A. God is a Spirit,[a] infinite,[b] eternal,[c] and unchangeable[d] in his being,[e] wisdom,[f] power,[g] holiness,[h] justice,[i] goodness,[j] and truth.[k]
[a] Deuteronomy 4:15-19
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
15 Therefore keep ye busily your minds; ye saw not any likeness in the day in which the Lord spake to you in Horeb, from the midst of the fire; (And so guard ye your minds; for ye saw not any form, or figure, on the day in which the Lord spoke to you on Mount Sinai, from the midst of the fire;)
16 lest peradventure ye be deceived, and make to you a graven likeness, either an image of male, either female; (lest ye be deceived, and make for yourselves an idol, a carved image of a man, or a woman,)
17 or a likeness of all beasts that be on earth, either of birds flying under heaven, (or a likeness of any beast that is on the earth, or of any bird flying in the sky,)
18 either of creeping beasts that be moved in the earth, either of fishes that dwell under the earth in waters; (or of any creeping beast that moveth on the ground, or of any fish that liveth in the waters under the earth;)
19 lest peradventure, when thine eyes be raised up to heaven, thou see the sun, and the moon, and all the stars of heaven, and thou be deceived by error, and worship those things, and honour them, the which things thy Lord God made of nought, into the service of all folks that be under heaven. (lest, when thine eyes be raised up to the heavens, and thou see the sun, and the moon, and all the stars in the sky, that is, the host of heaven, thou be deceived by error, and thou worship those things, and honour them, which things the Lord thy God made out of nothing, for the service of all the peoples who be under heaven.)
Luke 24:39
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
39 See ye my hands and my feet, for I myself am. Feel ye, and see ye; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see that I have [as ye see me to have].
John 1:18
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
18 No man saw ever God [No man ever saw God], but the one begotten Son, that is in the bosom of the Father, he hath told out.
John 4:24
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
24 God is a Spirit, and it behooveth them that worship him, to worship in spirit and truth.
Acts 17:29
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
29 Therefore since we be the kind of God, we shall not deem, that godly thing is like gold, and silver, either stone, either to graving of craft and thought of man.[a]
Footnotes:
- Acts 17:29 Therefore since we be the kin of God, we shall not deem, or guess, that godly thing is like to gold, or silver, or stone, to graving of craft and thought of man.
[b] 1 Kings 8:27
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
27 Therefore whether it is to guess, that God dwelleth verily on earth; for if heaven, and (the) heaven of heavens be not able to take thee, how much more this house, that I have builded to thee. (And so, is it only a guess, that truly God liveth not on the earth? for if heaven, and the heaven of heavens be not able to hold thee, then how much less this House, that I have built for thee?)
Psalm 139:7-10
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit; and whither shall I flee from thy face? (Where shall I go from thy spirit; and where shall I flee from thy presence?)
8 If I shall ascend into heaven, thou art there; if I shall go down into hell, thou art present. (If I shall go up into heaven, thou art there; if I shall go down into Sheol, or into the land of the dead, thou art there also.)
9 If I shall take my feathers full early; and shall dwell in the last parts of the sea. (If I shall take flight early in the morning; or if I shall live on the farthest edge, or the coast, of the sea.)
10 And soothly thither thine hand shall lead me forth; and thy right hand shall hold me. (Even there thy hand shall lead me forth; and thy right hand shall keep me safe.)
Psalm 145:3
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
3 The Lord is great, and worthy to be praised full much; and none end there is of his greatness. (The Lord is great, and worthy to be greatly praised; and there is no end to his greatness.)
Psalm 147:5
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
5 Our Lord is great, and his virtue is great; and of his wisdom there is no number. (Our Lord is great, and his power is great; and there is no measure of his wisdom.)
Jeremiah 23:24
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
24 A man shall not be privy in hid places, and I shall not see him, saith the Lord. Whether I fill not heaven and earth? saith the Lord. (Shall a man hide himself in a secret place, and shall I not see him? saith the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and the earth? saith the Lord.)
