The world is confused about God. And who can blame them? There are so many religions, and each of them promotes their own unique version of God and distinctive way to worship Him. The media portrays cultural and popular ideas about God as well. Without an absolute source of religious truth, it would be impossible to discern what He is like!

God has graciously given us such a source. He reveals Himself to us – who He is, what He does, and how to have a relationship with Him – in the Bible. All that the Bible says about Him expands upon three basic facts:

Fact #1: God Exists
Today it is fashionable to deny that God exists. Christians spend much time arguing for His existence from science, logic, and philosophy. But this was not so in the ancient world. Ancient peoples believed in and worshiped many gods. Therefore, the writers of the Bible do not bother asking, “Does God exist?”; they assume that He does. They instead answer the question, “Which god exists?”

Moses tells the Israelites before they enter Canaan, “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deut. 6:4). They are about to drive out the Canaanites, who worship an entire assembly of gods. So Moses reminds them that their God is the true God. The Bible says the God of Israel is the only god who exists; all others are fake. They are demons who pretend to be gods in order to lead people astray.

Fact #2: God is Personal
The Bible says God is a person. He is not a physical being, but He is a person who can be known nonetheless. He has all the features of a personality – He thinks, feels, and makes decisions. His character is multifaceted and all of His attributes are perfect.

Perhaps His strangest attribute is that He exists as three persons. These three people share the same personality and power, but each maintains His own identity and role. God exists as Father, Son, and Spirit.

Fact #3: God is Active
God is not a distant deity who is removed from creation or far off from us. The Bible says He is active in creation. He is the creator of the universe and the source and sustainer of life. He directs the affairs of the world toward the achievement of His purposes. He raises up and tears down nations and kings as He sees fit. He determines where and when people will live.

The Bible also says God is active in the lives of His people. This is true in both the Old and New Testament. He chooses Israel to be His special people and pursues a relationship with them through prophets, priests, and kings. He becomes flesh and lives among them as Jesus of Nazareth, and builds the church upon Jesus’ sacrifice. He foreknows, predestines, calls, justifies, and will glorify those who belong to Him in Christ. And He lives within them by the presence of the Holy Spirit.

But God’s activity in our lives is more than just religious; it is deeply personal. He cares about the situations and circumstances we face on a daily basis. He relates to and comforts us in our struggles. He provides what we need so we can do what He wants. And He makes Himself available when we need mercy and grace.

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