The Character of God

When we say the Apostle’s and Nicene Creeds, what exactly do we mean when we say, “I believe in God?” How can we use finite words to describe the Infinite? Even thinking about God begins to put finite limits on the One who created all things — and us — and a God we could fully comprehend with words wouldn’t be much of a God — certainly not a God who could save us from our sin!

Still, if we are to know God at all — the God revealed to us in the Bible — we must think and speak of Him. So, using the frail limited tool of language, what can we say about God?

First, He is a God who wants to be in a relationship with us — and He takes the first step. He comes to us. This is what we mean by the Grace of God: He comes to us when we are lost. In Jesus Christ, God comes to us completely and perfectly: “For in Him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell.” (Colossians 1:19) and Jesus said, “I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you.” (John 14:18) This Risen and Living Christ still comes to those who will receive Him.

Next, we can say that God is full of compassion. The characteristic word for God in the Old Testament is “loving-kindness,” used at least 30 times to describe God. The Psalmist wrote: “For your loving-kindness is better than life itself; my lips shall give you praise.” (Psalm 63:3, Book of Common Prayer, p.670).

In the New Testament, whenever Jesus saw people in need, He was “moved with compassion” and immediately did something to heal and renew (for example, Matthew 14:14). Of this you can be certain: Our “God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.” (Joel 2:13)

A third thing we can say is that God is willing to pay the cost of His actions. The most moving expression of the depths to which God is willing to go to bring us back to Him is the Cross. You are not your own. You have been bought with the blood of the Cross. God is willing to pay the cost of our salvation.

And He who comes to us in loving compassion at the cost of the Cross also commissions us to do His work in the world — to spread the Good News of His saving Grace. Our job is to tell the world what we know. That: “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself — and He has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation. So, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)

Finally, God challenges us to use our time, our talents and our wealth to make the world a better, more Christian place in which to live and prosper. I pray that we will not let such a challenge go unanswered.