Nature Of God ...According to Christianity
By Eric Hoffman
Is God a man? Is He a spirit? Did he have a beginning? Where did God come from?All of these are very common and valid questions that rightfully deserve answers. The bible speaks of God as being seen by man and having feet, hair, hands, a heart and eyes. But it also speaks of God being a spirit that does not have flesh and bone. So which is it?
Our perception of the nature of who God is will greatly influence our entire theological structure. This topic is extremely important for this very matter.
Understanding the writers of the bible is a key element in understanding the text and it’s purpose to describe God.
Did God Have A Beginning?
If your struggle is that God must have had a beginning, but at the same time trust the word of God, then we hope this page is helpful.
Humans imagine all sorts of vain imaginations such as who created God or God himself must have a God and his God probably has one too and so on. We tend to do this because we judge God from our own experience. Meaning that we tend to think He must have a beginning because we and everything we see has had a beginning. But the bible has clearly shown us that God has always been and always will be God.
Psalm 90:2 reads:
"Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." (The hebrew text would translate "infinity into infinity.")
Psalm 93:2 reads:
"Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity."
Some times we try to lower God to our capabilities of reason in hopes of understanding his motives, thoughts and nature. This will create a theological nightmare if we are not reason from what has been given to us in scripture.
We must understand that God is not subject to our understanding of time. Physics shows us that time is a property which results from the existence of matter. Where time exists, so does matter. Keep in mind that God is not matter (which we will later expand on) but rather the creator of matter. He is also the creator of all things in our universe. Time began when God created the universe. Which would actually show that time is rather a reaction to Gods good creations. God is clearly outside of time.
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Does God Have A Physical Body Of Flesh?
If you were asked to draw a picture of God, would you draw a big old man with inquisitive features of a wise man with a big white fuzzy beard? I think most Mormons would come up with something like that. I think a lot of our secular society would think of God like that as well. I think making God like us in very human form is, again, man trying to bring God down to a very simple human understanding. God does not want us to be in absolute complete darkness of confusion concerning His nature, but I don’t think he wants us to lower Him to our standards either.
Let’s start by looking at some passages that, without full understanding of the text, might incline the reader to possibly think that God has a physical body.
According to the book of Genesis, God formed and made us in his image.
"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." –Genesis 1:26-27
The Old-Testament prophet Jacob saw God face to face, making many think that God has a physical body.
"And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." -Genesis 32:30
In the book of Exodus Moses is described as seeing God face to face.
"And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend...." –Exodus 33:11
Additionally, Moses also saw God's hand and back parts, further suggesting He has a physical body.
"And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen." –Exodus 33:21-23
The list goes on...Hands, mouth, fingers, feet. What few understand is that these terms of God having human attributes are called “anthropomorphisms.” Which is basically a ten dollar word for describing an interpretation of what is not human or personal in terms of human or personal characteristics.
If we are to rely on what the bible has to offer concerning the nature of God, the we must apply proper context to avoid improper theology. If we are to look at the entire bible and not just pick and choose what fits our version or set of beliefs, we can see that these attempts to describe God are indeed anthropomorphic. Let’s look at some more scriptures from the bible.
"He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth [shall be thy] shield and buckler." –Psalm 91:4
Are we to now assume that God is a bird? Or is he a man with big wings? Clearly not! When the practice of improper biblical interpretation reigns, we get unbiblical churches with strange doctrines.
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Is God A Spirit?
We are going to make this category extremely simple and straight forward, because it’s answer is pretty easy and clear.
Yes, God is a personage of spirit. The bible makes this extremely clear in John 4:24, where it states:
"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
Paul’s letter to Timothy makes a statement that would lend evidence to the nature of God as well. In 1 Timothy 1:17, Paul writes:
"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, [be] honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen."
How can a god who has a physical body be invisible. It’s textual suicide to think that a physical matter can have a body of solid flesh and bone.
