Who Is God, Really?

It would be absurd for friends or strangers to say of me:

• "The Kris I believe in always agrees with me and never argues."
• "I don't like the idea of Kris being bald, so the Kris I know has long curly hair..."
• "I think Kris will be my friend because I'm really popular..."
• "Kris spends time with me because I say great things about him..."

Most people would agree that it would be foolish for people to think these things about me without first checking to see if that's really who I am. Just wishing I were that way or hoping I might be that way will not make me that way. And regardless of whether those thoughts are flattering or not, I really wouldn't appreciate somebody ignoring who I am and making up their own idea of who I am and what I stand for.

I've heard similar comments about God from a significant number of people. Comments such as:

• "I don't like the idea of a God who would... so I choose to believe..."
• "God is what you believe in, and therefore I think God is different for everyone..."
• "God likes me because I rarely ever miss church..."
• "God loves me because I'm a good person..."

Instead of seeking to learn about who God is, we have a tendency to want make God in our own image. But as our friendships and other close relationships show, in order to really know someone you must seek to understand who they really are -- not just what you want them to be like.

What if I told you that last bullet point on the list above was completely false? Does he really care? How can we know about what God's love is really about? Is he really impressed by my church attendance? What's his take on whether I'm going to heaven? Is God really in control? You see, without understanding who God is, we would have no basis for even trying to answer these questions. But, if we do know God then the answers to these and other questions are not only knowable, but easy.

There are a vast number of descriptive references in the Bible that portray God and express his characteristics in detail. I have some favorite references that do this, and a number of friends have also shared with me their favorite passages that clearly show that God is uniquely God, and there is none like him.

For example, here's an Old Testament passage that describes God's forgiveness and compassion:

Micah 7:18-19
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

One of the most powerful examples who God is can be seen in the actions he took and sacrifice he made for us. In this way, John 3:16-17 speaks volumes about who God is.

John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

There are a tremendous number of references to God's character in the Bible, such as this statement of God's faithfulness:

2 Timothy 2:13
If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny Himself.

Here are a few more interesting and amazing things about God from Psalm 145:

Psalm 145:17-20
The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

One of my favorite passages that describes God incredible power and also his compassion for those who need help is in the book of Isaiah. Read Isaiah 20:22-31.

And this doesn't begin to scratch the surface of what the Bible tells us very directly about the character and personality of God. He is well defined there. We don't have to guess or make it up. If we want to get to know who he really is, we don't have to search far and wide -- its right there.

So, take some time to read some passages in the Bible that describe who God is, how he thinks, what his character is like, and how his actions show this. Then, if you'd like, post a comment with the passages you found that significantly describe qualities about God or that help you understand more about who he is.

Kris