11:36 KJV Read in context
36For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him,
Exodus 34:6-7 KJV Read in context
6And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
Hebrews 11:6 KJV Read in context
6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
and withal most just and terrible in His judgments,
Nehemiah 9:32-33 KJV Read in context
32Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day. 33Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:
hating all sin,
Psalm 5:5-6 KJV Read in context
5The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. 6Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
and who will by no means clear the guilty.
Exodus 34:7 KJV Read in context
7Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
Nahum 1:2-3 KJV Read in context
2God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. 3The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
2. God, having all life,
John 5:26 KJV Read in context
26For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
glory,
Psalm 148:13 KJV Read in context
13Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.
blessedness, in and of Himself, is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creature which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them,
Job 22:2-3 KJV Read in context
2Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? 3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things,
Romans 11:34-36 KJV Read in context
34For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
and He hath most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleases;
Daniel 4:25 KJV Read in context
25That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
Daniel 4:34-35 KJV Read in context
34And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
in His sight all things are open and manifest,
Hebrews 4:13 KJV Read in context
13Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain;
Ezekiel 11:5 KJV Read in context
5And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.
Acts 15:18 KJV Read in context
18Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works,
Psalm 145:17 KJV Read in context
17The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
and in all His commands; to Him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship,
Revelation 5:12-14 KJV Read in context
12Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 13And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 14And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever He is further pleased to require of them.
3. In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit,
1 John 5:7 KJV Read in context
7For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Matthew 28:19 KJV Read in context
19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
2 Corinthians 13:14 KJV Read in context
14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided:
Exodus 3:14 KJV Read in context
14And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
John 14:11 KJV Read in context
11Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
1 Corinthians 8:6 KJV Read in context
6But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father;
John 1:14 KJV Read in context
14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 1:18 KJV Read in context
18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son;
John 15:26 KJV Read in context
26But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
Galatians 4:6 KJV Read in context
6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on Him.
King James Version (1769 text), public domain. Text from eBible.org and the CrossWire Bible Society.