
Who Is God?
The video for this week's session:
https://app.rightnowmedia.org/en/player/video/860452?session=871155&position=0
Francis shared that, when he became a Christian at 14, there were many things about God he did not understand. But he has come to grasp that God’s Word leads to life and that following God gives us the life he always designed for us. When did you first come to believe in Christ as the Son of God? How have you grown in your faith since that time?
Before we can know how to follow God, we must know him. And God has revealed himself most completely through Scripture. Whatever we think about him must align with the Bible’s revelation of him rather than people’s opinions. What have you heard about God from the world around you? To what extent do the opinions you hear correspond to the Bible’s teaching? How comfortable are you with the idea that the truth about God comes from the Bible?
Francis mentioned how the creation story shows the vast difference between God and us. Read Genesis 1:1–5, 9–11, 14, 20, 24, 26–27; 2:7. In these verses, we see glimpses of God’s creative power and design in making the Earth and its inhabitants. He finished by creating humanity from the dust, yet in his image, to be rulers over the world he had just made. How would you describe God’s power in comparison to our human abilities? In what ways is he not like us?
Ancient Voices: The Apostles’ Creed
In the early church, leaders came together to craft specific wording that reflected the truths about God found in Scripture that would help believers identify false teaching when they heard it. These creeds were memorized and repeated in community and became unifying elements for the church.
The Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born from the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day rose again;
he ascended to heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
Francis cited Romans 11:33–36, elaborating on how God’s thoughts are so far beyond ours. We also hear of God’s power and majesty when he spoke dramatically to an exhausted Job, the faithful man who had endured terrible suffering. Read Job 38:1–11, 25–27. After listening to Job and his friends debate his character and motivations, God responded “from the whirlwind” (Job 38:1) with rhetorical questions pointing to the vast difference between himself and humanity. What possible answer could Job give God after this series of questions? What posture does God expect us to have when we think or talk about ourselves in relation to him?
Read Job 38:31–36. Here, God illustrates to Job that his creative power extends to the highest heavens. Whenever we stargaze or see brilliant telescopic images from deep within the universe, the sky reminds us that we are so very small, and he is so very big. He creates all things, while we are among the created. Does considering God’s creative power bring comfort or fear, or some other emotion? In what ways does reflecting on the vastness of creation help you better understand God’s power?
Job finally had a chance to respond to God’s speech. Read Job 42:1–6. Having been confronted with God’s true power, he acknowledged how little he had understood. He repented, apologized, and humbled himself. Job’s story is also meant to help us know God better and respond to him in humility. What stands out to you in Job’s response? Why? What circumstances, if any, have brought you to a similar place of humility before God?
As one who can speak matter into existence from nothing, God is intrinsically different from humans, who are made of the matter God created. He exists eternally, outside of time, while we are mortal with beginnings and endings. As Francis said, “The difference between him and us is massive.” We describe his difference from us as “holy,” or being set apart from everything else. To illustrate: In our homes, we often set meaningful items apart from everyday items. How do you handle fine china, expensive jewelry, or sentimental objects handed down from generations past? In what ways does your treatment of special items differ from the way you treat everyday things? Since God is holy, or set apart from us, in a much more consequential way, how can we keep his holiness in mind as we speak of, interact with, and think about him?
God’s holiness includes many characteristics that make him different and high above us in every way. Read Exodus 34:6–7. In this first recorded instance of God describing himself, he leads with his compassion and grace. He was already known as the powerful creator, and he wanted his people to know of his “faithful love and truth.” When you first read God’s self-description, what was your reaction? In what ways does your understanding of God’s character adjust after reading his own words about himself?
To help you remember God’s self-definition, see Practice 1 in the Deeper Walk section at the end of this session.
God also used words like “maintaining love”—as Francis said, God’s not wishy-washy. He is faithful to love us as he says he would, to be consistently who he says he is. Such steadfast character highlights a big difference between him and us, for we are changeable, wavering, and often disloyal. Because God is steadfast, he is trustworthy. His love never fails. In what ways does God’s steadfastness affect your trust in him? Do you trust his love for you? Why, or why not?
For an exercise focused on praying to God, see Practice 2 in the Deeper Walk section at the end of this session.
