About God

Who is God? What Does the Bible Say?

Introduction

Anthropology clearly describes humanity as life with an awareness of and hunger for the spiritual. From the most primitive cultures who worshipped parts of creation to today's psychics, spiritualists and channelers, humans have sought a relationship with the divine. In this study we will begin to examine answers to that age-old question: Who is God?

1 John 4:8 - “ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” According to the end of that verse, what is God?

1 John 4:7-16 - 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

These verses contain some very important truths. First, who are the three divine persons mentioned in these verses? Verses 9, 10, 14, 15? Verse 13?

According to those verses, why did God the Father send God the Son? According to verse 13, who was sent to abide in us?

Matthew 3:16-17 - 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

Who had just come up out of the Jordan River? Who descended like a dove? Whose voice was heard from heaven?

Matthew 28:19 - 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Who are the three persons who are to be mentioned in a baptism?

1 Corinthians 8:4-6 - 4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

Twice the point is made about how many "gods" there are. How many "gods" are there?

The mystery of God is a deep one. No human ever fully understands it. Yet the Bible does teach us enough to know that God is three distinct persons, while being only one God. The word the Christian church uses for this is “triune.” It means three-in-one.

Ephesians 2:18 - For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

What is the ultimate purpose of the three persons who make up the one God?

Psalm 19:1 - “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.”

The Bible looks at the wonder and beauty of creation and sees God's creating hand behind it. The Bible is not a book of science but a book of faith. What is the point made in Hebrews 3:4? What is the affirmation of faith in Hebrews 11:3?

Hebrews 3:4 - For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.

Hebrews 11:3 - By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

John 16:12-15 - [Jesus says,] "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

Jesus is speaking in these verses. It is the night before He died on the cross. Who did Jesus say was going to come to the disciples after He was gone? What was the Holy Spirit going to do?

Questions for thought/discussion:

1. A theologian once wrote, “If you believe in a god you can fully understand, you can be sure it isn't the true God.” What point was he trying to make?
2. If God is love, why is there so much suffering in the world? If God is love, how would he view that suffering?
3. What are the various theories about the origin of the universe? How is the biblical teaching of creation different from them? How is it similar?

Suggested further activity:

1. Ask several of your friends, “When do you feel close to God?” Discuss with them why that is.
2. For further reading. Read pages 99-115 and 144-153 of Luther's Small Catechism with Explanation, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo.

Content courtesy of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod website (www.lcms.org)