Who is God? (Pt. 2)

Luke Chapter 15 gives us a beautiful picture of who God is. It starts out talking about a lost sheep and how the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine and goes after the one sheep who was lost.

Next is the parable of the lost coin and how the woman swept the house to find it.

Then, there is the story of the prodigal son who took his inheritance and left his father’s house.

When the son came home, the Father saw him from a long way off. This tells me that the father must have been looking for him every day. When he saw him, he felt compassion for him, embraced him, and kissed him. 

The boy had his confession speech all prepared, but the father didn’t even let him finish. Neither did the father scold him for leaving or punish him. Instead, he had the best robe put on him, gave him a ring, some shows, and threw a party for him.

You see, that story is in the Bible to show us what God is like. He’s not ready to pounce on us and punish us when we do wrong. All He wants to do is bless us and do us good. That’s the nature of our heavenly Father.

All of these parables are about the Father’s love and how He diligently goes after that which is lost.

Prior to Jesus, all humanity was lost and in need of a savior. God pursued us with passionate love by sending His very best - His only son to go the cross and die for us. He took all of our sins (past, present, and future) on the cross.

John 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

God didn’t send His son into the world to condemn the world, but to save it. 

Jesus brought salvation to all men. To receive salvation, all you have to do is accept what He did for you on the cross.

 Let’s look at the area of repentance.

God doesn’t send bad things to get us to repent. The word repent doesn’t mean to cry until you’re sorry; it means to change your mind.

Romans 2:4 (NKJV) Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

It is the goodness of God that leads people to repent. This means that God’s method of getting people to repent is to see His goodness first. Once they see how good He is, people will gladly want to repent.

I hope this article has helped you to see who God is and what He is like. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Do you want to have God in your life?

Say this, I receive Jesus as my Lord and savior. That’s all there is to it. You are now the righteousness of God in Christ, which means that you are right with God. 

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Your righteousness is not based on your behavior; it’s based on what Jesus did for you on the cross.