Romans 11:33-36
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
33 O! the highness of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowing of God; how incomprehensible be his dooms, and his ways be unsearchable. [O! the depth of the riches of wisdom and knowing of God; how incomprehensible be his dooms, and his ways unsearchable.]
34 For why who knew the wit of the Lord, or who was his counsellor?
35 or who former gave to him, and it shall be requited [again] to him?
36 For of him, and by him, and in him be all things. To him be glory into worlds [of worlds]. Amen.
[c] Deuteronomy 33:27
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
27 His dwelling place is above, and his arms everlasting be beneath; he shall cast out from thy face the enemy, and he shall say to them, Be thou all-broken. (His dwelling place is above, but his everlasting arms be beneath; he shall throw out the enemy from before us, and he shall say to us, Destroy them all!)
Psalm 90:2
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
2 Before that (the) hills were made, either the earth and the world was formed; from the world and into the world, thou art God (forever and ever, thou art God).
Psalm 102:12
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
12 But, Lord, thou dwellest [into] without end; and thy memorial in generation and into generation. (But, Lord, thou livest forever; and shalt be remembered by all generations.)
Psalm 102:24-27
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
24 Again-call thou not me in the middle of my days; thy years be in generation and into generation. (Please do not call me back in the middle of my days; thy years last for all generations.)
25 Lord, thou foundedest the earth in the beginning; and (the) heavens be the works of thine hands.
26 Those shall perish, but thou dwellest perfectly; and all shall wax eld as a cloth. And thou shalt change them as a covering, and those shall be changed; (They shall perish, but thou shalt live forever; all of them shall grow old like a cloak. And thou shalt change them like a covering, and they shall be changed;)
27 but thou art the same thyself, and thy years shall not fail. (but thou thyself art the same, and thy years shall have no end.)
Revelation 1:4
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
4 John to the seven churches, that be in Asia, grace and peace to you, of him that is, and that was, and that is to coming [grace to you, and peace, of him that is, and that was, and that is to come]; and of the seven spirits, that be in the sight of his throne;
Revelation 1:8
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
8 I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, saith the Lord God, that is, and that was, and that is to coming, almighty. [I am alpha and omega, the beginning and ending, saith the Lord God, that is, and that was, and that is to come, almighty.]
[d] Psalm 33:11
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
11 But the counsel of the Lord dwelleth (into) without end; the thoughts of his heart dwell in generation and into generation. (But the plans of the Lord shall stand forever; the thoughts of his heart shall remain for all generations.)
Malachi 3:6
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
6 Forsooth I am the Lord, and I am not changed; and ye sons of Jacob be not wasted. (Yea, I am the Lord, and I do not change; and so ye sons of Jacob be not completely lost, or separated from me.)
Hebrews 1:12
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
12 and thou shalt change them as a cloak [as a cloth], and they shall be changed. But thou art the same thyself, and thy years shall not fail.
Hebrews 6:17-18
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
17 In which thing God willing to show plenteouslier to the heirs of his promise the firmness of his counsel, put betwixt an oath,[a]
18 that by two things unmoveable, by which it is impossible that God lie, we have a strongest solace, that flee together to hold the hope that is put forth to us.[b]
Footnotes:
- Hebrews 6:17 In which thing God willing to show plenteouslier to the heirs of his promise the unmoveableness, or firmness, of his counsel, put between an oath,
- Hebrews 6:18 that by two things unmoveable, by which it is impossible God for to lie, we have strongest solace, or comfort, which flee together to hold the hope put forth.
Hebrews 13:8
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
8 Jesus Christ, yesterday, and to day, he is also into worlds.
James 1:17
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
17 Each good gift, and each perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is none other changing, nor overshadowing of reward.[a]
Footnotes:
- James 1:17 Each best thing given, and all perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom is not any changing, neither shadowing of whileness, or time.
[e] Exodus 3:14
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
14 The Lord said to Moses, I am that I am. (And) The Lord said, Thus thou shalt say to the sons of Israel, He that is, sent me to you.
Psalm 115:2-3
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
2 lest any time heathen men say, Where is the God of them? (lest any time the heathen say, Where is their God?)
