Who and What Is God?

Anyone who wants to obey God needs to know who He is and who He is not. Of all biblical doctrines, the identity of the true God is the most foundational.

If someone understands every other Bible teaching correctly, but follows a false god, then all his understanding would be in vain. But once a person does understand who and what God is, this unlocks the ability to grow in knowledge and understanding of His truth.

Whether you are just beginning to learn God’s Way or you have been building a relationship with Him for many years, a review of our Creator’s true identity is vital. It will strengthen your faith. We also must guard ourselves against false ideas and concepts of God.

We do not need to study advanced textbooks to be able to refute false ideas such as the trinity. But we should all be familiar with such beliefs and be able to disprove them from Scripture. Knowledge of what the Bible really teaches is the key to growing in truth and rejecting every false way.

Mankind’s Limited Understanding

Man, in his natural state, does not want to acknowledge God’s authority over his life. Likewise, people led by human nature do not want to acknowledge the Bible as God’s authoritative revelation to mankind. By establishing his own moral principles, each person becomes an authority to himself, leaving God out of the picture. Anyone who wants to worship the true God must fight against these tendencies.

The natural man is only aware of the material world around him. It is easy to assume that anything a person’s five senses cannot detect does not exist.

Yet there is plenty of evidence for God. The entire Creation stands as a witness to the existence of the Supreme Creator of the universe. And God has inspired the Bible as His instruction book for mankind. Proof of the Bible is proof of God.

Would God expect us to believe anything that is unreasonable and unprovable? No!

God charges us to “prove all things” (I Thes. 5:21). This includes His existence. He has provided ample evidence to do this. One needs only a sound and unprejudiced mind to be convinced by the overwhelming proof found in Creation, and in God’s Word through fulfilled prophecy. Archeological and historical evidence further verifies God’s written Word.

The Bible also makes clear that God will soon establish His Kingdom. From this point forward He is going to play a definite and obvious role in everyone’s lives. Man will be stunned upon seeing and feeling God’s astonishing power. When the climactic events of prophecy come to pass, no one will wonder whether He exists.

But those who are called in this age are moving with fear and acting upon God’s instructions now. You can be confident in God’s existence and power now. This enables us to fulfill our purpose in His plan of salvation.

What Comes to Mind?

When you hear the word “God,” what comes to mind? Do you think of God as Creator and Sustainer of the whole universe? Do you ponder the Holy Spirit that flows out from Him? Or Jesus Christ’s relationship with the Father? What about wondering how long God has existed or where He resides at this time? Exactly what does God look like? What are His plans for the future? We will address all these issues and more.

As with prior Bible studies, you may want to write out the scriptures covered. Pray for understanding when studying such an important topic. Ask God to help you appreciate the deeply profound concept of who He is. So much rests upon how we fear God, how we approach Him, worship Him and seek His ways, and our willingness to truly say, “Your will be done” (Luke 11:2).

One God—Two Personages

(1) Who created the heavens and the Earth? Genesis 1:1.

God created the entire universe, from the countless millions of galaxies down to the tiniest subatomic particles, and all life forms, including human life.

(2) God spoke in the following way: “Let Us make man in Our image…” Why were plural pronouns used to refer to one God? Genesis 1:26.

The Hebrew word for God in Genesis 1 is “Elohim.” Elohim is a uniplural noun, like the terms “church” or “family.” The uniplural concept pertains to a common class of two or more constituents. Elohim refers to the “God Family” or the “God Kingdom.” Thus, God is a Family—not just one individual.

(3) What does God’s Word (the Bible) tell us about the Personage in the God Family known as the Word? Is this Personage also God? John 1:1-3. Who was the Spokesman of the God Family who became a human in the flesh? Verse 14.

The definition for the Greek term logos, translated “Word” in John 1, can be summarized as “Spokesman.”

(4) Is Jesus Christ the “Word” referred to in John 1? Colossians 1:14-20; Ephesians 3:9.

(5) Who was the other member of the God Family? I Corinthians 8:6. Are both members of the God Family of equal authority? John 14:28.

God’s Family now consists of two members: The Father, who is greater, reigning supreme in the government of God. The Word or Spokesman, who became Jesus Christ, is in complete harmony with the Father and submits to Him.

(6) What did Jesus say about He and His Father being “one”? John 10:30.

Advocates of the false doctrine of the trinity attempt to use this verse and others to prove that Christ and the Father, along with the Holy Spirit, comprise one being of three entities or persons. The following question shows how Scripture refutes this heresy.

(7) What analogy did Christ use to describe how He and His Father are “one”? John 17:11, 22.

Jesus and the Father are “one” in that they are in perfect harmony and unity of purpose, as are those whom the Father has called out and given to Christ. God’s people could never fit into the framework of the false doctrine of the trinity, any more than that heresy could apply to Christ and the Father. Also read I Corinthians 12:12. It portrays the Body of Christ, the Church, as many members, but “one” in unity and purpose.

The Father and Son

(1) Does the understanding of two distinct Personages of the one God Family help to clarify a vitally important scripture, in which the Son (Christ) appears before the Ancient of Days (the Father)? Daniel 7:13-14.

(2) How did the Word, or Logos, become a mortal human? Luke 1:30-33. Was the child conceived by the Holy Spirit? Matthew 1:20.

