Canst thou by searching find out God?
William MacDonald teaches that God's infinite and incomprehensible nature reveals His divine attributes, which lift believers from earthly concerns to heavenly understanding.
In this sermon, William MacDonald explores the profound attributes of God, emphasizing His righteousness, eternity, goodness, and incomprehensibility. He challenges listeners to recognize the limits of human understanding while encouraging a deeper reverence for God's majesty. Through biblical references and thoughtful reflection, MacDonald invites believers to contemplate the divine nature that transcends all earthly knowledge.
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“Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?.” (Job 11:7)
There are other attributes of God that must be mentioned, even if only briefly. Contemplation of these divine perfections lifts the soul from earth to heaven, from the petty to the sublime.
· God is righteous, that is, He is just, equitable and fair in all His dealings. He is “a just God and a Saviour’’ (Isa. 45:21).
· God is incomprehensible (Job 11:7,8). He is too great to be understood by the human mind. As Stephen Charnock said, “It is visible that God is. It is invisible what He is.” And Richard Baxter said, “You may know God, but not comprehend Him.”
· God is eternal—without beginning or end (Psa. 90:1-4). Eternity is His lifetime.
· God is good (Nahum 1:7). He is “good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Psa. 145:9).
· God is infinite (1 Kings 8:27). He has no limits or boundaries. “His greatness is beyond calculation, measurement or human imagination.”
· God is self-existent (Ex. 3:14). He did not receive His existence from any outside source. He is the Fountain of His own life as well as of all other life.
· God is self-sufficient, that is, He has within the Trinity all that He could ever need.
· God is transcendent. He is far above the universe and time, and is separate from the material creation.
A final attribute of God is His foreknowledge. Christians are divided on whether God’s foreknowledge determines who will be saved, or whether it is merely a prior knowledge of who will trust the Savior. Judging from Romans 8:29, I believe that God sovereignly selected certain individuals and decreed that all whom He thus foreknew would eventually be glorified.
And so we come to the end of our consideration of the attributes of God. But it is a subject that in another sense has no end. God is so great, so majestic, so awesome that we only see through a glass darkly. Because He is infinite, He never can be fully known by finite minds. Throughout eternity we will dwell on the wonders of His Person and will still have to say, “The half has not been told.”
Sermon Outline
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I
- Introduction with Job 11:7 on God's incomprehensibility
- The importance of contemplating God's divine perfections
- God's righteousness and justice
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II
- God's eternal and infinite nature
- God's goodness and tender mercies
- God's self-existence and self-sufficiency
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III
- God's transcendence above creation and time
- The mystery of God's foreknowledge and sovereignty
- The ongoing nature of knowing God
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IV
- The limitations of human understanding of God
- The eternal pursuit of knowing God's majesty
- Conclusion: 'The half has not been told'
Key Quotes
“Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?” — William MacDonald
“It is visible that God is. It is invisible what He is.” — William MacDonald
“Because He is infinite, He never can be fully known by finite minds.” — William MacDonald
Application Points
- Trust in God's righteousness even when circumstances seem unfair.
- Accept that God's full nature is beyond human understanding and worship Him accordingly.
- Reflect regularly on God's eternal and infinite attributes to deepen your faith.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean that God is incomprehensible?
It means that God's nature and essence are beyond full human understanding, though we can know He exists.
How does God's righteousness affect believers?
God's righteousness assures believers that He is just and fair in all His dealings, providing a foundation for trust.
What is the significance of God's foreknowledge?
God's foreknowledge indicates His sovereign choice in salvation, knowing beforehand those who will be glorified.
Why can we never fully know God?
Because God is infinite and transcendent, finite human minds can only grasp a portion of His majesty.
How should believers respond to God's attributes?
Believers should be lifted from earthly concerns to worship and awe, continually seeking to know Him more deeply.