Biblical Examples Reveal God's Character and Nature
The character and nature of God are revealed throughout the biblical narrative, not only through direct statements but also through His actions and the examples of those who follow Him. The Bible presents God as unique, with no one or nothing else like Him [13]. His character is consistently demonstrated across all creation [14].
One fundamental aspect of God's nature is His holiness. This attribute is presented as a standard for humanity, with commands such as "Be holy, for I am holy" (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15-16) [1]. Holiness is necessary for worshiping God (Psalm 24:3-4) and for seeing Him (Hebrews 12:14) [1]. The gospel itself is described as the way of holiness (Isaiah 35:8) [1]. Christ's own life serves as an example of holiness (Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:21-22), and He desires holiness for His people (John 17:17) [1].
God's word, as revealed in scripture, displays His character and power [11]. The divine revelation in scripture is considered of greater benefit than the works of creation, especially for humanity's fallen state [17]. The Old Testament, for instance, provides a summary of God's uniqueness, His unfailing love (Hebrew khesed), and His faithfulness, which leads Him to restore His people rather than destroy them despite their judgment [13]. This faithfulness means God can be trusted to do good regardless of the cost [13].
The concept of God's compassion and mercy is highlighted in passages like Exodus 34:6, which describes God as "slow to anger and full of unfailing love and faithfulness" [16]. This attribute is presented as the basis for His covenant with Israel, indicating that His grace is central to His character, even more so than His justice or sovereignty in this particular context [16]. God's character is also the motivation for righteous behavior among His people [12].
Biblical examples further illustrate God's nature through the actions and attitudes He commends in His followers, often exemplified by Christ Himself.
- Devotedness to God: This characteristic of saints, exemplified by Christ (John 4:34; 17:4), is grounded in God's mercies (Romans 12:1), goodness (1 Samuel 12:24), and call (1 Thessalonians 2:12). It is also motivated by Christ's death (2 Corinthians 5:15), creation (Psalm 86:9), preservation (Isaiah 46:4), and redemption (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Devotedness should encompass one's spirit, body, members, and substance, and be unreserved and abounding [3].
- Humility: Christ serves as the ultimate example of humility (Matthew 11:29; John 13:14-15; Philippians 2:5-8). Humility is necessary for serving God (Micah 6:8) and is a characteristic of saints (Psalm 34:2). God regards, hears, delivers, and exalts the humble (Psalm 138:6; Isaiah 66:2; Job 22:29; James 4:10) [6].
- Resignation: Christ demonstrated resignation in His submission to the Father's will (Matthew 26:39-44; John 12:27; 18:11). This involves submission to God's will and sovereignty in His purposes (2 Samuel 15:26; Psalm 42:5, 11; Romans 9:20-21). It is also to be exhibited in the face of death, loss, chastisements, and bodily suffering (Acts 21:13; Job 1:15-21; Hebrews 12:9; Job 2:8-10) [5].
- Boldness: Holy boldness, exemplified by Christ (John 7:26), comes through faith in Him (Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 10:19). It is a characteristic of saints (Proverbs 28:1) and is produced by trust in God (Isaiah 50:7), the fear of God (Acts 4:19; 5:29), and faithfulness to God (1 Timothy 3:13). Saints are exhorted to have boldness in prayer (Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 4:16) and will have it in judgment (1 John 4:17) [2].
- Communion with God: Christ exemplified communion with God (Luke 19:41-42). This involves exercising compassion towards the afflicted, chastened, enemies, poor, weak, and other saints (Job 6:14; Psalm 35:13; Proverbs 19:17; 2 Corinthians 11:29). It is inseparable from love for God (1 John 3:17) and is motivated by God's compassion and a sense of human infirmities (Matthew 13:27, 33; Hebrews 5:2) [4].
God's creative acts also reveal His nature. In Genesis, God creates animals "after their kind" and sees that it is "good" (Genesis 1:25) [7]. Crucially, humanity is created "in his own image," male and female, endowing them with dignity and a charge to rule (Genesis 1:26-27) [8, 15]. This "image of God" in humanity reflects aspects of His character.
