What’s the Truth about God?
Who is God? What’s the truth about Him? Many people have asked this question.
With so many opinions, how is anyone able to figure out what the truth is since we have not spoken with or seen God? The reason we have not spoken with or seen God is that we are spiritually dead and God is holy.
Jesus is God
We read this in John 5:25, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.”
In so many words, the only way man could find out who God is would be if God became a Man. In the above-mentioned verse, Jesus uses the title Son of God as a way to communicate the truth. And that He is the only one that has seen and spoken with God and was God Himself.
God the Son who is from all eternity had the right to grant life. The distinction involves Jesus’ deity versus His incarnation. In becoming a man, Jesus voluntarily set aside the independent exercise of His divine attributes and prerogatives (Philippians 2:6-11).
Jesus here affirmed that even in His humanity, the Father granted Him the “life-giving” power, i.e, the power of resurrection.
The truth about Jesus being God is confirmed by John 1:1, 14. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
These verses further elaborate on the fact that all of reality was spoken into existence by the Word.
The Word Created Everything
The Word had all the essence or attributes of a deity. Jesus the Messiah was fully God and He was the Father’s agent involved in creating everything in the universe (Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:2), including you and I.
While Christ as God was uncreated and eternal, the word “became” emphasizes Christ’s taking on humanity (John 1:14). This indicates that the infinite became finite and the eternal was conformed to time. The invisible God became visible and the supernatural One reduced Himself to the natural.
Since we were created by the Word, wouldn’t that mean we are accountable to Him? John 1:14 is saying that Jesus, who is God, became Man: the only begotten Son of God became the Son of Man. Why would the God of the universe become a Man?
John 3:16 gives us the reason why. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
The Supreme Love of God
The Son’s mission is bound up in the supreme love of God for the evil, sinful world of humanity that is in rebellion against Him. The word “so” emphasizes the intensity or greatness of His love. The Father gave His unique and beloved Son to die on behalf of sinful men (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Because of rebellion, man became the enemy of God. But through the work of Christ on the cross, He brought man and God together again. God has been reconciled with man and has turned His face in love toward the lost world
Since God loves us and our sin has already condemned us, Jesus did not need to condemn us. We need salvation from our own sinful choices and attitudes. No matter how righteous anyone thinks they are, they are nothing compared to God, since we all have broken God’s law.
God Redeemed Sinful Man
Lust is adultery to God. Little white lies are still lies to God. Stealing is still wrong to God. Hatred is the same as murder to God. Being fanatical toward anything other than God is idolatry. All of these and many more are sins toward God.
In spite of all of our sins, Jesus came to save us and clean us up so that we could spend eternity with Him. Jesus loves everyone enough He does not want anyone to go to hell and be separated from Him for eternity. He loves us so much that He suffered, died, and rose again so that we would have a way to become right with God.
Christ died that we might die and He died that we might live. But He also died so that we might share in the new creation. Our new relationship with Christ has brought about a new relationship with the world and the people around us.
Jesus is the Truth of God
Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
This is the sixth “I am” statement of Jesus in John (see John 6:35; 8:12; 10:7, 9; 10:11, 14; 11:25; 15:1, 5).In response to Thomas’ query, Jesus declared that He is the way to God because He is the truth of God and the life of God.
In this verse, the exclusiveness of Jesus as the only approach to the Father is emphatic. Only one way, not many ways, exist to God, i.e, Jesus Christ (John 10:7-9; Matthew 7:13-14; Luke 13:24; Acts 4:12).
Conclusion
Then the question is, do you believe the truth about God? Do you believe that God became a Man, died, and rose again? God did all these to save you from the punishment of your own sinful choices so you could know who He is. God desires to change you and be right with Him.
The Bible tells us in John 3:17-18, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned. But he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
If you sincerely believe these passages, talk to God about it. Repent of your sin and ask for forgiveness offered through the finished work of Jesus Christ and you will be saved.
Strive to know the real truth about God and live every day to please Him.
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Recommended Resource:
Knowing God by J. I. Packer
For over 40 years, J. I. Packer’s classic has been an important tool to help Christians around the world discover the wonder, the glory, and the joy of knowing God.
In 2006, Christianity Today voted this title one of the top 50 books that have shaped evangelicals, and this 20th-anniversary edition is updated with Americanized language and spelling, and a new preface by the author.
Stemming from Packer’s profound theological knowledge, Knowing God brings together two important facets of the Christian faith― knowing about God and also knowing God through the context of a close relationship with the person of Jesus Christ.
Written in an engaging and practical tone, this thought-provoking work seeks to transform and enrich the Christian understanding of God.
Explaining both who God is and how we can relate to him, Packer divides his book into three sections: The first directs our attention to how and why we know God, the second to the attributes of God, and the third to the benefits enjoyed by a those who know him intimately.
This guide leads readers to a greater understanding of God while providing advice to gain a closer relationship with him as a result.