Who is God?
God is a descriptive word for Deity or Divinity. It is used to describe false gods
as well as the true and living God. The God of the Bible who we worship is a true
living Being, who has many personal names (Ps 68:4; Ex 6:3 and Gen 1:1).
His names are found in the Bible over 18000 times. They generally describe his character.
He is the Supreme Being, the Ultimate, the Perfect Being. He is perfect in power,
wisdom, and goodness. He is the Creator and the Supreme Ruler of the universe. He
is the only true God.
God’s existence is the most important foundational truth. Every other spiritual
truth depends on this basic fact. If we do not believe in God’s existence, or if
we have a distorted view of Him, then everything else will be out of focus. The
Bible says that anyone who does not believe in God is a fool. (Ps53:
1)
How Do We Understand That God Is There?
God has revealed Himself to man. God is beyond the natural understanding of man.
He is beyond discovery. It is therefore through God’s initiative that His existence
and His ways become known to human beings.
There is no human language that is sufficient to describe God. We can only attempt
to describe what He is like. We cannot say how big He is because He is not subject
to matter or time. He is infinite. He can never be contained because He contains
all there is. Job 11:7-9.
But God desires that we should know Him and have a relationship with Him. It is
through this knowledge of Him that we are able to love and serve Him. Jesus Christ
came to reveal God, the Father, to us. It is through Christ that we can truly know
and serve God. Matt 11: 27.
How then do we understand that God is there?
Scripture
We cannot read the Bible with an open mind without being convinced that there is
a higher power behind the book. The Bible leaves us in no doubt that there is a
higher intelligence, a supreme creator.
Historical Factors
Human history proves that there is an unseen force or power that is governing the
destinies of nations. This unseen power is God. His prophets, through the power
of the Holy Spirit, predicted many events hundreds of years before they came to
pass. For example, the fall of Babylon was foretold over one hundred years before
it happened. (Daniel 5).
Scientific Facts
It is a scientific fact that life cannot result from another existing life. In other
words we cannot create life. Life can only be passed on from a pre-existent life.
When we trace all life forms back to their roots we find God to be the source of
it all. God is the Creator, the Giver of Life, the “Uncaused cause.”
John 11:25; 14:6;
Ps 36: 9.
The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ was an actual human being who lived 2000 years ago. The fact that He
was born of a virgin is itself a great miracle. He performed miracles, which are
recorded in the Bible, and after His death He was resurrected and ascended to heaven.
His teachings and miracles and Jesus Himself, point us to the existence of God. John 1: 1-3,14-18; 14:6-9.
1 Tim 3:16; Eph 2:12-16;
1 Pet 3:18; Col 1:21-22.
Creation
When we consider the complex world in which we live, and we are honest about it,
we are forced to believe that there must be an infinitely intelligent being behind
it all. There must be a master builder who made it all.
Gen 1:1; Heb 1:1-2;Rom
1: 20; Ps 19: 1-6.
How Do We Accept The Existence Of God?
There is only one way to understand and accept God-by faith. Heb 11:6 says “without
faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe
that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Through faith
we understand and accept God. Without faith, it is even impossible to communicate
with Him. We have to believe that God is there and by faith reach Him.
Our concept of God will determine our attitude towards Him. It is important, therefore
that we have the right concept. People with a wrong concept of God have their lives
tremendously affected by their beliefs. Those who worship idols, for instance, never
rise above those idols. Those who worship animals have living standards almost the
same as the animals they worship. You cannot go higher than your god or gods.
The Attributes Of God
By studying the attributes of God, we shape our concept of who He is. We need to
have the right concept of God because it will greatly influence and determine our
way of life. It will influence our behavior patterns, our relationships with each
other, and our perception of ourselves. The right concept of God saves us from idolatry,
superstitions and perversions.
God’s Attributes
Everlasting
Our God is not limited by time, as we are. He has no beginning or ending. He has
always been there and He will always be there. He is the Alpha and Omega.
1 Tim 1:17; Ps 90:
2-4; Isa. 43: 10-12;
Gen 21: 33; Rev 1:4.
Self-Sufficient
God is independent of everything. He can exist without the help of anything. He
is not like us. We require food, water and air to live. Not God. He has all He needs
in Himself. He is self-existent. He is absolutely independent of anything apart
from Himself.
Ps 50:9-12; Ex 3:13-14.
God is whatever He wants to be. He is not limited to one form, nor is He limited
in any way. He is what He is. He is the “I AM”.
Immutable
This means God is unchangeable. He is forever the same. He doesn’t grow old or young
or change in any way. He is perfect. There is no shadow in Him. He is unchangeably
good.
Heb 1:10-12; Num 23:19;
Ps 33:11; Heb 6:17-18;
Mal 3: 6; Isa 46: 9-11.
Omniscient
Our God is all-knowing. He has all the knowledge and power. He does not have to
learn like we do, because He created all there is. Isa
2:3; Job 37:16;
Ps 139:1-4; Rom 11:33;
Ps 147: 5; Ps 139: 1-12;
Rom 11:33,35,36.
