21 Definitive Unity in the Bible Truths About God

There is unity in the Bible regarding humans and their relationship with God, even if there is some disagreement about free choice among theologians. Along the Calvinist doctrine, all people are born totally depraved, or completely stained in sin in every part of their being. There is nothing in a human that can reach out in free will to God in repentance. In Arminian doctrine, all people are born with the ability to repent and believe. Good can still be chosen through free will. In the end, they both agree that people can do good things. However, they are not able to repair the relationship with God. God alone reaches out and all people from across all times need Gods’ help. This is the starting place for worship. All people from all times need Gods’ help to worship Him.

God requires His people to worship Him in spirit and in truth. No one repairs relationship with God without Him reaching out and no one worships Him without His calling. In the fourth chapter of John Jesus says, “The hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” Paul writes in Romans 8 (paraphrased), “You are in the Spirit if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you”. This is possible because of what Jesus, Christ, Gods’ king, Messiah, Gods’ savior, God incarnate, did 2,000 years ago by living, dying, and living again. There is unity in the Bible regarding these things and they are fundamental to worshiping in spirit and in truth.

Fundamental Points

True worshipers have God’s Spirit living inside them. Culture often modifies words. A first step is to define the word worship. In a basic sense, worship is deep respect and adoration. Worship is centered on God and in Christianity God is Jesus, Christ. We deeply respect, adore, honor, and pay homage to Jesus the Son, God the Father, with the power of the Holy Spirit. God has shown proper ways with instructions and overviews of the way He wants to be worshiped. We respond to Gods’ call of worship, what He has done, and for who He is. It is in this area that worshiping in spirit and in truth become engaged and even grow over time. There is unity in the bible on some of God’s characteristics He has revealed to people.

When a person is born again with the spirit of Jesus, they become alive. They have the new ability to please God. The Holy Spirit lives inside of them. It is in this way they are enabled to worship in spirit and in truth. But all are being sanctified and matured into godliness until the day they will fully undergo glorification and become new, perfect people. (After this life). Until then, they learn, they transform, they endure. There are some fundamental truths God has revealed in His word and in all regards, there is unity in the Bible regarding them. There is even unity among Christians. God is many things but remembering fundamentals brings unity with other believers and encourages greater intimacy in worshiping God. These are truths to explore and pray about. These are truths to engage in spirit and in truth. Response to these truths is worship!

God Is and God is…

Anyone who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6 b. God is. To clarify, this list is not exhaustive. There is unity in the Bible that God is unsearchable in regard to understanding him completely. This is meant to solidify basics and build confidence in the spirit of worship. People respond to Gods’ call of worship, what He has done, and for who He is. It is logical to ask, who is He; what is He like? How might you/we respond? There are two primary categories for how people describe what God is like. Communicable and incommunicable. Communicable are areas that humans have some measure of similar qualities and can connect with God in this way. Incommunicable are areas where humans have only concept and nothing in common with God. God is ‘other’ and holy.

There is definitive unity in the Bible that God is completely ‘other’ than any part of creation. In all of existence, there is nothing like Him. There are qualities people can conceive of but cannot possibly relate to or experience. Even the angels (including the devil) do not relate to these. Here are some fundamental truths all Christians believe that have been studied and verified for thousands of years. Take time to consider each of them and how it impacts your thoughts and behavior of your life and your day.

1. God is Omnipresent

God is present everywhere at the same time. His omnipresence is in spirit and in truth. People, angels, and all of creation take space in finite space. When people ‘invite the Lord’ to prayer or a place for blessing, He does not come, He is already there. What they really mean is they invite their awareness to tune into that fact.

Satan is not omnipresent. He is not manipulating all the people of the earth at the same time. He may be powerful, but he is limited to the space of his existence. Jesus is the radiance of his (Gods’) glory, the very image of his (Gods’) substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels as the more excellent name he has inherited is better than theirs. Hebrews 1: 3 – 4. Jesus said, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth”, from John 4: 24. There is unity in the Bible that God alone has this trait.

Faith Questions

Does your prayer change tone or authenticity knowing God is omnipresent? How might your view of corporate worship change? Does confessing to God become easier or harder? How might your prayer for others change in tone knowing God is with you and who you’re praying for at the same time? In what ways does this humble you? In what ways does this give you security?

2. God is Infinite

He is limitless in space, extent, and size. Writing that God is spirit is accurate and descriptive. But His spirit is more than just beyond the substance of matter. It is beyond extent. When people discover something 46.5 billion years away, God is beyond that, God is bigger. When people discover genes and quarks, God is beyond. In spirit and in truth, God exists beyond limits, there is no meeting in infinity, there is no end, there are no borders.

