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The Baptist Catechism

Question 7

    What is God?

    God is a Spirit,a infinite,b eternal,c and unchangeabled in his being,e wisdom,f power,g holiness,h justice, goodness, and truth.i

    1. aJohn 4:24
    2. bJob 11:7, 8, 9
    3. cPsalm 90:2
    4. dJames 1:17
    5. eExodus 3:14
    6. fPsalm 147:5
    7. gRevelation 4:8
    8. hRevelation 15:4
    9. iExodus 34:6
    Beddome's Scriptural Exposition 84 questions answered from Scripture

    1. Is God a Spirit? Yes.

      “God is a Spirit” John 4:24

    2. Is he incorporeal and invisible? Yes.

      “Ye have not heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape” John 5:37

    3. Is he a perfect spirit? Yes.

      “He is light, and in him is no darkness” 1 John 1:5

    4. Is he an active spirit? Yes.

      “My Father worketh hitherto” John 5:17

    5. Is he a self-sufficient and independent spirit? Yes.

      “His name is I am that I am” Exodus 3:14

    6. Is he an immortal spirit? Yes.

      “Who only hath immortality” 1 Timothy 6:16

    7. Is he above all other spirits? Yes.

      “He is the Father of spirits” Hebrews 12:9

    1. Can we then form any adequate conception of the divine Being? No.

      “What likeness can you compare unto him” Isaiah 40:18

    2. Are the organs of sense improperly ascribed unto him? Yes.

      “Hast thou eyes of flesh or seest thou as man seeth” Job 10:4

    3. Can he be gratified with carnal things? No.

      “I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy fold” Psalm 50:9

    4. Should he be worshipped in a spiritual manner? Yes.

      “Whom I serve with my spirit” Romans 1:9

    5. May we expect spiritual blessings from him? Yes.

      “Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings” Ephesians 1:3

    6. And is he the only suitable portion for our spirits? Yes.

      “The Lord is my portion saith my soul” Lamentations 3:24

    1. Is God infinite and omnipresent? Yes.

      “Whither shall I flee from thy presence” Psalm 139:7

    2. Is he in heaven? Yes.

      “If I ascend up into heaven thou art there” Psalm 139:8

    3. But is he confined to heaven? No.

      “The heaven of heavens cannot contain thee” 2 Chronicles 2:6

    4. Is his essence diffused through the whole universe of things? Yes.

      “He is above all and through all and in all” Ephesians 4:6

    5. Is he then near to every one of us? Yes.

      “He is not far from every one of us” Acts 17:27

    6. Should this be a support to the saints under their burden? Yes.

      “Be strong for I am with you, saith the Lord” Haggai 2:4

    7. And a spur to holy actions? Yes.

      “Walk before me, and be thou perfect” Genesis 17:1

    1. Is God eternal? Yes.

      “The eternal God is thy refuge” Deuteronomy 33:27

    2. Was he from everlasting? Yes.

      “Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God” Habakkuk 1:12

    3. Will he be to everlasting? Yes.

      “From everlasting to everlasting thou art God” Psalm 90:2

    4. Is he only eternal? Yes.

      “I am the first, and I am the last, and besides me there is no God” Isaiah 44:6

    5. Should he therefore be feared? Yes.

      “He is the living God, and an everlasting King, at his wrath the earth shall tremble” Jeremiah 10:10

    6. And be trusted? Yes.

      “Trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength” Isaiah 26:4

    7. Is this perfection of God humbling to man? Yes.

      “Where wast thou when I laid the foundation of the earth” Job 38:4

    8. And glorious to himself? Yes.

      “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, be honour and glory for ever and ever” 1 Timothy 1:17

    1. Is God unchangeable? Yes.

      “Thou art the same” Psalm 102:27

    2. Is he absolutely so? Yes.

      “With him there is no shadow of turning” James 1:17

    3. Is he so in his own nature and perfections? Yes.

      “I am the Lord, I change not” Malachi 3:6

    4. And in his will? Yes.

      “His Counsel shall stand” Isaiah 46:10

    5. And in his love? Yes.

      “I have loved thee with an everlasting love” Jeremiah 31:3

    6. And in his special favours? Yes.

      “The gifts and calling of God are without repentance” Romans 11:29

    7. May not God change through some unforeseen accident? No.

      “For known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world” Acts 15:18

    8. Or through want of power to effect what he has determined? No.

      “For he is the Almighty God” Genesis 17:1

    9. Is it well for us that God is unchangeable? Yes.

      “Therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed” Malachi 3:6

    1. Is God wise? Yes.

      “Counsel is mine and sound wisdom” Proverbs 8:14

    2. Doth his wisdom appear in creation and providence? Yes.

      “He is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working” Isaiah 28:29

    3. And in redemption? Yes.

      “Herein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence” Ephesians 1:8

    4. Is he infinitely wise? Yes.

      “His understanding is infinite” Psalm 147:5

    5. Is he originally so? Yes.

      “With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him” Isaiah 40:14

    6. Is he perfectly so? Yes.

      “The foolishness of God is wiser than man” 1 Corinthians 1:25

    7. And is he incomprehensibly so? Yes.

      “O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God” Romans 11:33

    8. Is there any counterworking his wisdom? No.

      “There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel, against the Lord” Proverbs 21:30

