The Nature of God

God the Powerful Creator
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God has revealed himself to us through His word, the Bible. This tells us that He is alone, there are no other gods, and that He is the all-powerful and all-knowing creator of the universe:

  • "For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the LORD, and there is no other." Isa 45:18 (ESV)

  • "For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe." Deut 10:17 (ESV)

  • “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen. ” 1 Tim 1:17 (ESV)

God the All-Knowing Judge
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When we look up at the night sky and see the stars or climb a mountain and see the splendour of the world around us it makes us think of the vastness of the creation in which we live. The incredible power of God's creative nature is clear for all to see (Acts 17:28,Rom 1:20). It is clear that God is vastly superior to us, yet He is interested in everything we do. He sees all our innermost thoughts and desires. God is just and righteous. He has a complete and perfect understanding of right and wrong. He can search our hearts and know our intentions before we know them ourselves.

  • "O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether." Psa 139:1-4 (ESV)

  • "But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.'" 1 Sam 16:7 (ESV)

  • "For I will proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he." Deut 32:3-4 (ESV)

God is Loving and Merciful
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Whilst it may be disconcerting to think that God knows our innermost thoughts and feelings and that he discerns what type of person we are according to what we think/feel/do at all times, we are comforted by the fact that, as well as being just and powerful, God is love. God is forgiving and merciful. He is kind, gracious and good. The more we get to know Him, the more we read His word, the more we look for Him and communicate with Him, the more we find out how wonderful and loving he is. We don't need to be afraid.

  • "The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, 'The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.'" Exo 34:6-7 (ESV)

  • "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God... because God is love." 1 John 4:7-8 (ESV)

  • "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever." Psa 136:1 (ESV)

We do not have to trust God on face value that these are His characteristics. God's nature is revealed in how He interacts with people throughout the Bible. His incredible patience, mercy and love are shown towards his people throughout the Old Testament, and through His son in the New Testament.

What We BelieveJames ThorpeGod