Articles
God
The Bible is God’s self-revelation. We can deduce some things about Him from nature (Romans 1:20), but to fully know Him we must let Him tell us about Himself in His word. He says that He is. . .
Spirit (John 4:24). Physical references to Him—to His eyes, ears, arms, hands, etc.—are simply figures. Spirits do not have flesh and blood (Luke 24:39).
Eternal (Psalm 90:2; 1 Timothy 1:17). He is I AM (Exodus 3:13f), the self-existent One. That name is akin to His name YHWH, rendered Jehovah or LORD (Exodus 6:3). It expresses both His existence and His presence. God’s timelessness is one reason His perspective is so much greater than ours.
All present [omnipresent] (Psalm 139:7-10). He is everywhere, not limited to a specific locality (see 1 Kings 20:23-25).
All powerful [omnipotent] (Genesis 17:1; Revelation 4:8). He is God Almighty, capable of doing whatever He chooses to do. The Bible begins with God speaking creation into existence (Genesis 1; Hebrews 11:3).
All knowing [omniscient] (1 John 4:20; Hebrews 4:13). His knowledge of the future sets Him apart (Isaiah 41:23). Note: Omniscience makes it possible for God to know everything that will happen. Whether He chooses to is another question (e.g., Genesis 22:12).
Holy (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8). He is set apart, venerated. Only He is reverend (Psalm 111:9, KJV). He is unique, both in nature and in conduct, what some call ethical holiness. That relates to. . .
Righteous or just (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 89:14). He can only do what is right. His very nature defines what is right.
Light (1 John 1:5). Light indicates truth and goodness, whereas darkness indicates ignorance/error and evil. The latter cannot even approach Him (James 1:13).
Love (1 John 4:16). He loves because of His nature, not our goodness. It is a matter of will, not merely emotion, although that is certainly included. His love is active and self-sacrificing.
Compassionate or merciful (Deuteronomy 4:31; Psalm 86:15). This is a feeling of sympathy toward the afflicted, coupled with a desire to provide relief. While mercy goes beyond justice, it does not completely disregard it (Isaiah 30:18).
Gracious (Psalm 86:15), having a favorable disposition (Psalm 145:9), even toward the undeserving. He is “the God of all grace” (1 Peter 5:10). Love, mercy, and grace go hand-in-hand (Ephesians 2:4-5).
Longsuffering or patient (Psalm 86:15; 2 Peter 3:9). His patience may be linked to His justice or His mercy, but in neither case is limitless.
Jealous (Exodus 20:5). His justice requires Him to be jealous of His honor, for it cannot rightly be given to any other (Isaiah 48:11).
Wrathful (John 3:36), in the judicial sense. It is His response to ungodliness and unrighteousness (Romans 1:18; Ephesians 5:3-6), an outgrowth of His holiness and justice.
Severe (Romans 11:22). He is “a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29). We dare not underestimate His severity! (Revelation 14:9-11). The same God who offers heaven warns of hell.
Unchangeable (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17). He may change His activities. He may change His mind, not from fickleness but in view of conditions He has set (Jeremiah 18:7ff; 26:13; Romans 11:17ff). His character, however, is always the same. He is the same God in the Old and New Testaments.
Faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9; 2 Timothy 2:13). He cannot deny Himself or His word, which means both His threats and promises are sure (Joshua 23:14-16). The passage of time does nothing to diminish them (2 Peter 3:8-9). We can count on Him!
Even with this revelation we are woefully ill-equipped to fully comprehend the vastness or greatness of God! Surely, then, it is the height of folly for us to ignore it, all or in part, and paint our own picture of God as we would like Him to be (Psalm 50:21). We need an accurate, balanced view of Him, taking into account all that He has said about Himself. “Behold then the kindness and severity of God” (Romans 11:22a).
