The Personality of God
I have a dear brother in Christ named Shane who told a group of men “God loves us ‘just as I am’, but loves us enough not to let us stay ‘just as I am’”. Amen! Brother Shane hit the nail on the head.
The main purpose in the study and discipline of systematic theology (ST) is to get to know God and learn to enjoy Him even forever. This indeed is the call to every Christian. Here at The Earnest Contender Blog we have been visiting Theology Proper, The Doctrine of God (Primarily God the Father). Have you ever noticed how children tend to take on certain characteristics of their parents? They develop the same mannerisms, the same musical tastes (at least for awhile) and even the same accent and deflections in their voices. I find that interesting. On a similar note I have heard that children tend to get their ideas about God by their earthly father. If their earthly father is a loving man, children will view God as loving. If he is angry they will view God as angry. If he is involved in their lives they will view God as involved. If he is a funny man, then God may be viewed as having a good sense of humor. If he is a serious person, then God must be serious. Absent, then absent, etc. Thank God we have the Bible that can correct our thinking about fathers. We can gain a proper view of fathers in the Bible and more important a proper view of our heavenly Father.
There are two goals in Systematic Theology. One is that we discover Orthodoxy (i.e. the right teaching). The second is that we apply Orthodoxy this is called Orthopraxis (i.e. right practice or living). I hope that as we get closer to the Lord we will become more like Him. What is God like? I have linked the Scriptures below so one may discover from the Word of God, that these thoughts are not just some nice ideas originating with man, click and see.
The Personality of God
We are created in the image of God. Therefore, there is a similarity between God and man (see Gen. 1:26,27). What about the ability to think, reason? What about emotions crying, laughing? What about making decisions and acting upon them?
Similarity is not in the material, but in the immaterial realm because “God is Spirit...” (John 4:24 cf. Luke 24:39). However, God does express Himself by use of anthropomorphisms. Anthropomorphism means the characteristics of God that are stated in terms of human elements.
Some examples of anthropomorphisms are:
Mouth... Isaiah 1:20
Nostrils... 2Sam. 22:9
Back... Exodus 33:23
Hands... Ex. 33:22; Isaiah 65:2
Arms... Deuteronomy 33:27
Ears... Isaiah 59:1
Eyes... 2Chronicles 16:9; Psalm 11:4, 34:15
Face... Exodus 33:11 and
Feet... Isaiah 66:1
Did I miss anything? Let me know when you leave a comment.
Although God is Spirit He can do these things that are the physical part of man without possessing the physical extremity (Ps.94:9).
What Constitutes Personality?
There are three tests, or three elements of personality. Intellect, emotion, and will.
Intellect is the ability to reason or understand.
Emotion, is all about feelings.
The will, is the power of making a reasoned choice or of controlling one's own actions.
Proof of Intellect includes the following Scriptures,
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. (Ps. 147:5)
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Is. 1:18)
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. (Acts 15:18)
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Ro. 11:33)
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Heb. 4:13)
Needless to say not only does God possess intellect, but His intellect is far superior to any of ours.
Proof of Emotion includes,
And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. (Gen. 6:6)
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; (Ex. 20:5)
(For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth. (Deut. 6:15)
And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice... (1Kings 11:9)
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. (Ps. 103:8-11)
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: (Pr. 6:16)
Do not these verses express emotion?
Proof that God possesses a Will includes,
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Gen. 1:26)
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. (Gen. 3:15-16)
But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. (Ps. 115:3)
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (Is. 46:10)
And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? (Dan. 4:35)
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2Pet. 3:9)
I hope this brief study has exposed us, to some extent, to the personality of God. If we can gain a proper view of our heavenly Father perhaps we can begin to take on godly characteristics and become the children, fathers, mothers, husbands, and wives, the people God desires us to become. Brother Shane reminded me, “God loves us ‘just as I am’, but loves us enough not to let us stay ‘just as I am.’”
