The Nature of God
What are some of God's characteristics and qualities? Is it possible to fully know and understand the nature of God? Yes, we can understand the nature of God because we have within us the spirit of God, a fragment of God if you will, and so this language about the nature of God speaks to our soul in plain English.
A description on the characteristics and qualities of God:
- Infinite – No beginning and no end. God sees the beginning and the end of all things. God is timeless, so there is no past or future time where something has been or will be, to God all is present, everything is present at any given moment. Apparently, without the presence of this infinite spirit of God (fragment) we could not know God, because we live in time and space – we are finite. (Much more to discuss on this topic, but we'll leave this for another time J Suffice it to say that God comes to us, God is with us.
- Eternal Perfection – God is always present in all his majesty and greatness. Where God dwells, his perfection is undiluted. When you connect with that fragment of God that dwells within, you are connecting with that eternal perfection. While God is certainly righteous (definition of righteous: good, honest, genuine, excellent), it is goodness that expresses God's nature most completely. This goodness infiltrates our being and elevates us to the place where we can share, express, or manifest God's goodness toward others, and even ourselves. God is not selfish or self-contained with his goodness, neither should we be.
Justice& Righteousness – Because God is good, he is righteous, because he is righteous, he is just. You've heard it said that 'God is no respecter of persons'; justice falls on everyone in the form of consequences. The heaviest consequences come from the most willful errors in judgment.
- Divine Mercy – 'it shall be that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' (Acts 2:21) Saved from what? Not from consequences, necessarily, but mostly from ourselves. Saved from the tendency to act (sin, err, mess-up) in ways that produce undesirable consequences. God is merciful, kind and compassionate; your need to be saved is wholly sufficient to gain God's protection and mercy. God acts before you even ask or even know to ask. The universe itself is set into motion and awaits the opportunity to release a full measure of overflowing mercy to anyone who needs it. The more you understand this, the easier it is for you to receive mercy. God does not withhold his mercy, it is there always.
- The Love of God – If 'God is Love' then this is the only attitude he can take toward you. God does not love us because of our sacrifices– God loves us unconditionally, before we even knew we needed to be loved. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. God patiently
awaits the moment of your rebirth, your resurrection, your quickening, your awakening, your awareness; so that you can hear and feel his presence guiding you through this life and the next. Not just once, but every time you encounter a new situation. Are you looking in the right places for God? Not to make you feel small, but are you aware of how much distance there is to be traveled, and how much spiritual ground needs to be covered should you try to find God without his outstretched hand? Look within. It's not far, God is right there.
- Goodness – (see Eternal Perfection) The goodness of God is experienced. We trust God because he is good, we do not need to fear a God that is good. Goodness is part of God's nature. The goodness of God is a higher trait than that of judge. God is not interested in the pursuit of vengeance or punishment; he is concerned with your progress.
- Divine Truth & Beauty – As a work in progress, we can know only partial truths. Truth lives and breathes and can only be realized through personal experience. Divine truth is beautiful, consistent and the cause of true happiness. True beauty is symmetric, genuine goodness and morality is truly beautiful. It is in the nature and character of God to be good, true and beautiful. This nature was best revealed in the life and teachings of Jesus.
The Bahá'í Concept of God - Know that there are two kinds of knowledge: the knowledge of the essence of a thing and the knowledge of its qualities. The essence of a thing is known through its qualities; otherwise, it is unknown and hidden.
As our knowledge of things, even of created and limited things, is knowledge of their qualities and not of their essence, how is it possible to comprehend in its essence the Divine Reality, which is unlimited? ... Knowing God, therefore, means the comprehension and the knowledge of His attributes, and not of His Reality. This knowledge of the attributes is also proportioned to the capacity and power of man; it is not absolute.
Thus for human beings the knowledge of God means the knowledge of the attributes and qualities of God, not a direct knowledge of His essence. But how are we to attain the knowledge of the attributes of God? Bahá'u'lláh wrote that everything in creation is God's handiwork and therefore reflects something of His attributes. For example, even in the intimate structure of a rock or a crystal can be seen the order of God's creation. However, the more refined the object, the more completely is it capable of reflecting God's attributes. Since the Messenger of God or Manifestation of God (Jesus) is the highest form of creation known to us, the Manifestation affords the most complete knowledge of God available to us.
Action:
Discover and contemplate the awesomeness of God
How do we discover God? By learning about our own similar characteristics and qualities, and understanding that these factors of our being have absolute perfection in God. The barometer of perfection is made clear when its opposite is reflected before us. When an intelligent, discerning individual sees evil or injustice, they learn to recognize goodness and justice – and so forth.
Be silent for a few moments; contemplate the qualities and characteristics of God: Love, Goodness, Truth, Beauty, Presence, Guidance, Mercy, Justice, Righteousness, Majesty….. This is the nature of God; this is God's attitude toward humanity, and of course toward you. You determine the degree to which you allow God's presence to mingle with and influence your heart and mind. Knowing God means the comprehension and knowledge of His nature.
Interfaith Spirit Quest References:
Urantia Book - Papers 1-8 - http://www.urantiabook.org/newbook/index.html
The Bahá'í Concept of God - info.bahai.org/article-1-4-0-2.html
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