God Attribute, 96

~ God Is Relational ~

 

This Series  ~  This series of posts looks at some of the many attributes of God.  Generally, we move in alphabetical order.

 

Introduction  ~  This is one of the most important of God’s attributes. He wants a personal relationship with you. Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with God Himself.

 

Scripture  ~  “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8a).

 

“So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11a).

 

“Then He said, ‘I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion’” (Exodus 33:19)

 

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:19-22).

 

Fellowship  ~  The Christian can, and should, have fellowship with all three members of the Triune God.

 

Fellowship with the Holy Spirit? (Philippians 2:1; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

Fellowship with Jesus Christ? (1 John 1:3; Philippians 3:10)

Fellowship with God the Father? (1 John 1:3)

 

Comment  ~  Thomas Jay Oord has listed a variety of verses (not an exhaustive list) which show God is relational:

·         God “sees” that the created world and in which creatures “bring forth” creatures is a “good” world, even saying some are “very good” (Genesis 1).

·         God first considers the animals as possible companions for Adam but finds them unsuitable. So God decides to create another human (Genesis 2).

·         The Lord “regrets” that he made humans, and “his heart was deeply troubled” (Genesis 6:6).

·         God “hears” the cries of Israel and is “concerned about their suffering” (Exodus 3:7).

·         God “hears the groaning of the sons of Israel” and remembers the covenant (Exodus 6:5).

·         God self-identifies as a “jealous God” and “unswervingly loyal” (Exodus 20:5, 6).

·         God encounters “a stiff-necked people,” has anger that “burns,” but “relents” and does not bring disaster (Exodus 32:9-14).

·         Being “a compassionate God,” God will “not forget the covenant with your fathers” (Deuteronomy 4:31).

·         The Lord foretells Hezekiah’s imminent death; Hezekiah prays and asks for more time; the Lord responds by adding years to Hezekiah’s life (2 Kings 20:1-7).

·         God “remembers his covenant” and “relents according to the greatness of his lovingkindness” (Psalm 106:45).

·         “My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and my covenant of peace will not be shaken,” says the Lord of compassion (Isaiah 54:10).

·         God feels sorrow about the disaster brought on Judah (Jeremiah 42:10).

·         God is “jealous” and “takes pity” on the people (Joel 2:18).

·         God “has compassion” for Israel (Hosea 11:8-9).

·         God takes “great delight” and “rejoices” (Zephaniah 3:17).

·         God gets “extremely angry” when the nations make disasters worse (Zechariah 1:15).

·         Mary says God helps “in remembrance of His mercy” (Luke 1:54).

·         The apostle Paul warns his readers: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30), which implies that creaturely action can sadden God.

·         James says, “The Lord is full of compassion and is merciful” (Ephesians 5:11).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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