Deepening One's Understanding of God's Nature and Character
Scripture consistently affirms that God's nature exceeds human comprehension while simultaneously inviting believers into deeper knowledge of him. Paul declares the "unsearchable" character of divine judgments and ways [1], yet elsewhere insists that "God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God" [2]. This tension—between God's transcendence and his self-disclosure—frames the Christian pursuit of understanding the divine character.
The Paradox of Knowability
The biblical witness presents God as both infinitely beyond human grasp and intimately knowable. His wisdom is described as "infinite" and "unsearchable" [7], his foreknowledge operating "in the most absolute sense" with knowledge that is "infinite" [5]. Job's interlocutors press this point: "Canst thou by searching find out God?" [11], emphasizing that while natural revelation proclaims God's existence, "it cannot be found out what God is, his nature, being, and perfections" through unaided human inquiry [11]. Yet Paul prays that believers "may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth" [4], suggesting that corporate spiritual experience grants access to dimensions of divine reality otherwise inaccessible.
The Spirit's Mediating Role
The mechanism of deepened understanding centers on the Spirit's revelatory work. Paul identifies the Spirit as the agent who "searches all things, yes, the deep things of God" [2], disclosing "his thoughts of peace, and good things for his people, which are many and precious" that would otherwise "remain in darkness" [12]. This revelation aims at "all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ" [3], linking cognitive grasp to spiritual assurance rather than mere intellectual achievement.
Knowledge as Relational Encounter
Biblical "knowledge" of God typically denotes "an intimate, saving relationship" rather than propositional awareness [9]. While all people possess some understanding of God through creation, they fail to pursue deeper knowledge, instead fashioning "gods of their own making" [9]. Authentic knowledge manifests in transformed conduct: "A godly life provides evidence that an individual truly knows God" [10]. The divine attributes—loving-kindness described as "great," "excellent," "everlasting" [6]—become experientially known as saints are "drawn by," "preserved by," and "quickened" through them [6]. Contemplation of "God's operations" enables believers to "imitate the best of all patterns, so far as it is possible for human nature to do" [8], grounding ethical formation in theological vision.
Sources
- Romans “Romans 11:33 (Tyndale) — O the depnes of the aboundaunt wysdome and knowledge of God: how vnserchable are his iudgementes and his wayes past findyng out.”
- 1 Corinthians “But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. -- 1 Corinthians 2:10”
- Colossians “that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, -- Colossians 2:2”
- Ephesians “may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, -- Ephesians 3:18”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Foreknowledge of God — Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29; 11:2; 1 Pet. 1:2), one of those high attributes essentially appertaining to him the full import of which we cannot comprehend. In the most absolute sense his knowledge is infinite (1 Sam. 23:9-13; Jer. 38:17-23; 42:9-22, Matt. 11:21, 23; Acts 15:18).”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Loving-Kindness of God, The — Is through Christ -- Eph 2:7; Tit 3:4-6. Described as Great. -- Ne 9:17. Excellent. -- Ps 36:7. Good. -- Ps 69:16. Marvellous. -- Ps 17:7; 31:21. Multitudinous. -- Isa 63:7. Everlasting. -- Isa 54:8. Merciful. -- Ps 117:2. Better than life. -- Ps 63:3. Consideration of the dealings of God gives a knowledge of -- Ps 107:43. Saints Betrothed in. -- Ho 2:19. Drawn by. -- Jer 31:3. Preserved by. -- Ps 40:11. Quickened after. -- Ps 119:88. Comforted by. -- Ps 119:76. Look for mercy through. -- Ps 51:1. Receive mercy through. -- Isa 54:8. Are ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Wisdom of God, The — Is one of his attributes -- 1Sa 2:3; Job 9:4. Described as Perfect. -- Job 36:4; 37:16. Mighty. -- Job 36:5. Universal. -- Job 28:24; Da 2:22; Ac 15:18. Infinite. -- Ps 147:5; Ro 11:33. Unsearchable. -- Isa 40:28; Ro 11:33. Wonderful. -- Ps 139:6. Beyond human comprehension. -- Ps 139:6. Incomparable. -- Isa 44:7; Jer 10:7. Underived. -- Job 21:22; Isa 40:14. The gospel contains treasures of -- 1Co 2:7. Wisdom of saints is derived from -- Ezr 7:25. All human wisdom derived from -- Da 2:1. Saints ascribe to him -- Da 2:20. Exhibited in His works. ”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 11, section 4: life well, and give laws to others, in the first place should consider the Divine nature; and, upon the contemplation of God's operations, should thereby imitate the best of all patterns, so far as it is possible for human nature to do, and to endeavor to follow after it: neither could the legislator himself have a right mind without such a contemplation; nor would any thing he should write tend to the promotion of virtue in his readers; I mean, unless they be taught first of all, that God is the Father and Lord of all things, a”
- Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:21: 1:21 To know God in Scripture usually means to have an intimate, saving relationship with him (see 2 Cor 5:16; Gal 4:9; Phil 3:8, 10). Here, however, they knew God means that people knew about God. All people have some understanding of God through creation, yet they do not do what is right based on that knowledge. Rather than learn more about God, they worship gods of their own making.”
- 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).”
- Job (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Job 11:7: Canst thou by searching find out God?.... God is not to be found out by human search; that there is a God may be found out by inquiring into the book of nature, by considering the creatures that are made, who all proclaim some first cause or maker of them, who is God; but then it cannot be found out what God is, his nature, being, and perfections: an Heathen philosopher (i), being asked by a certain king what God was, required a day to give in his answer; when that was up he desired a second, and still went on asking more; and being demanded the reason of his dilatorines”
- Job (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Job 12:21: He discovereth deep things out of darkness,.... The deep things of God, his own deep things which lie in his heart, wrapped up in darkness impenetrable to creatures, and which could never be known unless he had discovered them; such as the thoughts of his heart, which are very deep, Psa 92:5; the deep things of God, which the Spirit of God only knows, searches, and reveals, Co1 2:10; even his thoughts of peace, and good things for his people, which are many and precious, are known to himself, and made known to them, or otherwise must have remained in darkness, and out o”