An important note to include here is that, when we talk of God, we mean the Trinitarian God revealed in Scripture. God is Trinity: One eternal, divine essence equal in glory and power yet three in person—the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Spirit. While the Bible does not use the word Trinity, it bears witness to the three-person God in several places. See Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:13 for examples. We will explore the Trinity in more depth in future sessions. Have you heard of the Trinity before? How has it been explained to you? What questions do you have about the definition given here?
Ancient Voices: Augustine
The church fathers also help us clarify our understanding of God. For example, St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (354–430) said:
“The Trinity, one God, of whom are all things, through whom are all things, in whom are all things. Thus the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and each of these by Himself, is God, and at the same time they are all one God; and each of them by Himself is a complete substance, and yet they are all one substance.”
(On Christian Doctrine, Book 1, Ch. 5.5)
Knowing the depth of God’s love and capacity for forgiveness might cause us to assume we can act however we wish. But God is also just, a judge of all that is unrighteous. Read Romans 2:4–6. The apostle Paul warns his readers not to presume upon God’s kindness but to remember that God will not let evil go unanswered. In what ways do you appreciate God’s justice? Do you find it difficult or easy to believe that God’s justice and love complement one another? How does knowing that God is just affect the way you deal with evil?
All of God’s character qualities are wrapped up in his goodness. In his kindness to forgive, he is good. In his desire and ability to see wrongs made right, he is good. In the way he reveals himself to us, he is good. Read Psalm 145:3–9. What qualities of God is the psalmist praising? How has God shown his goodness to his people? As you consider your life, which circumstances would you include as you praise God for his work?
Francis ended with a reminder that we call the Bible “good news” because it explains how God is merciful and good to us despite our sin against him. He loves us and wants to know us. Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes . . .” The word translated “gospel” means “good news”—it brings life, salvation, to all who believe it. Francis said at the beginning of the session that the message of the Bible would lead us to life—knowing and following our good God. What did you learn about God’s character in this session that stands out to you? If you are a Christian, how can reflecting on God’s character impact your everyday life?
Last Word
Francis introduced a complex yet crucial topic to start our series, helping us know who God is. Though far beyond understanding completely, we know our Trinitarian God is infinite and holy. He has revealed himself to us through his Word, the Bible. In it, we learn how he demonstrated his almighty power through creating and sustaining the world and all that is in it. He assures us of his goodness, mercy, and love, and his perfect sense of justice, which will not allow wrongdoing to flourish. The good news of God’s grace is that he wants to know us and be known by us. And the more we know him, the more we will worship him. Let’s prioritize time reading his Word regularly so we can continue to know him better. The Deeper Walk section offers several ideas for applying what you learned in today’s session.
SESSION’S QUESTION AND ANSWER
Who is God?
God is the eternal divine Trinity, having unity in substance, glory, and power, yet three in Person—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As our creator and redeemer, he has revealed himself to be perfectly good, righteous, just, and loving.
Deeper Walk
This section is designed to help you practice different ways to interact with God and reflect on what you’ve learned in this session. Pick at least one activity to try before the next session.
Practice 1: Memorization
Memorize Exodus 34:6, “The Lord—the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth. . .”
Practice 2: Prayer
Prayer is just talking to God and listening for his response. Set aside a few minutes each day to focus your attention on him. Some prayers focus on praise and thanksgiving, acknowledging his goodness and his work in your life. Other times you will need to confess unrighteous behaviors and attitudes, confident of his forgiveness. God also welcomes your prayers seeking his help for yourself and others’ needs.
Practice 3: Worship
The next time you are in a church service, let the hymns and worship songs lead you to praise God for his goodness and love. Worship him as your creator and judge who desires abundant life for you.
Practice 4: Conversation
Discuss with a friend or family member what you’re learning about the characteristics of God. Let the conversation be exploratory, not attempting to argue an opinion. Perhaps reference some of the Bible passages covered in the session, such as Psalm 145:3–9.
Practice 5: Community
As a group, list out different characteristics of God using the following passages (and any others you may think of).
Job 11:7–8
Isaiah 40:28
Genesis 18:14
Daniel 4:35
Jeremiah 23:23–24
Psalm 139:7–12
James 1:17
1 Peter 1:15–16
1 John 1:9
Ephesians 2:4–5
1 John 4:8