Monday Q&A 1: The Character of God pt.1

Apologetics is a key aspect of the Christian faith. A Christian without the ability to defend his faith is a knight without his armor, susceptible to attacks from the enemy.

Because of the important place Apologetics holds within the Christian faith, it must be understood that to neglect the subject is to, in some ways, neglect your own faith, since the two are tied together. A strong understanding of Theology, logic, church history, and scriptural authority will lead to a firm grounding in apologetics. Indeed, many Christian apologists have demonstrated absolute mastery over these subjects, including men like Ravi Zacharias and Josh McDowell.

So, in understanding of the importance of Apologetics, I have undertaken a new series: an apologetics Q&A, to be written every Monday for the next eight weeks. These questions are taken from an apologetics worksheet, written by Stoa Apologetics and shared with me by my good friend and brother Tiegan Anderson, creator of the up-and-coming YouTube channel “AndBros“.

Today’s topic is the character of God, and all 14 questions (today and next Monday) will relate to that subject alone. Today, I will be answering the first 7 questions, and next week, I will finish the topic by answering the final 7.

Finally, keep in mind that these are written from a non-denominational point of view. If you disagree with the theological answers, please understand that differences of opinion within theology are common and acceptable, so an angry comment in the comment section over a topic such as the triune God would not be greatly appreciated.

Alright, without any further ado, let’s get into the questions.

1: What does it mean that God is triune? Why is this important?

The triune God is a description of God in His three persons- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. While difficult to entirely understand, the Bible tells us that God is three individual, different persons, yet they are God, and He is one. Hence we receive the description “three in one”.

This is important to the Christian faith since an absence of the triune God entirely removes the sacrifice of Jesus. It was the sacrifice of the Son, willfully submitting to the Father, that made the cross possible in the first place. God, the Father, sent his Son, Jesus, to be sacrificed for mankind and their sin, so that whoever believes in Him will receive eternal life (John 3:16). Without the three working in perfect, sinless, and powerful harmony, the cross is nullified.

2: What does it mean that God is omniscient? Why is this important?

The omniscience of God is an important piece to His character, fully encompassing His absolute, complete knowledge and understanding of all that has happened, all that is happening, and all that will come to pass. God’s omniscience can thus be described as His “absolute knowledge, wisdom, and understanding”.

This is extremely important, especially to God’s understanding of time (past, present, and future), as this was a key piece, again, to Jesus’ sacrifice. Within God’s all-power, He is able to make perfect plans from the beginning of time and carry them out with all authority and knowledge. Since He exists outside of time, He is not bound by it, and thus He has complete and entire control over it.

3: What does it mean that God is omnipresent? Why is this important?

When we say that God is omnipresent, we mean that He is everywhere. The most famous Biblical example of God’s omnipresence is found within the book of Jonah. Jonah, author and main character of the book, attempts to run from God (a foolish idea) after being commanded to carry out a difficult task. He takes a boat out into the Mediterranean sea, but is unable to escape God, who is everywhere, even in the Mediterranean.

This is important because it brings Christians a sense of security, for in understanding that Christ is everywhere, we recognize that He sees and hears everything. Even in the darkest of times, God is present. At the bottom of the sea, in space, or even in a prison cell, God is there, and in that we may find comfort.

4: What does it mean that God is eternal? Why is this important?

As previously mentioned, God is eternal for two reasons- He has no beginning or end, and He exists outside of time. God was never created or born, and He will never die. He exists outside of time, and thus He will neither age nor change.

This is important for several reasons. Because God has no beginning nor end, we can trust that He will never die or disappear- He will always be present. Furthermore, because He doesn’t change, we can always rely on Him and His commands, since He will never change His mind or His character. He has always been God, and He will continue to be God for all eternity.

5: What is the meaning of the sovereignty of God? Why is this important?

The term “sovereignty of God” is used to describe God’s kingship and ultimate authority over all Heaven and Earth. As the King of Kings, He has complete power and authority over everything in the universe, living or dead, molecule or atom, plant or animal.

“God has complete power and authority over everything in the universe, living or dead, molecule or atom, plant or animal.”
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This is important because it helps us understand that nothing can overcome God, and nothing is outside of His control. He, as the creator of this world, can destroy it in an instant, and nothing happens without His permission.

6: Christians often argue for God’s existence by suggesting the universe needs an initial cause, but what caused God?

Nothing caused God. He has always existed. This is entirely impossible to wrap our minds around, since we, as humans, live on a planet upon which everything has a beginning or an end, and nothing is eternal. Yet God, ultimately defying human logic, has always existed. He was neither created nor born, and he will neither die nor disappear. He is.

7: What does the virgin birth of Jesus Christ mean? Why is this important?

The virgin birth of Christ Jesus proves His divine character, since He was not born of the union between man and woman, but of the union between God and man. Having been born outside of the union of man and woman, nobody can state, “Ah, but he was Joseph’s son, he cannot be the son of God.” He retains His divine character, but lowers himself to the level of humanity.

Alright, that’s all for today. Next week, we’ll be capping off our Q&A on Christ’s Character by discussing the historical accuracy of the Bible, then finishing on the subject of the Holy Spirit.

Until then, thanks for reading, and I hope you have a blessed day!

-Elisha McFarland

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