Fundamental Belief of SDAs

2. Knowledge of God
 The Existence of God
 The God of the Scriptures
 The Sovereignty of God
 Dynamics Within the Godhead
 Focus on Salvation


3. To many, God’s wisdom is a “hidden
wisdom” (1 Cor 2:7,8)
Can God Be Known?
 The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself
and His purpose to man.
 God manifested His greatest love by His
Revelation through the Son. (1 John 5:20)


4. Obtaining a Knowledge of God
 The knowledge of God is as much a
matter of the heart as it is of the brain.
 There must be an openness to do God’s
will.

5. Evidence From Creation
 Ps. 19:1
 Romans 1:20
 Romans 2:14, 15
Evidence From Scripture
 Ps. 14: 1
 Romans 1: 18-22, 28

6. God’s Names
Hebrew Name
English
meaning
Context
Supporting Texts
El and Elohim
God
reveals God’s
divine power
Gen 1:1; Dan
9:4
Elyon and El
Elyon
Most High and
God Most High
Focuses on His
exalted status
Isa. 14:14; Gen.
14:18-20
Adonai
Lord
Presents God as Isa. 6:1; Ps. 35:23
Almighty Ruler
Shaddai and El
Shaddai
Almighty and
God Almighty
Portrays the
almighty God
who gives
blessing and
comfort.
Ex. 6:3; Ps. 91:1

7. God’s Names
Hebrew Name
English
meaning
Context
Supporting Texts
Yahweh
Jehovah or
LORD
Stresses God’s
covenant
grace and
faithfulness
Ex. 15:2,3;
Hosea 12:5,6
•Exodus 3:14- I am who I am- denotes his
unchangeable relationship with his people.

8. God’s Activities
1. He Creates
Psalm 24:1,2 The earth is the LORD's, and the fullness thereof;
the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it
upon the seas, and established it upon the floods
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the
Earth.
2.
He Saves and Redeems
Deut. 5:6 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of
the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage
2 Cor. 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the
world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;
and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

9. God’s Activities Cont’d
3. He Plans
Isa. 46:11 I will call a bird to prey from the east. I will call someone
for my plan from a faraway land. I have spoken , and I will bring
it about. I have planned it, and I will do it.
4.
He Predicts
5.
He Promises
Isa. 46:10 From the beginning I revealed the end. From long ago I
told you things that had not yet happened, saying, “My plan will
stand, and I’ll do everything I intended to do.”
Deut. 15:6 For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as
he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but
thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations,
but they shall not reign over thee.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some
men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing
that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

10. God’s Activities Cont’d
6. He Forgives
Ex. 34:7 Keeping 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.
7.
He Rules
1 Tim 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the
only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.
Amen.

11. God’s Attributes
1- Incommunicable attributes
Self- existent
Independent in will and power
Omniscient
Omnipresent
Omnipotent

12. God’s Attributes
2- Communicable
attributes
Love
Grace
Mercy
Patience
Holiness
Righteousness
Justice
Truth

13. Predestination and Human Freedom
i. What is our destiny?
Romans 8:29, 30; Ephesians 1:4,5,11,12
ii.
Is this destiny inclusive of all?
John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9; 1Timothy 2:4
iii.
What determines our destiny?
Deut 30:19; Rev 22:17

14. Foreknowledge and Human Freedom
i.
ii.
God’s foreknowledge operates similarly
to a historian’s knowledge of the past. It
is known but isn’t interfered with.
God’s foreknowledge never violates
human freedom

15. The Oneness of God
OT-Deut. 4:35; 6:4
NT- John 17:3; 1 Cor. 8:4-6
 The Plurality within the Godhead
Us/We- Gen. 1:26; Gen. 3:22; Gen 11: 7
Father, Son and Spirit- Isa. 42:1; Isa.48:16;
Matt 3:16,17


16. The Relationship Within the Godhead
A Loving relationship
a) “My God, My God , Why have you
forsaken Me?”
b) God is Love (1 John 4:8)and Love
defined in 1 Corinthians 13.
c) In the Godhead, final authority resides in
all three members.


17. 
a)
b)
The Relationship Within the Godhead
A Working relationship
God of Order
Father- source
Son- Mediator
Spirit- Applier
Incarnation (John 3:16; Matt. 1:18, 20)
Father-gave his Son
Son- gave himself
Spirit-gave Jesus Birth
c)
Baptism (Matt. 3:16,17)
Father- The voice
Son- Jesus
Spirit- Dove

18. The Relationship Within the Godhead
A Working relationship
d) Crucifixion (Matt. 27:46; John 15:26)

Father- Jesus cries “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani”
Son- Jesus crucified for the sins of the world
Spirit- the promise of the Helper
e)
Apostolic Benediction (2 Cor. 13:14)
Father- Love of God
Son- grace of Jesus Christ
Spirit- fellowship of the Holy Spirit

19. Believers are baptized in the name of the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19)
 It is through Jesus that God’s Purpose
and love is revealed and so the Bible
focuses on Him.
OT- looks forward to his coming
NT- reports his first advent and looks
forward to his return.


20. 
Christ (mediator) unites humans to the
Godhead (John 14:6, 7)

21. 
The only true God is the God of the cross.
Christ unveiled to the universe the
Godhead’s infinite love and saving power;
He revealed a triune God who was willing
to go through the agony of separation
because of unconditional love for a rebel
planet. From this cross God proclaims His
loving invitation to us: Be reconciled, “and
the peace of God, which transends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7)