Satan reports to God and roams about the earth as a finite being. He presents himself before the throne in heaven, locationally. Satan will one day be thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. People will die to this life one day and those in Jesus will live life with God forever and ever. Those who are not will join in the torment with Satan. These are locations for finite beings, limited in space, size, and extent. God is not limited. God is infinite in spirit and in truth. Of these things there is clear unity in the Bible.

Faith Questions

How does the infiniteness of God give reason for glorifying Him as God? Do boundaries for the finite (angels and people) bring comfort? What kind of healthy fear of God might apply here? What are other qualities that cause you to run to Him instead of away? Is it possible to run away? Do you behave as if there is a place God cannot be because of the limits of what makes Him up? Is there a scenario God cannot reach or help you?

3. God is Self–Existent

Almighty God exists independently of other beings. He does not need anyone, people, animals, or angels. God does not need love, goodness, mercy. He does not experience loneliness. God does not need pets. Gods’ self-existence is in spirit and in truth. God has created existence as we know it for His pleasure and to magnify His glory. Life exists on this glory; life exists on God. God is outside the created, as the creator of it.

Satan exists, is dependent on God, and so does all of existence. Satan was created by God; Satan’s continuance is subject to God. So are people and animals. People experience much of what the angels do. God respects human choice. Some people worship God as God while others worship the created rather than the creator. Whether they recognize it or not, the continuance of any person is subject to God. In this life, our very breath is subject to God. The existence of the next life is subject to Gods’ judgement through His son, Jesus. People and angels exist in life with God, or in unending weeping and gnashing of teeth, abandoned by God. Of these things there is repeated unity in the Bible.

Faith Questions

God does not need you or anything related to you. God desires you. Does this affect your prayers? How might it affect your activities? Does it affect how you talk about God with others? Does knowing that the chief deceiver (Satan) is dependent on God change how you perceive him (your enemy)? How does the self-existence of God bring you humbly before Him? Do you come before Him in humility, or do you try to bring a ‘good work’ or ‘good life’ to Him?

4. God is Self-Sufficient

God maintains Himself independently of outside aid. He does not need anything or anyone. Creator God does not need money; He does not need food. He does not even need worship. God is such that who He is, is who He is in completeness. He is complete in spirit and in truth. From Genesis to Revelation, clear unity in the Bible, this fact is uncomfortably obvious. What God has created is for His pleasure and His glory. It is not a result of need.

Satan was created by Him and is accountable to Him. So are people, even you and I. There is unity in the Bible on accountability as well. Living creatures are not self-sufficient, all need God for life and the continuance of that life. People and fallen angels hold dread because of our denial of this fact, or anger against this fact. Because knowing God, we do not glorify Him as God, and do not give thanks. Consequences for this are not because God is lacking something we refuse to give Him. God has given humans an avenue for salvation from these consequences. An avenue of choice that He honors. Redeeming people serves no need that God has.

Faith Questions

There is no need God has that is satisfied by people obeying instructions, or the law. Yet, He gives law. How might this fact affect your prayers? How might it affect your daily tasks? Does this affect how you interact with other people? Is your spirit affected by knowing your tithe is not a fulfillment of a need? When Jesus said that our prayers should ask for forgiveness, this is not satisfying a need of God. Does your spirit change knowing this? How might your spirit change towards forgiving others? In the recesses of your heart, worshiping in spirit and in truth, knowing God is self-sufficient, what is your attitude? How might it be transformed?

5. God is Eternal

God had no beginning and will never end. In the beginning was the word, in the beginning God created. Before the beginning, God was. People will come to an end, in death. God will be. The earth as we know it will end and God will continue to be. Eternity is the only mark of time that can be applied to God because there is nothing to mark the passage of it for Him. No creation, no death, no age, no period of growth and maturity, no failing senses. God is no youthful being and no gray-haired aged being. He is outside of time. There is unity in the Bible regarding the eternity of God, Messiah, and Jesus. The word became flesh and dwelt among us, but in the beginning, the word already was.

All angels and all people have beginning. Before that, God was. The fallen angels have an ending coming to everything they know as well as all people. There may be unending existence after death in the lake of fire or with God, but life as we know it will end. God will still be, and He will still be who He is in character and in His ways.

Faith Questions

As you approach your time of worship, how does Gods’ eternal nature align your spirit? How might your view of the importance of current events be affected? Does the eternal nature of God help with any anxious thoughts you’re feeling? How might the baby Jesus in a manger story transform in perspective? Does the eternity of God affect the Jesus in the tomb story?