(3) Was this child actually begotten of the Father? Matthew 11:27; John 8:19.

The same Personage known as the Ancient of Days (Dan. 7:13) is the Father, who through the Holy Spirit begat in human form the same Personage known as the Word (John 1:14), known as Jesus Christ (Heb. 2:9). The Father-Son relationship began at that time.

(4) Was the Son restored to His former greatness after suffering death and being resurrected? John 17:5; Matthew 28:18.

(5) By what name was the Father known in the Old Testament? Psalm 18:1-2.

In the King James Version of the Bible, the term “Lord” (all letters capitalized) is translated from the Hebrew “YHVH,” meaning the “Eternal” or “Everliving One,” rather than “Lord.”

Within this context, it is correct to pronounce the term “Lord” as “Lord,” as well as “Eternal.” There are small church groups whose main focus and reason for existence consist primarily of the proper pronunciation of the name or names of God, as they deem fit. Some even prohibit the use of the term “God.” Most of them allow only the term “YHVH” to be used for God, according to their interpretation of how that term should be pronounced.

Although reverence should be observed in the use of God’s names, He does not expect us to become obsessed with fanatic, strict practices as to how we should pronounce them, missing the spiritual intent of the Scriptures. To learn more, read our article Should Christians Use “Sacred Names”?

(6) How did God reveal Himself to Israel in Old Testament times? Isaiah 48:17; 54:5.

(7) Did the Father thunder at Sinai as He gave Israel the Ten Commandments? Deuteronomy 5:4-6.

(8) What are some of the many things that God the Father does today? John 6:44, 65; 5:17.

The many prayers of the saints are all directed to the Father, who hears them. He also receives the intercession on behalf of the saints from Christ, who is now their High Priest. The Father and Christ both work (John 5:17).

As we use the term “saints” in The Pillar, remember that this refers to the called-out ones who comprise the true Church, as opposed to the Catholic belief that saints have to be approved and conferred to sainthood by human clerics.

The Countenance of God

(1) Did Moses and the elders of Israel see God on Mount Sinai? Exodus 24:10.

(2) Were these humans allowed to see God’s face? Exodus 33:20, 23.

(3) Had Jesus seen the Father prior to the time that He was born as the Son of God? John 6:46; 8:38.

(4) Did Christ indicate how the Father appeared? John 14:9.

Many misinterpret this verse by assuming that Christ said that He was the Father. If Jesus was the Father, then how could He say “for My Father is greater than I” (John 14:28)? The statement in verse 9 plainly shows that Christ was referring to a close resemblance that Christ had of His Father, just as most humans closely resemble their parents. Hence, God the Father has the form and stature of a man, yet appears much like Christ did.

(5) Was the human family made in the image of God? Genesis 1:26.

(6) Since Jesus resembles the Father, how do their glorified bodies now appear? Revelation 1:13-16.

Where Does God Reside?

(1) Where did Christ say the Father was located? Matthew 5:16.

When Jesus gave His sample prayer in Matthew 6:9, He indicated that we are to address the prayer to the Father. He further indicated where the Father resided by adding “which are in heaven.”

(2) Does the Bible refer to a number of heavens? Genesis 2:4.

A better translation of this verse is: “Here is a summary of events in the time when God made the heavens and earth.”

(3) Was Paul taken to the third heaven in vision? II Corinthians 12:2-4.

This shows that the third heaven is where both the Father and Christ rule from at this time (Rev. 3:21).

(4) Has any human ever ascended to this third heaven? John 3:13.

The second heaven includes the galaxies and vast expanse of outer space beyond Earth. The first heaven includes the atmosphere of Earth reaching up to the stratosphere, beyond which physical life cannot exist.

Other Attributes of God

(1) Did the member of the God Family who became Jesus Christ come into existence at some point in time or has He always existed? Revelation 10:6; Hebrews 7:3; Psalm 41:13; 90:2.

(2) If God is not composed of physical and material substance, then of what is He composed? John 4:24.

The first part of this verse correctly reads, “God is Spirit…” (New King James Version).

(3) Is the Holy Spirit that emanates from God a Spirit of power? Jeremiah 27:5; Psalm 104:30; II Timothy 1:7.

(4) Does God’s Holy Spirit permeate the entire universe? Psalm 139:7; Jeremiah 23:24.

(5) How are we to compare God’s rule with human rulers of this day? Isaiah 40:13-31.

God Does Exist

This Bible study has provided a solid foundation of understanding about who and what God is. Certain aspects of the future Kingdom of God, to be established on Earth, cannot be understood without first understanding what we have covered.

From what has already been explained, you can better appreciate the fact that God’s plan of salvation spells out exactly how He will expand His Family. This profound understanding addresses the very purpose for human existence!

To understand and fully disprove popular wrong concepts of God, read Mr. Pack’s crucial book The Trinity – Is God Three-In-One?

God reveals Himself through His intricate Creation. This fact is beautifully illustrated in our booklet Does God Exist? and its companion World to Come series, Does God Exist?—Many Absolute Proofs! (Part 1)

The understanding covered in these materials reinforces the existence of an all-wise, all-powerful God. They disprove the false argument that life evolved by random chance, without a Designer or Creator. Take time to strengthen your conviction in the true God.