Today we want to look at the self-existence of God and how it provides meaning for other doctrines. We can put this in other words and refer to the self-existence of God as that which is the basis for other doctrines. For example, let us look at the Gospel. What does the Gospel rely upon or what is the basis that the Gospel rests on? The Gospel comes to sinful man who is dead in sin. What does man need? He needs eternal life. The Gospel promises eternal life for all who believe. Okay, but where does that life come from? Can anything be relied upon for life other than He who is self-existent? Can we trust anyone for eternal life but He who is the very power of life itself? The answers are rather obvious. Of course we cannot trust in anything or anyone for life but He who is life itself. So the Gospel itself rests upon the self-existence of God. Without the self-existence of God, there would be no reality to the Gospel.
Let us look at justification by faith alone. This glorious teaching declares that God forensically declares a sinner just or righteous based on what Christ has done and that by grace through faith alone. Now, if anyone but the ultimate authority pronounces this, there is always the possibility of a higher court that can overthrow the declaration. What higher court can there be but the One who as self-existent life holds all other life in His hands and even upholds all in existence until He decides that their purposes are finished on this planet? So the forensic declaration depends on its declaration from the highest court which is really the highest form of life.
Justification by faith also depends on grace. Now if the declaration of God concerning man depends on the performances of man, all is lost. But instead we look to grace and say that we trust in grace. Okay, but from what source does man obtain grace? If the source of grace runs dry, then man is utterly lost. But how comforting it is that the God of all grace is self-existence and is the source for all that comes from Him. Since He is self-existent and needs nothing, He will always be like Himself and so can be gracious to whom He will be gracious for all eternity. Grace itself looks back to the source of grace in order that it may be a source of grace that is eternal and in the hands of the One who is self-sufficient and self-contained. This self-sufficient God has given all the grace that is needed in Christ and there is no other source for grace. Praise God that He saves to the praise of the glory of His grace (Eph 1:5-6) and not according to the works of sinful and fallible man. God alone is worthy to be praised for salvation and He alone is worthy to be trusted in. All else will break and fall before us.
What does the teaching of Scripture rely on? Is the Bible true just because it is true on places? Why is it that the teachings of Scripture are applicable and true as they reach each generation of man? How can the promises of Scripture be true if they are thousands of years old? Why do Christians smile in the face of certain scientific pronouncements? This is because we know that there is a God and He is the great I AM of Scripture and of reality. Jesus Christ came and brought to the world the reality concerning God. While some men are limited in their understandings to physical things and the cause and effect relationship within physical things, Christ has taught us to look beyond that to the spiritual realm. In the spiritual realm there is the self-existent and self-sufficient God who is satisfied to do all for His own glory. There is no power apart from Him and there is no wisdom that can thwart Him. Nothing can keep Him from doing what He wants and nothing can overcome Him if He does not want something to happen (Dan 4:35-37). When Scripture speaks, it is the words of the self-existent and self-sufficient God speaking. He watches over His word so that all that it speaks of happens. The promises of Scripture are the promises of the self-existent God and nothing can keep Him from doing as He pleases. The Scriptures cannot err because He cannot err. The promises of Scripture are certain because He is certain. Scripture speaks to every generation because all come from and are upheld by Him who speaks to all as He pleases. Let us not knock Scripture as we would knock Him who has our every breath in our hand.
When we study Scripture and the doctrines of Scripture, let us look beyond the words to the spiritual reality behind it all. Behind it all is a God of everlasting glory who is life itself. Behind it all is a God that exists in and of Himself and all that He does displays His glory of who He is. His self-existence is a part of that glory that shines through all that He does. If we are blind to that, then we are blind to at least part of His glory. Let us seek eternal life from Him who is life and seek to see the glory of Him who in His self-existence upholds all things. There is nothing more glorious than beholding God in His glory, so don’t settle for anything else.
God Loves... Himself 
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