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Devotional: God Is Spirit

electedbyHim

electedbyHim

Elected by Him
Calvinism Overseer
February 3


God Is Spirit​



“‘God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth’” (John 4:24).


God is a person, but He has no physical characteristics.


As we begin our study of God, we must understand first of all that He is a person, not some unknowable cosmic force. In His Word, God is called Father, Shepherd, Friend, Counselor, and many other personal names. God is always referred to as “He,” not “it.” He also has personal characteristics: He thinks, acts, feels, and speaks.

We will learn three aspects of God’s person in the next several days: God is spirit, God is one, and God is three. First, God has no physical body as we have: “God is spirit” (John 4:24), and “a spirit does not have flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39). Paul says He is “invisible” (1 Tim. 1:17). God represented Himself as light, fire, and cloud in the Old Testament and in the human form of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. But such visible revelations did not reveal the totality or fullness of God’s nature.

You may wonder about verses like Psalm 98:1, “His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him,” and Proverbs 15:3, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place.” These descriptions are called anthropomorphisms, from the Greek words for “man” and “form.” They picture God as though He were a man because God has chosen to describe Himself in a way we can comprehend. If He did not accommodate His revelation to our finite level, we would have no hope of understanding Him. You should not take anthropomorphisms literally, however. Otherwise you will have a false view of God that robs Him of His real nature and His true power. Look at Psalm 91:4: “Under His wings you may seek refuge.” God is certainly not a bird, and “God is not a man” (Num. 23:19). He is spirit.

Suggestions for Prayer

Thank God that He has enabled physical creatures like us to know Him.

For Further Study

Even though God is invisible, “since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made” (Rom. 1:20). Read the response of a godly man to God’s natural revelation in Psalm 104.




From Strength for Today by John MacArthur
 
electedbyhim said:
February 3


God Is Spirit​



“‘God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth’” (John 4:24).


God is a person, but He has no physical characteristics.


As we begin our study of God, we must understand first of all that He is a person, not some unknowable cosmic force. In His Word, God is called Father, Shepherd, Friend, Counselor, and many other personal names. God is always referred to as “He,” not “it.” He also has personal characteristics: He thinks, acts, feels, and speaks.

We will learn three aspects of God’s person in the next several days: God is spirit, God is one, and God is three. First, God has no physical body as we have: “God is spirit” (John 4:24), and “a spirit does not have flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39). Paul says He is “invisible” (1 Tim. 1:17). God represented Himself as light, fire, and cloud in the Old Testament and in the human form of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. But such visible revelations did not reveal the totality or fullness of God’s nature.

You may wonder about verses like Psalm 98:1, “His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him,” and Proverbs 15:3, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place.” These descriptions are called anthropomorphisms, from the Greek words for “man” and “form.” They picture God as though He were a man because God has chosen to describe Himself in a way we can comprehend. If He did not accommodate His revelation to our finite level, we would have no hope of understanding Him. You should not take anthropomorphisms literally, however. Otherwise you will have a false view of God that robs Him of His real nature and His true power. Look at Psalm 91:4: “Under His wings you may seek refuge.” God is certainly not a bird, and “God is not a man” (Num. 23:19). He is spirit.

Suggestions for Prayer

Thank God that He has enabled physical creatures like us to know Him.

For Further Study

Even though God is invisible, “since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made” (Rom. 1:20). Read the response of a godly man to God’s natural revelation in Psalm 104.




From Strength for Today by John MacArthur
Click to expand...

[“‘God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth’” (John 4:24)] This text is not about the trinity, but about God (as a proper noun) the father, who as such is not three persons. In another sense God (as a common noun) is one eternal society of three persons. This distinction must be kept clear or theology will be clouded.

[God is a person, but He has no physical characteristics.] In the focus on God as father, I’d agree, although theos also stands for a society (one name; three persons: Mt.28:19). To say that deity is personal, is always true enough, whether of the father as a person, or of deity as tripersonal.

[In His Word, God is called…Friend] I’m unaware of deity being biblically called our friend—Jhn.15 is no exception (Augustine; Lewis; Carson). Biblically we may argue that we are friends of his (not him as a friend of ours) and that he is our ally (not us as allies of his).

I’d agree that visible revelations did not reveal the totality or fullness of God’s nature—it remains beyond us.

You misquote Pr.15:3. It is about Yahweh, not the lord (Jesus?). The Hebrew is clear.

Good point on anthropomorphisms. We see via imperfect pictures.

We might question Ps.104:35 in the light of globalism, but under Sinai it was an understandable POV by godly people. Yahweh never accepted it; under Yeshua it is to be rejected.

