Weekly Emmaus City Culture Q&As | Part 1, Q&A 2

Emmaus City Culture Q&As | Part 1: God, Creation and Fall, Law Continued

Each week, we are adapting Redeemer's New City Catechism with modern language, including the questions and answers, along with the commentary and prayer. Our goal is to make these easily accessible for all ages, as well as those with various levels of education in Worcester. 

Since we don't want this to be just information transfer, but life transformation by God's Word and Spirit, we purposely changed the word catechism to culture as we pray for God to help us creatively display and declare the good news of Jesus in our communities.

Here are the previous weeks Q&As:

• Q&A 1: What is your only hope in life and in death?

Cheers to 2014 and many becoming more like Jesus together.

Emmaus City Culture | Part 1, Q&A 2

Question 2
Who is God?

Answer 2
God is the creator of everyone and everything. 

Psalm 86:8-10, 15  
No god is like You, O Lord. None can do what You do! All the nations You made will come and bow before You, Lord; they will praise Your holy name. For You are great and perform wonderful deeds. You alone are God. … You, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

Commentary

God is an eternal, independent being. He gives life to all creatures. God is an eternal, unchangeable being. His life is without any limits. Angels and men have their beings, but then they are limited; but God is an immense being without any boundaries. There never was and never will be a time where God can't say of Himself, 'I am.' He is God that gives being to all things. He is the Being of beings Himself; 'I am that I am, and as I am, so will I be for all eternity.' He is infinite in power, in complete control, and not as we are. He is so strong that He is almighty, nothing is impossible for Him. He wants nothing, but is infinitely blessed with the perfection of who He is. Self-sufficient, all-sufficient, absolutely perfect. There is no variation in God, but He is eternally the same. God was, is, and will always be. Though He reveals Himself to His creation in time, He is not bound by time. Look back or ahead, God from eternity to eternity, is the self-sufficient, infinite, perfect, blessed being, the first cause of our world. What God is, He was from eternity past, and what God is, He will be for all eternity.

Adapted from “Christ’s Eternal Deity Proved” in The Complete Works of Thomas Brooks, edited by Rev. Alexander Balloch Grosart, Volume 5 (Edinburgh: James Nichol, 1866), 150–157.

Prayer 
I believe that You rule all things with complete goodness, no matter how big or small for Your glory, and the good of those that love You. I believe You are the Father of the families of heaven and earth, that You order all events to best reveal Your goodness to all Your children, especially those whose eyes look for You and wait for You. I ask You to teach me to appreciate everything You do even when I don’t understand many of the things You do; teach me to be glad that You are King and to give You thanks for all things that happen to me because You chose these events for me. And for what is to come in my life, give me Your grace to do, in everything, what pleases You; and then, with complete obedience to Your wisdom, to leave the issues of what happens and why in Your hand.

Adapted from “Forms of Prayer: Thursday Morning” in The Works of the Reverend John Wesley, Volume 6 (New York: J. Emory & B. Waugh, 1831), 392. John Wesley (1703–1791): An English preacher and theologian, Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles, with founding the English Methodist movement. He traveled generally on horseback, preaching two or three times each day, and is said to have preached more than 40,000 sermons. He also was a noted hymn-writer.

Coming next week: Q&A 3: How many persons are there in God?

– Sully

Curiosity piqued? Something inside you being stirred? Go ahead and connect.