God the Father is the "Fountainhead" of the Trinity. God the Son, Jesus Christ, is begotten of the Father and the Holy Spirit proceeds from Father and Son. There never was a time when the Father was alone. Jesus Christ, God the Son, is eternally begotten; and the Holy Spirit is eternally proceeding. Please notice: there is tremendous joy within God as He creates and brings forth life! (This is the part of this unit that I want to impress on you most of all.) God loves life! and rejoices in giving life!) It is part of the character of God the Father – this rejoicing in bringing forth life. There is celebration within the Trinity. Proverbs 8:22-31 talks about Wisdom sharing in the work of creation. Wisdom in this passage is very likely a word for the Second Person of the Trinity, God the Son. In vv. 30-31 Wisdom says, "then I was beside Him, like a master workman, and I was daily filled with delight, rejoicing before Him always, rejoicing in His inhabited world and delighting in the children of man." By the way, the Hebrew word for "rejoicing" is also used for celebrating, playing, gamboling (what lambs do when they jump and run around the pasture), and dancing. There is a song titled "Lord of the Dance," that starts out, "I danced in the morning when the world was begun . . ." and then goes on to tell the story of salvation. The angels were created; and once they are created they also join in the celebration! In Job 38:4-7 God asks Job, "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the world? . . . when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" THE CHARACTERISTICS OR ATTRIBUTES OF GOD ((Small Catechism Questions # 93 – 95)) Our Small Catechism describes God in the following ways (Question # 93). God is: A. Spirit (a personal being without a body) B. Eternal (without beginning and without end) C. Unchangeable D. Almighty, all-powerful (omnipotent) E. All-knowing (omniscient) F. Present everywhere (omnipresent) G. Holy (sinless and hating sin) H. Just (fair and impartial) I. Faithful (keeping His promises) J. Good (kind, desiring our welfare) K. Merciful (full of pity) L. Gracious (showing undeserved kindness, forgiving) M. Love
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Rev. Mark WilligPastor Willig is pastor emeritus of Friends in Christ Lutheran Church. Archives
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