Saturday 20 January 2018

The Supreme Being As A Person

By Pamela Gray


Even those who think this world and its universe too complex and perfect to be the product of chance may not want to believe that there is a higher power with intelligence and a plan. Many religions share a belief in a supreme being. Christians believe they can know God both through His expressed word as recorded in the Bible and through personal experience. They believe that God is a spirit but also has a distinct character. They also believe that God assumed humanity to come to earth as the man Jesus.

Christianity is based on the validity of the Bible, which states that there is only one path to eternal life. The way to heaven is through belief in Jesus Christ, as well as the acceptance of His sacrifice and death on the cross as payment for sin. Many cannot accept that there would be only one way to fellowship with God. It seems to them odd that a creator, with enough wisdom to bring everything we know into being, would choose to reveal Himself to mankind.

Some worship the creation rather than the creator. They may give thanks to 'mother nature' or pay homage to the sun or moon. They truly see no harm in expressing gratitude for the good things in their lives in any way they choose. Deists acknowledge the existence of 'god' but deny that divinity has definite form or personality. The Bible tells us that God's glory and nature are revealed in His creation, but warns that created things should not be objects of worship.

A relative view of the divine leaves each person in control of what they choose to believe. People may feel more comfortable with a nebulous idea because it doesn't demand too much of them, doesn't structure their life in any particular way, and doesn't deny the same freedom to others. They refuse to believe that God could and would define Himself.

Many who accept 'god' as more of a concept than a definable entity still have the sense of connection with a force that can benefit them, protect them, or grant them favor. Christians, who believe that they are made in God's image although they are flesh and He is spirit, also know that through Jesus they can become children of God and enter into a loving familial relationship.

The Bible makes it clear that God has both masculine and feminine characteristics, with the ability to beget as well as to birth. However, He is clearly portrayed as a father figure, not a mother. His son, Jesus, is an historical figure, a man who was also God. The Bible is the oldest document we have, the most accurate historical account (as testified by archaeological discoveries), and the most influential of all sacred literature.

There are definite benefits to accepting the idea of a God as portrayed in the Bible. A believer has a code of behavior established on absolute truth. He or she has a relationship with a saving God who promises to provide for, protect, and direct His followers forever. The responsibilities of living a godly life are a small return for eternal security.

Having a God who is a distinct personality makes a real relationship possible. God has ways of communication with His children that only believers experience. People really can know God, have the security of a righteous code of behavior, and have confidence in a future in heaven.




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