Character of God
Many people view God as an impersonal force or as being unfeeling and unapproachable; however, the Bible presents God as an individual with deep emotions and great interest in His creation. In order to have a personal relationship with God, we must have some understanding of His character.
It is important to know that God is unchanging. He does not exist on an emotional roller coaster. His attitudes, His opinions, the way He acts and reacts do not change. This is essential because if God's nature changed then we could not depend on Him or trust Him. James wrote, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, within Him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.'' (James 1:17)
Because God's opinions do not change, His standard of moral conduct is absolute. What He has said is right and wrong never changes. God is not influenced by public opinion or by special interest groups. God is holy and upright. His moral standard is perfect. He does not go against His laws of conduct; He expects the same from His creation. Jesus said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.'' (Matthew 5:48)
The Bible tells us that sin is any disobedience of God's laws. Because God is holy or free from sin, He judges sin and will not allow it to go unpunished. The punishment for sin is eternal torment. This sounds harsh but is the just result of sin.
Now, although God is holy and just, He also loves His creation, especially mankind. This results in conflict. Because God is holy, He must punish sin and the just price for sin is death, eternal separation from Him. However, because God is love, He wants to be merciful and forgive us for our sins. God solved this conflict between His holiness and His mercy through the death of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is God in a human body. God humbled Himself and took on a body of flesh! He grew up in the home of Joseph and Mary. He lived a sinless perfect life. Jesus had a three year ministry among the Jewish people. Then He died on the cross willingly to pay for the sin of the entire human race! Jesus died for your sin! He did this because He loves you. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.'' (John 3:16)
God now offers a gift. He offers eternal life, a life with Him forever, and a personal relationship with Him now. All this is offered freely. All that God requires is that a person admits to Him that he or she is a sinner, desiring to turn from sin and obey God, then asking Him to forgive them, trusting in the death of Jesus as payment for sin.
It is important to know that God is unchanging. He does not exist on an emotional roller coaster. His attitudes, His opinions, the way He acts and reacts do not change. This is essential because if God's nature changed then we could not depend on Him or trust Him. James wrote, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, within Him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.'' (James 1:17)
Because God's opinions do not change, His standard of moral conduct is absolute. What He has said is right and wrong never changes. God is not influenced by public opinion or by special interest groups. God is holy and upright. His moral standard is perfect. He does not go against His laws of conduct; He expects the same from His creation. Jesus said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.'' (Matthew 5:48)
The Bible tells us that sin is any disobedience of God's laws. Because God is holy or free from sin, He judges sin and will not allow it to go unpunished. The punishment for sin is eternal torment. This sounds harsh but is the just result of sin.
Now, although God is holy and just, He also loves His creation, especially mankind. This results in conflict. Because God is holy, He must punish sin and the just price for sin is death, eternal separation from Him. However, because God is love, He wants to be merciful and forgive us for our sins. God solved this conflict between His holiness and His mercy through the death of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is God in a human body. God humbled Himself and took on a body of flesh! He grew up in the home of Joseph and Mary. He lived a sinless perfect life. Jesus had a three year ministry among the Jewish people. Then He died on the cross willingly to pay for the sin of the entire human race! Jesus died for your sin! He did this because He loves you. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.'' (John 3:16)
God now offers a gift. He offers eternal life, a life with Him forever, and a personal relationship with Him now. All this is offered freely. All that God requires is that a person admits to Him that he or she is a sinner, desiring to turn from sin and obey God, then asking Him to forgive them, trusting in the death of Jesus as payment for sin.
posted by David Frank Wilson | 3:04 AM
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