What is the nature of God?

[legoman]

Hi all,

This is my homework assignment from RoadWarrior

What is the nature of God? What are some of the verses and scriptures that we can learn about who God is?

For me, I think its all summed up by "God is Love" 1 John 4:16. So, if we know what Love is, we know what God is. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us what love is:

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.

These are all attributes of God.

Roadwarrior suggested this verse in another thread:

Jeremiah 9: 24 but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,"
declares the LORD.

This is showing God exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness. This fits perfectly with 1 Corinthians.

Another important attribute of God is that he never changes... this is being discussed in the "Does God change his mind" thread. Malachi 3:6 and numbers 23:19 are pretty clear in that God does not change.

This then gives us the confidence that God's love will not change. God is love, so he is patient, kind, protecting, and never failing. And he will never change from this. He will always be loving and patient. And he will never fail.


Cheers,
Legoman

[SIG]

You want us to help you do your HOMEWORK? I'M TELLING TEACHER!!

[RoadWarrior]

An excellent beginning. I'll give you another tip. What did Hagar learn about the character of God?

[RoadWarrior]

Hey, Sig! This homework is for all students who are seeking to get an A in this class.

[SIG]

Hey, Sig! This homework is for all students who are seeking to get an A in this class.

oh.........so I'll let someone else do mine for me:

http://www.preceptaustin.org/attributes_of_God.htm

[RoadWarrior]

oh.........so I'll let someone else do mine for me:

http://www.preceptaustin.org/attributes_of_God.htm

Nope. That doesn't count. You have to dig it out of the scriptures for yourself. Come on now, it isn't hard. There is no greater joy in Bible Study than learning for yourself the truths about God.

[crossnote]

Hi all,

This is my homework assignment from RoadWarrior

What is the nature of God? What are some of the verses and scriptures that we can learn about who God is?

For me, I think its all summed up by "God is Love" 1 John 4:16. So, if we know what Love is, we know what God is. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us what love is:

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.

These are all attributes of God.

Roadwarrior suggested this verse in another thread:

Jeremiah 9: 24 but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,"
declares the LORD.

This is showing God exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness. This fits perfectly with 1 Corinthians.

Another important attribute of God is that he never changes... this is being discussed in the "Does God change his mind" thread. Malachi 3:6 and numbers 23:19 are pretty clear in that God does not change.

This then gives us the confidence that God's love will not change. God is love, so he is patient, kind, protecting, and never failing. And he will never change from this. He will always be loving and patient. And he will never fail.


Cheers,
Legoman

It shouldn't be forgotten though that a light shines brightest in the dark. There is a 'dark' side of God's attributes apart from which His love can be kind of drippy. God is just...and will not let sin go unpunished. Against this backdrop Christ bore the wrath due our sins; He suffered the hell we deserved etc., thus accentuating His love. His justice and His love should never be separated lest His work at Calvary be forgotten.

[SIG]

Psa 103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, {bless} His holy name.
Psa 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;
Psa 103:3 Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases
Psa 103:4 Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
Psa 103:5 Who satisfies your years with good things, {So that} your youth is renewed like the eagle.
Psa 103:6 The LORD performs righteous deeds And judgments for all who are oppressed.
Psa 103:7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel.
Psa 103:8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
Psa 103:9 He will not always strive {with us,} Nor will He keep {His anger} forever.
Psa 103:10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
Psa 103:11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
Psa 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Psa 103:13 Just as a father has compassion on {his} children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psa 103:14 For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are {but} dust.
Psa 103:15 As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
Psa 103:16 When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer.
Psa 103:17 But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children,
Psa 103:18 To those who keep His covenant And remember His precepts to do them.
Psa 103:19 The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.
Psa 103:20 Bless the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word!
Psa 103:21 Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will.
Psa 103:22 Bless the LORD, all you works of His, In all places of His dominion; Bless the LORD, O my soul!