3 Forsooth our God in heaven; did all things, whichever he would. (For our God is in heaven; and he doeth whatever he desireth.)
1 Timothy 1:17
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
17 And to the king of worlds, undeadly and invisible God alone [to God alone], be honour and glory into worlds of worlds. Amen.
1 Timothy 6:15-16
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
15 whom the blessed and alone almighty king of kings and Lord of lords shall show in his times.
16 Which alone hath undeadliness [The which alone hath immortality], and dwelleth in light, to which light no man may come; whom no man saw, neither may see; to whom glory, and honour, and empire be without end [to whom glory, and honour, and empire into without end]. Amen.
[f] Psalm 104:24
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
24 Lord, thy works be magnified full much, thou hast made all things in wisdom; the earth is filled with thy possession(s). (Lord, thou hast made a great many things, thou hast made all things by thy wisdom; the earth is filled with thy creatures.)
Romans 11:33-34
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
33 O! the highness of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowing of God; how incomprehensible be his dooms, and his ways be unsearchable. [O! the depth of the riches of wisdom and knowing of God; how incomprehensible be his dooms, and his ways unsearchable.]
34 For why who knew the wit of the Lord, or who was his counsellor?
Hebrews 4:13
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
13 And no creature is invisible in the sight of God. For all things be naked and open to his eyes, to whom a word to us.
1 John 3:20
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
20 For if our heart reprove us, God is more than our heart, and knoweth all things.
[g] Genesis 17:1
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
17 Forsooth after that Abram began to be of ninety years and nine, the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, I am Almighty God; go thou before me, and be thou perfect; (Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, I am Almighty God; go thou before me, and do thou what is right;)
Psalm 62:11
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
11 God spake once, I heard these two things; that power is of God (that power belongeth to God),
Jeremiah 32:17
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
17 Alas! alas! alas! Lord God, Lord, thou madest heaven and earth in thy great strength, and in thine arm stretched forth; each word shall not be hard to thee; (Alas! alas! alas! Lord God, lo! thou madest the heavens and the earth with thy great strength, and with thy arm stretched forth; nothing shall be too hard for thee;)
Matthew 19:26
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
26 Jesus beheld, and said to them, With men this thing is impossible; but with God all things be possible.
Revelation 1:8
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
8 I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, saith the Lord God, that is, and that was, and that is to coming, almighty. [I am alpha and omega, the beginning and ending, saith the Lord God, that is, and that was, and that is to come, almighty.]
[h] Hebrews 1:13
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
13 But to which of the angels said God at any time, Sit thou on my right half, till I put thine enemies a stool of thy feet?
1 Peter 1:15-16
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
15 but like him that hath called you holy; that also ye self be holy in all living [that and yourselves be holy in all living];
16 for it is written, Ye shall be holy, for I am holy.
1 John 3:3
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
3 And each man that hath this hope in him, maketh himself holy, as [and] he is holy.
1 John 3:5
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
5 And ye know, that he appeared to do away sins, and sin is not in him.
Revelation 15:4
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
4 Lord, who shall not dread thee, and magnify thy name? for thou alone art merciful [for thou alone art pious, or merciful]; for all folks shall come, and worship in thy sight, for thy dooms be open [for thy dooms be opened].
[i] Genesis 18:25
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
25 Far be it from thee that thou do this thing, and slay the just with the wicked, and that a just man be made as a wicked man; this is not thine that deemest all [the] earth; thou shalt not make this doom. (Far be it from thee that thou do this thing, and kill the righteous along with the wicked, and that the righteous be made like the wicked; this is not thee who judgest all the earth; nay, thou shalt not make such a judgement.)
Exodus 34:6-7
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
6 and when the Lord passed before him (yea, when the Lord passed before him), he said, Lordshipper, Lord God, merciful, and pious, patient, and of much mercy doing, and soothfast,
7 which keepest covenant and mercy into thousands, which doest away wickedness, and trespasses, and sins, and no man by himself is innocent with thee, which yieldest the wickedness of fathers to their sons, and to the sons of their sons, into the third and the fourth generation. (who keepest covenant and mercy with thousands of people, who doest away wickedness, and trespasses, and sins, but no one in themselves is innocent with me, and who punishest their sons, and the sons of their sons, to the third and fourth generations, for the wickedness of their fathers.)
