September 24, 2008
"In order to reclaim the holiness of God, we must be ready and willing to drink deeply into the self-existence of God," said Dr. Bobby Kelly, Oklahoma Baptist University's Ruth Dickinson associate professor of religion.
In continuation of the 2008-09 OBU chapel theme, Lost and Found, Kelly tackled the topic of the self-existence of God during the campus weekly chapel service on Wednesday, Sept. 24. Kelly began his message stressing the significance of names.
"When my wife and I were choosing a name for our son, Luke Alexander, we thought long and hard about the best one," he said.
Names entail life, he said. They identify the character of the individual, indicate a future role the child could play in society, as well as determine the hope of the people. During the biblical era, names were chosen with discretion.
Throughout the Old Testament, the name "I AM" is used 6,000 times. This name is used for God reflecting His essential nature in suffering with His people and His desire to know them personally. A.W. Tozer, in his book, "The Knowledge of the Holy," asserts God as "The Lord of all being."
"If you don't know someone's name, then your relationship is going nowhere," Kelly contended. Thus, he said, it is essential to know the name of God to create an open door of communication and establish a relationship with Him.
Kelly referred to several Scripture passages to explain more about the self-existence of God: Exodus 3:12 is a statement of God's absolute existence and divine presence as "I AM." The passage states, "I will certainly be with you." According to Psalm 90:2, God is the Uncreated One who existed prior to creation and is without origin.
God is self-sufficient and independent, Kelly said. He is in need of nothing. Acts 17:24-25 (NKJV) says, "God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath and all things."
Thus, "God is the ultimate significance of human beings, and in His sovereignty freely determined that we would need Him," Kelly said.