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (Philippians 2:13-15)
Stay salty,
Brother John
The main purpose in the study and discipline of systematic theology (ST) is to get to know God and learn to enjoy Him even forever. This indeed is the call to every Christian. Here at The Earnest Contender Blog we have been visiting Theology Proper, The Doctrine of God (Primarily God the Father). Have you ever noticed how children tend to take on certain characteristics of their parents? They develop the same mannerisms, the same musical tastes (at least for awhile) and even the same accent and deflections in their voices. I find that interesting. On a similar note I have heard that children tend to get their ideas about God by their earthly father. If their earthly father is a loving man, children will view God as loving. If he is angry they will view God as angry. If he is involved in their lives they will view God as involved. If he is a funny man, then God may be viewed as having a good sense of humor. If he is a serious person, then God must be serious. Absent, then absent, etc. Thank God we have the Bible that can correct our thinking about fathers. We can gain a proper view of fathers in the Bible and more important a proper view of our heavenly Father.
There are two goals in Systematic Theology. One is that we discover Orthodoxy (i.e. the right teaching). The second is that we apply Orthodoxy this is called Orthopraxis (i.e. right practice or living). I hope that as we get closer to the Lord we will become more like Him. What is God like? I have linked the Scriptures below so one may discover from the Word of God, that these thoughts are not just some nice ideas originating with man, click and see.
The Personality of God
We are created in the image of God. Therefore, there is a similarity between God and man (see Gen. 1:26,27). What about the ability to think, reason? What about emotions crying, laughing? What about making decisions and acting upon them?
Similarity is not in the material, but in the immaterial realm because “God is Spirit...” (John 4:24 cf. Luke 24:39). However, God does express Himself by use of anthropomorphisms. Anthropomorphism means the characteristics of God that are stated in terms of human elements.
Some examples of anthropomorphisms are:
Mouth... Isaiah 1:20
Nostrils... 2Sam. 22:9
Back... Exodus 33:23
Hands... Ex. 33:22; Isaiah 65:2
Arms... Deuteronomy 33:27
Ears... Isaiah 59:1
Eyes... 2Chronicles 16:9; Psalm 11:4, 34:15
Face... Exodus 33:11 and
Feet... Isaiah 66:1
Did I miss anything? Let me know when you leave a comment.
Although God is Spirit He can do these things that are the physical part of man without possessing the physical extremity (Ps.94:9).
What Constitutes Personality?
There are three tests, or three elements of personality. Intellect, emotion, and will.
Intellect is the ability to reason or understand.
Emotion, is all about feelings.
The will, is the power of making a reasoned choice or of controlling one's own actions.
Proof of Intellect includes the following Scriptures,
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. (Ps. 147:5)
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Is. 1:18)
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. (Acts 15:18)
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Ro. 11:33)
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Heb. 4:13)
Needless to say not only does God possess intellect, but His intellect is far superior to any of ours.
Proof of Emotion includes,
And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. (Gen. 6:6)
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; (Ex. 20:5)
(For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth. (Deut. 6:15)
And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice... (1Kings 11:9)
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. (Ps. 103:8-11)
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: (Pr. 6:16)
Do not these verses express emotion?
Proof that God possesses a Will includes,
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Gen. 1:26)
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. (Gen. 3:15-16)
But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. (Ps. 115:3)
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (Is. 46:10)
And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? (Dan. 4:35)
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2Pet. 3:9)
I hope this brief study has exposed us, to some extent, to the personality of God. If we can gain a proper view of our heavenly Father perhaps we can begin to take on godly characteristics and become the children, fathers, mothers, husbands, and wives, the people God desires us to become. Brother Shane reminded me, “God loves us ‘just as I am’, but loves us enough not to let us stay ‘just as I am.’”
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (Philippians 2:13-15)
Stay salty,
Brother John
posted by J. Wendell at 7:16 AM
2 Comments:
John - This was an excellent post! I love your approach to Systematic Theology which is based in a desire to know God better, and thereby to be conformed more and more to His image.
Please, keep it coming!
By
mark pierson, at 6/3/07 7:19 AM
Hi Mark,
"Good to see you. Sunday our Pastor was preaching and said, "We need to use our theology to preach Christ!" Thanks for your comment.
John"
John, obviously I got your email. Now I don't have any ability to send email, so, this was my way of acknowledging that I got yours, since I can no longer send email.
By
mark pierson, at 7/3/07 7:25 AM
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