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The Reality of God
Is the concept of God a sane and intelligent idea? Is God actually real? If so, why does man not see, hear or have the ability to touch Him? Could it be that man’s difficulty in seeing and understanding God is the direct result of man’s suppression of truth in and by his own unrighteous conduct? The answer to this is in the affirmative, as seen in the book of Romans:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress [lit: “hold down”] the truth in unrighteousness,
because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Professing to be wise, they became fools,
and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:18-25)
Upon man’s creation as is seen in the initial chapters of the book of Genesis, God allowed man to enjoy a relationship with his Creator that included some if not all of man’s senses. Unfortunately, due to man’s suppression of truth by his rejection of God’s Word, i.e., God’s specific warning referring to “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:16, 17), God apparently withdrew man’s ability to routinely experience God by means of his senses.
Although God has chosen throughout history to allow exceptions to the above rule, man fundamentally is subject to a physical world with its four space-time dimensions of length, width, depth and time; while God continues to dwell in the spirit-realm, a dimension totally foreign to man’s physical laws and limitations.
For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy . . . . (Isaiah 57:15a)
God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24; cf. 2 Corinthians 3:17)
Unlike man, God is not bound by space and time even though He took on these limitations when He expressed Himself in and through the person of Jesus Christ approximately 2,000 years ago. Jesus [the] Christ, who was God (2nd Person of the Holy Trinity) in flesh, was voluntarily subject to the limitations of His physical body, including both suffering and death — but for a distinct purpose, i.e., to pay the penalty for man’s sin [specifically, “spiritual death” (i.e., separation from the Father) on the cross (Matthew 27:45, 46; Mark 15:33, 34), also represented by His “physical death” at that time], to effect man’s redemption.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . .
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1, 14)
But made Himself [Christ] of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:7, 8)
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. . . .
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil . . . (Hebrews 2:9, 10, 14)
But once Christ Jesus the Man passed from death to life, having effected His resurrection from the tomb, He no longer was bound by the limitations of flesh. This was evident in His appearance to His disciples and later to Thomas and the disciples as seen in John 20:19-28, both times passing through the walls of a sealed room. Subsequent to these supernatural visits, Christ was seen ascending through the atmosphere up to heaven before His disciples (Acts 1:9, 10). The point being is that once Christ was free of the flesh, He returned to employing those faculties that can only relate to Divinity.
You may have heard that no one throughout history has had such an incredible impact upon mankind as Jesus Christ and His Holy Word. And though this is indeed true, the reality is far greater. No person, no system, no movement has ever offered answers and solutions to the myriad questions and mysteries that revolve around this earth, the universe in which it resides and mankind as a whole.
Not only does Holy Scripture clearly describe the Author of all that exists, it also defines its direction and all that has relevance to it. It tells where we came from, where we are going and the various paths from start to finish. More than this, it provides a moral structure the likes of which far supersedes the normality of man. And unlike all other moral or religious systems, it is solely a structure of grace based supremely on faith alone — something that could never have originated in the mind of man.
And should one strictly insist on the secular outlook regarding all that exists and which revolves around man — the extreme complexity of the human body, the enormity of empty space within each existing atom yet each holding tenaciously together, the intricacy of human kind in general and the enormity of an arranged and methodical universe — then the only logical answer for it all can only be found in God and His Holy Word.
Yes, without a doubt, God — the God of the Bible — seen visibly in Jesus Christ — is real. And to all who by faith accept this fact, the following passage of Scripture should have special meaning:
Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)
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