1689 2.1

2.1. Of God and of the Holy Trinity

The Lord our God is but one only living, and true God; whose subsistence is in and of himself, infinite in being, and perfection, whose Essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself; a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto, who is immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, Almighty, every way infinit, most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute, working all things according to the councel of his own immutable, and most righteous will, for his own glory, most loving, gracious, merciful, long suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, the rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and withall most just, and terrible in his judgements, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.

Proof texts

• 1 Corinthians 8:4, 6 — [4] Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” [6] yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
• Deuteronomy 6:4 — [4] “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
• Jeremiah 10:10 — [10] But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.
• Isaiah 48:12 — [12] “Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last.
• Exodus 3:14 — [14] God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
• John 4:24 — [24] God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
• 1 Timothy 1:17 — [17] To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
• Deuteronomy 4:15, 16 — [15] “Therefore watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, [16] beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
• Malachi 3:6 — [6] “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
• 1 Kings 8:27 — [27] “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!
• Jeremiah 23:23 — [23] “Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God far away?
• Psalms 90:2 — [2] Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
• Genesis 17:1 — [1] When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless,
• Isaiah 6:3 — [3] And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”
• Psalms 115:3 — [3] Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.
• Isaiah 46:10 — [10] declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
• Proverbs 16:4 — [4] The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.
• Romans 11:36 — [36] For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
• Exodus 34:6, 7 — [6] The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, [7] keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”
• Hebrews 11:6 — [6] And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
• Nehemiah 9:32, 33 — [32] “Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. [33] Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.
• Psalms 5:5, 6 — [5] The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. [6] You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
• Exodus 34:7 — [7] keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”
• Nahum 1:2, 3 — [2] The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. [3] The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited 1 Corinthians 8:4, 6 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 24 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q4 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WSC Q5 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

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