Understanding God is essential to everyone’s existence. Who then is God?
Can we know God?
Calling someone “God” means by definition that this Person or Being is divine. This simple observation already indicates that we humans might not be able to fully comprehend God, since He is beyond our reality. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:11)
God is not confined to time and space, He is not confined to a material body. Our five senses fall short to observe Him as He is – both because we were created as naturally limited humans and because sin has blurred our view of God. We can know God only in so far as He reveals himself to us.
Why is it important to know God?
Being a human, God desires a relationship with people. He has therefore made himself known. As a result, our understanding of God is restricted, but it is accurate and trustworthy. He discloses his identity and [his] will. As stated in John 17:3, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” This knowledge is the foundation of eternal life and a source of great delight. “Knowing God” entails a personal relationship with him, much like how you “know” a close friend or your partner. It goes beyond simply possessing factual knowledge about him.
How does God make Himself known to humans?
God makes himself known via his actions. He demonstrates, for instance, his strength, discernment, and amazing inventiveness via his creation. God responds to sin with holiness and righteousness, but he also demonstrates his love by providing a means of salvation. The Bible provides us with in-depth accounts of God’s past, present, and future actions.
God also exposes himself in the Bible through his names, or the metaphors he uses to describe himself, such “Father,” “King,” “Rock,” and “Light.” We get to see a glimpse of God in all these names and imagery.
In the end, God has shown himself in Jesus. He is the divine Son who took on human form to reveal to people the nature of God (2 Corinthians 4:6). “The only God, who is at the side of the Father, has revealed himself; no one has ever seen God.” (John 1:18)
What is God like?
There are many qualities that are unique to God. As an illustration,
- God cannot be changed; he is eternal. He has existed eternally and always will. He is immortal and will never age.
- He is sovereign, self-sufficient, omniscient, and almighty.
- He is a Spirit and does not have a physical body. As a result, He is not localized but rather pervasive.
- The term “triune” refers to the existence of a single God who takes the form of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
These things demonstrate what it means that God is divine because they are qualities that humans lack.
To some extent, many of the characteristics of God can also be found in humanity. Consider, for instance,
- God’s love,
- his wrath,
- his wisdom,
- or his holiness.
These characteristics provide us with insight into [God’s character] and his nature. All of these qualities are fully present in God, who is the pinnacle of holiness, wisdom, and goodness.
God is one
We might enumerate every quality that God possesses, but in doing so, we must remember that God is one. This indicates that not only is our God [the sole God] (see, for instance, Deuteronomy 6:4), but also that the entirety of his qualities are united. For example, we cannot simply emphasize God’s love while ignoring his holiness or merely discuss his wrath while remaining mute about his kindness. That would conflate God with something else. He is wholly this and wholly that, rather than being parts of this and parts of that. It is best to frequently study the entire Bible and allow it to mold your perspective in order to get a well-rounded understanding of God.
God is our Creator and Judge
According to Genesis 1-2, God created the world and everything in it, including the first humans. He even made these people “in his image,” which implies that compared to other species, including plants and animals, humans are the most like God. It is the purpose of humanity to reveal or reflect who God is. God is entitled to rule us since He is our Creator. We should worship and serve him. However, Adam and Eve—the first humans—rebelled against their Creator already. There was serious harm done to the connection between God and man. Due to their transgression, humans were unable to achieve their everlasting destiny of reflecting and exalting God.
God is the Savior
God did not, however, give up on his creation. God the Son took on human form and died in order to atone for humanity’s sin. According to John 3:16, he took this action so that “whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Anybody who accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior is reconciled to God. This opens the door for God and humanity to have a fresh, loving, and intimate relationship in which God is referred to as “our Father in heaven” (see Matthew 6:9).
Therefore, in addition to being the Creator and Judge of people, God is also their Savior and Redeemer.
