The ManicaPost
Pastor Irvine Gwatiringa
MANY professed Christians have a theoretical knowledge of the God they profess to worship, but few have an experiential knowledge of the same God.The Pentateuch in (Exodus 25:8) depicts a relational God who desires to live among His people. Furthermore He is a personal and loving God who is interested in the affairs of His people thus he entered into covenant relations with His own such as Noah (Genesis 9:1-17) and Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3,7) Just to mention a few.
Nothing is wrong with a theoretical knowledge of God as long as it is the foundation of your personal saving relationship with God. The paradox of the contemporary Christian is they know so much about the God they worship, yet they live contrary to His dictates and commands. No wonder Paul exhorts the believers to live for God not for themselves (Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:21).
Speaking of the former, his desire which should be every Christian’s desire is that we might know Him and the power of His experiential relationship that brings transformational primitive Godliness in our lives (Philippians 3:10).
Pharaoh once asked Moses “Who is this God that I may obey His voice’’ (Exodus 5:2) obviously Pharaoh was soliciting for a Theoretical knowledge of God but I believe Moses answered him based on His experiential knowledge because he had encounters with the Lord (Exodus 3:1-17; Exodus 34:6-7). And in the incident at the burning Bush Moses inquired of the Lord “When I come to the children of Israel and they shall say to me what is his name? What Shall I say to them?” The Lord answered “I AM THAT I AM”.
God was basically conversing to Moses that if you are in a relationship with me, I can be whatever you want me to be depending with the predicament you are in. Should you be in need of the basic necessities of life I am Jehovah Jireh the Lord who provides (Genesis 22:14). In times of sickness He is Jehovah Rapha (Exodus 15:26) the Lord who heals, in distress he is Jehovah Shalom, the Lord of peace (Judges 6:24). When you “know” God, He is who you want Him to become in whatever situation you are. We can never understand God to the fullest lest He ceases to be God but here are some of the attributes of a God you must have a relational knowledge about:
◆ Eternal God
◆ No beginning no ending “Existence without succession” (John 1:1)
◆ Immortal God
◆ He can’t cease to exist “ground of existence is intrinsic in Himself” (John 1:3) (Job 36:26)
◆ Immense God
◆ He cannot be limited by time “transcends time” from eternity past. (2 Peter 3:8)
◆ Omnipresent
◆ He is ever present in space of the Universe ‘He is the 1st cause” (Psalms 139:7-8)
◆ Benevolent
◆ Faithful provider “all things occur in His special providence” (genesis 22:13-4)
◆ Omnipotent
◆ All powerful God “His ability to do all things” (Proverb 24:8)
◆ Infinite
◆ Boundless character of His essence “(Revelation 1:8)
◆ Immutability
◆ He can not change “Same yesterday, Today and Forever” Hebrews (13:8)
◆ Omniscient
◆ All knowing God (Daniel 2:47)
◆ Rectitude
◆ God’s righteousness (Psalm 79:19)
◆ Veracity
◆ The truthfulness and faithfulness (Numbers 23:19)
◆ Transcendent
◆ High lofty & Exalted (Isaiah 6:1)
◆ Immanent
◆ God with us – Incarnate God who is touched with affairs of humanity. (Matthew 1:23)
