Humans have developed many complex and ethereal ideas about what God is like. But how does our loving Creator reveal Himself in the pages of the Bible? It’s both more accessible and more incredible than people have imagined. Really getting to know God will transform your life for the better forever!
Introduction
Can we get to know God? Is He so far off, so mysterious, that we could never understand Him? Or does God want to have a close, personal relationship with us? Does He reveal Himself clearly in the Bible?
Our world is filled with myriad gods and ideas about God, most of which seem inconsistent or unintelligible.
One of the most common beliefs in Christianity today is the mystery of the Trinity—that there is one God who appears as three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Many have accepted this explanation of God as the defining doctrine of orthodoxy without studying its origin.
Strangely, the word trinity is not found in the Bible. When people raise questions about it, they are often told that humans can’t fully understand God, that the doctrine is “a mystery beyond the comprehension of man,” and that they should simply accept this teaching on faith (James R. White, The Forgotten Trinity, 1998, p. 173).
But is this the way a loving God treats His creation? Does He keep us in the dark as to His nature and plans?
While there are some things that are indeed “secret” about God (Deuteronomy 29:29), Jesus said that He came to “reveal” the Father (Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22). Jesus also told His disciples, “It has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 13:11, emphasis added throughout).
This booklet will take you through a study of what the Bible, including the words of Jesus, reveals about God. As you go through this process, remember that the Bible is the only source of knowledge on this subject that is authenticated by God (John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16). As you will come to see, the Bible’s teaching on God is quite different from the confusing, humanly devised teachings on this subject that exist today. See the sidebar “The Bible: The Authoritative Source for Understanding God” at the end of Chapter 1 for additional explanation.
But what difference does it make?
What’s so important about understanding who God is?
The book of Hebrews tells us that “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
In other words, our faith rests on believing that God exists and that He has plans for those who eagerly strive to get to know Him. It is difficult to have this kind of faith without some type of understanding of who God is and how He plans to bless us.
Would you like to know how God describes His nature and His purpose for you?
If so, continue reading to begin a fascinating study that can help you better understand your Creator and why you exist.