6. God is Immortal

God never dies and never decays. Death and decay entered human reality, in part, because God honors human choice. God gave Adam and Eve free will with explanation of the consequences of choice. They chose to place their trust in their own understanding rather than Gods’ care. They chose against Him, and death entered the human race. God is unable to choose against Himself. He cannot sin, He cannot die or decay.

Satan will be cast into the lake of fire along with the other fallen angels. From the WEB translation of Romans 5, here are some key, wonderful, truths that people may hope in. Sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; so death passed to all men, because all sinned. By the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. As sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. In both the Old and New Testaments, there is unity in the Bible that righteousness is granted by grace and not any works of people.

Faith Questions

God is immortal and does not die or decay. Jesus was God incarnate and died. Take time to think about why He died. How might this be a point of empathy between God and people, specifically you? Connect with the Holy Spirit inside you on death. In what way might this lead to praise God? How is He leading you to worship Him? How does this build your trust in God?

7. God is a Necessary Being

Gods’ nonexistence is impossible, He alone is the necessary being by which everything else currently exists. If God did not exist, neither would anything else. There is overwhelming unity in the Bible on this truth. The universe has been described as all of space, time, matter, and energy. These are things of existence. God is outside, or bigger than these things to have created them. They have beginning, He has no beginning. By Jesus, all things were created in the heavens and on the earth, visible things, and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things are held together. From Colossians 1. If God did not exist, neither would anything.

An existence without Satan or his angels would be acceptable to the universe. There may be unity in the Bible on this, but there is likely unity on this among the human race. The same holds true for people and all of life. It is not necessary for any people to exist for the existence of the universe. The universe is created and upheld. The mechanisms of angels, people, or any created things do not hold the universe together. It is by God; it is by Jesus.

Faith Questions

How does this truth affect your sense of purpose? Do you think and behave as if you were necessary? Why do you think God might want people to know this? In prayer, in spirit and in truth, how might this bring hope and not despair? Have you thought the devil and his dominion were somehow necessary? How might this affect your view of God? Often, worship is adoring God for who He is, not what He has done. What kind of reasons come to mind for simply adoring God as a necessary being for the existence of all space, time, matter, and energy?

8. God is One

There is no other, He is alone in being able to meet the deepest needs and longings of a person’s heart. God alone is worthy of a person’s worship and devotion. Throughout, there is unity in the Bible; unity in God’s word. Multiple gods competing over humanity do not exist. The ignoring of humanity of multiple gods do not exist. There is one Spirit of God, the same in substance as God, that inhabits a person born again in Jesus. There are no multiple spirits within a believer’s heart that require homage and glory. When worship is in spirit and in truth, it is to one God.

There are many people and many angels. God has created many to manifest His glory, for His pleasure and for the many to enjoy. There are leaders. Satan led the rebellion of the angels against heaven. There are people leaders all over the world. But they are leaders of many, not one. If there were one, there would be no need of a leader. Unity in the Bible is the first step to the unity of Christians. Jesus is one with the Father.

Faith Questions

One God means one provider. One God means one purpose. Do you look beyond God for provision? Do you look to other philosophies beyond God for purpose? Who or what else takes your devotion? Do you look beyond God to fulfill your deep needs or desires? How might you better focus your devotion and answers in the one God? Is this an area you might confess to Him?

9. God is Trinity

God is three in one, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. There are thousands of books written over thousands of years to delve into the theology of this. It is a well-researched truth and possibly the greatest of all incommunicable truths people wrestle with. As an incommunicable truth, there will never be a perfect description, simply concepts. Nevertheless, it is a truth. There is unity in the Bible, there is unity in spirit and in truth in worship.

Satan, his angels, people, and all other creation is unlike trinity. Every part of the trinity is equal in power over all existence. God is sovereign and all parts of the trinity share that, as one in substance. God does not hold humans to perfect understanding of this or perfect obedience. He does hold them accountable to it as truth. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him. No one who is not sealed with the Holy Spirit comes to the Father. By the grace of God and faith in Jesus, Christ, any person can come to the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit and He will make them His children. No other gifts or obedience required. God invites people to participate in His glorious plan, through the truth of the trinity.

Faith Questions

Do you approach God differently if you think of the Father vs the Son vs the Spirit? Does your reverence change? Does your behavior change knowing Gods’ spirit lives inside you? How might your prayer change? Do you see a different god in Jesus in the New Testament than the God of the Old Testament? How might you submit your understanding to God for transformation? Do you think your purpose changes by focusing on a particular part of the trinity? How might your approach to worship change? Does you adoration change? Does your critique of worship services change? How does your attitude of worship change in spirit and in truth?

