Study 2 Objective: To Discuss What God is Like and Why it is Significant to the Believer...
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Paul directs Timothy:
“Now to the King Eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17) Similar descriptions of deity can be found in pagan literature and non-Christian religious traditions. Paul suggests that, by looking at the wonder of creation, the sovereignty of God ought to be obvious to everyone. “For”, he says, “since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen” (Romans 1:20). Paul’s view is quite clear: people “became futile in their thoughts” (1:21) and created their own religions and idolatries. He also indicates in Acts 17:22-31 that men and women can be sincerely confused about the Divine Nature. Is there a qualitative difference between the Christian God and other deities? The biblical perspective is that the idols, the ancient pantheons of Greek, Roman, Mesopotamian and other mythologies, the objects of worship in other religions today and in the past, are not divine in any way because “the Lord our God, the Lord is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4). There is no god like the true God (Exodus 15:11; 1 Kings 8:23; Psalm 86:8, 95:3). Isaiah explains that other gods “are nothing” (41:24), and Paul affirms that these “socalled gods” have no divinity as “there is no other God but one”, “one God, the Father, of whom are all things” (1 Corinthians 8:4-6). “Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us?” asks Malachi, rhetorically (2:10). See also Ephesians 4:6. |
Appreciating the majesty and being in awe the one God is important for the believer. It is not sufficient, however, of and by itself.
“Behold, God is great, and we do not know him” (Job 36:26). A notable comparative difference between the worship of the biblical God and the worship of other so-called gods is that the biblical God wants us to know Him intimately, and He also wants to know us personally and individually. God the Father does not want to relate with us from a distance. He is “near at hand” and He is “not a God afar off” (Jeremiah 23:23). Reflection How would you describe the greatness of God? How would you define the difference between the biblical God and the god(s) of other religions? God is...
Thus the God, in whose image we are made, is one. An implication of being created in God’s image is the possibility that we can be like Him. But what is God like? Much of Scripture is dedicated to the revelation of who God is and what is He like. Let’s consider some scriptural ideas about God, and we will see how the understanding of what God is like suggests spiritual qualities to be developed in the believer in his or her relationships with others. Significantly, Scripture does not direct the believer to try to reflect God’s image in terms of greatness, omnipotence, omniscience, etc. |
