The Character &
Nature of God
Theology. What is
it? Theology is the study of God.
My wife Mary and I have been married since 1996. Through the years we have gotten to know each
other pretty well. As an example today
we were talking to someone about names.
I was apologizing to someone for having called them by a wrong
name. They were very gracious and said
that’s fine they will answer to almost anything. In stereo, Mary and I chimed “Just don’t call
you late for dinner?” Yes, we can finish
the one another’s sentences and at times thoughts. While this is true of Mary and I it will
never be true of my relationship with God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as the
Word of God clearly states in Isaiah 55:8.
We can through God’s Word the Bible begin to understand who He is and
what His nature is. I’m going to point
out an event and use a story that Jesus told to illustrate God’s character and
nature.
First, God’s desire for humanity has always been
fellowship. Please recall the events in
the Garden of Eden. God created Adam and
stayed with him until a helpmate was created in Eve. After the two were created God walked and
talked with them. You might remember
Adam knew it was God who was looking for him after he and his wife had
compromised their promise not to eat of the Tree of Life. That knowledge or realization would only have
been possible because there were other times Adam had heard God and he didn’t
run from him. God continues to desire
relationship with Him and while we won’t hear Him walking down the street we
can hear him through the pages of the Bible. Those who read the Bible and seek God
with their whole heart will find Him. In
addition, God gives the reader grace, peace, and hope as only a true and
intimate friend can.
Second, God is truth and understanding, you can call Him the
Light because lies and corruption don’t stand a chance where God is
present. God continually shows humanity
who He is with parables like the wayward son.
To summarize the son described in this story isn’t happy living at
home. His father is a man of a lot of
money. The son says, “Hey dad, I don’t
want to wait until you die to get the money you will leave me. Can you give me the money now and by the way,
I’m going to split and check out what the world has to offer.” It breaks his heart but the father gives the
son what he has asked for in both money and freedom to leave. Isn’t that God? God allows things to happen, even those
things that break His heart in order to further develop our relationship with
him. You may remember after years of
living in quote unquote freedom the wayward son returns. He know knows all the ways that the father
has loved him and he is ready to become his servant because he knows he has
failed miserably as a son. The father
rushes out of the house not letting him even get to the door and celebrates his
return. The good news is that God does
the same for those who return to him after their try at freedom. God wants to have a genuine relationship with
humanity. God knows that time outside of
his presence will bring pain and heart ache, but he also knows we will not
fully comprehend that unless we are allowed to stray. So, does God wish us all to stray in order to
have a deeper relationship with Him? No,
No, and No again I tell you.
Think about all the comforts we forgo when we choose to live
a life outside of God’s presence. Just
like the wayward son who ran out of his father’s resources and found himself broke
and without hope for his next meal, we too are broken and without hope of a
life after death without God. In
addition, we pick up mud and grime as we walk away from God. As mentioned earlier God is light and no
darkness is found in Him so God cannot allow us to be dirty in His sight. Think about it. Let’s say you just cleaned your favorite spot
whether that is your room, home, car, or office. Some who just stepped through sewer smelling
mud walks in and wants to have a conversation.
Our first response is going to be “Go was up and come back when you’re
clean.” That is God’s response as well.
If you have been reading this and know that you have been
places that God could never be and you are smelling the consequences of those
travels call out to Jesus. Jesus took
the judgment on the cross for all of humanities wayward walks from Him. Jesus is the only way back. Jesus is the path and the light that the
wayward son found to get him back to his father. Likewise we can find our way to the Heavenly Father
through Jesus sacrifice on the cross and the teachings that are found in the
Bible.
In conclusion God is a gentleman. He will allow us to make mistakes and He is
willing to take us back when we are ready to commit to him completely. Just as the wayward son was ready to live in
the riches of his father’s house and disown all of the traps of his life
outside of the home when we come to God ready to live in His house under His guidance
(the Bible), and forget about all the other traps this world has to offer then
relationship is restored. The great news
of the Gospel is that we return to fellowship in this life but also in the one
to come.
Not convinced? Please
I urge you to take time to do Theology.
Spend time reading God’s Word the Bible and talking to Him via
prayer. It is something all of us
including this writer can do more of in order to take full comfort in the
relationship I have with God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
