The Character and Nature of God

Some people see the Bible as a “to do” book. Others see it as an “owner’s manual,” “playbook” or “road map.” There are countless ways to see the Bible. One of the primary purposes of God giving people the “Bible” is to reveal Himself to us. It is impossible for God to reveal everything to us. We would have to be like God to comprehend everything about God. There are a few things we can know about God. There is an unlimited number of things we cannot know about God. God proclaimed, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, … And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT) We can only know about God is only what we can comprehend. He only revealed to us what we are capable of comprehending. Why reveal to us what we could never comprehend? That would make no sense. Bible teacher A. W. Tozer said: “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” (The Knowledge of the Holy) C.S. Lewis saw things slightly different. “I read in a periodical the other day that the fundamental thing is how we think of God. … By God Himself, it is not! How God thinks of us is not only more important, but infinitely more important.” (“The Weight of Glory”) Joy Dawson is one of my all-time favorite Bible teachers. I can still see her and hear her voice as she used adjective after adjective to describe God’s infinite character and nature. “When we see Him face-to-face in all His awesome holiness and blazing glory, it will seem incredible to us that we ever had a casual thought in relation to Him.” Joy Dawson The character and nature of God is something that deeply interests and enthralls me. In the weeks ahead, I will describe some of God's revealed character traits. I hope your understanding of God’s character will grow and along with mine and we will leave behind every “casual thought in relation to Him.”

Love God and Love Your Neighbor

One day, a teacher of the religious law challenged Jesus, which was the “most important,” commandment. Jesus answered the teacher, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38 (NLT) He expanded on the topic, saying, “Equally significant is the commandment to ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:39 (NLT) Jesus tied the two commandments together. The two he made of equal importance. Loving God and loving your neighbor became the “Prime Directive” for every follower of Jesus. A disciple of Jesus isn’t truly loving God with all their heart, soul, and mind if they don’t love their neighbor. A person can love their neighbor without loving God, but they can’t love God without loving their neighbor. In Leviticus 19:18 (NLT), God commanded the Israelites to “love your neighbor as yourself.” JESUS QUOTED THIS MORE THAN ANY OTHER OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE. From the commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” comes the Golden Rule “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” Matthew 7:12. Jesus referenced “love your neighbor” so often that his brother James refers to it as the “royal Law.” People often ask, “What’s God’s will for my life?” Another way to state the question is, “What’s my purpose in life?” The specifics of those questions are different for every disciple. But the general answer could not be clearer. Love God and Love your neighbor. That’s God’s will. That’s God’s purpose. Jesus’ mother Mary told the first few disciples who were with them at the wedding in Cana where Jesus turned water into wine, “Do whatever He tells you.” John 2:5 (NLT) Do whatever He tells you. What has He told his disciple to do? Love your neighbor as yourself. Let’s do it.