Beholding The Glory of God - What is God?

What is God? Even asking this question seems wrong in some way.

He is so far above, beyond, so totally Other - how can we, mere creatures hope to comprehend such a God? My finite mind cannot grasp an infinite God. It is true that God is a mystery - and that He will always be clouded in mystery to His creatures. If He had not chosen to reveal Himself to us, there is no way we could know anything about Him rightly. But, thank God, He did choose to reveal many aspects about Himself to us.

“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding. That we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” (1John 5:20)

Where to begin?

I am thankful that I am not the first person to attempt to answer these questions, and by God’s grace, I will not be the last. In the first centuries after Christ’s resurrection our church fathers, to fight various heresies that had crept into the church, felt it necessary to put on paper what the Church held as Truth. I insert these creeds here to help us have a foundation with which to begin our study.

The Apostle's Creed is a statement of the basics of the faith. The Apostles' Creed was not written by the Biblical Disciples. The name is deemed this as a sum and substance of the early Apostolic teaching which the disciples would have held to. Earliest version found is A.D. 215. The current version is circa 542 A.D.

The Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
(catholic defined as the universal church - does not refer to Roman Catholicism)

The Nicene Creed was an orthodox creed on the Trinity and the Son. Circa 381 A.D.

The Nicene Creed

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried; and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spake by the Prophets. And I believe one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church; I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.

The Westminster Confession, Chapter 2, states the following:

“ I. There is but one only living and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute, working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will, for his own glory, most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek him; and withal most just and terrible in his judgments; hating all sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty.
II. God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself; and is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; he is the alone foundation of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom, are all things; and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth. In his sight all things are open and manifest; his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature; so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain. He is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands. To him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience he is pleased to require of them.
III. In the unity of the Godhead there are three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.”


This is quite a statement. Even though we can read the words, there is no way upon reading this once through that we could comprehend all the truth contained about God in these three paragraphs. The church leaders of that time were very concerned that generations following would have a clear grasp of the Gospel, for only by it can men know God and have eternal life. So these dear brothers determined to teach all the Truth contained in the Westminster Confession (many more paragraphs on the whole of our Christian faith) to their children and grandchildren. Granted, it was a daunting task. So they created the Larger Catechism for all their children and newly converted Christians and even the unsaved living in a believers home or employed in a believer’s business to be instructed about God during devotions. (Can you imagine mandatory prayer, Scripture reading, and devotions in every believer’s home and business? Awesome!)

This is what the Larger Catechism says to our question:

Q. What is God?

A. God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection; all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere present, almighty, knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.

When the questions were asked in the Catechism, the student was to recite the answer word for word. A mighty impressive accomplishment seeing that the Larger Catechism has 196 questions! At some point, for reasons unknown to me (didn’t take the time to research it) there came in to being the Shorter Catechism, which says to our question:

Q. What is God?

A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.

Perhaps seeing how our Christian brethren throughout history have answered this question will help us to get an overview of how Awesome our God really is, and let us know what a privilege it is that we can even contemplate not only knowing about such a Good God, but having a relationship with Him, even more, being adopted into His family.

When we understand this, how can we not be changed?

During the next week read over the Apostle’s Creed, Nicene Creed, Westminster Confession and the Larger and Shorter Catechism. Spend some time pondering in your own mind what they say. Are these just a list of beliefs, cold hard facts about a being you know about, but irrelevant to your daily life; or, are they words describing the being you know of, the One to whom your heart longs to be with - does your spirit within sing out praises to this great Father of ours?

And although it is difficult to grasp these truths and causes our minds to stretch to contain them, does it not at the same time, fill us with such joy and gratitude that our innermost being is stretched too, hardly able to contain the wonder of it all.

To know God, is to love God.

Beholding the Glory of God

What is the purpose of this post?

To know God.

Why undertake this study now? Motivation?

About a year ago I read John Owen’s “The Glory of Christ,” and have been unable to let go of something he wrote.

He quoted 2 Corinthians 3:18 -

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Then he said,

“As believers, beholding the glory of Christ in the glass of the gospel, we are changed into the same image and likeness by the Spirit of the Lord. So those beholding the beauty of the world and things that are in it through the cursed glass of self-love are in their minds changed into its image. But we have not so learned Christ.”

Since Christians are to be “Christ-like”

Since to become like Christ, bearing His fruit, is what all who believe do “Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:11)

Since God demands “Be ye holy, for I am holy” (Peter 1:16)

Since the way to show our love for Him and to truly know Him is being obedient as Jesus was - “ If ye love me, keep my commandments” “ He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” “ Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:15,21,23)

Since we, who are called God’s children, “and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. (Romans 9:26); and are new creatures, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthinas 5:17); are to live exactly as the Scriptures tell us, that it is “not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20);

that the world is to see Jesus living through us,

Since Christ gave himself for the Church “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:27);

and since this, as a whole, is not what the world sees;

Since we have in our weakness, apathy and sin-soaked lives betrayed our Savior by representing Him falsely to a fallen world, a world full of people that He came to save “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

That can only know Him through us being what He has called us to be.

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; an it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16).

Since it is easier to focus on the failings of the “Church”, instead of my own personal betrayal in not living out 1 Thessalonians 2:12
“ That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.”

And since the only answer for all that is “un-Christ-like” in my life is found in 2 Corinthians 3:18,

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

I now find myself asking:

How do we, with open face, behold Christ?

Open face: No longer hiding behind a mask, no more excuses for sin or weakness. Acknowledging ourselves to be, in truth, exactly as our Heavenly Father, who sees all and knows us better that we do ourselves, says we are “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” (Revelations 3:17)

To Behold:

To behold means to look, but much more than just to look.

It means to observe carefully, to drink in with our eyes until we perceive the real nature of what we behold.

So, what I must now do, is to first, pray and ask the Holy Spirit - who is the dispenser of all truth - to lead me into this act of “beholding”.

To search the Scriptures to see what God has revealed to us about Himself. To not only study what each verse says to my understanding (mind), but to drink of it until it soaks into my heart (will), thereby changing me to become in this world what His Word says I am in Truth.

“ Herein is our love made perfect, that we have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” (1John 4:17)