God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
Exodus 3:14
For a far better explanation of God, please consider reading Grudem’s Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine.
But for a “back of the napkin” introduction to God, complete with plenty of simplifications and perhaps some “hand-waving”, please proceed.
Describing God
Describing God can be difficult because so many of God’s attributes are not concepts our human brains easily comprehend. But if we were to try to comprehend them, here’s a list we would study:
- God is Eternal– He has no beginning or end. He exists outside of time. Deuteronomy 33:27a
- God is One– There are no other ‘so called’ gods… One God and only One. Deuteronomy 6:4
- God is Creator– All the time and space dimensions, and the matter contained within, are God’s invention. All the properties of matter and the astounding combinations of elements are the product of God’s genius. All the energy that exists in the unfathomable order and complexity of everything was set just so by God. Genesis 1:1-3
- God is Living– No one has ever observed or even can conceive of a theory that contradicts this truth: Life comes from God. Matthew 4:4
- God is Spirit– God’s existence doesn’t depend on space or time. The comprehension of God’s substance doesn’t fit well into our minds. John 4:24
- God is Everywhere– God isn’t limited by the space-time universe He created, He is too big to fit in it and much bigger than all of it. Psalm 139:7
- God knows Everything– God’s knowledge of everything goes beyond just knowing all the answers to all math test questions– God knows what will happen in the future and knows what our minds are thinking. He is aware of everything happening at any moment past, present or future. Acts 1:7
- God is Morally Perfect–
- God is Just– Fairness and equity are all measured against God’s standard. Psalm 89:14
- God is Righteous– Nothing foul, evil or wrong can be blamed on God since God always acts rightly. Psalm 145:17
- God is Good– Everything God is, says or does defines goodness. Mark 10:18
- God Hates– Violations of God’s nature produce a just and righteous backlash. Proverbs 6:16
- God is Personal and Relational– God interacts with other persons
- God Communicates– God speaks to us and listens when we speak to Him. Exodus 33:11
- God Loves– An attitude of genuine, sincere, selfless affection made by a commitment. 1 John 4:7-8
- God is Faithful– God honors vows and covenants, even when others are unfaithful. Deuteronomy 7:9
- God is Patient and Long-suffering– God acts and reacts to situations on His schedule, when the time is right. 2 Peter 3:9
The above list isn’t comprehensive… it is missing an important attribute. I left it out on purpose because it pertains highly to the mission of this book. This one attribute of God is the subject of the next chapter: The Trinity.
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