10. God is Immutable

God never changes: in his being, in his promises, responsive in relationship. There is definitive unity in the Bible on this, God Himself specifically states this truth and describes it. This is a statement of Gods’ being not His actions. God creates and grows creation. God uses many creative actions to reach people in relationship. He uses many ways to demonstrate His promises and the glory of His being is magnified throughout all creation. But His character of being is always perfect, never diminishing, never evolving. If God were to change, it would mean He has improved or become less. This is not possible, perfection cannot be perfected and failing to be perfection is sin. God cannot sin.

Some angels in heaven rebelled against God, they changed. People rebelled against God, they changed. Satan is referred to as the father of lies. He wasn’t always like this, he is now. People were created in perfection without sin. They are now born in sin. However, God has given people a way of salvation. People can enter righteousness by the grace of God through Jesus, Christ. Reading the Bible for understanding makes unity in the Bible clear. God makes things new and changes the ways He does things. But His character never changes and He is unable to do anything against His character.

Faith Meditation for Worship

Take time to consider the weight of falling from better, from God and His righteousness. Sin drives us away from God and God calls us to run towards Him anyway. This act is repentance. Confession is obedience and God will remind you He has absolved you through Jesus, His son. God calls, we praise, we confess, and God absolves. God reassures by His word, we respond to His word, God blesses. This is the liturgy of worship. This is in spirit and in truth. The unity in the Bible around this liturgy is taught as a matter of character and attitude, not instruction and law. Meditate on this, pray it, act on it. Fear God and run to Him anyway knowing His character will never change.

God is Approachable Because He is Relatable

God calls people to come to Him. He does not just call for a one time reciting of a magical prayer. He calls all the time and He has written it in creation. God does not just want your soul; He wants your being. God is ‘other’ but He has made humans in His image. There is unity in the Bible that God is a relational and personal God. We are closer to Him when we consider ways we may relate and improve on to be more like Him. We worship in spirit and in truth to an even deeper level when we allow God to relate with us and lovingly grow us in His craftsmanship.

God shares some qualities that can relate with His creation, us! People live in a broken world; these qualities are stained with sin. However, people do recognize these qualities and work in them to improve them towards a perfect standard. Because God gave people this gift, people can relate personally with God. There is more evidence that God exists and that He is a personal, relational God who cares about His creation. Here are some communicable truths that will help improve worshiping in spirit and in truth.

11. God is Holy

He is separated from all moral defilement, and He is hostile toward it. There are some things God cannot do. He cannot mix with sin, He cannot sin. In His separation from it, He also hates it. There is unity in the Bible on Gods’ attitude towards sin, described by God Himself. Some of those descriptions are about blemishes, stains, and darkness. There is no darkness in Him at all. There is no sign of blemish in Him or stain at all. Sin is deceitful and His creatures that engaged with it caused them to separate from Him.

People were created in the image of God, in holiness and to be holy. Satan sinned and deceived Adam and Eve. Through Adams’ sin, all sin. The ideal of holiness is within people as they strive for justice. They work their lives to attain a level of morality they can never measure up to. God commanded His people to be holy because He is holy. People can be holy if they are declared righteous by God. Because Jesus lived, died, and rose again, people can accept His free gift offering of eternal life when He will seal them with His holy spirit. Holiness is not going to be perfect in this broken life, but it can be lived and practiced. Jesus did it to show people the way and enable them. The spirit and truth were broken through Adam. God restored through Jesus holy reconciliation in spirit and in truth.

Relational Questions

God is holy and you want to be holy as well. You work at holiness in your own life, and you practice it in the world you live in. How is holiness different than judgement? How can you relate with God on this topic? Do you live in holiness with self-authority, or do you practice holiness that is subject to God? Does your holiness and the command to love your enemies work practically? How does it work with God? How did it work with Jesus?

12. God is a Personal Being

God has a will, He creates, and He directs events to suit Him. By now it is becoming clear that this list of truths is interrelated. It makes sense, it is all about one being, God. Unity in the Bible on this truth is not fully exhaustive. The Bible itself is evidence God is personal, writing to His creation. Speaking to them in dreams, through His creation, in burning bushes. Creation exists, and by necessity, so does God. They relate and are personal. Everything was made on purpose for Gods’ purpose. All things relate with each other as a reflection of the relational aspect between God and creation as well as for His good pleasure. God orchestrates the events and the boundaries and is personal in His approach.