Omnipresent
God is all-present. His presence is everywhere, simultaneously. He is not limited
by space like we are. He is unlimited. This means we can all go before Him anytime,
anywhere. We can fellowship with Him anytime, anywhere. We are ever in His sight.
Jer 23:23-24; Jer 32:
17-19; Isa 6:3; 66:1;
Ps 139: 7-12; Acts 17; 24-28.
Omipotent
God is all-powerful. He never gets weary or tired. His power is unlimited.
Matt 19:26; Gen 17:1;
Rev 19:6; Heb 1:1-4;
Job 42:2; Rev 15: 3.
Holy
God is absolutely pure and holy. He is free from sin, free from darkness, and free
from all evil. He is holy and divine. Sin is against God’s nature.
Rev 15:4; Isa 6:3;
Ps 89: 35; 145: 17;
Lev 19: 2; 1 Pet 1:16.
Loving
God is love. Love is the perfect nature of God. He not only has love. He is love
itself. There are three natures that describe God. Firstly, God is Spirit (John 4:24), secondly, God is light (1John
1: 5), and thirdly, God is love. God’s love is unlimited and depends
on nothing. He chooses to love as an act of His will. His love is everlasting. Jer 31:3; Eph 1:4,5; 3:19;
1John 4:7-12.
Creator
God is the creator of all. Without Him there would be nothing at all. Man is the
masterpiece of God’s creation, because He was created in the image and likeness
of God. Gen 1: 1,26,27;
Deut 32: 6,15,18; Ps 100:3;
8: 6-8; Rev 10: 6;
Ps 8:3; 33:6;
Heb 11:3
God, Our Heavenly Father
Through Jesus’ death we, as believers have been adopted into God’s family (Rom 8:15; 1 John 3:1).
God has become our heavenly Father. The word father in Greek comes from a root word,
which means a nourisher, protector and upholder .God wants us to know Him as our
heavenly Father.
As our Father:
- Protects us (Ps 91;
John 10:27-29)
- Provides for our needs (1 Pet 5:7; Matt 6:8,26,30,33; John 14:2)
- Loves us as His children (John 3:16; 1John 4:8; John 16:27)
- Disciplines and corrects us when we are wrong (Heb
12:5-11)
- Forgives us (1 John 1: 9)
- Answers our prayers (Matt 7:11)
- Has prepared an eternal home for believers (John 14:2-3)
We need to know God and relate to Him as our heavenly Father, submitting to His
Word and authority.
The Triunity (Trinity) Of God
God is a unity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The Bible
tells of the existence of a three-fold personality in one Divine Being. It is difficult
for our limited finite minds to fully understand the triune nature of God, but there
is no reason to doubt it. We must accept it by faith. Faith is a sixth sense of
perception that God has given us. Through it we can perceive ideas and concepts
that are of the spiritual realm, which are hard for our natural minds to conceive.
Throughout the Bible, both in the Old and New Testament, the doctrine of the trinity
(trinity) is declared unequivocally. The three personalities are portrayed as one
character, but three in function. They all possess the same divine attributes. (John 10:30; Ps 110:1;
Matt 28:19).
The Father is God-.John 6:27;
1Pet 1:2; Rom 1:7
The Son is God –John 1:1,18;
Titus 2:13; Rom 9:5
The Holy Spirit is God-Acts 5: 3,4
The Father created the creation-Ex 20:11
The Son created the creation- Col 1:16-17;Heb 1: 2,10;John 1: 3
The Holy Spirit created the creation-Ps 104:30;
Gen 1:2; Job 33:4 26:13
Deut 6: 4 “Hear, O Israel,: The Lord our God is one Lord”.
The word one in this passage of scripture is the Hebrew word ‘echad’, which means
a unity. The plural word for God in Hebrew is ELOHIM. This is the word used in Gen 1:1,”ELOHIM (God) created the heavens and
the earth”. It implies that all three (God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) had
a part in the creation.
- God the Father did the planning
- God, the Son executed the plan and upholds the creation
- God, the Holy Spirit restored it and gave it life.
Gen 1:26 “And God (ELOHIM) said,” Let US make man in our image, after our likeness…”
This was a discussion among the members of the Godhead.
The doctrine of the Trinity is foundational to Christianity. It is found throughout
the Bible. We must accept it by faith.
What God expects of us
- To Love Him Deut 6:5;
11:1; Ps 31: 23,24;
Matt 22:37-39.
- To do His will Josh 22:5;
Matt 12:50
- To worship Him Matt 4:10;Ps 64:9,10;Ps100: 1-5
- To obey Him Acts 5:29
- To have no other gods Ex 20:3-6
- To communicate with Him (in prayer), through His Son Jesus
2 Chron 7:14; John 16:23,24,26,27; Heb 4:16; 1 John 5:14-15.
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