Notes from the Study: What Does God Look Like

The Character of God

Comments on the study- What does God look like?

Isaiah 41:10- "Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Righteousness is the actions and attitudes of God toward men. In the case of the above text, God's righteousness upholds us; in other words, we are upheld by the actions and attitudes of God toward us. That is why it is so important to truly understand God's position on humanity.

Justice and mercy are equally expressions of love. If God were just without being merciful, everyone would serve Him out of fear. If God were merciful without being just, no one would respect His boundaries, and no one would be able to depend on Him to make things right on this crooked planet, recompense oppression, or defend the defenseless. And no one would be able to love Him.

Pictures of God both expand and change. They expand to those that know Him rightly; they change for those who don't know Him rightly (at least they should). What we have learned of God in the past, or incorrect pictures of God, affect the way we interpret Him in the present. This is why we must, for our soul's sake, leave our preconceived notions behind, come to the foot of the cross… and get a good look -a true look- at God. "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth…" Isaiah 45:22 (Point of interest: This is the text that served to change C.H. Spurgeon's existence—from that of a wretched, guilt laden sinner, to one on the way to finding release, freedom, salvation. Be sure and read the context.)

God's combination of personality makes Him expansive and inexhaustive. Everyone on this planet is made in the image of God, though we are fallen and frequently the image is hidden beneath much baggage. The natural personality of everyone (i.e. being energetic, quiet, enthusiastic, thoughtful, a talker, a listener, a perfectly-on-time person, a laid-back person, one who loves to be with people, one who loves to be alone, one who loves to travel, one who loves to stay put, etc.) is a component of God's much more exalted personality. The fact that He has all personality traits (obviously not the fallen ones) makes Him loveable to everyone and inexhaustibly continuous to all. The more we know of Him, the bigger He gets; our capacity to know Him grows. And the more we experience of Him, the more our capacity to love Him expands.

God does not look at our current blemishes. He loves the beauty that will be created in us when He is through making us over. We are not accessories of God's happiness; we are God's happiness. Because somehow God's happiness is loving sinful people. He loves being a Savior. We were created to bring happiness to God. "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Revelation 4:11. While we were not created to be sinners, we can and do bring happiness to God. When sin came, humanity's purpose took on new facets; but still the purpose has not disappeared.

God does not possess qualities; God is those qualities. God is love. Wherever we turn, God will always be there. God does not change. When we cross out part of God from our picture of Him, we cross Him out of that part of our lives. If we cross Him out of part of our lives, we cross out part of our picture of Him.

This post may be updated at a later time... if more notes come to light or someone wants to add thoughts.