Who Is God?

In our culture, everyone assumes they know God; whether atheist, agnostic or Christian. But isn't that a very dangerous assumption? To think we actually know and understand God? 

So, one of the most important questions we can ask is simply: "Who is God?" As we read the Bible we need to ask, "Who is God?" As we pray we need to ask, "Who is God?" As we listen to a sermon we need to ask, "Who is God?" Our lifelong journey here on earth is to continually answer the question, "Who is God?"

Let me tell you why this is such an important question to answer. Theologian and New Testament scholar NT Wright tells this story of the time he was the campus chaplain at Worcester College in Oxford, England. As chaplain he would make it a point to meet all the students each year. In introducing himself, a number of the students would say that they probably wouldn't be seeing much of each other because they, the student, didn't believe in God.

Wright had a stock reply. He would ask, "Oh, and what god don't you believe in?"

The student would give a puzzled look. So Wright would say, "Describe this god that you don't believe in."
So the student would describe a god who was distant and uninvolved in the goings on of earth, and who was ultimately angry and upset with people. 

Wright would listen, nodding his head. And when the student was done, Wright would reply, "I'm not surprised you don't believe in god…I don't believe in that god either."

We live in a culture and we live lives that assume we really know God. That kind of ignorance and arrogance keeps us from really truly knowing God. One of the priorities of our day should be to humbly approach the Bible and prayer to simply better understand who God is. Why is this so important? As we better know God we are able to move into a closer relationship with him—and isn't that what we are truly are looking for?