Psalm 86:8–10, 15

There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
nor are there any works like yours.
All the nations you have made shall come
and worship before you, O Lord,
and shall glorify your name.
For you are great and do wondrous things;
you alone are God.
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

Q: What is God?
A: God is the creator and sustainer of everyone and everything. He is eternal, infinite, and unchangeable in his power and perfection, goodness and glory, wisdom, justice, and truth. Nothing happens except through him and by his will[1].

In the beginning, God Created the heavens and the earth. This is the very first truth that God reveals to us in his Scripture: that he is a Creator God. Further, God is not just a creator, he is the creator. John 1:3 states that “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” God created all things out of nothing – he has told us so in his word, and he has designed his creation in such a way as to demonstrate his hand. Psalm 19 states that -

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.

Indeed, even our own spirits attest to this truth. Psalm 139:14 states that “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” So then, God has revealed himself as the creator in his inspired word, in our hearts, and in his very creation. Further, not only is God the creator of all things, he is also the sustainer of all things. The God of the Bible is not the God of the deists, the so-called “great watchmaker” who wound up the universe like a clock and is now standing idly by watching. No, our God is both creator and sustainer. Speaking of Christ, Colossians 1:16-17 states that “All things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Further, Hebrews 1:3 states that “he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”

This could perhaps be a terrifying thought, if this was all we knew of God. For, if God is powerful enough to create all things from nothing, he is certainly powerful enough destroy all things, ourselves included. Praise God that his self-revelation does not end here.

God has also told us that he is eternal: he is not bound by time (Psalm 90:2, Revelation 1:8). There has never been a time when God did not exist. There was never a time when he came into existence, nor will there ever be a time when he will cease to exist.

God has told us that he is infinite: he cannot be limited by space (1 Kings 8:27, Acts 7:48,49). Nothing limits God’s presence or his power.

God has told us that he is unchangeable: (Psalm 102:27, James 1:17, Hebrews 1:12). God is not capricious. God’s being, character, purposes, and fairness will forever remain the same. Because of this, we can trust in his promises. This should be a great comfort to us.

God’s power is limitless and unchangeable. Nothing is impossible with God, nor will anything ever be (Jeremiah 32:27, Matthew 19:26). God never tires, nor will his purposes ever be stopped (Isaiah 40:28, Job 42:2).

God’s perfection is limitless and unchangeable: there is nothing lacking in his being or his character (Psalm 18:30, Matthew 5:48).

God’s goodness is limitless and unchangeable (Psalm 33:5, Mark 10:18). He provides and cares for the entirety of his creation (Mathew 6:26), confers special blessings on those who belong to him (Deuteronomy 30:9), and is longsuffering and patient with the wicked (Numbers 14:18).

God’s glory is limitless and unchangeable (Exodus 24:15-17). God's glory is His splendor, majesty, and radiance.

God’s wisdom is limitless and unchangeable (Proverbs 3:19, Romans 11:33). God is all knowing, and applies his knowledge with perfect skill and goodness. God always does the wisest thing possible.

God’s justice is limitless and unchangeable (Deuteronomy 32:4, Revelation 16:7). Because God is perfectly holy, he cannot ignore sin and lawlessness: to do so would be apathy on his part. When God executes his justice, he makes things “as they should be.” God always executes justice in perfect fairness (Deuteronomy 10:17).

God’s truth is limitless and unchangeable (John 14:6, Heb. 6:13). God is not a moral relativist. He alone defines the objective standard of truth, and he always tells the truth (Titus 1:2).

This same limitless and unchangeable God, who created and sustains all things, is also actively governing all things. As Johnathan Edwards writes, “The Creator of the world is doubtless also the Governor of it.” God’s government is always perfectly wise and just.

How then are we to apply God’s self-revelation to our lives? I believe we can take a cue from the writer of Psalm 86. Understanding and knowing God is not some pointless academic exercise. God has revealed his nature to us for his glory and our benefit. I would encourage you to take a moment to read and reflect on Psalm 86, the scripture reference for today’s catechism. What can the Psalmist teach us?

First, note that Psalm 86 is a prayer for help in time of trouble: specifically, a band of ruthless men who are seeking the Psalmists life. And where does the Psalmist find his assurance in these troubled times? In the very character of God. It is the very nature of God that gives the writer hope and peace. For the writer, God’s character attributes are not just a collection transcendental truths. They have relevance. Reflecting on God’s nature forms the foundation of the Psalmists trust that God is both able and willing to save him. Every problem the writer has, he answers with the nature of God. Every request he makes of God, he backs up with one of God’s character attributes. And so it should be for us.

So then, God is the creator and sustainer of everyone and everything. He alone is eternal, infinite, and unchangeable. Because God is who he is, we can trust in him to order and govern his creation in perfect power, goodness, glory, wisdom, justice, and truth. He is always in perfect control of all things; nothing ever happens except by his decree.

And finally, let us not forget that our God is an immanent God; a God who is very near to us. God is a God who can be called upon, who listens, and who answers. We too may say with the Psalmist -

In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
for you answer me.
There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
nor are there any works like yours.