The Father exists as the top individual in the universe. There is no one above Him. What precisely is He like?
Paul proclaimed that the people of Athens were too superstitious (Acts 17:22). The King James “superstitious” is from the Greek “deisidaimonesteros”. It means “superstitious” and it means “religious”. In essence he was telling them they were too religious. Their religion was getting in their way of knowing the true God. The same thing happens today. We, as humans, are subject to conditioning. As children we are taught what to think of God as being. That conditioning is transferred from generation to generation based on the specific superstition or religion of the parents. The conditioning usually remains intact even if the child rebels against the religion. It is from this conditioning that we have the seed of our concept of what God is like. For this reason He is, in most cases and to most people, the Unknown God.
This was also true when Paul addressed the Athenians. He declared to them the Unknown God who they ignorantly worshipped (Acts 17:23). The King James “ignorantly” is from the Greek “agnoountes” meaning “without understanding”. The first part is a root for agnostic.
The most basic foundational knowledge of what God is like is: He is not the god that we make. He is the God that made us and everything around us (Acts 17:24-26).
“I, even I, am the the Eternal; and beside me there is no savior” (Isaiah 43:11).
The Father allowed his Son to die an agonizing death for our benefit (John 3:16). Since He is the perfect Father (Matthew 7:11) His concern for his Son was no less than complete profound love. And yet, He was also willing to allow His Son to become the Messiah, the sacrifice of the Passover. Jesus, our Passover, is sacrificed for us (1 Corinthians 5:7).
The Almighty is not perishable. He is immortal (1 Timothy 1:17). We can be thankful that His thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).
What precisely does God look like? He looks like us. We were made in his image (Genesis 1:26). However, his face shines with a bright white light. How do we know? Because his Son’s face shines like the sun shines in its strength (Revelation 1:13-16). And Christ said, in essence, “…he that has seen me has seen the Father…” (John 14:9).
If you take a picture with an old-style non-digital camera, the image originally produced, in most cases, is a negative. However, you can take a negative to be developed. In the developing stage, the negative image is exposed to a bright light for a specific length of time and the result is a good picture with a positive image. The same is true for us. We are the negative image of God. When we are exposed to the light, which is Christ (John 1:4-5), then we are transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).
“For if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).
God knows everything that is available for knowing. And what is not available for knowing, he does not know. For example, He did not know that Abraham would really try to kill his son Isaac as a sacrifice. After Abraham tried it, then God knew (Genesis 22:11-12), meaning before this time, He did not know.
God knows the thoughts of people (1 Corinthians 3:19-20, Psalm 94:11). He controls the eco system of this planet and all the stars and planets of this universe (Job chapter 38). He has a plan and can force his plan to work for good. You and I are a part of that plan.
Wily Elder, CBA
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