God of the Bible (2)

His Character

In the first part of this lesson we considered the personality of the God of the Bible. We saw Him as the Creator of heavens and the earth, and all that are in them. He is the one God Who eternally exists in Three Persons: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This doctrine of Trinity is foundational to the Christian faith and failure to accept the deity of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit would mean separation from God’s kingdom and of His Christ.

In today’s lesson, we shall consider just three of God’s communicable attributes – His Holiness; His Love and His Justice (Righteousness). Communicable attributes of God are those attributes that God shares with us and desires to see in us His children.

i. His Holiness
God’s holiness is His principal and supreme character. His holiness means that He is separated from sin and devoted to seeking His own honour and glory (John 17:1). Everything that describes God is associated to His holiness: holy place; most holy place (holy of holies); the place where God dwells is holy (Psalm 24:3); the angels in heaven all cry Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD of Hosts (Isaiah 6:3). The Third Person in Trinity is called the Holy Spirit. He is described as the Holy One of Israel (Psalm 71:22; 89:18).

God’s holiness provides the pattern for us to imitate. He says “Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.” (Lev 19:2; 1 Pet 1:16). We are called by God to be separate from the world, sin and evil and be entirely devoted to God (Ex 19:4-6). As New covenant believers we have to make every effort for ….. holiness, without which no man will see the Lord (Heb 12:14).

God’s intention for the church is for her to grow “into a holy temple in the Lord” Eph 2:21. Christ’s present work for the church is to make her holy and without blemish (Eph 5:27).

ii. His Love
The Bible in 1 John 4:7&8 declares that “God is love”. This means that love is the very nature of God. His love towards us is manifested in the sending of His only begotten Son into the world to die for us in order for us to live through Him (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9; Rom 5:. The atonement proceeds from God’s loving heart and was not something forced on Him (1 John 4:10; Rom 8:32). God expects that when His children respond to Him for His love (Deut 6:5; 1 John 4:19), they will come to know and enjoy Him in a covenant relationship.

True obedience to God and His commandments is possible only when it springs from faith in and love for God (Deut 7:9; John 14:15; 15:10). In addition to our love for God, our Lord Jesus expects us to love our neighbours, including our enemies (Mat 22:39; 1 John 4:7; Mat 5:44). We are expected to love all true born-again Christians in a special way (John 13:34; Gal 6:10). Nevertheless, our practise for love for all people must never compromise the supremacy of our love for God and the righteous standards of His Word.

iii. His Justice (Righteousness)
God’s justice and righteousness in both the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament have the same meaning. God’s righteousness or justice means that God will always do what is right and is Himself the final standard of what is right. This simply means that anything God does or says are right and will forever be right. It is part of God’s justice to judge sin and reward righteousness.

There are three ways God punishes sin. The first is by allowing the sinner to continue in sin without inhibition (Rom 1:24-32). This situation can be regarded as a state of abandonment by God to allow people continue to sin without control (Rom 1:24, 28). One of the signs that indicates that a society or people have been abandoned by God is through their obsession with sexual immorality and perversions such as homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality etc. If one feels unperturbed by continual sinful acts, then it is a sign that God’s judgement has begun. This is the first way God punishes sin. It’s like saying “is it sin you want? Sin you shall get.”

The second way God punishes sin is when God allows the unrighteous to continue in his/her sin in order to accelerate His judgement upon the sinner: which in most times is very sudden (Mat 24:37-39; Gen 19:13, 24-25). This suddenness can be likened to when Samson told Delilah the source of his strength but never knew that God had departed from him (Jud 16:20). Samson’s case should serve as a warning to ministers who think that they can live a sinful life and at the same time serve on the Lord’s Table. There is nowhere in the Bible where God warned Samson about his sinful and compromising lifestyle. It was a sudden judgement. So also will God’s judgement fall suddenly on any minister who continually indulge in a life of sin and wickedness. Remember that to whom much is given much is expected (Luke 12:48).

When God allows unrighteousness to continue to the point of sudden judgement, it usually leads to eternity in hell fire. On the other hand, God may allow sin to continue in order for man to see the need for salvation made available through the His Son Jesus Christ (Rom 2:4). Christ by submitting to His Father’s will to be crucified on the cross for the sins of man is God’s third way of judging sin. Whosoever submits to this way made available by God in His Son will not die but shall be translated from death to life (John 3:16, 18; 5:24; 6:40, 47; 8:51).

From the foregoing, we see that God of the Bible is holy and desire that those who say they belong to Him live holy lives. He is love and wants us to love Him with all our heart, our soul and might (Deut 6:5). He expects that we love our neighbours as we love ourselves (Mark 12:31). He is a God of justice and will always judge rightly. He will definitely judge sin and reward righteous living (2 Cor 5:10 – 11). He is the final standard whereby right or wrong is measured. Right or wrong is never considered by the measurement gauge of the society or by political correctness nor is it measured by the contemporary lifestyle. God’s standard for right or wrong; righteousness or wickedness; etc are all is in His Holy Book – the Holy Bible.

Having seen all these, you may wish to ask yourself “which God am I serving?” If your own God does not believe in the deity of Christ and the Holy Spirit, then that is not the true God. If your God does not frown at sin and wickedness, but permits it as long as you come to church, give your offering and pay your tithe, then that is definitely not God of the Bible. It is only through obedience to the God of the Bible that confidently say that he or she is serving the true God.

Till we meet again on this platform, remain blessed in JESUS’ name, Amen.


If you have not given your life to the Lord Jesus Christ but desire to do so, please do the following for you to commit yourself to the Lord.

A - Acknowledge that you are a sinner and has fallen short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23).
B - Believe that the blood of Jesus Christ is able to cleanse you from all unrighteousness and redeem you from all iniquity and purify you unto Himself (Romans 4:25; Galatians 1:4; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 9:14).
C - Confess your sins to God and ask for His forgiveness. Invite Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, while asking His Holy Spirit to come into you (1 John 1:8-9; Psalm 32:5; John20:22).
D - Ask the Lord for deliverance from sin and grace to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts. But to live soberly and righteously in this world because as He Who has called is holy so you have to be holy (John 1:12-13; Titus 2:11-12; Ephesians 1:4; Ephesians 4:24; 1 Peter 1: 14-16).

oludyke: God of the Bible (2)

His Character

In the first part of this lesson we considered the personality of the God of the Bible. We saw Him as the Creator of heavens and the earth, and all that are in them.

Correct

He is the one God Who eternally exists in Three Persons: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This doctrine of Trinity is foundational to the Christian faith and failure to accept the deity of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit would mean separation from God’s kingdom and of His Christ.

FALSE !

Show me scripture that says if we reject the Trinity we are seperated from the Kingdom of GOD, I actually thought it was SIN that separated us from GOD,hmmm.