To worship the father in αληθεια has a strong Johannine connect to NT revelation of ultimate meaning: eg Jesus as the true temple, contrasted to lesser adumbrations (eg Sinai temple). True worship is NT worship.
 
Vinny37 said:
[“‘God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth’” (John 4:24)] This text is not about the trinity, but about God (as a proper noun) the father, who as such is not three persons. In another sense God (as a common noun) is one eternal society of three persons. This distinction must be kept clear or theology will be clouded.

[God is a person, but He has no physical characteristics.] In the focus on God as father, I’d agree, although theos also stands for a society (one name; three persons: Mt.28:19). To say that deity is personal, is always true enough, whether of the father as a person, or of deity as tripersonal.

[In His Word, God is called…Friend] I’m unaware of deity being biblically called our friend—Jhn.15 is no exception (Augustine; Lewis; Carson). Biblically we may argue that we are friends of his (not him as a friend of ours) and that he is our ally (not us as allies of his).

I’d agree that visible revelations did not reveal the totality or fullness of God’s nature—it remains beyond us.

You misquote Pr.15:3. It is about Yahweh, not the lord (Jesus?). The Hebrew is clear.

Good point on anthropomorphisms. We see via imperfect pictures.

We might question Ps.104:35 in the light of globalism, but under Sinai it was an understandable POV by godly people. Yahweh never accepted it; under Yeshua it is to be rejected.

To worship the father in αληθεια has a strong Johannine connect to NT revelation of ultimate meaning: eg Jesus as the true temple, contrasted to lesser adumbrations (eg Sinai temple). True worship is NT worship.
Click to expand...
This is a devotional.

Thank you for your opinions, but I will believe the trusted man of God who wrote the devotional.
 
electedbyhim said:
God is a person, but He has no physical characteristics.
Click to expand...

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Revelation 5:1


God has hands.


He sat on the throne, therefore He has legs and feet.


Adam and Eve were created in the image of God.


I watched till thrones were put in place,
And the Ancient of Days was seated;
His garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame,
Its wheels a burning fire;
Daniel 7:9


God has a head and hair.




JLB
 
JLB said:
And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Revelation 5:1


God has hands.


He sat on the throne, therefore He has legs and feet.


Adam and Eve were created in the image of God.


I watched till thrones were put in place,
And the Ancient of Days was seated;
His garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame,
Its wheels a burning fire;
Daniel 7:9


God has a head and hair.




JLB
Click to expand...
Pretty obvious you did not read the devotional.

These descriptions are called anthropomorphisms, from the Greek words for “man” and “form.” They picture God as though He were a man because God has chosen to describe Himself in a way we can comprehend. If He did not accommodate His revelation to our finite level, we would have no hope of understanding Him.
Click to expand...
 
electedbyhim said:
This is a devotional.

Thank you for your opinions, but I will believe the trusted man of God who wrote the devotional.
Click to expand...

As you will. I had thought that it was your devotional thoughts, not another's, and I judge by content, not authorship. I guess I'm more a Berean than a respecter of persons, and assume that interaction can aid biblical devotions to be biblical truth for the sake of the flock. But I butt out.
 
Vinny37 said:
As you will. I had thought that it was your devotional thoughts, not another's, and I judge by content, not authorship. I guess I'm more a Berean than a respecter of persons, and assume that interaction can aid biblical devotions to be biblical truth for the sake of the flock. But I butt out.
Click to expand...
Again thank you for your opinion.

These devotions are to uplift and encourage believers.

But there are those who will always find fault.

Grace and peace to you.
 
electedbyhim said:
Even though God is invisible,
Click to expand...
Not always invisible . God can put on the physical if it suits his purpose . We have proof in this scripture below .
Exodus 33
20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
 
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electedbyhim said:
Again thank you for your opinion.

These devotions are to uplift and encourage believers.

But there are those who will always find fault.

Grace and peace to you.
Click to expand...

May I add that sometimes fault remains unfound, and that being biblically correct will uplift and encourage believes in the truth? If Marcion of Sinope wrote a devotional, I am pleased that you for one would not debate his opinion (all our devotions are our opinions), especially if he were holy. Shalom
 
Vinny37 said:
May I add that sometimes fault remains unfound, and that being biblically correct will uplift and encourage believes in the truth? If Marcion of Sinope wrote a devotional, I am pleased that you for one would not debate his opinion (all our devotions are our opinions), especially if he were holy. Shalom
Click to expand...
I understand what you are saying.

But faults may be found in your correcting a fault found.

That is why we rely on Holy Spirit and the written word of God.

We are all fallible, also we are all not "called" by the Lord to Pastor/teach the Bible.

The Lord has put these men in place for His purposes.

They will answer to Him for their ministry.

Grace and peace to you.
 
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