God the Father, Mentor's Guide, MG06

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G O D T H E F A T H E R

“I Just Don’t Know.”

A young mother who recently lost one of her young children to leukemia has been suffering from depression. As much as she has tried, she simply can’t seem to overcome the temptation to think that God doesn’t exist, or, if he does, he just can’t be loving. Why would he allow their darling little Martha to suffer for so long, and die so young. Sharing with you her heart, she says, “When I pray, when I read my Bible, when I look into the night sky, I feel so alone. I know what the preacher and the counselor I go to say, but neither of them have helped me understand why, if God loves us, would this happen. Is God real? Is God loving? I just don’t know.” How would you respond to this dear young sister’s plea for understanding?

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Prolegomena: The Doctrine of God and the Advance of the Kingdom

Segment 1: Does God Exist, and Does He Reveal Himself?

Rev. Dr. Don L. Davis

In this segment we will explore God’s sovereign purpose to reveal himself to humankind through general and special revelation. Our objective for this segment, Does God Exist, and Does He Reveal Himself? is to enable you to see that: • A Prolegomena, the study of “first things,” of theology proper (the study of God), suggests that God must reveal himself to us if we are ever to know God. No one can know God without him revealing himself to us. • God has revealed himself to humankind in two connected ways, through both general and special revelation. • Through general revelation God reveals himself to all people everywhere, and through special revelation God reveals himself to particular human beings at particular times and places.

Summary of Segment 1

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