What is God like?

My thoughts about God would not be any more valuable than anyone else’s if it were not for the fact that God has shown Himself to us. From God’s written Word, the Bible, we read that there is only one God, and yet there are three Persons is the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. ‘God is a spirit,’ (John 4:24) and so cannot be touched or seen, but ‘He has manifested Himself in the flesh.’ (I Timothy 3:16).

Despite popular myths, we know that God is not like a genie who appears when an Aladdin’s lamp is rubbed, nor a Santa Claus character, nor an old man in the sky! He is not human, and His thoughts are far higher than any of our ideas. The mediaeval scholar Anselm, said, ‘God is that, the greater than which cannot be conceived.’

The Bible tells us that God is the Creator of all things.

God’s word the Bible tells us that He is all powerful (omnipotent). He never grows faint, weary or disinterested. His power is infinite and it is undiminished by His using it. God is all present (omnipresent), so that it is impossible to escape from His presence. God is all knowing (omniscient). He has never said, “I never expected that!” for the past, present and future are all in God’s hand and control. Billions of hours humans have been spent trying to understand the laws by which our world operates, yet God created and knows them all.

God never changes (immutable) and therefore is completely reliable. He is not affected by moods or whims. He is eternal, with no beginning or end. He is beyond time.

God is absolutely holy and pure. He is greater in holiness than we can ever comprehend. He is so pure He cannot even look on sinfulness. Naturally we would never be able to approach Him because of sinfulness.

God is just and must punish sin. There is no unfairness with God. He is also totally loving, and in Christ has provided a way whereby we can find forgiveness. God’s love and justice met together at the cross. God’s love was demonstrated in that He Christ died for us. Jesus paid the punishment for our sin, so that we might be forgiven and declared righteous in God’s sight.

God is consistent, so cannot contradict Himself, or act in a way that is contrary to His character. He cannot sin.

God is altogether awesome, and yet it is possible for you to come to know God and for Him, through His Holy Spirit, to live within you and make you His forever.