The document discusses the Seventh-day Adventist belief in God the Father as the first person of the Trinity. It describes God the Father as the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation who is just, holy, merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness. Key terms are defined for Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign. The discussion covers the Father's position in the Godhead in both the Old and New Testaments.

1. OUR BELIEFS
THE 28 FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST

2. FUNDAMENTAL BELIEF 3
GOD THE FATHER

3. Preface
Our understanding of concepts is often tied to shared or experienced examples. The human
thought process is often likened to series of connected boxes. Our exploration of our beliefs
carries us to this very innate function, to compare and connect things we know to others ideas
in order to explain them as well to truly make them our own. So what of our beliefs that have
limited human comparison? Does faith based beliefs reside in one of our current boxes?

4. “
Piaget's theory of cognitive development is a comprehensive theory about the nature and development of
human intelligence, first developed by Swiss developmental psychologist Jean Piaget (1896–1980). It is
primarily known as a developmental stage theory but, in fact, it deals with the nature of knowledge itself and
how humans come gradually to acquire, construct, and use it. To Piaget, cognitive development was a
progressive reorganization of mental processes as a result of biological maturation and environmental
experience. Accordingly, children construct an understanding of the world around them, then experience
discrepancies between what they already know and what they discover in their environment
How We Think & What We Believe
”
In psychology and cognitive science, a schema (plural schemata or schemas), describes an organized
pattern of thought or behavior that organizes categories of information and the relationships among
them. It can also be described as a mental structure of preconceived ideas, a framework representing
some aspect of the world, or a system of organizing and perceiving new information. People use
schemata to organize current knowledge and provide a framework for future understanding

5. LAST WEEK:
The Godhead
There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three
co-eternal Persons. God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing,
above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human
comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation. He is
forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole
creation. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1
Peter 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:17; Rev. 14:7.)
[http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/]

6. The Father is all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and is
invisible to mortal sight. The Son is all the fullness of the
Godhead manifested. The Word of God declares Him to be "the
express image of His person." "God so loved the world, that He
gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have everlasting life." Here is shown the
personality of the Father.
The Comforter that Christ promised to send after He ascended
to heaven, is the Spirit in all the fullness of the
Godhead, making manifest the power of divine grace to all who
receive and believe in Christ as a personal Saviour. There are
three living persons of the heavenly trio; in the name of these
three great powers --the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit-those who receive Christ by living faith are baptized, and these
powers will co-operate with the obedient subjects of heaven in
their efforts to live the new life in Christ. {Ev 614-15}

7. THIS WEEK:
Father Z3
God the eternal Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and
Sovereign of all creation. He is just and holy, merciful and
gra¬cious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and
faithfulness. The qualities and powers exhibited in the Son and
the Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father. (Gen. 1:1; Rev.
4:11; 1 Cor. 15:28; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8; 1 Tim. 1:17; Ex.
34:6, 7; John 14:9.) [http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/]

8. Key Terms
Creator: is one responsible for creation, a person or thing that
brings something into existence
Source: a place, person, or thing from which something
originates or can be obtained
Sustainer: upholder: someone who upholds or maintains;
keeps in existence
Sovereign: possessing supreme or ultimate power; a supreme
ruler

9. Do you believe in the Trinity?
What position does the Father have in the Godhead?
What does the Trinity have in common with Triplets?

10. Points to Cover:
1. Views of the Father
2. God the Father in the Old Testament
3. God the Father in the New Testament
ANY QUESTIONS?