What's God like?
One of the things that probably doesn’t get a lot of airtime is that at Christmas Christians celebrate not only Jesus’ birthday but more specifically the day that God himself became human.
Matthew, in his account, introduces the baby Jesus as the prophesied Immanuel, which means God with us:
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (Matthew 1:23)
Jesus’ mate, John, in a more poetic way, introduces Jesus this way:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (Matthew 1:1&4)
If Jesus was God, then think what the Christmas story says about God.
- God actually decided to become human. Limit himself to a certain degree. Live in our surroundings.
- God is willing to be born not into nobility, but into a family without a shred of political, economic or social power. Mary and Joseph are described as faithful Jews, but they’re from a tiny if not backward town in Israel and Joseph is just an ordinary carpenter.
I think whatever your opinion of God, it probably sees God as greater than us and living an existance that’s better than ours. Why would you give up so many benefits of being God to try being human for a while?
God could have come with a million angels, on a rainbow, with great parades, as a great leader or warrior… But he chooses to enter the world as a vulnerable baby.
It’s unbelievable. Whatever your opinion of God or the opinions people held of God back then, such a low key entrance like this is inconceivable.
At Jesus’ birth you see a God that chose to be one of us and to live a life like us. He doesn’t need rich and powerful parents or an elaborate entrance into the world to stroke his ego or prove he’s God. He’s completely humble and at peace with who he is and what he wants to do. He doesn’t need to flaunt or even enforce his power or greatness.
The Christmas accounts are a great introduction to what God is like. What he thinks is important, who he wants to be known as? They’re also a great chance to see how others reacted to God and consider how you react to God yourself. Why not read the historical accounts this Christmas?
Photo by Doralin Tunas : https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-a-nativity-scene-10068745/
Yes what is Real God like?
Is he/she the naive essentially childish and even infantile mommy-daddy "creator"-god of conventional exoteric religion?
Or something much more profound and paradoxical?
http://www.adidam.org/teaching/aletheon/truth-god.aspx
http://www.adidam.org/teaching/gnosticon/religion-scientism.aspx
Thanks John for your comment.
I read through a number of the articles you linked to. I think your comments raise the bigger question of who's on the right track. There are many religions, many who claim to be God, know God or gods, claim they know that there isn't a God and there's another "way". If only the real God would stand up and be clear.
Well that is where Jesus comes in. Christianity is a religion based on God revealing himself clearly to people within history. Before Jesus, God spoke clearly to a chosen group of people, the Israelites- verbally, through prophets, in signs and wonders. He was clearly letting people know who He is, who we are and how we are to relate to God. The fact that the Israelites didn't always communicate what they knew clearly to others is unfortunate. But the best way we can know what God is like is because He became human and walked on this earth and spoke to us. Jesus revealed himself as God through the miracles he performed, the way Jesus fulfilled centuries of prophecy, that He claimed to speak and act for God... even forgive on God's behalf, but most significantly He predicted and then did die historically on a cross and rise from death three days later. None else has defeated death.
There's obviously much more to be said, but may I suggest you read an account of Jesus to see if he is trustworthy to say he is God and knows us and the way to live better than others. You can download Luke's account here. Or visit our "Week that changed the world" webpage for videos and discussions on can we trust the Bible, are there reasons to believe etc.
Many can say they are God, know the meaning of life... but they can't all be true so we need to find out who is trustworthy. Our lives depend on it.