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CHARACTERISTICS
OF GOD
By God,
we mean the Supreme Being, existing from eternity, the
cause of all created things. By gleaning out the
Scriptures that refer to God's attributes, we learn what
God is like.
GOD IS
A PERSON---YET A SPIRIT
The Bible
presents God as a personal being; not in the shape or form
of a man, for in John 4:24 we learn that God is a spirit.
However, He possesses personal characteristics like
consciousness, intelligence, free-will and emotion. As an
example Heb 11:6 tells us that...."He is a rewarder
of them that diligently seek Him."
ONLY
ONE ETERNAL, UNCHANGEABLE GOD
We learn
there is but one true and living God for Isa 45:5
states...There is no God else besides me...We learn He is
self-existent and eternal from John 5:26 and in Psa 90:2.
We also learn that God's character and nature are
unchangeable, entirely dependable from Malachi 3:6.
GOD IS
OMNIPOTENT
We see He
is "omnipotent" meaning all powerful in Matt
19:26 which says....With God all things are
possible...This does not mean He could lie or make sin
holy, but has full power to do all that is within His
nature.
GOD IS
OMNIPRESENT
He is
omnipresent or everywhere present. Jeremiah 23:34 says Can
any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see
him? This is the meaning that God is physically present
everywhere, filling all space; for God is not matter but
rather that nothing is out of His consciousness or power
of immediate action.
GOD IS
OMNISCIENT
Since God
is and always has been everywhere present, He knows all
things or is omniscient. He knows all things of the past,
present and future. He even know the thoughts and intents
of our hearts. 1 Cor 3:20 states: The Lord knoweth the
thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
GOD
ALSO HAS MORAL ATTRIBUTES
We learn
God is holy from 1 Peter 1:16. Psalms 89:14 tells us God
is just and true and merciful. We could go on with
scriptures showing God's goodness and faithfulness, but
much of this could be summed up in the word
"love".
GOD IS
LOVE
Surely
the scriptures tell us our heavenly Father is a loving
God. The very familiar John 3:16 expresses it well when we
read "For God so loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall
not perish, but have everlasting life."
GOD
THE GREAT "I AM"
The
Hebrew word for God is translated "Jehovah". At
the burning bush when Moses asked God His name; God
replied...I AM THAT I AM. Thus God expresses that His name
means eternal and self-existent.
GOD
CREATOR OF UNIVERSE
We learn
that God created the material universe from the very first
verse in the Bible. Gen 1:1--In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth. Jeremiah 10:12 says--He hath
made the earth by His power, He hath established the world
by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by His
discretion. In the New Testament, we read in Heb
11:3--Through faith we understand that the worlds were
framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen
were not made of things which do appear.
GOD
SUSTAINER OF UNIVERSE
Along
with being creator, God is also preserver of the universe.
Neh 9:6--Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made
heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the
earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all
that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the
host of heaven worshippeth thee.
GOD
RULER OF UNIVERSE
We see
that God is ruler of the universe from Psa 103:19--The
Lord hath prepared His throne in the heavens; and His
kingdom ruleth over all.
GOD
CREATED ANGELS
The
Hebrew word "angel" is translated
"messenger" therefore we first of all point out
that the word angel in the Bible does not always refer to
a superhuman angelic being. Sometimes it is referring to
God's ministry, which are of course His messengers.
Likewise, the devil's angels can also refer to false
ministers. However , the Bible does not speak of angel who
do not have mortal bodies. In this respect, they differ
from Christ. (Heb 2:5-9)Angels have never experienced
redemption, but Peter tells us in speaking of salvation in
1 Pet 1:12...which things the angels desire to look into.
God used angels to reveal His message to various ones in
the Old Testament times. The angel Gabriel announced the
coming of the Messiah. Jesus says in Matt 26:53 that more
than twelve legion of angels were at His disposal. In Matt
18:10, He implies that each believer has a guardian angel
watching over him. Peter was delivered from prison by an
angel. (Acts 12:6-17) The book of Hebrews tells us angels
are created beings and subordinate to Christ. They are
servants and not mediators between God and man. 1 Tim 2:5
says--For there is one God, and one mediator between God
and man, the man Jesus Christ. We are definitely commanded
not to worship angels, see Col 2:18 and Rev 19:10. God has
designed His creation so that the highest exaltation is
focused upon Jesus Christ. Even angels worship Christ.
