Who and What is God

Throughout the entire history of mankind, we have always known—through instinct or intelligence (as it is impossible for creation to exist without a creator)—that there is a God. Those who now say there is no God are fools, hiding this truth from themselves. And those who believe them are fools following fools.

But who is God? What is God? Where is God? As the Bible says in Acts 17:27, we are always seeking and trying to feel for God. Knowing there is a God and knowing God are two different things.

There is truly only one way we can know who God is. We cannot find Him if He chooses to remain hidden. We cannot (honestly) create a wooden idol and say, “This is our God.” Nor can we make things up in our minds and call them truth. None of these things can truly be God. No, God Himself must reveal Himself to us.

We Don’t Get to Choose How

Here’s the catch: we don’t get to choose how He does it. Many people say, “Why doesn’t God just appear in front of me if He wants me to believe?” Or they say, “If God did a certain miracle, I would believe.” At the heart of such statements lies this sentiment: “If God does what I want Him to, then I will believe.”

People making these statements fail to understand that if God were limited to their desires, He would not be God. Moreover, if they could manipulate God in such a way, He would not be God. And yes, such statements are an attempt at manipulation.

It is like a spouse manipulating their partner by saying, “If you loved me, you would…” This kind of tactic may work on people because their desire to be understood often outweighs their respect for themselves. But God cannot be manipulated.

People who do these things may blame the consequences of their actions on a spouse who doesn’t give in. However, no matter how foolish they are, the fact remains—they are dealing with the consequences of their own behavior. Put simply, if you poke the bear, don’t blame the bear for mauling you.

How God Chooses

So, how do we know God? In the beginning, Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden of Eden. They spoke with Him face to face. But as the Bible tells us, man sinned. The result of that sin was separation from God.

From the time man sinned, God has hidden Himself from us. He is a God who never changes. What He told the Israelites in these verses is exactly what He did with Adam and Eve. It’s what He has done with all mankind—He hides Himself because of our sins.

Even today, people claim the evils of the world prove God’s absence as Deuteronomy 32:20 tells us they would. But they fail to consider that God is hidden because of our own evils, not because He doesn’t exist.

Consider the mercy of God. If we were to stand face to face with Him in all His glory, our sin would appear so vile that we could not survive. This is why God doesn’t just appear to the world and say, “I am God!”

Instead, He chooses to speak through men. He doesn’t thunder His voice because none of us could withstand it. Instead, He speaks in a still, small voice to certain individuals, instructing them to share His message.

How God Reveals Himself

This pattern is evident throughout the Bible and continues in our time. God still speaks to His servants. He still speaks through men. These are His witnesses—people who have encountered Him on a personal level.

Through these witnesses, we can encounter God ourselves. When you read the Bible, you are holding the testimony of those who have met God in the past. When you hear a sermon, you are listening to the testimony of men who have encountered God in our own time. They tell us who God is and invite us to meet Him personally.

So, who is God? He is the One spoken of in the Bible. He is the One who has performed great wonders in the past. He is the One who shows mercy to the repentant and wrath to the unrepentant.

The Bible reveals God’s desires, motives, goodness, and wrath. This is how God has chosen to make Himself known. To the man with faith and humility, He reveals Himself. To the man without faith and filled with pride, He remains hidden. In both cases, He shows mercy.

What Does the Bible Say God Is

We often see cartoons and images of an old man dressed in a white robe, supposedly a depiction of God. But this portrayal is far from accurate.

God is not an old man floating in the clouds; God is a spirit. Understanding this is crucial for our next study on the Trinity. For now, let’s explore a few foundational truths about what God is.

The first thing to understand is that God is a spirit. A spirit is eternal, immortal, and invisible. God does not have a physical body (we will discuss this further in the next study).

God, who is an eternal and invisible spirit, also fills heaven and earth. There is no place where He is not present. He is in China, in America, and everywhere at once. God is not limited by location.

God, who is eternal, invisible, and omnipresent, is the foundation of the universe. Science has only begun to catch up to this truth.

We now understand that matter is energy in solid form. A spirit is a form of energy, and in a very real way, existence itself is held together and sustained by God. He is the “glue” that binds all creation.

God is not only in heaven and on earth; He is also present in hell. For hell to exist, God must also exist there. Apart from Him, nothing exists.

This challenges the notion that hell is void of God’s presence. Many claim, “God will not force you to be where He is, so the only place left for you is hell.” However, this statement is unbiblical. God is present even there.

In Isaiah, we see God controlling time by turning the sun back ten degrees. Revelation further reveals that Jesus was “slain from the foundation of the world.”

How could Jesus be slain before He was slain? The answer lies in understanding that God exists outside of time. To God, everything is happening, has happened, and will happen simultaneously. While this may be beyond human comprehension, it demonstrates God’s sovereignty over time.

There is one God. While others are called “gods,” they are not equal to Him. The Bible refers to God as the “God of gods” because any power others may possess is granted by Him.

Even Satan, the most powerful of angels, has no authority apart from what God allows. Though Satan’s pride leads him to declare, “I will be like the Most High,” he forgets that all he is and all he has comes from God.

Likewise, humanity often follows Satan’s example, boasting of independence from God. Some even claim they will defy Him on Judgment Day. But they fail to realize that every cell in their body belongs to Him. Without His permission, they could not even raise their fist.

These are just a few glimpses of what the Bible teaches about God. The depths of His nature are endless, and there is always more to learn.

Perhaps you are now wondering how Jesus fits into this. If God the Father is God alone, how can Jesus also be God? Our next study will delve into the doctrine of the Trinity to answer this question.

Unit 1:15 – What Is the Trinity OR

Return To Christianity 101 Unit 1 – The Bible and Faith in God