Who Is God? (part 1)

Why is knowing who God is important?

Introduction

The study on knowing God is one of the most important studies in the Christian walk.  The bible is written to reveal the nature and character of God to man.  We cannot fully know God’s nature and character, but the bible reveals to us part of God’s nature within His plan of redemption for man through his son, Jesus Christ.  The bible is about Christ.

Understanding Christ begins with a knowledge of God and the concept of the Trinity, allowing us to address Christ’s dual nature.  This dual nature, both God and man (the Godman), is pivotal in understanding the character and purpose of Christ.

Understanding A Need

Flash back fifty years ago in the United States.  If you asked someone about God, what is the reaction you would have expected?  I would suggest that most people during that time would be talking about the same God - the God of the Bible.  That is no longer the case.  With an explosion of diversification resulting in the introduction of a plethora of religions, faiths, beliefs, etc., the world has ushered in a new age where the God of the Bible is no longer widely accepted as the God.  Instead, we have false gods and a sort of paganism that is unrivaled in any period of U.S. history.  One could further argue that even self-proclaimed Christians, whose declaration would suggest a fervent belief in the God of the Bible, no longer have a clear picture of who God is.  

This obvious shortcoming made clear through beliefs that are regularly seen in Christians all over our country whose actions reflect an immature (spiritually and mentally) and very limited understanding of God.  Many times, we see the God we want to, and most of us hold onto the characteristic of God we need most at the time; or the one that is the most agreeable.  We substitute one aspect of God’s character for the perfect balance of all of His nature that the bible teaches.  

The tragedy is that the only reason we don’t know is because we aren’t looking.  We find what suits us, often satisfying a temporary longing, and then stop there.  There is no relationship being sought, and the genuine awe and fear of God is slipping away because we are not learning the God of the Bible.  We are allowing a secular world to tell everyone who God is, mostly because we don’t know. 

Addressing the Problem

This series is meant to address the problem of knowledge and application.  We have no knowledge of who God is, or such knowledge is severely limited, because we’re never taught.  Most of us have been left to fend for ourselves.  And whereas a lack of teaching is not an excuse for our blatant ignorance, this is something all Christians should be ready and willing to share and teach.  How one could truly come to know Christ or effectively share Christ with another without a knowledge of God is very much in question.  While we cannot fully know who God is, He has certainly made a great deal known to us.  

Biblical Application

When Peter went to the Jews (Acts 2), God did not need to be clearly defined.  The Jewish people as a nation already regarded Yahweh, the God of the old testament, as God.  Peter could then use this established understanding of who God is to transition straight into teaching about Jesus.  

However, when Paul went to Mars Hill (Acts 17) he was confronted with many gods (indicative of the U.S. today).  Each god was represented in the form a statue.  They had a statue to an “unknown god” in case they missed one, acutely aware of the ramifications of leaving one out.  Paul used their understanding of an eternal longing and the concept of worship to teach them about the God of creation.  In an area of culture and reason indicative of Greek society, Paul introduced God because without this understanding there would be no way to effectively communicate who Christ is.

Among believer and non-believer, Paul’s situation is becoming more and more relevant to what we must do.  My challenge to you in this study is to develop your own knowledge of who God is, address the areas where you may be lacking, and share with others the awesome nature of your infinite God.