What is God Really Like?

For our encouragement this week, I want to lay out a biblical pathway for thinking deeply about who God is. What is He really like? A.W. Tozer insisted that every error of doctrine can be traced back to an inaccurate knowledge of God. We must give time to ask for Spiritual revelation of Who He really is.

Here are texts that declare one simple, profound truth. TO KNOW JESUS IS TO KNOW GOD. Let’s start with John’s introduction of Jesus in the first chapter of his gospel:

John 1:18. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

Let’s focus on the word “explained.” The Greek term is exegeomai, “to lead out.” The New International Version and the English Standard Version both translate this: “He has made Him known.” The King James Version chose to translate it “He has declared Him.” One more, the Amplified Bible, says:

John 1:18 AMP. No man has ever seen God at any time; the only unique Son, or the only begotten God, Who is in the bosom [in the intimate presence] of the Father, He has declared Him [He has revealed Him and brought Him out where He can be seen; He has interpreted Him and He has made Him known].

Wow! That it a loaded Greek term. Seminaries use the English term “exegesis,” which comes from exegeomai, to describe the process of biblical interpretation. Students are taught to “lead out,” or expose the meaning of a biblical text. They do this by revealing the meaning of vocabulary, grammar, context, and supporting texts elsewhere in the Bible. Always look for a pastor who is committed to expository preaching through diligent exegeses of the sermonic text. (By the way, that is what I am doing in the blogpost.)

To strengthen this principle of understanding God as revealed in God-Incarnate, Jesus Christ, look at these additional supportive passages. It will take a little time, but don’t rush. Think about each one.

John 14:8-12. 8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.

Hebrews 1:1-3. 1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4, 6. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. . . .6 For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

As we invest time to pray for God to reveal the truth of this great principle to our listening hearts, be prepared that the world’s popular, inaccurate caricature of “God” is going to melt away. What we see in Jesus, we will see to be true of our heavenly Father. We will come face to Face with the true God. We will taste afresh and see just how good the Lord truly is. I will try to help us apply this principle next week.