Pastor Mills Blog

The Foundation Series – DOCTRINE - Lesson 2

There are three things that define the true Church:
1. Apostolic Doctrine
2. Pentecostal Experience
3. Christian Lifestyle


Let's look at what the Bible says about “The Nature of God”: (Deuteronomy 6:4/ KJV) says, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:”

NOT ONLY is God ONE, but (John 4:24/ KJV) says, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” So our understanding of the nature of God begins with “God is a Spirit.”

Jesus proclaimed this truth in (John 4:24). The Bible reveals it consistently beginning in (Genesis 1:2/ KJV) where it says, “….And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters ”

Webster’s Dictionary defines “spirit” as a supernatural, incorporeal, rational being usually invisible to human beings but having the power to become visible at will. The Hebrew word translated as spirit is ruwach, and it can mean wind, breath, life, anger, unsubstantiality, region of the sky, or spirit of a rational being. The Greek word translated as spirit, pnuema, can mean a current of air, breath, blast, breeze, spirit, soul, vital principle, disposition, angel, demon, or God. All three definitions emphasize that a spirit does NOT have flesh and bones. Jesus even said in (Luke 24:39/ KJV), “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”

So, when the Bible says that God is a Spirit, it means that He cannot be seen or touched physically by human beings. As a Spirit, he does NOT have a physical body!


“God is Invisible”: Since God is a Spirit, He is invisible unless He chooses to manifest Himself in some form visible to man. God told Moses in (Exodus 33:20/ KJV) that “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.”

(John 1:18/ KJV) says, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

(1 John 4:12/ KJV) says, “No man hath seen God at any time.”

Several times the Bible describes God as invisible: (Colossians 1:15/ KJV) says, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:”

(1 Timothy 1:17/ KJV) says, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.”

(Hebrews 11:27/ KJV) says, “By faith he (Moses) forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.”

Although man can see God when He appears in various forms, no man can directly see the invisible Spirit of God!


“God is Omnipresent (Everywhere Present)”: Because God is a Spirit He can be everywhere at the same time. Some examples of God’s Omnipresence are:

Solomon recognized God’s omnipresence when he prayed at the dedication Temple in (1 Kings 8:27/KJV) saying, “behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee.”

(Isaiah 66:1/ KJV) says, “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.”

Paul preached in (Acts 17:27-28/ KJV) “That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being.”

Perhaps the most vivid description of God’s omnipresence is found in (Psalms 139:7-13/ KJV) where it says, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. 13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.”


“Does God have a Body?” Since God is an invisible Spirit and is omnipresent, He does NOT have a body as we know it. He did assume various forms and temporary manifestations throughout the Old Testament so that man could see Him. However, the Bible does NOT record any permanent bodily manifestations of God until the birth of Jesus Christ. After the birth of Christ, God had a human body.

Outside of temporary manifestations of God and outside of the New Testament revelation of God in Christ, there were two ways God showed Himself to man: anthropomorphisms and theophanies.

Scriptural references to the eyes, hands, arms, feet, heart, and other bodily parts of God are examples of figurative language or anthropomorphisms (interpretations of the nonhuman in terms of human so that man can understand). In other words, the Bible describes infinite God in finite, human terms in order that we may better comprehend Him.

For example, the heart of God denotes His intellect and His emotions, not a blood-pumping organ (Genesis 6:6; 8:21). When God said heaven was His throne and earth was His footstool, He described His omnipresence, not a literal pair of feet propped up on the globe (Isaiah 66:1) When God said His right hand spanned the heavens, He described His great power and not a large hand stretching through the atmosphere (Isaiah 48:13). In (Proverbs 15:3) where it says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place,” it does not mean that God has physical eyes in every location but indicates His omnipresence and omniscience. When Jesus cast devils out by the finger of God in (Luke 11:20), He did not pull down a giant finger from heaven, but He exercised the power of God. The blast of God’s nostrils in (Exodus 15:8) was not a literal giant set of nostrils blowing, but the strong east wind sent by God to part the Red Sea.

Another way that God revealed Himself in the Old Testament and dealt with man on man’s level was through the use of theophanies. A theophany is a visible manifestation of God, and is temporary in nature. To make Himself visible, He manifested Himself in a physical form. Even though no one can see the Spirit of God, he can see a representation of God.

For example, God appeared to Abraham in a vision, as a smoking furnace and burning lamp, and as a man. God appeared to Jacob in a dream and as a man, actually wrestling with the man and proclaiming he had “seen God face to face.” (Genesis) God appeared to Moses in a burning bush, a cloud of glory and in fire on Mount Sinai, spoke to him face to face in the Tabernacle, and revealed His back to him. (Exodus) God manifested Himself in the sight of Israel through thunder, lightnings, a cloud, a voice of a trumpet, smoke, fire, and earthquakes. Job saw God in a whirlwind (Job 38:1).

In short, we believe God as a Spirit does not have a body unless He chooses to manifest Himself in a bodily form, which He did in the person of Jesus Christ. There is no possibility of separating God and Jesus, and there is NO God visible outside of Jesus!


“God is Omniscient (All Knowing)”: (Psalms 139:1-6/ KJV) says, “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.”

In other words, God knows everything, including our movements, thoughts, paths, ways, and words. Like omnipresence, omniscience is an attribute that belongs solely to God. He is “the only wise God” (1 Timothy 1:17/ KJV). The Bible does not identify any other being (including Satan) who can read all the thoughts of man, foresee the future with certainty, or know everything there is to know.


“God is Omnipotent (All Powerful)”: God calls Himself the Almighty many times throughout the Bible. He has all the power there is, and no being can exercise any power unless God allows it. (Romans 13:1/ KJV) says, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”

The only limitations God has are those He willingly places on Himself or those resulting from His moral nature.


God is Eternal: God is eternal, immortal, and everlasting. He is the first and the last. He had no beginning and will have no ending.


God is Immutable (Unchanging): (Malachi 3:6/ KJV) says, “I am the LORD, I change not.” God’s character and attributes never change.


In the Old Testament, God chose to reveal aspects of His nature to man through various theophanies and anthropomorphisms. The New Testament records no theophanies of God in human form outside of Jesus Christ. Of course, Jesus Christ was more than a theophany; He was not just God appearing in the form of man but He was God clothed with a real human body and nature. In the New Testament era, the progressive revelation of God through theophanies culminated and found perfect fulfillment in Jesus Christ. God is fully expressed in Jesus Christ.

(John 1:1, 14-18/ KJV) says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

(Colossians 1:9-19/ KJV) says, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;”

(Colossians 2:8-10/ KJV) says, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”

Jesus declares and reveals the Father. Jesus is the express image of the invisible God.

There's an old song that we used to sing in the church titled, "IT’S ALL IN HIM." The words went like this:

Verse 1.
The mighty God is Jesus, the Prince of Peace is He
The everlasting father, the king eternally
Wonderful in wisdom by Whom all things were made
The fullness of the Godhead in Jesus is displayed

Chorus
It’s all in Him it’s all in Him
The fullness of the Godhead is all in Him
It’s all in Him, It’s all in Him
The might God is Jesus, and it’s all in Him

Verse 2.
He’s Emmanuel God with us, Jehovah, Lord of Hosts
The omnipresent Spirit who fills the universe
The Advocate, the High Priest, the Lamb for sinners slain
The Author of redemption, Oh, glory to his Name


It's all IN HIM!