NATURE OF GOD
FRIDAY, JUNE 13
Here are a few of the great questions we received from you about the Nature of God:
The mystery of GOD has been central to our study on every topic we’ve tackled this week. GOD’s 'otherness' makes His nature impossible to fully grasp. It’s His very transcendence and supernatural character that underscores His worthiness of our worship and devotion. In light of this, we should approach a study of GOD’s character with appropriate wonder and reverence for His sovereignty. GOD is love (1 John 4:8). This is the overarching characteristic of GOD in Scripture and a central tenet of Christian theology: love is not just an attribute of GOD, but the very essence of His being. What we know of His attributes, as revealed through His Word and through our own experience of His grace, should give us great peace as we try to comprehend His holiness and justice in a sinful world.
So, what do we know about GOD’s character? Quite a bit, actually! Despite His unfathomable glory, He has made considerable effort to reveal Himself to us through nature, the Scriptures, Jesus and His Spirit. GOD knows us intimately (Psalm 139:13-14) and it’s clear that He wants to be known by us (Genesis 1:26-28, Isaiah 1:18 Isaiah 41:13, Psalms 73:23-26, Matthew 11:28-29, 1 John 1:1-10, James 4:8, Revelations 3:20).
It would be impossible to unpack all that GOD has revealed of Himself through Scripture, but a helpful place to begin is in Exodus when GOD first reveals His name and character to the Israelites as part of the covenant He offers them to be His chosen people. GOD tells Moses that YAHWEH has sent Him, meaning "He will be" (Exodus 3). This name, appearing over 6,500 times in the Old Testament, reflects His immutable nature. He is the Creator and GOD above all.
In Exodus 34, GOD invites Israel to a covenant, describing His nature: "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation." (Exodus 34:5-7). This passage is foundational to understanding GOD’s character: holy, yet full of love. It’s an awful quandary, He longs for us even as our sin and rejection of Him separate us. And so though we are undeserving, He keeps forgiving us and creating pathways of reconciliation culminating in the person and sacrifice of Jesus.
Jeremy Treat in his article, Wrath Is Not an Attribute of God, says it this way: “Because I love my children, I’d rightfully be angry if anyone attempted to hurt them...When we apply this to God, we begin to see how his love and wrath cohere in his perfect character…God is love. God is holy. God is just. His wrath is the rightful expression of his holy love in the face of sin and evil.”
Biblical "fearing the LORD" means reverential respect, awe, and submission to GOD’s authority, like a child's respect for a good father's discipline. It's a deep respect for GOD’s holiness and power, an understanding of His justice, and a desire to obey. This fear is a foundation for wisdom, trust, and honoring GOD. His reactions to evil and injustice demonstrate goodness, but He always desires repentance and is quick to forgive. His holiness and justice align with His mercy and compassion. When we are tempted to judge others, or especially GOD Himself, we should be reminded of His faithfulness and redeeming work in our own lives. His kindness leads to repentance (Romans 2:4) and his love has made a way for us to truly live (Titus 3:3-5).
- “Should we or shouldn’t we fear God?”
- “Why does God in the Old Testament seem so much different than Jesus in the New Testament?”
- “Why does God seem to ‘go over the top’ in His testing or allowing tests.”
- “...the Old Testament scares the daylights out of me. God is always angry. And the Israelites are always being punished. How do I understand this but at the same time believe in a loving God?”
The mystery of GOD has been central to our study on every topic we’ve tackled this week. GOD’s 'otherness' makes His nature impossible to fully grasp. It’s His very transcendence and supernatural character that underscores His worthiness of our worship and devotion. In light of this, we should approach a study of GOD’s character with appropriate wonder and reverence for His sovereignty. GOD is love (1 John 4:8). This is the overarching characteristic of GOD in Scripture and a central tenet of Christian theology: love is not just an attribute of GOD, but the very essence of His being. What we know of His attributes, as revealed through His Word and through our own experience of His grace, should give us great peace as we try to comprehend His holiness and justice in a sinful world.
So, what do we know about GOD’s character? Quite a bit, actually! Despite His unfathomable glory, He has made considerable effort to reveal Himself to us through nature, the Scriptures, Jesus and His Spirit. GOD knows us intimately (Psalm 139:13-14) and it’s clear that He wants to be known by us (Genesis 1:26-28, Isaiah 1:18 Isaiah 41:13, Psalms 73:23-26, Matthew 11:28-29, 1 John 1:1-10, James 4:8, Revelations 3:20).
It would be impossible to unpack all that GOD has revealed of Himself through Scripture, but a helpful place to begin is in Exodus when GOD first reveals His name and character to the Israelites as part of the covenant He offers them to be His chosen people. GOD tells Moses that YAHWEH has sent Him, meaning "He will be" (Exodus 3). This name, appearing over 6,500 times in the Old Testament, reflects His immutable nature. He is the Creator and GOD above all.
In Exodus 34, GOD invites Israel to a covenant, describing His nature: "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation." (Exodus 34:5-7). This passage is foundational to understanding GOD’s character: holy, yet full of love. It’s an awful quandary, He longs for us even as our sin and rejection of Him separate us. And so though we are undeserving, He keeps forgiving us and creating pathways of reconciliation culminating in the person and sacrifice of Jesus.
Jeremy Treat in his article, Wrath Is Not an Attribute of God, says it this way: “Because I love my children, I’d rightfully be angry if anyone attempted to hurt them...When we apply this to God, we begin to see how his love and wrath cohere in his perfect character…God is love. God is holy. God is just. His wrath is the rightful expression of his holy love in the face of sin and evil.”
Biblical "fearing the LORD" means reverential respect, awe, and submission to GOD’s authority, like a child's respect for a good father's discipline. It's a deep respect for GOD’s holiness and power, an understanding of His justice, and a desire to obey. This fear is a foundation for wisdom, trust, and honoring GOD. His reactions to evil and injustice demonstrate goodness, but He always desires repentance and is quick to forgive. His holiness and justice align with His mercy and compassion. When we are tempted to judge others, or especially GOD Himself, we should be reminded of His faithfulness and redeeming work in our own lives. His kindness leads to repentance (Romans 2:4) and his love has made a way for us to truly live (Titus 3:3-5).
JOURNALING QUESTIONS
- What is most difficult about the concept of GOD’s holiness for you to grasp and why?
- How does your understanding of GOD’s justice impact your view of His forgiveness?
RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY
Wrath Is Not an Attribute of God, The Gospel Coalition article by Jeremy Treat
God’s Grace in the Old Testament: Considering the Hesed of the Lord, article by Will Kynes
Holiness, video from Bible Project
Character of God Word Studies, compilation of videos from Bible Project
Is the God of the Bible an Angry God?, article from Bible Project
God’s Grace in the Old Testament: Considering the Hesed of the Lord, article by Will Kynes
Holiness, video from Bible Project
Character of God Word Studies, compilation of videos from Bible Project
Is the God of the Bible an Angry God?, article from Bible Project