People are personal too. People create and certainly have mastered the art of directing events to suit them. Many direct events to suit others. People have will and consistently evaluate it to improve their lives or the lives around them. For good or evil, people get personal with others. The Christian gets personal with God and begins their life by recognizing Gods’ holiness, His presence in heaven, and asks Him that His will might be done on earth as it is in heaven. They pray in spirit and in truth and follow what their Lord, Jesus, commanded them and showed them to do.

Relational Questions

Consider the different ways the Bible expresses relationship between God and people. List them if possible or even do a study. Take each of these and pray with consideration to God, brining these to the relationship. Father, who is in heaven…, Mighty God, who is in heaven…, Wonderful Counselor, who is in heaven… etc… Does your prayer change in tone? Do you approach God differently? Knowing the Holy Spirit is God in trinity, does your attitude change? Analyze your vulnerability when praying. How does knowing that God is personal change your approach? Does it change your witness to others?

13. God is Omnipotent

God is all-powerful and can do anything that pleases Him, but His actions will always be in alignment with His character. There is good news in this because the nearly infinite power possibilities do have limits. God cannot lie. He cannot sin. God cannot break a promise. God is holy and immutable. He is perfect in spirit and in truth. These are few, but powerful, reminders that people should fear God, but they can trust Him and approach Him. They can even seek refuge in Him. God will creatively do and create many things that please Him in many ways but never out of sin and never in a lie. There is unity in the Bible with frequent messaging on this fact.

People have power to do things that please themselves as well. Human beings are physically powerful enough to dominate other creatures and even material resources. People also can mentally manipulate others. Unfortunately, people are born into sin, they are broken in spirit and in truth. This makes them powerful in a broken way. Many things they do hurt others and often even themselves. They may be able to do some good things, but they are powerless to restore the relationship with God. He alone reaches out. With Gods’ help, people can transform into the kind of power wielding people God desires and is pleased with.

Relational Questions

How do you feel about God doing anything that pleases Him? Have you expressed these to Him in prayer? In what ways has He revealed to you that His omnipotence is expressed through His grace? How does knowing more about Gods’ character build trust in His omnipotence? What pleases God? Are you engaged in actively pleasing Him? Is your spirit joining His character in activity? If not, have you spoken with Him about it?

14. God is Omnisapient

God is perfect wisdom, He knows which course of action is the best. Knowledge and action are not always right and wrong. It takes wisdom to determine the optimal action. There is nothing God does not know, He is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. In every possible scenario in every possible circumstance, God knows what is best and is the source of all wisdom. Worshipping God in spirit and in truth is action in wisdom.

People make choices all day, every day. Instructional teaching leads a person to right or wrong actions. Jesus said, paraphrased from Matthew 5: 21 – 24, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not murder and ‘Whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment. If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” It’s right to come to the alter of God with a gift. It’s wise to be reconciled to your fellow Christians first. Jesus desires you in spirit and in truth, not just righteous.

Relational Questions

Many choices you face may be ‘right’, will please God, and are acts within obedience to Him. How does having access to wisdom itself affect your prayer? Does access to this wisdom affect your life purpose? How do your actions affect others? When you pray “Forgive me as I forgive others”, how might wisdom affect your sincerity? Are you concerned about only how you have offended God, or have you considered how you have offended others? Ask God to change your perspective to include ‘love others as self’ along with ‘love God’ in equal measure. Ask Him to help you with understanding that moves to relationship building, not instruction that leads to pride. Worshiping in spirit and in truth sprouts in applying understanding.

15. God is Omniscient

God knows the past, present, and future, including what people are thinking at any given moment. Omniscience takes omnipresence and infiniteness and expands it across time. God is everywhere and of endless size and was before any beginning of anything. He knows the past and He knows what is happening at all times everywhere in the present. He even knows thoughts and is there in the secrets of every persons’ being. God is the author of creation; He has written a plan for it’s future and He knows it. God is outside of time and there is no part of time He does not know. The message He gave the prophets regarding the future is true. There is unity in the Bible of what God has revealed to humans of future events, or it would not be in the Bible.

People know about the past and people have experienced their own past and remember it. People know their thoughts; they know their present state of being. There is an ever increasing knowing of past and present events in human culture. Through statistics and psychology, people often know a measure of future events and actions. Gods’ immortality and holiness assures the accurateness of the times He shares for complete unity in the Bible. Unfortunately, humans’ mortality and sinful state vary history, make conflict in the present, and often create a fictitious future. Worshiping in spirit and in truth draws the Christian to view things through Gods’ omniscience.