In the gospel according to Luke, he describes an account where Jesus’ disciples were afraid when they saw there master who was crucified and died three days prior. There first reaction was that he was a ghost. But Jesus explained to them that this was not the case. In Luke 24:37-38, Jesus says:
"Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."
This verse is important in relation to God being a spirit and echoes the example we have just shown you above.
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One God Or Three Gods?
Many people have asked the question, "What does the Bible teach about the Trinity?" The word "Trinity" is not found in the Bible, but the doctrine is. The basic theology of the Trinity is that the Bible teaches there is one God by nature who has been revealed in three distinct persons known as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Trinity in the Bible?
In determining if the Trinity is Biblical we must examine what the Bible reveals about the identity of who God is. For people this is hard, but if we are going to be honest we must set aside our personal thoughts.
The Bible teaches that there is only one God.
“Ye [are] my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I [am] he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.” -Isaiah 43:10
” Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I [am] the first, and I [am] the last; and beside me [there is] no God.
And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared [it]? ye [are] even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, [there is] no God; I know not [any].” - Isaiah 44:6-8
” Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else.” -Isaiah 45:22
The Bibles teaches that there is one who is called the Father and is identified as being God.
” Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.” -1 Peter 1:2
The Bible teaches that there is one who is called Jesus and is identified as being God.
”In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God.”
”The word became flesh and lived for a while among us." -John 1:1 & 14:1
“And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed [are] they that have not seen, and [yet] have believed” -John 20:28-29
"For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel." John 5:20
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." -Philippians 2:5-8
"And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
I [am] he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." -Revelation 1:17-18
"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Blessed [are] they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
For without [are] dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, [and] the bright and morning star.
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book.
He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." -Revelation 22:12-20
The Bible teaches that there is one who is called the Holy Spirit and is identified as being God
"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." -John 14:16-17
"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:" -John 15:26
" Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew [it] unto you.
All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew [it] unto you." -John 16:7-15
" But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back [part] of the price of the land?
Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." -Acts 5:3-4
"As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." -Acts 13:2
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"
-Hebrews 9:14
"[Whereof] the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
This [is] the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Now where remission of these [is, there is] no more offering for sin." -Hebrews 10:15-18
The above points and Scriptures clearly point out that there is only one God from eternity who has been revealed as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Some people have wrong assumptions or understandings of what the Trinity is, and those who come against the doctrine of the Trinity at times misrepresent the Trinity. What are some of the wrong assumptions or misrepresentations of the Trinity?
Some Misrepresentations of the Trinity
1.The Trinity is false because it makes no sense.
2. The Trinity cannot be true since the word Trinity is found no where in the Bible.
3. The Trinity is three gods.
4. The Trinity is a man made doctrine and is not Scriptural.
Now this is just a small list of excuses or beliefs which people use to disbelieve in the doctrine of the Trinity. The reasons above all have a Biblical response.
1. The Trinity is not false and the Trinity makes logical sense. Just because our minds or thoughts do not comprehend the eternal nature of God does not make it wrong or false. For example, the Bible states God is from everlasting to everlasting, that God is all-knowing, etc, but does anyone fully comprehend those things? I would submit to you, no, no one fully understands those things and at times for some people they don't make sense. There are many things in the Bible that are true but we may not understand them, but that does not make it untrue.
2. The excuse or reasoning that the word Trinity is not in the Bible is not reasonable. The word Bible is not found in English Bibles either, but does that mean the truth of the Bible is not found in the Bible? The word Monotheism is not in the Bible but the doctrine is. We base our faith or beliefs in something that is taught in the Bible, not necessary a particular word.
3. The Trinity is not three gods and that is a misrepresentation of what Christians believe. Christians believe that there is one God by nature revealed through three distinct persons. No Christian believes in three gods and to state this is to give a false witness.
4. Those who say the Trinity is a man made doctrine do not understand the issues. Any doctrine we have from the Bible came from revelation from God to man, therefore doctrines are taught from man. Those who object the Trinity say the Trinity is not Biblical, but the problem is that they have not taken the time to examine the Trinity from what the Scriptures teach.
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