The consistent demonstration of God's character is seen in His righteousness, which is compared to the "mountains of God," and His judgments, which are like a "great deep" (Psalm 36:6) [9]. He preserves both humanity and animals [9]. A godly life, characterized by these virtues, provides evidence that an individual truly knows God [10].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Holiness — Commanded -- Le 11:45; 20:7; Eph 5:8; Col 3:12; Ro 12:1. Christ Desires for his people. -- Joh 17:17. Effects, in his people. -- Eph 5:25-27. An example of. -- Heb 7:26; 1Pe 2:21,22. The character of God, the standard of -- Le 19:2; 1Pe 1:15,16; Eph 5:1. The character of Christ, the standard of -- Ro 8:29; 1Jo 2:6; Php 2:5. The gospel the way of -- Isa 35:8. Necessary to God's worship -- Ps 24:3,4. None shall see God without -- Eph 5:5; Heb 12:14. Saints Elected to. -- Ro 8:29; Eph 1:4. Called to. -- 1Th 4:7; 2Ti 1:9. New created in. -- Eph 4:24. Possess. ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Boldness, Holy — Christ set an example of -- Joh 7:26. Is through faith in Christ -- Eph 3:12; Heb 10:19. A characteristic of saints -- Pr 28:1. Produced by Trust in God. -- Isa 50:7. The fear of God. -- Ac 4:19; 5:29. Faithfulness to God. -- 1Ti 3:13. Express your trust in God with -- Heb 13:6. Have, in prayer -- Eph 3:12; Heb 4:16. Saints shall have, in judgment -- 1Jo 4:17. Exhortations to -- Jos 1:7; 2Ch 19:11; Jer 1:8; Eze 3:9. Pray for -- Ac 4:29; Eph 6:19,20. Ministers should exhibit, in Faithfulness to their people. -- 2Co 7:4; 10:1. Preaching. -- Ac 4:31; Ph”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Devotedness to God — A characteristic of saints -- Job 23:12. Christ, an example of -- Joh 4:34; 17:4. Grounded upon The mercies of God. -- Ro 12:1. The goodness of God. -- 1Sa 12:24. The call of God. -- 1Th 2:12. The death of Christ. -- 2Co 5:15. Our creation. -- Ps 86:9. Our preservation. -- Isa 46:4. Our redemption. -- 1Co 6:19,20. Should be With our spirit. -- 1Co 6:20; 1Pe 4:6. With our bodies. -- Ro 12:1; 1Co 6:20. With our members. -- Ro 6:12,13; 1Pe 4:2. With our substance. -- Ex 22:29; Pr 3:9. Unreserved. -- Mt 6:24; Lu 14:33. Abounding. -- 1Th 4:1. Persever”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Communion With God — Christ set an example of -- Lu 19:41,42. Exhortation to -- Ro 12:15; 1Pe 3:8. Exercise towards The afflicted. -- Job 6:14; Heb 13:3. The chastened. -- Isa 22:4; Jer 9:1. Enemies. -- Ps 35:13. The poor. -- Pr 19:17. The weak. -- 2Co 11:29; Ga 6:2. Saints. -- 1Co 12:25,26. Inseparable from love to God -- 1Jo 3:17; Joh 4:20. Motives to The compassion of God. -- Mt 13:27,33. The sense of our infirmities. -- Heb 5:2. The wicked made to feel, for saints -- Ps 106:46. Promise to those who show -- Pr 19:17; Mt 10:42. Illustrated -- Lu 10:33; 15:20. Exemp”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Resignation — Christ set and example of -- Mt 26:39-44; Joh 12:27; 18:11. Commanded -- Ps 37:7; 46:10. Should be exhibited in Submission to the will of God. -- 2Sa 15:26; Ps 42:5,11; Mt 6:10. Submission to the sovereignty of God in his purposes. -- Ro 9:20,21. The prospect of death. -- Ac 21:13; 2Co 4:16-5:1. Loss of goods. -- Job 1:15,16,21. Loss of children. -- Job 1:18,19,21. Chastisements. -- Heb 12:9. Bodily suffering. -- Job 2:8-10. The wicked are devoid of -- Pr 19:3. Exhortation to -- Ps 37:1-11. Motives to God's greatness. -- Ps 46:10. God's love. -- Heb 12:”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Humility — Necessary to the service of God -- Mic 6:8. Christ an example of -- Mt 11:29; Joh 13:14,15; Php 2:5-8. A characteristic of saints -- Ps 34:2. The who have Regarded by God. -- Ps 138:6; Isa 66:2. Heard by God. -- Ps 9:12; Isa 10:17. Enjoy the presence of God. -- Isa 57:15. Delivered by God. -- Job 22:29. Lifted up by God. -- Jas 4:10. Exalted by God. -- Lu 14:11; 18:14. Are greatest in Christ's kingdom. -- Mt 18:4; 20:26-28. Receive more grace. -- Pr 3:34; Jas 4:6. Upheld by honour. -- Pr 18:12; 29:23. Is before honour -- Pr 15:33. Leads to riches, honour, ”
- Genesis “God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good. -- Genesis 1:25”
- Genesis “God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. -- Genesis 1:27”
- Psalms “Your righteousness is like the mountains of God. Your judgments are like a great deep. Yahweh, you preserve man and animal. -- Psalms 36:6”
- Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 33:15: 33:15 A godly life provides evidence that an individual truly knows God (see Col 3:5-17; Jas 2:14-18; 1 Pet 1:14-16; 1 Jn 1:5-6).”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 33:4: 33:4-7 God’s word displays his character and his power.”
- Exodus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Exodus 23:7: 23:7 God’s character is the motive for righteous behavior (see 22:22-24, 27).”
- Micah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Micah 7:18: 7:18-20 These verses provide a fine brief summary of Old Testament theology. God is unique; there is no one and nothing else like him. Because of his unfailing love (Hebrew khesed), he does not destroy his people whom he judges but instead restores them (see Exod 36:6-7). His faithfulness means that he can be trusted to do good regardless of the cost to himself (see Ps 89:1-2). • Where is another God like you: This question probably plays off of Micah’s name (“Who is like the Lord?”). God’s character is unequaled among the gods of the nations. His actions and words”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 145:8: 145:8-9 God consistently demonstrates his character toward all his creation (see 136:25).”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 8:5: 8:5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God: Humans bear God’s image; the Lord has endowed humans with dignity and charged them to rule (Gen 1:26-27). Hebrews 2:6-8 applies these words to Jesus Christ, the ideal human who fully realized God’s purposes.”
- Exodus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Exodus 34:6: 34:6 compassion and mercy (see 20:5-6; 33:19 and study notes): The Creator who was revealing himself to the Israelites, and through them to the world, is a God of grace. Neither his justice nor his sovereignty are underlined here, as true as those attributes are. If God were merely just, the Old Testament would have ended at this point, or it would have picked up and started again with an entirely new family. This did not happen because God, in his unique character, is slow to anger and full of unfailing love and faithfulness. These qualities were the basis for hi”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 19:7: God's glory, (that is, his goodness to man) appears much in the works of creation, but much more in and by divine revelation. The holy scripture, as it is a rule both of our duty to God and of our expectation from him, is of much greater use and benefit to us than day or night, than the air we breathe in, or the light of the sun. The discoveries made of God by his works might have served if man had retained his integrity; but, to recover him out of his fallen state, another course must be taken; that must be done by the word of God. And here, 1. The psalmist gives”