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The Attributes of God | Week 20: Eternal

We were created for God’s glory. This week, Pastor Lutzer explores God’s eternality from Romans 1:19-20.

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
- Romans 1:19–20


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Transcript: Hi, welcome to Five Minutes With Pastor Lutzer. I’m so glad that you have joined us. Today we’re discussing the attributes of God—specifically, the eternality of God. And every time we contemplate Him, we should worship Him better. Sometimes we are rebuked; we are encouraged; and we realize how awesome and great God really is. And nothing makes us think about that more than discussing His eternality. 

Now, this is a very important passage of Scripture in the first chapter of the book of Romans. The text says in verse 19: “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So that they are without excuse.” Did you catch it? His eternal purposes, yes; but His eternal nature, His divinity, has been seen through the creation of the world. 

When we discuss the justice of God, which is coming up in one of our sessions, I’m gonna talk about how God is going to judge people who have never heard the Gospel. But one of the things that will be very important at that time—and what is found here in the text—is that nature displays the glory of God. And even apart from other kinds of revelation, God’s eternal nature and divinity can be seen by the things that are made. “Therefore, they are without excuse.” 

You know, when science was first invented—that is to say, when it was taken seriously—the original scientists, when they looked at the world, looked at it through the prism of creation. When Kepler invented (or I should say discovered) the laws of planetary motion, he didn’t say, “Well, here is now one reason why we don’t have to believe in God anymore, because we discovered some secret of the universe.” That’s not what he said. Matter of fact, he said that in finding those laws, he was thinking God’s thoughts after Him. What a confession from a scientist. 

Now here’s what I think. And this, of course, is totally imaginary. Let’s imagine that one day Satan gathers all of the demons of the Universe, brings them all together for a conference, and he says this. He says, “You know what we’re going to do? We are going to invent the idea that life began on its own with inert matter. Atoms bouncing around. Suddenly they gained intelligence, and they had this desire to survive. And from that all of life originated over a period of billions of years. And, that’s gonna be the explanation of the world.” I can imagine all the demons saying, “You’ve got to be kidding! Nobody would possibly believe that!” And then I can imagine Satan saying, “Never underestimate what people are willing to believe if they don’t want to be accountable to God.” And that’s where we are. 

God’s eternal power and Godhood—that’s actually what the Greek text says—was plainly seen through creation. And what does the text say? If we had time to dig into it, we’d discover that people are without excuse, and they are constantly deadening their consciences, which also tell them that God exists. Now, I want to give you some encouragement. You know, the Bible says in the fourth chapter of the book of Revelation that God created all things. And I love the King James here. It says, “For Thy pleasure they were created.” Actually, the text here in my translation says “By Thy will they were created.” Either way, God created what He created by His divine will and for His pleasure. I love that. And you know, Augustine, on the first page of his confession, says “Oh God, Thou hast made us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless until they find their all in Thee.” 

So what you and I have to do is to say that we were created for God’s glory. We can look at nature and see His eternality; and what we can do is glorify Him through our worship, and allowing Him to be in us all that He desires to be. It’s mind boggling. The God who created all things wants to gave fellowship with us through Jesus Christ our Lord. How we thank Him that He is the eternal God. Today, go with God, and I’ll see you right here next time.

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