[RoadWarrior]

Much better, Sig. Excellent, in fact.

Oh, and I'm still waiting to see what someone has learned from Hagar. Do you know who she was? The mother of Ishmael, and servant to Abraham's wife Sarah?

[Duane Morse]

Hi all,

This is my homework assignment from RoadWarrior

What is the nature of God? What are some of the verses and scriptures that we can learn about who God is?

For me, I think its all summed up by "God is Love" 1 John 4:16. So, if we know what Love is, we know what God is. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us what love is:

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.

These are all attributes of God.

Roadwarrior suggested this verse in another thread:

Jeremiah 9: 24 but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,"
declares the LORD.

This is showing God exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness. This fits perfectly with 1 Corinthians.

Another important attribute of God is that he never changes... this is being discussed in the "Does God change his mind" thread. Malachi 3:6 and numbers 23:19 are pretty clear in that God does not change.

This then gives us the confidence that God's love will not change. God is love, so he is patient, kind, protecting, and never failing. And he will never change from this. He will always be loving and patient. And he will never fail.


Cheers,
Legoman

it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

God does keep a record of wrongs (there are other books opened at the end, other than the Book of Life).
Re 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

God is easily angered, over any sin.

God is self-seeking, in that He advances His own ends - and to His ultimate end.




Personally, the more I have tried to follow Him, the more I have been let down.
I am 52 years old now. And it has only gotten worse over time.
I feel used, and to be discarded as dross at the end.


God has more attributes than your narrow-minded view affords.
Here is one:
Isaiah 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

He does all this, for His own good pleasure. (look it up)
And that includes creating darkness and evil - and therefor, the inevitabilty of sin.

[legoman]

it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

God does keep a record of wrongs (there are other books opened at the end, other than the Book of Life).
Re 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

God is easily angered, over any sin.

God is self-seeking, in that He advances His own ends - and to His ultimate end.




Personally, the more I have tried to follow Him, the more I have been let down.
I am 52 years old now. And it has only gotten worse over time.
I feel used, and to be discarded as dross at the end.


God has more attributes than your narrow-minded view affords.
Here is one:
Isaiah 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

He does all this, for His own good pleasure. (look it up)
And that includes creating darkness and evil - and therefor, the inevitabilty of sin.

Hi Duane,

"Narrow-minded?" I didn't mean to imply that's all God is... God is much to big to ever fully comprehend.

In fact that was just part A of my homework I see others have jumped in though. Do I get to cheat off their notes RoadWarrior?

But as in the OP, it all starts with Love. Yes, God is love - but I guess you have a slightly different view.

Here as I see it is what we know for sure:

1. God is Love
2. God is Sovereign (All-powerful)
3. God is All-knowing
4. God is Just
AND
5. God has a master plan.

Point 5 ties it all together and is what affects us most directly. Oh, and yes I am quite familiar with Isaiah 45:7. Its all part of the master plan.

(I'm still looking into Hagar RoadWarrior)

Cheers,
Legoman

[Duane Morse]

Poor choice of words on my part, sorry.
But you can not discount other things like being jealous, wrathfull, vengefull.

[Coptichristian]

legoman,

Look into the doctrine of divine simplicity. Good stuff!

God's essential attributes are equally at work in all that He does. Thus, His justice and his love, for example, are interdependent. What do you think?

[RoadWarrior]

Gentlemen:

Please, use scriptures to point to why you believe a specific attribute of God.

The goal is not to just talk off the top of our heads, or use that which we have been taught by man.

The goal is to look into the Word and see what God has told us about Himself.

If you need more directions on Hagar, here is another tip. Read her story in Genesis chapter 16. Remember you are looking specifically for what she discovered about the character of God.

[legoman]

Good point RoadWarrior. I gotta run for now, but I will probably post again tomorrow with more scriptures for reference. And I've started reading through Genesis 16...

Good night all,
Legoman