(42) Can We Really Know God?

As we approach our study of the nature and character of God, there are two important truths we must keep in tension. No, that’s not a mistake, I really do mean that we need to keep these truths in tension. Not an antagonistic tension of conflicting ideas, but a tension between two truths that balance each other out and keep us from error. The first truth is that God created us and gave us life in Christ in order that we might know Him. The second truth that is critical for us to keep before us is that we cannot fully understand God. Let me briefly expand on each of these and then we’ll consider why it is so important to hold tightly to both truths.

First, we focus our attention on man’s ability to know God. It is clear from scripture that God made man for relationship with Him. Remember what Jesus said as he prayed to the Father, “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God (John 17:3). That God wants us to know Him is clear in that He has revealed Himself over and over again to man (Hebrews 1:1-3).

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6 NIV)

God also chose to communicate to man in clear language. God didn’t use the language of the elite, academics, politically powerful, or in complex legalese. He communicated in the language of the people, using culturally relevant language and illustrations. God wants us to know Him and to grow in knowing Him better. It is incumbent upon each of us to pursue greater knowledge and insight into the character of God.

But with this pursuit of understanding must always be the conscious recognition that we can never fully understand God and there will even be things we see in scripture that make no sense to our human reasoning and logic.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV)

Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised, And His greatness is unsearchable. (Psalm 145:3 NAU)

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the lord, or who became his counselor? (Rom. 11:33-34 NAU)

Scripture does present God as one who can be known and understood, but we must remember that this knowledge will always be incomplete. Finite humans can only understand the true essence of God's being in a limited manner. Therefore, as we study the character of God and indeed, all of scripture we must always be keenly aware of our weakness. We must be careful we do not actually distort the nature of God and His ways in our attempt to understand them.

Let me get a bit more specific. There will be times as we study the character and ways of God that it will be offensive to our humanity and sense of human dignity. We will think it doesn’t seem right or fair. But here’s what we must do. We must embrace the teaching of scripture whether it sits well with us or not, whether we understand it or not, whether we like it or not.

So, before we go any further in considering the character of God, let's firmly answer two questions.  "Will you let scripture speak for itself and determine for you what you will believe?" "Will you let God be God or will insist that He fit within your preconceived ideas and what you think is right?" 

Soli Deo Gloria

Next:  (43) The Meaning of Attribute