I’m going to make an attempt at throwing out some thoughts on the true nature of God. This is obviously a massive topic and undertaking, I know. This is most likely part 1 in a 70 part series. But I really believe that our God is accessible and comprehensible (to a degree). Often a polarizing view of God is found in the New and Old Testament. Through a quick analysis of the two we can break down a few parts of God’s character. This is a topic I have thought about many times. It is also a topic I find practical because of the real power contained in an authentic understanding of God’s nature. It has been important to my mortal experience, so I deemed it worthy of sharing.
Old testament: Brings us the idea that God is angry and exercises vengeance on his children similar to the Greek gods did to their subjects. Stories like the man who tried to steady the Ark of the Covenant and was struck dead on the spot are hard to relate to and seem to contradict what we think of as a loving God. This is the Old Testament God that gave the Israelites the strict Law of Moses commanding them to abide or die. This is the same God that was angry with a prophet and so caused him to be swallowed by a whale. Is this our God?
New Testament : God is love. God is merciful. And he has provided a plan. His plan revolves around his resolve to incorporate us into the fabric of heaven. In love he sends his son, Jesus Christ, being the main character of the NT, to complete his father’s plan as he dies and is resurrected in the events of the Atonement. The New Testament is the removal of the Law of Moses and its subtle and overlooked replacement with the law of consecration. This is the God that is still strict, but appears to have softened with time.
As I have read the scriptures, studied, and prayed, God’s personality has solidified somewhat for me. If you have made it this far, past my semi-sarcastic and slightly informal recap of roughly 6,000 years of holy writ, then you must understand that I am just someone who is trying to figure it out too. I’m not someone who has all the answers or knows some secret, but just a guy who loves God, wants to be better, and claims discipleship.
God is that same God from the Old testament and the one we also find in the New. He is both. Just as loving as he is strict. As fair as he is powerful. He is all of these things, but an overarching principle of his character is again, his unwavering love for us, his creations.
God is our best friend. I believe that with all my heart. First of all, he is this. Of course, all of his titles explore his different roles to us like Heavenly Father or Lord. It is important however to view him as our advocate and best friend also. Have you ever been on your knees praying at night and felt embarrassed? There was something that you did that day that you weren’t proud of and for a moment you forgot that God knows everything and you tried to act like everything was perfect between you and God? Imagine your best friend of best friends. Then multiply that person’s capability of being a best friend by 20 million and we get close to God’s abilities. There is nothing that we can say or do to God that would cause him to stop loving us. Nothing! He is there to support and guide us, not just to keep track of our good and bad deeds. If we are open and honest with God, in those moments, we become teachable and our potential for goodness expands. There should never be any kind of fear in our communication with God. Of course, I’m sure he can get disappointed in us, but he never gives up on us. He has the luxury of being perfect. This is why sometimes after I have sinned or messed up, I am scared to talk to him again and think that if I wait a day then everything will be okay. No! He wants us to talk to him in those moments. Immediately.
Summary: God is our best friend. We should never be afraid of him. We should seek him in hard times.
Romans 8:15-17
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
People, God & Stuff 