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Character of God Manifested in Believers' Relationships

The character of God is manifested in believers' relationships through qualities such as love, faithfulness, holiness, and boldness, reflecting the divine nature in human interaction [4, 7, 8]. These characteristics are not merely human virtues but are understood as outgrowths of a believer's union with Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit [12, 14].

Love is a foundational aspect of God's character, explicitly stated as "God is love" in 1 John 4:16 [4]. This divine love is manifested in believers' relationships in several ways. It is seen in their "love to all the saints," encompassing benevolence and kind offices [10]. This love is not just an emotion but an active expression of care and service towards other Christians [10]. The love of Christ, which is "much greater than ordinary human love," is meant to fill the believer's life, conforming them to Christ's image and enabling them to reflect God [14]. Believers are called to experience and personally know this love, which forms the basis of their Christian life [14]. This love is also demonstrated in their devotion to Christ, expressed through obedience, ministering to Him, and preferring Him above all others [5]. The love of God for humanity, particularly for the elect, was supremely manifested in the sending of Christ into the world [15].

Faithfulness is another attribute of God that believers are called to embody in their relationships [3, 7]. God's faithfulness is described as great, established, incomparable, unfailing, infinite, and everlasting [7]. Believers are to exhibit faithfulness in various aspects of their lives, including their service to God, declaring His word, caring for dedicated things, helping fellow believers, bearing witness, reproving others, and handling situations of trust [3]. This faithfulness should extend to all matters, even the smallest, and should persist "to death" [3]. The godly are characterized by speaking truthfully and acting faithfully in their relationships, being open and transparent [16]. Faithfulness to God can also produce holy boldness in believers [8].

Holiness, a core aspect of God's character, is commanded for believers [6]. God's holiness serves as the standard for human holiness, as does the character of Christ [6]. Christ desires holiness for His people and effects it in them [6]. The gospel is considered the "way of holiness," and holiness is necessary for worshipping God [6]. Believers are elected to holiness, called to it, and newly created in it [6]. While God is holy, believers are called to reflect this holiness in their lives and relationships, understanding that "none shall see God without" it [6].

Boldness, specifically "holy boldness," is a characteristic that believers are encouraged to cultivate [8]. Christ Himself set an example of boldness [8]. This boldness in believers is a result of their faith in Christ and is a characteristic of saints [8]. It is produced by trust in God, the fear of God, and faithfulness to God [8]. Believers are encouraged to express their trust in God with boldness, to have boldness in prayer, and to pray for it [8]. Ministers, in particular, should exhibit boldness in their faithfulness to their people and in their preaching [8].

Perseverance is an evidence of reconciliation with God and of belonging to Christ [9]. It is a characteristic of saints and should be manifested in seeking God, waiting upon Him, prayer, and well-doing [9]. Believers are to continue in the faith and hold fast to hope, maintained through the power of God, the power of Christ, His intercession, and the fear of God [9].

The manifestation of God's character in believers' relationships is deeply connected to their union with Christ. Abraham, for instance, was called "the friend of God" because his faith was never inactive and his life of obedience demonstrated that he had received God's grace [2, 11]. This intimate communion with God, where "everything is in common," allowed God to pour out His blessings upon Abraham [11]. Similarly, believers who have not seen Christ in the flesh can love Him strongly due to the "realizing nature of faith," which brings Christ into the heart and reveals His excellence [13]. This indwelling of Christ proves His virtues and allows believers to discover an excellence beyond what even His original disciples witnessed [13].

The unity among believers is also a manifestation of God's character, specifically the oneness of the Father and the Son [12]. Believers' unity is an outgrowth of their union with Jesus, and their conduct and relationships reflect the credibility of Christ to the world [12]. When believers experience profound spiritual intimacy with the Father and the Son through the Spirit, they are transformed [12]. Conversely, disunity, infighting, and intolerance among believers can undermine their testimony to the world [12]. The "secret of piety" is that "God was manifested in flesh, declared righteous in spirit, seen by messengers, preached among nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory" (1 Timothy 3:16 YLT) [1]. This manifestation of God in Christ serves as the ultimate pattern for how God's character is to be reflected in the lives and relationships of His followers.