Relational Questions

The Bible is a message of the past that is still relevant to the present. God knows every detail of the past and the thoughts of every person who ever lived including the biblical writers and their subjects. Consider how God chose to share that with people, even kings. Take time to find reason for praising Him for this. Take time to consider how God wants this to be relevant in your life. He knows all thoughts, even yours. He wants you to share them anyway for many reasons. Do you pray and offer your thoughts to Him regularly? God knows everything that will happen in every detail, including the very thoughts of the subjects of the future. Consider how God chose to share that with people, even the needy. Take time to find reason for praising Him for this.

16. God is Sovereign

God is supreme. Unity in the Bible, unity in fact and force. All of His creation put together cannot prevent His purposes. All of creation serves His purposes. God is the supreme power; God is the supreme king. Every earthly authority is subject to Him, He is king over all. God is supreme emperor, monarch, majesty, royal highness, lord, eminence, president, CEO, founder, ruler, chief, and any other title of authority people can come up with in any country. There is no one He is not over and nothing outside His power to accomplish His purposes. God is spirit and God set His king on his holy hill. He is supreme in spirit and in truth, covering all things invisible and visible. All things in existence are under His rule.

All people experience authority in some way. Some have it, some pay homage to it. In some countries, authorities are appointed, in others, they are elected by popular vote. Some take it by violence. Authority exists in politics, religion, business, even the family. With people there is limited authority to accomplish purposes. Though some disagree with Gods’ boundaries of what can be accomplished, boundaries exist nonetheless. These boundaries exist not simply because of the limitations of humans due to sin and death. God has set boundaries out of care for people. Though extreme violence to others is horrifying to people, God is sovereign and has put a limit on the evil human beings may carry out. It is important to remember that God finds violence against others at any level, even in thought, detestable, and He is not simply separated from it, He is hostile towards it.

Relational Questions

Is it comforting knowing God is sovereign and sets boundaries? Is it frustrating? Do you feel God has let the world down as supreme ruler? In what ways has He reigned in abundance? Do you perceive the administration of justice, mercy, holiness, love, and compassion of His kingdom? How do you feel about it? Take your feelings to God and ask Him to transform you. Remember that if you have been born again, you are part of His kingdom. The administration of His work is carried out by you, by His grace. Are you willing? Do you trust Him? Are you following? Ask the king for help, He is also your Father who wants to help. Your willingness in spirit and in truth make a big difference in what you receive.

17. God is Righteous

God cannot and will not pass over wrongdoing. Unrighteousness begins in the heart and blossoms through physical action. To be reconciled with God, sin must be forgiven in spirit and in truth. Because people are flesh and blood, God became flesh and blood by being born in human form, Jesus. Only as a human could He die (God is immortal) and break the power of Satan who had the power of death. In order for sins to be forgiven, Jesus had to experience God’s wrath when the sins of people were placed upon Him. Sins were placed on Him; He had no sin. Gods’ wrath is His correct and appropriate anger regarding sin. Sin that produces injustice and wrong. Sin earns a payment of the shedding of blood, death.

Read What God Says

From the book of Jeremiah, chapter 33. “In those days and at that time, I will cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up to David. He will execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell safely. This is the name by which she will be called: Yahweh our righteousness.” There is unity in the Bible, unity in spirit and in truth. Paul clarifies in Romans 3, “By the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe.”

People experience righteousness through the justice system in society. There may be many ways of determining right and wrong, but every society does it. Every society has a system of judgement and punishment. People experience righteousness in their private thoughts. Every person has desire of something they should or should not do and every person falls short of their own standard. Internally, people have their own system of determining their shortcomings and punishment for it. It is under constant development throughout life. Righteousness is embedded within reality. Embedded in spirit and in truth. The bad news is that all people from all of time fall short of righteousness (except Jesus). To society, to the self, to God. The result is death. The good news is that Jesus conquered death because He was righteous and so, could not stay dead. He gives His righteousness to any who would believe in Him.

Relational Questions

Is the idea of being righteous strange or uncomfortable? How do you view your source of righteousness? How do you apply it? Do you think you can have a relationship with righteousness? How do you deal with consistent unrighteousness in your own life? Do you apply the same sentencing of justice to others as you do yourself? Do you apply the same forgiveness to others as yourself? Is your unrighteousness a chain that binds you to a jail cell? God has a robe for you, perfect, without blemish. The cost is more than is imaginable, beyond measure. It is a robe of righteousness. He is working in you and will never give up working in you. It is His work that has completed everything necessary. Whatever your unrighteous state, speak with God and ask Him to help you. He has done it.

