The God of the Bible

The God of the Bible is on the one hand not a remote being that takes no interest in his creature man, nor on the other is He a being that exists at man's level (His thoughts are higher than our own thoughts - Isaiah 55:8/9). The first conception (remoteness) is that of the philosopher, while the second (a sort of Old King Cole) is that generally held by idolaters. However God, although of unsearchable greatness, does take a great interest in his creature man as can be seen from only a cursory look at the Bible (see, for instance, the first few chapters of Genesis). David, the Psalmist, wondered that God should take such an interest in man (Psalm 8). On the other hand Scripture condemns those who would bring God down to the level of his creatures. "Thou thoughtest that I was altogether as thyself: [but] I will reprove thee" (Psalm 50:21). Paul speaks of it in Romans 1, particularly verses 19-25. That God has his heart set on man is evident in that he sent his Son into the world that the world through him might be saved (John 3:17).

Scripture does not leave us with the idea that God exists in a vacuum. In Genesis 1 God speaks of us (verse 26) showing that He was speaking in the presence of others. There are also other passages in Genesis when He speaks in a similar way (chapters 3:22 &11:7). Then we find that in Job chapters 1 verse 6 and 2 verse 1 there were those that came to present themselves to God. Similarly in 1 Kings 22:19-23. Then in Isaiah 6:8 we have God saying: "Who will go for us ?". All these passages show that there are those around God who serve Him. When we come to the New Testament we find Christ saying that there is joy in heaven before the angels of God for one repenting sinner (Luke 15:7 & 10). In Revelation 4 again we find that God has a heavenly court. He is not on his own. This is the testimony of Scripture. It may of course be argued that this only applies since time began and that the beings that exist with God have only done so since they themselves came into existence - they are not themselves "from eternity". However, eternity is really the beginning of time (Proverbs 8:23). Properly speaking there is no before the beginning. If there were, the beginning would not be the beginning in an absolute sense. The idea that God existed in solitary state before the beginning has no solid support in Scripture and owes more to our imagination than any text.

Further, the idea that God is absolutely self sufficient is not the teaching of Scripture. God does not do everything Himself. His servants serve him (Psalm 103:21) and this is true right through to the end. "His servants shall serve him" (Revelation 22:3).

Apart from what has been said above we know that God operates through the Son and the Holy Spirit. Though God is the source of all (of whom all things - 1 Corinthians 8:6), the Son is the one who acts (by whom [are] all things - 1 Corinthians 8:6). He acted in creation and in reconciliation (Colossians 1:16 & 20). The Holy Spirit also acted in creation (Genesis 1:2 and Job 26:13) and now in man's recovery (Matthew 12:28; John 3:5; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Ephesians 2:18).

However, apart from the actings of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, we need to consider what they are in themselves. We can trace everything back to God the Father as the source (Romans 11:34-36). He is essentially God for there is: "one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all" (Ephesians 4:6). He is the all knowing, all powerful and everywhere present God (Psalm 139; 145:3; 147:5). As Christ said: "My Father... is greater than all" (John 10:29). The foregoing things are attributes of God's being. However, as to his moral nature He is love (God is love - 1 John 4:8). It is a holy love, for God is holy (John 17:11; 1 Peter 1:15). He is also righteous in all his ways (Psalm 11:7; John 17:25 ). These last features are what we usually call moral features and are to be distinguished from the attributes of his being.

When we come to Christ it may be as well to say what He is not. He is not an aggregation of God and man. If He were He would be greater than his Father who is only God. He is not an admixture of God and man. If He were it would be confusion. The law of Moses forbad the confusing of sorts (Leviticus 19:19). He is not just God in human form. If He were He could not have made atonement for sin because He would simply have been punishing Himself. He had to offer Himself to God (Hebrews 9:14), which involved that He must have been distinct from God. Finally, He is not a superman (superstar if you like). Samson