Deuteronomy 32:4
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
4 The works of God be perfect, and all his ways be dooms (and all his ways be just); God is faithful, and without any wickedness; he is just and rightful.
Psalm 96:13
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
13 for the face of the Lord, for he cometh; for he cometh to deem the earth. He shall deem the world in equity; and peoples in his truth. (before the Lord, for he cometh; yea, he cometh to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, or with justice; and all the peoples with fairness, or in good faith.)
Romans 3:5
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
5 But if our wickedness [Forsooth if our wickedness, or unequity,] commend the rightwiseness of God, what shall we say? Whether God is wicked, that bringeth in wrath? After man I say.
Romans 3:26
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
26 to the showing of his rightwiseness in this time, that he be just, and justifying him that is of the faith of Jesus Christ.
[j] Psalm 103:5
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
5 Which [ful]filleth thy desire in goods; thy youth shall be renewed as the youth of an eagle. (Who fulfilleth thy desires with good things; thy youth shall be renewed like the youth of an eagle.)
Psalm 107:8
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
8 The mercies of the Lord, acknowledge to him; and his marvels acknowledge to the sons of men. (Give thanks to the Lord for his constant love; and for the marvellous deeds which he hath done, for the sons and daughters of men.)
Matthew 19:17
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
17 Which saith to him, What askest thou me of good thing? There is one good God [Which said to him, What askest thou me of good thing? One is good God]. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments
Romans 2:4
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
4 Whether thou despisest the riches of his goodness, and the patience, and the long abiding? Knowest thou not, that the benignity of God leadeth thee to repenting? [Whether despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and patience, and long abiding? Unknowest thou, that the benignity, or good will, of God leadeth thee to penance?]
[k] Exodus 34:6
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
6 and when the Lord passed before him (yea, when the Lord passed before him), he said, Lordshipper, Lord God, merciful, and pious, patient, and of much mercy doing, and soothfast,
Deuteronomy 32:4
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
4 The works of God be perfect, and all his ways be dooms (and all his ways be just); God is faithful, and without any wickedness; he is just and rightful.
Psalm 86:15
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
15 And thou, Lord God, doing mercy, and merciful; patient, and of much mercy, and soothfast. (But thou, Lord, art a God who giveth love, and art merciful; yea, thou art patient, and hath great love, and art faithful.)
vs
Psalm 117:2
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
2 For his mercy is confirmed on us; and the truth of the Lord dwelleth [into] without end. (For his love toward us is strong/For his love toward us is firm; and the faithfulness of the Lord remaineth forever.)
Hebrews 6:18
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
18 that by two things unmoveable, by which it is impossible that God lie, we have a strongest solace, that flee together to hold the hope that is put forth to us.[a]
Footnotes:
- Hebrews 6:18 that by two things unmoveable, by which it is impossible God for to lie, we have strongest solace, or comfort, which flee together to hold the hope put forth.
Comment on Q. 4
The Catechism does not try to prove God is, but takes it for granted as the Bible does. This answer tells us that God does not have a physical body such as limits us. He cannot be seen by the physical eye or touched by our hands. When the Bible speaks of God as having human qualities (eyes, ears and so on), this language is to help us understand about him and does not mean that God has a body. Next, we learn that God is not limited by space or time or anything else, nor does he change, for he is perfect.Finally, seven important qualities of God's character are stated, all of which are in harmony with each other (for example, his power is used with wisdom), and all of which are qualified by the three adjectives (for example, God is infinite, eternal and unchangeable in his wisdom as well as in his being. His goodness includes his mercy, grace, compassion and love. His truth means he is utterly reliable and can be trusted to keep his word. So God is very different from us, but we can know him because he has told us about himself through what he has made, and especially through the Bible.
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