Q. 4. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)
All that which we call the attributes of God are only so many human ways of our conceiving that abyssal All which can neither be spoken nor conceived by us. And this way of thinking and speaking of God is suitable to our capacities, has its good use, and helps to express our adoration of him and his perfections. . . Omnipotent love, inconceivable goodness, is that unity of God which we can neither conceive, as it is in itself, nor divide into this or that. William Law (1686–1761)
Augustine once said, "One can know what God is not; one cannot know what he is." “Since it is God we are speaking of, you do not understand it. If you could understand it, it would not be God.” Augustine, Sermons
Do we want to contemplate his power? We see it in the immensity of the creation. Do we want to contemplate his wisdom? We see it in the unchangeable order by which the incomprehensible whole is governed. Do we want to contemplate his munificence? We see it in the abundance with which he fills the earth. Do we want to contemplate his mercy? We see it in his not withholding that abundance even from the unthankful. - Thomas Paine (1737–1809)
Barbara Brown Taylor says: "The power of God is now and has always been the power to raise us from the dead. Period. It is not about us. It is about God." - "Easter Sunday," Christianity Today, April 3, 2000, 72.
The attributes of God, though intelligible to us on their surface yet, for the very reason that they are infinite, transcend our comprehension, when they are dwelt upon, when they are followed out, and can only be received by faith. - Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801–1890)
C.S. Lewis, once said, "Everyone has warned me… 'The ordinary reader does not want theology; give him plain, practical religion.' I have rejected their advice. I do not think the ordinary reader is such a fool. Theology means 'the science of God,' and I think anyone who wants to think about God at all would like to have the clearest and most accurate ideas about him which are available."
Each writer above is attempting to answer the question, “What is God?” Each describes in their own unique way some of the characteristics of God, but they also acknowledge it is an impossible task. We can only comprehend a small portion of the whole. The Westminster Larger Catechism answers the same question with a longer response; “God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection; all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere present, almighty; knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.” (Answer to Question 7) Right in the middle the answer acknowledges, God is “incomprehensible,” but it stills attempts to give an adequate, responsible response to the question, “What is God.”
At the burning bush (Exodus 3:13-14), Moses asks God: "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" And God said to Moses, "I Am who I AM ... Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
Then, God also tells Moses, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you..'” God is saying that he is recognizable, because of the relationship God had with their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God is known and knowable within an intimate relationship.
Jesus’ relationship with his disciples was developed as a fundamental element in their understanding of who he was. As important as his teachings were to them, their act of following him was even more essential to understanding Jesus. Later, Jesus goes on to describe himself using the same phrase, “I am.”
"I AM the bread of life" (John 6:35) thereby you will become a Bethlehem (literally "House of Bread") for a hungry and thirsty world.
"I AM the light of the world" (John 8:12) thereby you will become a beacon to those stumbling in the dark.
"I AM the gate." (John 10:9)
"I AM the good shepherd." (John 10:11)
"I AM the resurrection and the life." (John 11:25)
"I AM the Son of God" (John 10:36) so that you may be sons and daughters of the living God.
God says "I AM WHO I AM" that you may say, "By the grace of God I am what I am." (1 Corinthians 15:10)
God is known to us in the midst of a relationship with God, principally as God is revealed to us in the person of Jesus Christ, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the witness of scripture. Our intellectual reason in understanding God has its place, but is limited by our language and mental capabilities while attempting to understand the incomprehensible. What God is, can best be found in a relationship and through the Word made flesh.
Today’s Lectionary Readings
Morning Psalm: 119:145-176
Evening Psalm: 97
Deuteronomy 7:17-26
Titus 3:1-15
John 1:43-51
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