The Nature Of God

Christians believe that unless God takes the initiative and reveals Himself to man, man will stumble on in the darkness of his insufficient reason (Ephesians 4:17-18; Matthew 11:27). Man’s wisdom is foolishness when it comes to knowing God (1 Corinthians 1:19-21). However, Christians also believe that God has revealed Himself in the Scriptures. Man must accept this self-revelation or else he will not be able to know God. Nothing can fully describe God than the Bible so we must rely on the Bible’s description of God. The Bible gives us four basic descriptions of God in His own eternal and essential nature and being. These are briefly explained as follows:

God is Spirit (John 4:24). God is a Spirit being, immaterial and incorporeal. Spirit because He does not have flesh and bones (Luke 24:39). This is why God is spoken of as being invisible (Deuteronomy 4:15-19; Exodus 33:20; John 1:18; Romans 1:20; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:16). It is also why God forbade Israel to make any visible images of Himself (Deuteronomy 4:14-20; Isaiah 40:25). God is also a personal being. When we speak of God as being a Spirit, this does not mean that He is some impersonal force or entity detached from nature. He is a person with self-consciousness, self-determination, will, intelligence and feeling (John 4:20-24; Genesis 1:2; 1 Corinthians 2:11). In His personhood He is essentially a spiritual being rather than a physical being.

God is Light (1 John 1:5). This refers to the majesty or the glory of God. God is light and He dwells in unapproachable light whom no man hath seen, nor can see (1 Timothy 6:15-16). God does not just have light; He is light. Light is absolutely pure, impossible to defile. As light, God is eternal, immortal and invisible (1 Timothy 1:17).

God is Love (1 John 4:17). Love is the very heart of God’s nature. God does not just have love, He is love (John 3:16). Love involves the grace, mercy, kindness, goodness and benevolence of God toward all His creatures.

God is a Consuming Fire (Hebrews 12:29). This refers to the holiness of God’s nature. Fire is not God, but God is a consuming fire. This relates to the definition given earlier that God is light. The most frequent symbol used of God in the Bible is that of fire. It is always significant of His holiness and absolute righteousness manifested in judgement against sin.