Q&A: Lawson, MacArthur, Mohler, and Sproul

A questions and answers session with Drs. Steven Lawson, John MacArthur, Albert Mohler and R.C. Sproul.

Questions:

1. Dr. MacArthur, can you tell us about the Shepherds Conference? (1:09)
2. How do you explain the term “Reformed” to a someone unfamiliar to Reformed teaching? (2:34)
3. Is our still heart deceitfully wicked after we are born again? (4:47)
4. How should I share the gospel when it could cost me my job? (7:08)
5. Is it biblical to say God “loves you” to believers and nonbelievers alike? (9:32)
6. What does it mean when we confess that Jesus has a reasonable soul? (13:05)
7. Dr. MacArthur, you spoke at 2016 Shepherds Conference about clergy malpractice. What did you mean by that? (17:08)
8. How can I best prepare students to live their faith out in public schools? (19:17)
9. How do I counsel a Reformed mother who is married to a Roman Catholic? (22:25)
10. With the rise of seeker-sensitive churches, how do we understand biblically ‘seeking’ God? (25:02)
11. How do you define a false teacher? How much error is needed before they are considered false? (32:23)
12. How is the current cultural climate forcing the “mushy middle” out of the church? (35:55)
13. Giving the failure of ecumenical movements, how do you promote unity in doctrine? (37:59)

Steven Lawson: The Attributes of God – Part 3 – God’s Sovereignty

Part three of the series: The Attributes of God by Steven Lawson.

Notes on God’s Sovereignty in PDF format.

Steven Lawson: The Attributes of God – Part 2 –The Asity of God and Spirituality of God

Part two of the series: The Attributes of God by Steven Lawson.

Notes on Asity of God in PDF format.

Notes on Spirituality of God in PDF format.

Steven Lawson: The Attributes of God – Part 1 – Introduction

Feel free to join the study “The Attributes of God” by Steven Lawson.

What are the Attributes of God?

– The Asity of God	– The Spirituality of God
– The Sovereignty of God	– The Holiness of God
– The Omnipresence of God	– The immutability of God
– God’s Truthfulness	– God’s Wisdom
– God’s Grace	– God’s Love
– God’s Foreknowledge	– God’s Wrath
– The Righteousness of God

• These attributes show us how God is.
• The first thing that comes to mind when we think of God is what defines us
  • It shapes how we see the world
  • It shapes how we live in the world
  • If shapes how we see ourselves
  • It shapes how we worship
• A Low view of God leads to a shallow way of worship

 

The Relationship of the Attributes

• Each attribute of God is equal true of every person in the trinity
  • What is true of the father is also true for the son and the spirit
  • All three are equally truthful, holy, wrathful, wise …

These Attributes are eternally permanent qualities of God

• No attribute can be gained or lost (Asity)
• God was equally loving in the OT as the NT same as the wrath
  • There is no diminishing in the AT or NT
• God is the same God from eternity past to the eternity present

These Attributes are all diving connected

• Each attribute is a part of the whole
• His wrath is holy wrath; his love is holy love …
• There is no division in God himself
• “The Simplicity of God” – God cannot be divided into parts
  • Compared to us humans, we are “complex beings”
    • We have got different parts, arms, legs, ears, eyes,
  • God is “simple” in the sense, that there is no division or separation of his attributes and his being
• Each attribute we ascribe to God applies to all
• Each attribute is absolute perfect in his being

Why are they Important?

• Transcended worship
  • The higher the knowledge of God, the higher the worship will be
  • Our theology drives or doxology
  • The word “glory”
    • Intrinsic glory
      • All the attributes of God revealed, we cannot increase it, it is him wo was, who is, and will be
      • All the perfection of the eternal God made known
    • Ascribed glory
      • Our response to the Intrinsic glory
      • A higher view of the Intrinsic Glory leads to a higher form of Ascribed glory – the proper response
    • We were made to worship God
  • Humble living
    • The pride crusher
    • To see God lifted up
    • 1 Cor. 15:10 – By the grace of God I am what I am …
    • John 15:5 – apart from me you can do nothing …
    • 1 John 1:5 – The closer you are to the light, the more you will see your imperfections
      • In the darkness you look fine to yourself
    • Spiritual maturity
      • The more we know about Him, the more we will mature
      • Knowledge of God increases holiness
      • 2 Cor. 3:18 – We become what we look at
      • The more we are focused on God, the more we will be like him
        • If we are focused on the world we will be like the world
      • Effective ministry
        • The more we know, the more we want to witness and teach others
      • Personal encouragement
        • The more we know Him the more we can trust him
        • Spurgeon: The sovereignty of God is his pillow where he laid his head on at night
      • Personal conversion
        • The knowledge of God is the first step into the kingdom of God
          • You need to know something about God to be conversed
            • Something about the Love, Grace, Wrath and holiness of God
            • John 10:14, John 17:3, Php. 3:8, 2Pe. 3:18,

Steven Lawson: No Hope without It: The Life of Christ

God requires us to be holy as He is holy. As sinners, we deserve to be eternally punished for breaking God’s law. To satisfy our guilt before God, we need a substitute not only to die for our sins but also to fulfill the righteous requirements of the law on our behalf. We need a mediator to succeed where Adam failed in keeping God’s commands. In this session, Dr. Steven Lawson details the significance of the active obedience of Christ in His role as the second Adam and explain why there is “no hope without it.”