What is the nature of God's existence and essence? Definition and Overview God’s existence and essence refer to the foundational nature of the One who created and sustains all reality. In examining who God is, we encounter descriptions throughout Scripture that collectively point to God’s self-existence, eternality, omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, holiness, love, and personal nature. These attributes define Him in a way that transcends humanity’s finite understanding yet invites us to know Him intimately. This entry seeks to capture both the breadth and depth of God’s eternal being, drawing upon Scripture (cited from the Berean Standard Bible), corroborating historical and archaeological findings, and consistent observations from the natural world. I. Self-Existence and Eternality God’s nature is uniquely characterized by being uncreated and self-existent. Scripture portrays Him as having no beginning and no end. A. “I AM WHO I AM” In Exodus 3:14, when Moses asks God to reveal His name, God replies, “I AM WHO I AM.” This statement, rendered in the Hebrew as “YHWH,” conveys His self-existence and independence from all that He has made. God is not contingent upon anything else to exist. B. Before Time and Creation Psalm 90:2 proclaims, “Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.” The universe had a definite beginning (Genesis 1:1) but God existed eternally before creation. This understanding resonates with the principle of a first cause—nothing else explains the beginnings of the cosmos aside from an uncaused source. Archaeological findings and manuscripts of ancient Hebrew texts, including the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in the mid-20th century near Qumran, have preserved key passages such as Isaiah and portions of the Pentateuch. These materials affirm that these scriptural references to God’s eternality are not later additions but firmly rooted in the earliest Hebrew tradition. II. Omnipotence, Omniscience, Omnipresence God’s power, knowledge, and presence are presented in Scripture as infinite, further reinforcing the concept of a Being who transcends all created limitations. A. Omnipotence Scripture depicts God as all-powerful, capable of shaping cosmic events and personal lives alike. Job 42:2 says, “I know that You can do all things and that no plan of Yours can be thwarted.” From creating the universe out of nothing (Genesis 1:1) to raising Christ from the dead (Mark 16:6), the Bible consistently points to God’s supreme power. B. Omniscience God’s all-encompassing knowledge is evident in Psalm 139:4, which reveals, “Even before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, O LORD.” Nothing is hidden from God. Scientific efforts to explain the origin of the universe, including studies of fine-tuning in cosmology, underscore the precise order that points to Supreme intelligence. C. Omnipresence In Jeremiah 23:23–24, God declares, “‘Am I only a God nearby,’ declares the LORD, ‘and not a God far away?... Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?’” God is present everywhere at once, transcending local boundaries. Even in the farthest reaches of the cosmos, Scripture indicates there is no place outside His presence. III. Holiness and Moral Perfection Key to understanding God’s nature is recognizing His absolute holiness. He is entirely separated from sin and moral imperfection. A. The Thrice-Holy God Isaiah 6:3 records the seraphim crying out, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory!” The threefold repetition emphasizes the depth and completeness of God’s purity. This holiness means He is morally flawless, a fact reflected in the moral law He gives (Exodus 20). B. Moral Perfection Embodied In 1 John 1:5 we read, “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” This divine standard explains why Scripture so pointedly condemns sin and reveals the necessity of atonement—because humanity, with all its failings, falls short of God’s perfect holiness. IV. Love and Personal Nature Authentic love does not exist apart from personality. The Bible depicts God as a personal Being who engages with humanity in covenant and relationship. A. God’s Love John 3:16 famously declares, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This offering of salvation underscores the personal, relational nature of God’s love. It is neither abstract nor impersonal but richly expressed in concrete action. B. Fatherly Relationship Scripture often depicts God as Father (Matthew 6:9), consistent with near eastern cultures yet distinct in its emphasis on intimacy and benevolence. Historically, early church writings such as those in the late first and second centuries (e.g., letters of Ignatius and Polycarp) affirm that believers understood God as a caring Father, not a distant authoritarian presence. V. Triune Essence: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Scripture reveals that the one eternal God exists in three co-equal persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This mysterious tri-unity undergirds the Christian understanding of God’s essence. A. Scriptural Foundations Passages such as Matthew 28:19 command baptism “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” indicating unity in three persons sharing the same divine name. John 1:1 states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This underscores the deity of the Son, who later “became flesh” (John 1:14). B. Relational Oneness Jesus