The Character of God

Who is God? What's He like? Great questions, that all of us should ask at one time or another. So, how do we find this out. Because after all, I look to God as a Father of which I am His son. Yes, He is the creator but I do not look at Him as a creator and me being the creature that was created rather I look/view/commune with God as my Father. This relationship, naturally, creates a desire for me to know my Father and to know my Father I have to possess an internal drive which feeds that desire. In presenting to us a complete work or cannon called The Holy Bible, God has said "here is what you need to know." OK...

So, I set out to feed this desire. READ! Commune! Learn! To become "saved" you did nothing. Infact, you had to quit being you in order for God to spare you from His wrath. There is nothing you personally or physically do to be come spared. How arrogant it is to think you actually did something or you did this on your own terms. Here it is: Knowledge+Experience=A Life Style Change.

Knowledge: Who is God? Read! The intent of the old testament is for us to gain an appreciation of the character of God. What has he done? Why did he do it? Who did he do it to and why? Who am I or better yet who was I? As a member of the Body of Christ you are not categorized as a recipient of the doctrinal messages in the old testament. If you read these books and truly read for knowledge vs as part of a yearly reading plan (which has no edification, infact its an ego-trip to read the Word only to be awarded in front of the congregation at the end of the year for reading the whole bible). After digesting the old testament you should come to the conclusion...wow, thank God I am not part of that mess! In fact, I don't want to have a relationship with God based on rules, walking a fine line, or in fear. I want a relationship with my Father based Him viewing me as an adopted son. Yes, son, like Jesus is Gods natural Son...I am His adopted son. I have the same status as heir like Jesus has and I am supposed to act accordingly..in Christ's stead as ambassadors.

Honestly, I know God's character. I know who Ge is. I know what He is. I know why He is. How do I know this? Because I read it. I put my trust in His words rather than a corrupt man. I hear today John 3:16 everywhere I go. Great verse but how shallow. Yes, God did send his Son and He does love the world but the question the body of Christ should ask is 'why did He send His Son?' Thats is the knowledge part. The part were you actually learn and understand. So, why did God send His Son to the world? Read Gal 4:1-7. Paul say who you were, what God did and why to change that and who you are now. Why in Galatians? Because the Galatians needed correction for wrong doctrine. They reverted back to the Law and Paul tells them why God sent His Son. They were wrong and he corrected them. By the way, Paul also called them fools for this.

If you read Paul's epistles in doctrinal order (the way God intended) vs chronological order one can not understand the next books with out grasping the each book in order....Doctrine. Yes, a scary word.... doctrine. You have to actually want to learn and 20 min on sunday morning is a joke especially when the pulpit is a corrupt place.

Romans builds a foundation-- Correct Doctrine, Corinthians delivers reproof-- to the carnally minded, Galatians delivers correction (the truth sometimes hurts)-- to the people that desire to live under the law (one can't serve 2 masters).

After that, a solid foundation is formed. The edification process is well underway and know you dive head first into the advanced doctrinal sonship process of Epi-Col. Then finally we finish with the pastoral epistles. This is were we establish roots and go to build another house or atleast lay foundations for the Glory of God's kingdom in heaven with God...His abode.

That's that. The reader continues on with Hebrews in order to prove the before 13 books and the doctrinal application is intended for the believing remnant, not the body of Christ.

You see, this is the character of God. This is what He is doing, where he is laboring, how He has arranged His Kingdom, how He defeated the devil. These are the answers to the why and they explain why Paul say "but now".

Keep mining data.