Q. 4 // What is God?
A // God is a Spirit[a], infinite[b], eternal[c], and unchangeable[d] in his being[e], wisdom[f], power[g], holiness[h], justice[i], goodness[j], and truth[k].
[a]. Deu 4:15-19; Luk 24:39; John 1:18; John 4:24; Acts 17:29
[b]1 Ki 8:27; Psa 139:7-10; Psa 145:3; Psa 147:5; Jer 23:24; Rom 11:33-36
[c]. Deu 33:27; Psa 90:2; Psa 102:12; Psa 102:24-27; Rev 1:4; Rev 1:8
[d]. Psa 33:11; Mal 3:6; Heb 1:12; Heb 6:17-18; Heb 13:8; Jam 1:17
[e]. Exo 3:14; Psa 115:2-3; 1 Tim 1:17; 1 Tim 6:15-16
[f]. Psa 104:24; Rom 11:33-34; Heb 4:13; 1 John 3:20
[g]. Gen 17:1; Psa 62:11; Jer 32:17; Mat 19:26; Rev 1:8
[h]. Heb 1:13; 1 Pet 1:15-16; 1 John 3:3; 1 John 3:5; Rev 15:4
[i]. Gen 18:25; Exo 34:6-7; Deu 32:4; Psa 96:13; Rom 3:5; Rom 3:26
[j]. Psa 103:5; Psa 107:8; Mat 19:17; Rom 2:4
[k]. Exo 34:6; Deu 32:4; Psa 86:15 vs Psa 117:2; Heb 6:18
As we have seen, the world was created to reveal God to us, but He communicates His attributes in different ways. Some aspects of His character are experienced: we see His power in the operation of the world. Some of His attributes are exist in people (created in His image): our desire for justice reveals a source of morality. Some of His characteristics are beyond our ability to ‘know’ and must be revealed to us in Scripture: we can’t verify God’s eternality, because we were not there before the beginning. All of these attributes work together to form for us a picture of God.
In all of these things, it is only though imagination that we can truly appreciate God. He is a Spirit, so His definition is not pinned down like the material world is. He is holy, which means that though we can understand portions of His characteristics, the ways in which He manifests these things is significantly greater than we can imagine. The good news is: He doesn’t expect us to have it all figured out. This life is not about getting it all, but it is about the search. Having an idea of who God is gives us the framework to look for Him in His creation, especially in other people. We have a whole life to imagine God’s goodness by investigating the clues He left behind for us.