God the Father, Mentor's Guide, MG06

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

A. Error one: God is a part of creation, and his identity is not separate from creation .

1. He is separate from the substance of the universe (he is not a part of the created order).

2. He is separate from the being and personality of all other beings (he reveals himself to human beings; he is not a part of their inner workings or makeup).

3. God is the creator ex nihilo (“out of nothing”) of the universe.

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a. This refutes panentheism (that God dwells alongside and interrelated in some fundamental way to all material things).

b. This refutes pantheism (that God is directly associated with or arising from the matter of the universe).

B. Error two: God is detached from the present workings of the universe .

1. God did not create the world and leave it to operate on its own (like a machine).

2. God is personally involved in every moment of human affairs and upholds the created order for his own purposes.

3. This refutes deism (that God created the heavens and earth and then left it to its own devices and directions).