Who is God?

“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” – II Corinthians 4:6

Who is God? This is a most valuable question. Not what the unbeliever asks, which is, “which religion best suits me,” or, “which version of God am I most comfortable with?” The quest for truth is found in the question, “Who is God,” asks truthfully, no matter how I feel about Him or what I expect or want Him to be like, who is God really?

The important task for the Christian is to know God. And Paul says we know God and His glory in the face of Jesus Christ. And this knowledge is a gift chosen by God to give freely to us. He has shone this knowledge in our hearts. The very God who spoke light from darkness, created all things by the power of His Word, has spoken this light of the knowledge of His glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

God is to be known, adored, and worshiped. We study His Word, we gather and worship with a healthy local church which teaches truth, and we grow in love for the God who tells us truth in His Word and we grow in love for one another by the rich truths we discover and are changed by in His Word.

What about the unbelievers around us? They do not know God. “We preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ our Lord,” Paul said in the previous verse. Your unbelieving neighbor needs to know Jesus Christ is Lord. He is sovereign, wise, and rightfully demands worship. We proclaim Jesus as Lord.

We preach Christ crucified. A rich truth called “good news.” He is God in the flesh come to us. He is the atoning sacrifice for sinners to be reconciled to a holy God forever. We preach Christ as Lord, meaning He is promised in the Old Testament, and has fulfilled every promise of God. We preach Christ as Lord as an encounter with those we proclaim to. It’s a confrontation.

Such a confrontation is a preaching of repentance. To turn from wickedness and worshiping anything but God toward the truth worship of God. Such glory shines in the hearts of God’s people who see His glory in the face of Jesus Christ. He is risen from the dead, with full authority in heaven and on earth.

To those who believe upon Jesus we proclaim as Lord, Christ Himself is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). Such a confrontation from the risen Christ breaks down the wall of hostility of our flesh breaking God’s laws. Jesus kills our hostility in dying for us, reconciling us to God, making peace with the God we offended with our sin.

Paul knows what it was like to be confronted with Jesus Christ the Lord. He was blinded by the glory of the resurrected Jesus. This man honored in Jerusalem with papers from temple leaders justifying his persecution now humbled by Jesus. In Galatians, Paul said his conversion came by Jesus’ revealing Himself, not by any human teaching (Galatians 1:11). This encounter with Jesus which blinded and humbled Paul was a calling “by His grace” (1:15). God was pleased to reveal Jesus to Paul to set him apart for preaching Christ as Lord to the Gentiles (1:16).

Christian, God has called you by His grace. Remember your sinfulness. Rejoice in His saving grace that His wrath for your sin was on Jesus and His cross, and Jesus’ righteousness is now yours received by faith alone. God has saved you to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord to others.

Know Him. Adore and worship Him. Proclaim Him. He who is known by the power of His Word, the power of Him who called light to shine out of darkness shines light into the hearts of His people to know Jesus Christ as Lord to the glory of God.

If you do not know God, you can know God. Look to Jesus. Look to the fullness of His glory and power and majesty. In the fullness of His glory there is grace upon grace; grace overflowing for sinners. You, sinner, must be made new. "Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near" (Isaiah 55:6). And you will find the Lord in the only Son sent by the Father, the glorious crucified and resurrection Christ.

Heavenly Father, teach us. Create in us a heart which strives to know You in Your Word. Stir in us a response to knowing You a heart struck with awe and filled with rejoicing to know Christ. Awaken a desire in us to proclaim Christ as Lord, Christ and Him crucified, to those who have not heard. Grant us wisdom and strength to obey You and be glorified in Your good works in us. In Jesus’ name we ask for mercy. Amen.