18. God is Just

God created all things. As creator, He is the designer of justice. He sets the standard, He defines it, He rules on it, and as the authority, He proclaims sentencing accordingly. Because God is Omniscient, His justice is administered fairly. God knows every thought any single person has. He knows every action. He knows a persons’ past, present, and even future, thoughts and actions. God knit every person together in the womb and knows what He gave them and how it would develop in their life. He knows the measure of accountability. Jesus is coming back to judge, a privilege the Father gave Him, and God will carry out sentencing. On that day, there will be no disagreement about the fairness of judgement, it will be plain to every person. There will be unity in spirit and in truth.

Until then, there is wide disagreement among people about the fairness of judgement. All people exist in a system of justice, in society and within themselves. Unfortunately, the system is broken because all people are guilty. People don’t like being guilty, so human justice systems are built around levels of wrong. In some cases, the worst offenders are segmented off from society. In other cases, people may be fined or defamed through todays’ social media platforms. This will not be so with God. There will be no comparison justice or justice by way of balancing good things against the bad. Take heart, with God, mercy triumphs over justice. By His grace, through faith in Jesus, Christ, His son, people receive mercy and the righteousness of Jesus. This satisfies all standards before a just God and the sentence will be eternal life. There is total unity in the Bible on this.

Relational Questions

Do you believe God is just? Why? Do you wait on Gods’ justice? How might you apply justice justly? How can you support just justice? Do you think you are just? How do you self-impose ‘good works’ to feel good about your prayer and worship life? How do you build yourself up, comparing yourself to the bad deeds of others? Do you keep a list of bad things you don’t do to feel justified in asking the Lord for things? How might remembering these tendencies keep you in humility with the Lord and with others? How might remembering Gods’ forgiveness keep you free and in love with God and other people?

19. God is Truth

God is and will remain incorruptible and He cannot lie. Certainly, God tells the truth. This is more than that, He is truth itself, so, He tells Himself. God is immutable, so truth never changes or evolves. God is never finding out new things or learning. He is omniscient and omnisapient. Truth is absolute and infinite. Truth cannot sin, cannot lie, and will never die or see decay. When a person worships God in spirit and in truth, they worship in Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. Trinity is engaged in the reborn spirit of the believer. God grants grace to people to truth in truth.

Truth is not simply a list of action steps; it is a state of the heart. People know truth throughout a multitude of subjects. In this life, God even grants truth to the eyes of the wicked. He must, because while people see the truth, they do not recognize it or give thanks for it. People are born in a reality of truth viewed through the lens of brokenness. Relationship with God, with truth, is broken. People manipulate truth, hide truth, testify the truth, and somehow speak the honest truth (???). Truth is an experience and a lot of it is known. People will be held accountable to the truth in judgement before Jesus one day. There is great news because while people lie and distort the truth, God demonstrates His love for us. He sent Jesus.

Relational Questions

Consider strange and far off places with strange customs. Consider your enemies or the people you cannot stand. All have a measure of the truth. Does this affect your view of them? Do you think there is absolute truth? Can an absolute answer also be infinite? People do not have all truth. Is this unfair? Why do you think God does not disclose all truth to all people? Is this just? Is it merciful? Does it matter if you are more, or less honest than others? Do you unknowingly or knowingly hold people accountable to the truth you know? Who holds them accountable? What is your requirement regarding the truth? How might you carry that out? Pray over these things and let God search your heart and reveal to you what needs transforming.

20. God is Love

God is literally the essence of love. He is patient, kind, He does not envy, He is not rude, He is not easily angered, He does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He protects and perseveres; His love never fails. Creator God respects human choice and does not force Himself on anyone. God loved the world so much He gave His only son. God demonstrates His faithful love to people while they are active enemies of His. His love is demonstrated throughout all creation and in every existence of love in every culture, God exists. God is love and love is no love that is not God. There is unity in creation, unity in life, and unity in the Bible.

People love and spend lifetimes chasing it and defining it. They sing and write about it. People share love in multitudes of ways. As will all shared qualities, people often twist love. People use love as a tool for greedy intentions. Love can be perverted and used as an excuse for abuse. People know and exist in love, but that existence is in a broken relationship with love. People want to fix it, but it is God alone who can repair the relationship and guide a person into a perfect love relationship. It is good to seek God and expect that He is a rewarder for those who do. When the spirit is reborn in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside a person and there is now a life that can be lived in love, in spirit and in truth.

Relational Questions

Consider the few, not full, list of words that describe how God is love. Of practicing these qualities there is no law. God says to be holy because He is holy. We are to imitate Jesus. In all qualities that we imitate, they are to be done in love. Does your daily life reflect actions done out of love? Are your actions in love for your friends or are they for your enemies and people you hate, or hate you? Is the love in your life a relationship, or is it with yourself? What is the love relationship between yourself and God? Do you discuss your love life with Him? Ask Him for love help, from the romantic to the platonic. God is all of love and God heals.

