Credo on God

This is a summative statement, in a concise (one page) format regarding my convictions about God. It is, by nature, not as complete or robust as it ought to be but is nonetheless effective at laying out my beliefs.

I believe in one God (Deut. 6:4; John 10:30; 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:6). I believe that God, being trinitarian, exists in three persons who share the same essence: God the Father, the Son who is Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19; John 14:26; Acts 2:33; Gal. 4:6). I believe that God does not receive life from anything because he is life (John 1:3-4). I believe that God is eternal and therefore existed before the foundation of the world (John 17:24) in perfect and complete union with himself and was in no need of creation but out of his great love and in an outpouring of joy he brought all things into existence ex nihilo (Rom. 4:17). God is glorified in and through his creation (Ps. 19:1). I believe God is transcendent (Is. 55:8-9; Ps. 113:4-6), and immanent (Ps. 113:7-9; Matt. 11:29). He is uniquely set apart from Man, being so exalted and holy that we ought to marvel and fear him. Yet, he came in the flesh to dwell among us (John 1:14; Phil. 4:6-8) and is a personal God with a name (Ex. 3:14). I believe that God does not change (1 Sam. 15:29; Ps. 15:4, 110:4), and among many attributes declared in scripture he is omnipotent (Mark 4:39; John 21:14; Col. 1:15-18), omniscient (Matt. 22:18; Luke 9:47) and omnipresent (1 Kgs. 8:27; Acts 7:48). I believe this is possible because God is spirit (John 4:24) and therefore indestructible and infinite. I believe God is entirely truthful and in him there is no deceit or falsehood (Num. 23:19; 1 Pet. 2:22) and this makes him wholly trustworthy (Heb. 13:8). As a result of this, I believe that his Word is entirely without falsehood and error (2 Tim. 3:16). As Peter confessed, I believe that God alone has the words of eternal life (John 6:68). I believe that God is the savior of the world and apart from him there is no salvation (Acts 4:12). God is perfectly just, and therefore he must punish sin. I believe that before the foundation of the world God predestined that salvation would come through the cross of Jesus Christ for all who believe in him—the one who was sent (Eph. 1:11). I believe this act of sacrificial atonement for our sin demonstrates God’s great love because it shows that God is also the justifier, pouring out his wrath against sin in a propitiatory manner on Jesus Christ—and hence exonerating all who believe in him from the condemnation they once deserved (Rom. 3:25, 8:1). This salvation is accomplished completely without qualification, meaning no one can earn it, it is simply given by grace. In this way, I believe God is also the author of salvation. Salvation is among one of many blessings that God pours out to those who serve him (Eph. 1:3-14). I believe that God is supremely good, and he is not the author of Evil. He is benevolent (Matt. 6:26-28, 10:29), and merciful (Ps. 103:13). I believe that God is actively involved in maintaining and directing his creation to carry out his will (Ex. 21:13; Prov. 16:33; Eph. 1:9-14). I believe God is a jealous God and deserves all honor, glory, and worship (Ex. 34:14; Jude 25; Rev. 4:11, 5:12-13).