Author: John Barton
Added: 2009-06-06

WHO IS GOD and WHAT IS HE LIKE

Many down through the ages have asked these two connecting questions. Perhaps one of the first to ask the question was the Pharaoh of Egypt, in the days of Moses. "Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice..." Exodus 5.2. This is a telling question because he was aware of the fact that God had a claim upon him, and called for his obedience. Things have not changed because in the days of the apostle Paul, he could state that "God ...now commandeth all men everywhere to repent" Acts 17.30. It is important to know and accept by faith that "God created man in his own image" Genesis 1.27. Notice the double emphasis "in the image of God created he him". The sad sequel to all of this is that man has created his own gods. Again the apostle Paul could speak to Greeks who were regarded as cultured yet they still thought of God as unknown, but Paul was able to teach them that He was knowable; at the end of which there were those that believed. Read about this in Acts 17.22-34. The truth of the passage is still for us to-day.

The question may be of course: How can we know. The answer is that God has revealed Himself in the Person of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ; in other words what we see in Christ is what God is like. The Lord Jesus said that "...he that hath seen me hath seen the father" John 14.9. This may bring us to the question, is there a definition of God; this is very succinctly summed up in the title "..the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" Ephesians 1.3.


Another question may be "What is it that makes God a person". The following are a few statements found in scripture, that emphasise that God is a person.

He lives - Psalm 42.2 speaks of the psalmist's soul thirsting for the living God. By implication how could God create all that is living and breathe the breath of life into the man's nostrils so that he became a living soul, if God Himself was not a living person, Genesis 1.21 and 2.7.

He communicates - and expresses Himself, Exodus 33.11. God has also spoken to individuals such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel and David. Hebrews 1.1-2. tells us to whom and through whom he has spoken, as well as the all important fact that He has finally spoken to mankind by His Son. The importance of this is that God will not communicate with man through any anyone else.

God has a will - Psalm 40.8 Mark 3.35 and Luke 22.42.

He can also reason - Isaiah 1.18.

God also thinks - Jeremiah 29.11 and Psalm 139.17.

God responds to what He sees and will also initiate action. Genesis 6.5-8 and Exodus 3.7-8.

God also has feelings and emotions and the following is a brief list with the Bible references.

There are many other passages of scripture that describe who God is and what God is like.

He is self sufficient and self existent and eternal. This is summed up in the phrase that He is "I am" Exodus 3.14. and Revelation 1.8. In the latter passage the thought relates to the Lord Jesus Christ - "which is, which was, and which is to come". Compare this with Hebrews 13.8.

God declares that he is the only God and none at all can compare to him. "..I am the first and I am the last; and beside me there is no God" Isaiah 44.6. "...and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me." Isaiah 45.21.
He is eternal and incomparable "Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high" Psalm 113.5.

God is also unlike us, in that whereas we are subject to change, He isn't, and neither does He. This should give us assurance in that we can place our faith and trust in Him because "I am the Lord and I change not" Malachi 3.6.

Going back to the passage in Acts 17. God is one who can be known. This was the reason that John was writing "..unto you fathers, because ye have known Him that is from the beginning" 1 John 2.13.

God is also very different from us in both thought and deed. He says Himself that "..my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." Isaiah 55.8. Read the previous two verses for context.

God is the God of heaven, and that is where He dwells, but we are on earth, Ecclesiastes 5.2. such a thought should humble us especially when we think that the world should revolve around us. However the wonder of God's love and His concern for us is that His Son the Lord Jesus Christ came to earth in order to save us. This is also the meaning of his name Emmanuel - God with us, Matthew 1.23.

God is also the creator of this vast universe in which we live. Much can be said about the wonders of creation. The first five words of scripture are some of the most sublime words in the Bible and state the fact of creation even though we believe them by faith. They don't invite discussion, only belief. Should we even dare to argue against statements of scripture, then the book of Job has the very question for us. "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth" Job 38. 4. - Well where were you?

As we further consider what God is like, look at the following and read the references in scripture.

He is a God of love, he always has been even if we think otherwise - John 3.16 and Galatians 2.20.

He shows grace and mercy, in fact "He delighteth in mercy" Micah 7.18. In order to help us to understand the difference, just consider that grace is giving to us that which we don't deserve, whereas mercy is withholding from us that which we do, on account of our sin.

God forgives us our sins which are against him. Luke 5.21. Remember King David's penitential Psalm - "against Thee, Thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight" Psalm 51.4.

He is a God of justice and judgement. We find that justice and judgement are the habitation of His throne, Psalm 89.14. This will be seen universally when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth and rules and reigns through-out the millennium.
He desires fellowship with and worship from mankind. Genesis 3. 8-9, Psalm 29.2, Revelation 5.14 and Exodus 34.14.

God out of his great love for sinful mankind has provided for man's salvation and the means of entrance into heaven and the presence of God. This provision is through the person and work of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Timothy 2.3- 5.

God cares for all mankind irrespective of who they are and what they have done or even think of him. This is sometimes spoken of as the providential care of God. Matthew 5.45 and 1 Peter 5.7.

God is long suffering and patient "...not desiring that any should perish" 2 Peter 3.9. He is also known as a God of patience and consolation, Romans 15.5.

God is also good and it is the "goodness of God that leadeth thee to repentance" Romans 2.4. and he is also impartial in his dealings with mankind "for there is no respect of persons with God" verse 11 of the same passage.

God is a God of order. Read the account of the Lord Jesus bringing order and stability in to the life a "certain man" in Luke 8.26-36, note especially the result of what the Saviour did for him in verse 35. God would also have order in national life as well as family life too - 1 Peter 2.13 and Ephesians 5.22-25 and Exodus 20.12. It is the family as well as the nations that God has instituted for mans well being. At this point read God's thoughts on rebellion in 1 Samuel 15.23.

Finally God is Holy (Hebrews 7.26, and 1 Peter 1.15) meaning that He is separate and utterly righteous with a hatred of iniquity and wickedness, but a great love for us all as individuals, and desiring that we repent. It is important to note that God cannot sin and neither can He lie Titus 1.2.

There are many things that can be said about the character and person of God. Only by reading the Scriptures for ourselves will we find out. God has revealed Himself in the Bible and in the work and person of His Son - the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us read the Scriptures for ourselves 1 Timothy 4.13, believing God's Word John 20.31, and trust Christ for Salvation, Acts 4.12, and all by faith, Ephesians 2.8.