GOD
CARES FOR MAN
In the
sermon on the mount, Jesus points out in Matt 6:26-30 that
God cares for even the sparrows and lilies of the field
and so surely cares for man. Jesus says to His disciples
in Matt 10:30-31--But the very hairs of your heads are all
numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than
many sparrows.
THE
DIVINE TRINITY
In
learning about God we find a mystery, a great mystery to
many for the Bible teaches us there is but one God, yet it
also teaches the Trinity. By Trinity we mean the union of
three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) in the one
God-head, so that all three are one as to substance, but
three persons as to individuality. This truth like many
other doctrines is not taught in a scientific form, yet
there are scores of plain text bearing out this
fundamental truth. The mystery is how can three person be
only one God and how can one God be three persons?
Granted, this is hard for the human, finite mind to
comprehend, but there are many things hard for us to
comprehend, yet we accept them as true and factual. We
know we have thoughts, but we really cannot understand
how. We know the way that gravity works, but again we
don't really know how. The same could be said for
electricity or things that grow or even life itself and
countless other things.
There
have been many comparisons offered in attempt to
illustrate the Trinity; for example, time consist of past,
present and future- yet there is but one Time. Another
example is that every object, to be an object must have
length, breadth and height; yet do not make three objects.
The sun is another in that the light and heat comes from
it are not the same; yet are inseparable. The sun is the
source representing God the Father; the light being
Christ, and the heat representing the Holy Spirit.
In
showing illustrations, we would mention that it is
impossible to find anything that would exactly explain the
Trinity. Some have thought that each person in the Trinity
is one-third of God and that together they make up the one
whole God. But we must point out that one third of God is
not God. Others have claimed each one is simply a way in
which God manifested himself through time, but the Holy
Bible teaches us that God does not change. Some have
incorrectly held that Jesus is the only divine person and
that the Father is the divine side and the Son the human
side of His nature. Many who hold this view also deny the
personality of the Holy Spirit. Scriptures like those in
the seventh chapter of John will show us that Christ was
surely not praying to himself or to his divine nature.
Still others view the Trinity as a "God family",
in that Christ was created by God; but once more we point
out that Christ is from everlasting to everlasting; in
fact the important question concerning Christ in the
Trinity is whether or not He is God in the highest sense
of term. Those who reject that Christ is God would also
reject His work of atonement for sin, hence they would
reject pardon and regeneration as an instantenous work of
grace. That would boil down to no salvation by faith, only
salvation by works.
CHRIST
IS GOD THE SON
To cite
all the scriptures that prove the deity of Christ would
require much space, so we'll just mention a few. First,
Christ is called God. The opening verse of the Gospel of
John says...In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the
beginning with God. All things were made by him. The term
"Word" or in Greek "logos" is Christ
for it says in verse 14...The Word (or logos) was made
flesh and dwelt among us. In Hebrews 13:8--Jesus Christ
the same yesterday, and today and forever. The same
attribute applied to the Father are also applied to Christ
throughout the Bible. The Bible inform us in 2 Cor 5:10
that Christ will be Judge of all men in the last day. He
forgave sin while on earth (Luke 5:20-24) a power only of
God. Christ is also mentioned as creator; Colossians
1:16-17 states--For by Him were all things created, that
are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him
and for Him(17)-And He is before all things and by Him all
things consist.
GOD
THE HOLY SPIRIT
The third
person in the Divine Trinity is the Holy Spirit who
likewise is given divine titles, attributes and divine
works, Matt 10:20 says--It is not ye that speak but the
spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. The Holy
Spirit is seen in redemption. 2 Thess 2:13...salvation
through sanctification of the spirit. Then in
creation:...In the beginning God created....and the Spirit
of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Gen 1:1-2 in
part)
The
Trinity is also seen in the formula given for baptism
recorded in Matt 28:19--Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
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