21. God is Gracious

This is a marvelous thing. His grace includes His goodness, kindness, mercy, and love. His holiness would exclude people from His presence, but He desires to know each of us personally and does by His grace. The Bible says mercy triumphs over justice. Gods’ character leans into compassion, love, and eternal faithfulness in demonstrating these characteristics. Grace cannot be earned, it is granted or gifted. God is generous in distributing His grace. There is great unity in the Bible with multitudes of stories and examples of His grace. Without grace there is no hope, no salvation, no redemption, no love, no kindness, no mercy, no compassion, etc. Indeed, a graceless existence is one of gnashing of teeth, weeping, and drowning in a lake of fire. All good is lost in spirit and in truth.

Grace is a wonderful thing when demonstrated between people. People show grace when helping the homeless, the orphans, and the widows. The needy need grace and people can take this wonderful gift God gave them to help others. Grace is also distributed in the way of honor and respect. Grace is also a powerful weapon and tool that is too often employed in the name of logic and progress. Ignoring the needy for selfish gain or disrespecting others so a person can feel better about themselves are popular distortions. For Christians living in spirit and in truth, grace begins by acknowledging their needy position before God. They are humble and they accept His grace and give it to others abundantly, trusting God to be faithful. God is faithful, He has demonstrated and stated that He is. And God is truth, you can depend on it.

Relational Questions

There is no living in spirit and in truth, worshiping in spirit and in truth, or anything of the spirit or truth without Gods’ grace. How does grace require humility? Are there measures of grace distributed by God? Do you feel there are measures of grace you receive from Him? How do you show Gods’ grace in your speech and activities? How does it come out in your testimony? Do you lean towards appealing to Gods’ grace or your works in when and how you approach Him? Should you feel guilty about this? Take time to open your heart with God about this. Jesus said that the one who is forgiven little, shows little love. Use this sentence, ‘the one who is given little grace, shows little grace’, meditatively to God in prayer. Ask Him for understanding and the revelation of your heart.

Bonus

God Has Experienced Suffering for People in Christ

This may not be a state of being, but it is a communicable experience. It is a fact. It is empathetic and even a transferred experience in the extreme. The Messiah was to suffer, die, and raise from the dead. This is the story of Jesus of Nazareth, 2,000 years ago. He lived a righteous life, gave sight to the blind, He enables the lame to walk, He caused the deaf hear, raised the dead, and He preached good news to the poor. His life ended in public humiliation and tortured execution. He died, experiencing God abandoning Him. Then, proving that He was the Savior, God, as He claimed He was, God raised Him from the dead and claimed power over death. In so doing He made this way so that no one who believed in Him would ever experience God abandoning them.

Jesus suffered, He died, He was abandoned by God. He was raised to life and God seated Him to the right on His throne. All people can relate to the suffering, all people will die a physical death. But for those who trust in Jesus, they will never experience being forsaken by God. We bring our humble selves to Him out of response to what He has done and the only thing He accepts is worship in spirit and in truth. This is praiseworthy, this is worship worthy, this is truth. This alone stirs the Spirit to rejoice, as worship in spirit and in truth begins here, on the Nature of Joy.

Resources and Notes

All scripture in this article is from the WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE (WEB). The World English Bible (WEB) is a Public Domain (no copyright) Modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version of the Holy Bible first published in 1901, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament.

This is a reliable translation, but it is always good to read other translations as well. Bibleg a teway.com has a multitude of translations to read from. It is a great resource.

Another great resource is Biblehub.com. There are multiple translations, commentaries, and so much more. Great research can be done on this platform.

One more I use regularly is Gotquestions.org. This is a great site to answer questions and find threads of related questions.

There are many resources. The key is that God wants relationship directly with you, the individual. His primary source for revealing who He is and growing in intimacy is His word, the scriptures. Don’t just read for instruction. Analyze and read for understanding. Explore, ask questions, and be transformed in Jesus every moment you possibly can. There is no dispute this is a key desire of God. People are brough to the Father, in the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. This… This is the Nature of Joy.

Jeremy is an author, musician, and business intelligence manager. His mission is to equip and encourage those in Christ, to equip and encourage others in Christ. Jesus, Christ, is the Nature of Joy and melody of the heart. Jeremy unites business analytics (business intelligence), songs, and Scripture for Christian living in the power of the Holy Spirit.