The Question

We are embarking on a series on the attributes of God, but first we need to ask ourselves, "How can we really know anything about God?" This is an important question, and the answer is stunning. God, the one who created us, the universe, and everything in it, is so wholly above us in every way that it would be impossible to know him if he chose to remain hidden. Thankfully, he does want us to know him, and has taken the initiative to make that possible. From the beginning, he designed humans in such a way that we could comprehend to some degree who he is. He even wove clues about himself into the fabric of his creation. For example, Psalm 19:1 tells us, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." This is an example of general revelation, through which God reveals himself, in part, to people everywhere.

The Problem

Then the first humans brought sin into the world by rebelling against God's perfect and loving rule, and this sin has distorted our minds and hearts so that we do not know God, love God, or worship God as he deserves. Ultimately, the consequence of sin is separation from God and spiritual death. The revelation that God proclaims about himself in the heavens and the skies, and all of creation, now only gives us enough knowledge to condemn us (see Romans 1:19-20). It tells us enough to be held accountable before a holy God, but not enough to save us from his holy and just wrath. We need something more.

God's Solution

Amazingly, God has not given up on humanity, but continues to pursue us. He has acted throughout history to seek and save a people for himself, and he has recorded all that we need to know of himself and his redemptive work in the Holy Bible. God the Holy Spirit accomplished this through numerous human authors who came from various backgrounds over the course of many years. It would be a great mistake to attribute this work of God to human invention. The Apostle Peter explains, "knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:20-21). 

The Old Testament anticipated the startling moment when God the Son, Jesus Christ, came to live among us by taking on human form, in addition to his divine nature. As the writer of Hebrews explains, "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature..." (Hebrews 1:1-3a). The Apostle John explains it this way: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth...No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known" (John 1:14,18). John calls Jesus the Word, because Jesus himself is God's Word to us. Everything he said and did during his time here on earth perfectly expressed who God is. Furthermore, it is the good news of his life lived in perfect obedience to God the Father, his death on the cross in our place for our sins, and his glorious resurrection, that has the power to save us if we will trust in him alone. 

Now, those of us who have placed our trust in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation experience the help of the Holy Spirit in understanding the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:11-12). He is the best possible teacher of the Bible, because he superintended its writing, and he is always with us! As we seek to learn more about our awesome God in the coming weeks, let's rely on his Spirit to help us understand these great truths.