    9. Doth all wisdom proceed from him? Yes.

      “He giveth wisdom unto the wise” Daniel 2:21

    10. Should we therefore seek it at his hands? Yes.

      “If any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of God” James 1:5

    1. Is God powerful? Yes.

      “Power belongeth unto God” Psalm 62:11

    2. Can he do all things? Yes.

      “Is there any thing too hard for me” Jeremiah 32:27

    3. Can he do all things with the greatest ease? Yes.

      “He taketh up the isles as a very little thing” Isaiah 40:15

    4. Can he do all things in the most perfect manner? Yes.

      “He is a rock, his work is perfect” Deuteronomy 32:4

    5. Is God’s power necessary to give a sanction to his laws? Yes.

      “There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy” James 4:12

    6. Is it irresistible? Yes.

      “None can stay his hand” Daniel 4:35

    7. Is it subject to decay? No.

      “The Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save” Isaiah 59:1

    8. Does it extend to evil spirits and wicked men? Yes.

      “The deceiver and deceived are his” Job 12:16

    9. Is it then a great folly to sin against such a God? Yes.

      “Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy, are we stronger than he” 1 Corinthians 10:22

    1. Is God holy? Yes.

      “He is the holy one of Israel” Isaiah 41:21

    2. Is he supremely holy? Yes.

      “There is none holy as the Lord” 1 Samuel 2:2

    3. Does the holiness of God particularly appear in the work of redemption? Yes.

      “Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness” Isaiah 1:27

    4. Have the heathens by the light of nature acknowledged the holiness of God? Yes.

      “I know that the spirit of the holy Gods is in thee” Daniel 4:9

    5. And do spirits above make it the matter of their praise? Yes.

      “They continually say, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty” Revelation 4:8

    6. And should we imitate them herein? Yes.

      “Bless his holy name” Psalm 103:1

    1. Is God just? Yes.

      “The Lord is righteous” Psalm 129:4

    2. Is he absolutely and perfectly so? Yes.

      “Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid” Romans 9:14

    3. Is he just in inflicting temporal judgments? Yes.

      “O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of face” Daniel 9:7

    4. And eternal vengeance? Yes.

      “Is God unrighteous, who taketh vengeance” Romans 3:5

    5. Does the justice of God eminently appear in the undertaking and sufferings of Christ? Yes.

      “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness” Romans 3:25

    6. Should we then acknowledge the justice of God? Yes.

      “Howbeit thou art just” Nehemiah 9:33

    7. And seek to avoid the direful effects of it? Yes.

      “Escape for thy life, lest thou be consumed” Genesis 19:17

    1. Is God good? Yes.

      “Thou, Lord, art good” Psalm 86:5

    2. May his goodness excite our wonder? Yes.

      “How great is his goodness” Zechariah 9:17

    3. And should it excite our gratitude? Yes.

      “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good” Psalm 106:1

    4. Is God universally good? Yes.

      “He is good to all” Psalm 145:9

    5. Is he good to sinners? Yes.

      “He sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” Matthew 5:45

    6. Is he in an especial manner good to his own people? Yes.

      “That I may see the good of thy chosen” Psalm 106:5

    7. Doth God take the contempt of his goodness heinously? Yes.

      “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness” Romans 2:4

    1. Is God a God of truth? Yes.

      “These things saith he that is true” Revelation 3:7

    2. Is he true to his promises? Yes.

      “Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob” Micah 7:20

    3. And to his threatenings? Yes.

      “But my words, did not they take hold of your fathers?” Zechariah 1:6

    4. And to Christ? Yes.

      “Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David” Psalm 89:35

    5. Is God unchangeable in his truth? Yes.

      “The truth of the Lord endureth for ever” Exodus 7:2

    6. Should we therefore believe God? Yes.

      “We should judge him faithful who hath promised” Hebrews 11:11

    7. And that rather than man? Yes.

      “Let God be true, but every man a liar” Romans 3:4

    8. But though we believe not, does God continue faithful? Yes.

      “For what if some did not believe, shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?” Romans 3:3

    Benjamin Beddome (1717–1795), pastor at Bourton-on-the-Water. Verses from the King James Version.

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