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Tuesday, February 23 2021

If there were universal attributes of God in the creation, then Christians could use these characteristics to observe and note God's existence and His actions. This would be the strongest evidence for perceiving God via His creative works and identifying who He is. The Bible consents that humanity can see God’s attributes as the cause of everything (Romans 1:19–20).

                If you want to skip to how to use this in everyday life, then go to the last paragraph. However, if you want to think about the basis for how we can observe God's characteristics in nature, keep reading until we get to how this helps us share a reasonable faith.

 

One can clearly perceive and reason that the characteristics of the uncaused cause of the intelligible universe that allows intelligent moral beings to observe it are that the cause must be:


beyond nature, all-powerful, constant,

intelligent, creative, all-knowing,

life-preserving, liberating, moral,

loving, gracious, merciful,

and therefore holy (being unique in character unlike any other).

 

All of this defines the first cause as God and aligns perfectly with the Bible's description of the Creator God, the "I AM THAT I AM," the God of Jesus of Nazareth.

 

The Bible's description of God aligns with these attributes of the Creator that set the foundation of natural theology — the study of God as displayed and inferred from nature. As the Bible begins, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). From Genesis, God is the Creator of everything and He is the basis of reality. God must be the Creator of all good who is thus morally good and gracious. Those who rebel against God's moral righteousness also reject His grace and do not accept what is evident of God's character.

                The Bible's alignment with natural theology is one of the great evidences of the Christian faith. Furthermore, the character of Jesus of Nazareth aligns with the necessary characteristics of the Creator as perceived and inferred from nature. The apostle Paul proclaimed before the thinkers of Athens the attributes of God by negating false assumptions (Acts 17:22–31). His argument was convincing to some and convicting for others who wanted to hear more. The attributes of God led Paul to note God's moral judgment over humanity and a specific man as the standard for judgment. Furthermore, the man died and overcame death demonstrating his own divine nature.

                How can Christians use these observations about God from nature in everyday conversations? Bringing up God and Jesus in small talk can often seem abrupt and forced. However, as students of God, we should have a subtle and reasonable recognition of God. Christians can recognize and note the creative power behind the weather and nature's beauty. Believers should openly thank God for what He provides in our lives such as a new job, a new house, or a newborn. Believers should make a moral stand for what is right in the workplace and community because there is a constant standard of right and wrong. Followers of Christ must demonstrate the love, grace, and mercy that is constant because God is and Jesus lives. We want to put a new perspective before the eyes of our family and peers that begs them to see a greater purpose and meaning to everything and so come to seek out and worship God.

Posted by: Scott J Shifferd AT 07:00 am   |  Permalink   |  Email