Point-of-View

God is the personal Creator who has almighty power and is ever present. Both attributes are closely aligned to the doctrine of God as Creator. He is all powerful who created and sustains the universe. Theologians call that "omnipotence." He is ever present and never separated from any part of His creation. He is capable of being present in every area of the world at the same time. Theologians call that omnipresence.

In this week’s look at the Doctrine of God, we will examine God’s power and presence. Both should give us confidence in the living of our lives daily.

The almighty power of God (Omnipotence)

• The doctrine of the almighty power of God will be understood as closely aligned to the doctrine of God as Creator. See Gen. 1:1, Psalm 115:3, Psalm 33:9, Job 26:7, Rev. 1:8.

• The mighty power of God is not sheer power raised to the highest degree. There is virtue in power as such. Force carries no virtue of its own.

• The doctrine of God’s almighty power is not a logical proposition. We cannot press God into a logical category. The reverent, religious, biblical mind has never asserted, "God can do any old thing."

• The reverent, religious, biblical mind has affirmed that God can do anything which is in keeping with His holy will and purpose. Our interpretation of God’s power must be given in the context of God as a creator. We must add to this the knowledge that He made men with relative freedom.

• Let us interpret God’s almighty power in its religious and redemptive context:

Matthew 28:19–"all power" (all authority) is given to me–"I am with you." We have all the power now to win a world.

Mark 10:27–"with God all things are possible."

Revelation 19:6–A voice of hope

Luke 10:1-24–We may fail but our failure does not remove God from the throne.

God is ever present (Omnipresent)

• We can continually remember that we never really leave His presence. We may come into it in a more meaningful way at a particular time but we never leave it.

• The Bible presents God’s presence as being that which God has created and continually sustains. This can be seen in Jeremiah 23:24, "filling the earth and heaven;" Isaiah 66:1, "The earth is His foot stool;" and Psalm 123:1, "heaven is His throne." At the rising and going down of the sun, God knows His world.

• Because God is ever present, He is also all-knowing. God’s knowledge is related in a special way to men and their need for redemption. This is demonstrated in these passages:

Amos 3:2–"You only have I known of all the families of the earth."

John 10–"I know my sheep."

1 Corinthians 8:3–"If any man loveth God the same is known of Him."

2 Timothy 2:19–"The Lord knows those who are His." If God does not know a man, this means that God is judging him redemptively.

Matthew 25:12–I do not know you redemptively.

Read also: Psalm 18:44; Hosea 5:3-4.

• God’s knowledge is immediate. It is not knowledge learned by experience, nor does it come from logical deduction. "God knows the words of my mouth before they are formed." (Psalm 139)

• However, our experiences and our decisions do have concrete reality for God. Don’t let the knowledge of God blur personal decision. God’s knowledge is not to be interpreted as a causative factor in man’s destiny. It would be wrong also to assume that God’s electing love stems from what He knows men will or will not do.

God is powerful and ever present in all of our trials and joys. All things are possible through Him as He never leaves our side. Such is an encouragement and sustaining force in my life. Next week, we will examine the holiness and righteousness of God.

This is the fourth in a series called The Doctrine of God.