Sources

  1. I Timothy “I Timothy 3:16 (YLT) — and, confessedly, great is the secret of piety--God was manifested in flesh, declared righteous in spirit, seen by messengers, preached among nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory!”
  2. James “and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God. -- James 2:23”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Faithfulness — A characteristic of saints -- Eph 1:1; Col 1:2; 1Ti 6:2; Re 17:14. Exhibited in The service of God. -- Mt 24:45. Declaring the word of God. -- Jer 23:28; 2Co 2:17; 4:2. The care of dedicated things. -- 2Ch 31:12. Helping the brethren. -- 3Jo 1:5. Bearing witness. -- Pr 14:5. Reproving others. -- Pr 27:6; Ps 141:5. Situations of trust. -- 2Ki 12:15; Ne 13:13; Ac 6:1-3. Doing work. -- 2Ch 34:12. Keeping secrets. -- Pr 11:13. Conveying messages. -- Pr 13:17; 25:13. All things. -- 1Ti 3:11. The smallest matters. -- Lu 16:10-12. Should be to death -- Re 2:1”
  4. 1 John “We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. -- 1 John 4:16”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love to Christ — Exhibited by God -- Mt 17:5; Joh 5:20. Exhibited by saints -- 1Pe 1:8. His personal excellence is deserving of -- Song 5:9-16. His love to us a motive to -- 2Co 5:14. Manifested in Seeking him. -- Song 3:2. Obeying him. -- Joh 14:15,21,23. Ministering to him. -- Mt 27:55; 25:40. Preferring him to all others. -- Mt 10:37. Taking up the cross for Him. -- Mt 10:38. A characteristic of saints -- Song 1:4. An evidence of adoption -- Joh 8:42. Should be Sincere. -- Eph 6:24. With the soul. -- Song 1:7. In proportion to our mercies. -- Lu 7:47. Supreme. -- ”
  6. 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. ”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Faithfulness of God, The — Is part of his character -- Isa 49:7; 1Co 1:9; 1Th 5:24. Declared to be Great. -- La 3:23. Established. -- Ps 89:2. Incomparable. -- Ps 89:8. Unfailing. -- Ps 89:33; 2Ti 2:13. Infinite. -- Ps 36:5. Everlasting. -- Ps 119:90; 146:6. Should be pleaded in prayer -- Ps 143:1. Should be proclaimed -- Ps 40:10; 89:1. Manifested In his counsels. -- Isa 25:1. In afflicting his saints. -- Ps 119:75. In fulfilling his promises. -- 1Ki 8:20; Ps 132:11; Mic 7:20; Heb 10:23. In keeping his covenant. -- De 7:9; Ps 111:5. In executing his judgments. -- Je”
  8. 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”
  9. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Perseverance — An evidence of reconciliation with God -- Col 1:21-23. An evidence of belonging to Christ -- Joh 8:31; Heb 3:6,14. A characteristic of saints -- Pr 4:18. To be manifested in Seeking God. -- 1Ch 16:11. Waiting upon god. -- Ho 12:6. Prayer. -- Ro 12:12; Eph 6:18. Well-doing. -- Ro 2:7; 2Th 3:13. Continuing in the faith. -- Ac 14:22; Col 1:23; 2Ti 4:7. Holding fast hope. -- Heb 3:6. Maintained through The power of God. -- Ps 37:24; Php 1:6. The power of Christ. -- Joh 10:28. The intercession of Christ. -- Lu 22:31,32; Joh 17:11. The fear of God. -- Jer 32”
  10. Ephesians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Ephesians 1:15: Faith in the Lord Jesus - Cordial reception of the Christian religion, amply proved by their love to all the saints - to all the Christians. Perhaps love here implies, not only the kind affection so called, but also all the fruits of love - benevolence, and kind offices of every description.”
  11. James (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on James 2:23: The scripture was fulfilled - He believed God; this faith was never inactive, it was accounted to him for righteousness: and being justified by thus believing, his life of obedience showed that he had not received the grace of God in vain. See the notes on Gen 15:6; Rom 4:3 (note); Gal 3:6 (note); where this subject is largely explained. The friend of God - The highest character ever given to man. As among friends every thing is in common; so God took Abraham into intimate communion with himself, and poured out upon him the choicest of his blessings: for as God can n”
  12. John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 17:21: 17:21 For believers, becoming one with one another is an outgrowth of the union they enjoy with Jesus himself, a union modeled on the oneness of the Father and the Son. • may they be in us: Through the power of the Spirit, believers would experience a profound spiritual intimacy with the Father and the Son and be transformed (14:20, 23; 1 Jn 4:13). • Disciples of Jesus represent him, so their conduct and relationships with each other reflect the credibility of Christ in the world. When there is disunity, infighting, and intolerance, their testimony to the world is ”
  13. 1 Peter (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Peter 1:8: Whom having not seen, ye love - Those to whom the apostle wrote had never seen Christ in the flesh; and yet, such is the realizing nature of faith, they loved him as strongly as any of his disciples could, to whom he was personally known. For faith in the Lord Jesus brings him into the heart; and by his indwelling all his virtues are proved, and an excellence discovered beyond even that which his disciples beheld, when conversant with him upon earth. In short, there is an equality between believers in the present time, and those who lived in the time of the incarnat”
  14. Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 3:19: 3:19 May you experience (literally know) the love of Christ: The whole Christian life is based on the experience and personal knowledge of God’s grace and love in Jesus Christ (see Rom 12:1). • it is too great to understand fully: Christ’s love is much greater than ordinary human love (see Rom 5:6-8). • The believer’s life is made complete when it is filled with all the fullness of life and power by the presence of Christ within (see Eph 1:23; Gal 2:20; Col 1:27). The believer then is conformed to his image and reflects God (see Eph 4:14, 24; 5:1-2; Rom 8:29; 2”
  15. 1 John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 John 4:9: In this was manifested the love of God towards us,.... The love of God here spoken of, and instanced in, is not his general love to all his creatures, which is shown in the make of them, and in the support of them in their beings, and in his providential care of them, and kindness to them; but his special love towards his elect, and which was before it was manifested; it was secretly in his heart from everlasting, and did not begin to be at the mission of Christ into the world, but was then in a most glaring manner manifested: there were several acts of it before, as t”
  16. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 15:2: 15:2 The godly speak truthfully and act faithfully in their relationships. Unlike the wicked, they are open and transparent (12:2-4).”
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