prays in John 17:21–22 that His followers “may all be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You.” Historically, church councils (e.g., Nicaea in AD 325, Chalcedon in AD 451) reaffirmed this scriptural teaching that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are co-eternal, co-essential, and uncreated. Ancient manuscripts from various periods, including the early papyri (e.g., P66, P75 for the Gospels of John and Luke), consistently transmit these doctrinal truths. VI. Creator and Designer of All God is identified unequivocally as the Creator of the universe, pointing to intelligent design. The intricate complexity of life—from molecular machines inside cells to the large-scale structure of galaxies—reflects a purposeful design. A. Creation in Scripture Genesis 1:1 states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Numerous passages (e.g., Romans 1:20) suggest God’s invisible qualities and divine nature are clearly seen in what has been made. The genealogies recorded in Genesis 5 and 11 trace from Adam forward, indicating a historical lineage that many interpret as identifying a young earth timescale. B. Scientific Consistency Empirical research pointing to the fine-tuning of cosmic constants underscores the concept that the universe operates under improbable conditions uniquely suited for life. In modern studies of genetics and biochemistry, the presence of encoded information in DNA aligns with the principle that complex data typically requires an intelligent source. Geological examples of rapid stratum formations—such as observable layering formed by catastrophic events—further support a model consistent with a sudden creation and a global flood narrative (Genesis 6–9). VII. Evidence of Historicity and Fulfilled Prophecy Confidence in God’s existence and essence deepens when the historical, archaeological, and prophetic claims of Scripture stand the test of scrutiny. A. Archaeological Corroborations Sites such as Jericho, Nineveh, and the City of David in Jerusalem have yielded inscriptions, seals, and artifacts matching names and events described in biblical texts. The Cyrus Cylinder (6th century BC) references the policies of King Cyrus (Ezra 1:1–2), corroborating his role in allowing exiled peoples to return to their homelands. B. Fulfilled Prophecies Passages in Isaiah (e.g., Isaiah 53) predict a suffering servant centuries before Christ’s crucifixion, and fulfillments recorded in the Gospels demonstrate the remarkable consistency of predictive prophecy. Archaeological finds of the Dead Sea Scrolls confirm that these prophecies existed long before their New Testament fulfillment. VIII. The Resurrection of Christ as Proof of God’s Essence and Power The resurrection of Jesus places a definitive seal on the identity and essence of God, showcasing the power that transcends even death. A. Historical Foundations Multiple lines of historical evidence (including early creedal statements preserved in 1 Corinthians 15, the empty tomb accounts, and the testimony of transformed witnesses) show that the resurrection is central to understanding God’s nature and plan of salvation. Surviving New Testament manuscripts, some dating to the early second century, consistently preserve resurrection accounts. B. The Implications for God’s Nature Romans 1:4 affirms that Christ was “declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead.” This demonstration of divine authority confirms God’s ability to intervene miraculously in human history, underscoring that He is not a distant, impersonal force but the living, personal God who relates to His creation. IX. Implications for Worship and Daily Life God’s essence, once known and embraced, transforms how individuals understand themselves and interact with the world. A. Worship and Adoration Because God is infinite, self-existent, holy, loving, and triune, He alone is worthy of worship. Revelation 4:11 proclaims, “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power. For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and came to be.” Recognition of God’s nature drives us to celebrate His majesty. B. Relationship and Purpose Humanity’s highest destiny is to know and glorify God. This reorients our life purpose (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14) and calls us to meaningful relationship with the Creator. Those who embrace this relationship find hope, moral grounding, and an eternal perspective. Conclusion The nature of God’s existence and essence is thoroughly woven throughout Scripture, confirmed by archaeological verifications, scientific observations indicating design, and historical testimonies of His work in the world—most notably the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is self-existent, eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, holy, loving, and triune, existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In pondering this mystery, one is invited not only to conceptual understanding but to genuine, life-changing relationship. As the prophet Jeremiah urges in Jeremiah 9:24, “Let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me—that I am the LORD who exercises loving devotion, justice, and righteousness on the earth—for I delight in these things.” Embracing the fullness of God’s immediately relevant and eternal nature remains the cornerstone in grasping both the wonder of creation and the hope of redemption. |
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