DWoG 2 Who is God and how do we get to know him?

In our previous session we talked about God is a Community of Love and following that concept we need to find out how we get to know God. There's a lot to say, but I’ll keep it simple.



God is the source of knowledge, so when we talk about Him, we rely on what He reveals to us. God reveals Himself in various ways, but I’ll give you a broad overview. In the past, God revealed Himself to individuals like Adam, Eve, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob through dreams or visions. God called prophets to relay His messages, often through dreams and visions. He also called priests to teach and intercede for His people, leading them in proper worship.



God later directed some of His followers to write about Him, leading to the creation of the Bible. The Bible, compiled from these writings, is the Word of God and the most important book for Christians. It has two parts: the Old Testament, originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic, and the New Testament, written in Greek. Today, followers translate the Bible into languages worldwide. Because God is utterly good and does not lie, Christians believe the Bible is trustworthy.



God also reveals Himself through His Spirit. The Holy Spirit, one of the Three Divine Persons within God. No revelation from the Spirit will ever contradict the Bible. You can’t claim that God spoke to you if your words oppose the Bible.



God also reveals Himself through His community of followers. In the Bible, God called Abraham and his descendants to live in a way that would bless the world. This community became known as Israel. From Israel, Jesus of Nazareth was born, through whom we know God most uniquely. Jesus wasn’t just a mortal; He was God in human form. He was fully God and fully Man. Jesus, reveals God as Love and Self-sacrificing. God loved the world so much that He sent His Son so that anyone who believes in Him can be saved and become part of God's community. Therefore, Jesus is called the Lord Jesus Christ.



After Jesus, His followers were called Christians. Like Israel, Christians are to live in ways that reveal God’s blessings to the world. Christians form communities known as the Church, where they worship God, do missionary work, and care for each other. The Church belongs to God and lives according to His teachings, aiming to make the world better. The Church is one, like God, but found worldwide, making it catholic. The word catholic means universal. It is also holy because God is holy and apostolic, grounded in Christ's and the Apostles' teachings.



Nature itself also reveals God. A sunrise, a newborn lamb, or a hen protecting her chicks shows God's love and providence. Life itself suggests something or Someone beyond us. To understand God’s revelation in creation, we need the Holy Spirit's help.



Let me summarize all these facts in short:

We talk about God based on His revelations to us.

God reveals Himself through His Spirit.

God revealed Himself through prophets and priests in the past.

The Bible, as a collection of these revelations, is the Word of God.

God revealed Himself most uniquely in Jesus Christ.

Christians, as God’s followers, are called to make Him known through their lives.

And God reveals Himself through creation.



Next time we will talk about what I believe about the One True God as a follower of Jesus Christ.