The One True God

The main goal of this study is for the student to have an encounter with God through His Word. Founded on the conviction that the Scriptures are the inspired and infallible Word of God, this study was designed in such a way that it is literally impossible for the student to progress without an open Bible before him or her.

Our goal is to obey the Apostle Paul’s exhortation in II Timothy 2:15: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” Each lesson deals with a specific doctrine of the attributes of God.

The student will complete each lesson by answering the questions according to the Scriptures provided. The student is encouraged to meditate on each text and write down his or her thoughts. The benefit one reaps from this study will depend on the student's investment. If the student answers the questions by copying the text without thinking and without seeking an understanding of its meaning, it will be of little benefit. The student will find that this is primarily a Bible study and does not have much in the way of pretty illustrations, entertaining stories, or even theological commentaries. It was our desire to provide a work that only pointed the way to the Scriptures and let the Scriptures speak for themselves.

This book can be used by an individual, a group, or a Sunday school class. It is highly recommended that the student complete each chapter alone before meeting for discussion and questions with the group or discipleship leader.

Through the use of this book, the student is encouraged to study biblical doctrine and to discover its exalted place in the Christian life. The true Christian cannot endure or even survive a divorce between emotions and intellect, nor between devotion to God and the doctrine of God. According to the Scriptures, neither our emotions nor our experiences give us adequate foundations for the Christian life. Only the truths of Scripture, understood by the mind and communicated through doctrine, can provide those solid foundations upon which we can establish our beliefs and our behavior, and also determine the validity of our emotions and experiences. The mind is not an enemy of the heart, and doctrine is not an obstacle to devotion. Both are indispensable and should be inseparable. The Scriptures command us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind (Matthew 22:37), and to worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

The study of doctrine is an intellectual and devotional discipline. It is a passionate pursuit of God that should lead the student to greater personal transformation, obedience, and sincere worship. Therefore, the student must be careful not to make the great mistake of seeking only impersonal knowledge instead of seeking the person of God. Mechanical devotion or merely intellectual pursuits are not profitable because in both cases God is lost.