Chapter One.
What is the Nature and
True Character of God?
John R A Smith.
In this book, we shall take a journey of exploration in our conceptual view of the Nature and character of God.
Why? Because it is how we as children of God who born again through Christ Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, believe and see who we truly are.
We do this by the word of God and by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
But if in the past, and for some Christians you have become conditioned into believing misconstructions of the truth and have allowed false teachings and doctrines into your lives.
Some would term these as Half-Truths or outright Lies, which is go unchallenged and allowed to continue, then they will affect your faith and stunt your Spiritual growth and holding you back in bondage of sin.
The Holy Spirit wants us to know that this truth of the grace of God is the heart and soul of the Gospels. Therefore, any negotiation or concession by us is in my understanding offensive to God.
As there is no true salvation apart from unconditional faith in Christ alone.
And it is in this area that I and so many other fellow brothers and sisters in Christ have at times fallen short.
As we have allowed our understanding of God’s word to be corrupted or added to and additionally, we have failed to fully grasp just who and what we are in Christ.
Let me give you an example.
So many people blame God for things, like the case of a mother and daughter who were kidnapped at gun point, driven to a quiet area, raped and then both shot in the back of
It was a mother and daughter, and the daughter died, but somehow the mother survived and later she was stating on National TV, that God allowed this, that for whatever reason God permitted this to happen, and that somewhere in all this pain and trauma she had a lesson to learn.
That is an outright lie of Satan.
My God did not rape and murder those women and almost kill the other.
My God is a good God.
Christ Jesus set the example and showed us the way. And I defy you to show me in the New Testament anywhere that states He, God would do such a dreadful act to us.
Satan is blinding people and subtly sitting back and laughing at the sheer garbage selected by some religious leaders and converts who are teaching or been taught and believing such poisonous nonsense.
Heck, for some, they are doing Satan’s work for him and do not even realise that they have already fallen into unbelief and are going against the truth as their eyes have been taken away from the truth, and in doing so faith is becoming corrupted.
I agree and state now at the beginning of this book, I allowed such misconception of who I am in Christ to enter and control much of my life. And that only, as I have sought earnestly to draw nearer to God and sought him out that my spiritual eyes are becoming open.
I know I have a long way to go, we all do, and yes, sickness and huge mountains will undoubtedly arise in my or your life. But now I know What is the Nature and True Character of God and who I am in Christ and what is rightfully mine by Gods Love, mercy and Grace.
Like many of us, I made so many mistakes in my life, huge mind blowing mistakes and in my eyes by believing such garbage I did not believe that I could be loved so much that Christ Jesus would die for me.
I felt I never deserved a single drop of God’s mercy, grace and love. Yet, He Father God through Christ Jesus extended an ocean full of Grace, Love and Mercy.
I am adopted into his family and a brother with Christ my Lord and Saviour and entitled as such to all the heavenly blessings in Christ.
Not some, or only a tiny portion.
All means all, and I am starting to realise this which the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul spoke of in Ephesians, and in The New Testament.
And it is not just I that has this gift of Grace, Mercy and Love.
We all as born again brothers and sisters in Christ baptised by the Holy Spirit have the very same gift of Grace, Mercy and Love, as we are adopted into God’s family.
How wonderful is that? And it is only when you take hold of the truth in your hearts and minds that the truth will set you free.
So, I start this book with truth, scriptures to back up my statements and undoubtedly, I will come under attack from others who teach different and false doctrines and have themselves already fallen into misrepresentation of the truth.
It is my prayer that your spiritual eyes will be opened, and that God will reveal to you the truth.
And please do not say to me. “John, it is your lack of faith, or because someone’s father sinned and all the other such false reasons they come up with.
Either you believe in the true word of God or you do not.
If you believe and are genuinely teaching such then praise be to God. But if you disbelieve and have already fallen victim, then seek out God and ask him to reveal the truth as painful to you as it might be. So, you can repent and correct your ways and get back into the True Word of God and set others free.
Let us begin the journey.
Ephesians 1:3-23. (New International Version).
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption in sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfilment to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s passion to the praise of his glory.
(Thanksgiving and prayer)
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the
riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
I start this book with this reading from the Book of Ephesians
where Paul clarifies to us in this present day all the amazing, and in my eyes breath-taking things that we have received through Christ.
Paul also signifies that the Church is to be understood as the body of Christ, and he also exemplifies unity of purpose and showing how each individual member becomes a part or takes a share so that we can all work together in unity with all the other parts.
As in our own Christian lives, we should shred off the old and place on the new higher Spiritual self, doing away with the jealousy, anger, bitterness, envy and strife.
Why? Because these are all obstacles which will block the unity of the church. I have had people say what is wrong in disagreeing with the Elders and Leaders of our church who are filled with the Holy Spirit?
Think about that for a moment and place the question in context to the above Ephesians reading.
God placed our Elders and leaders into office to lead and guide us into his will.
In church, we pray that every time a speaker stands before us, that God through the Holy Spirit will speak through him or her and even some of do this for those leading us in worship.
Why? Because we desire earnestly to become united in our worship and into the will of God. So, I ask how can we do that if we are backstabbing, gossiping and causing unrest and going against the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit?
There is also another vitally important reason to be united in one mind, look at Acts 2:1-2.
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Sadly, the body of Christ is so divided in this age.
Some are divided from and at times incensed with the attitudes and beliefs of each other, be it the Catholic faith, the Church of England, charismatics whatever.
Frequently there is discord even in a single local church, and we find ourselves in this strife, and yet wonder why we’re struggling.
In our disunity, we are restricting the movement of the Holy Spirit, and we are believing that we know better than God and that even though we know we cannot see his greater plan, we somehow place our limited knowledge above God, and thinking we know better.
Crazy isn’t it?
Yet that is what some people are doing, and the clear majority are good honest people who simply find themselves in conflict by not agreeing with a course of action that the church leadership (Elders) have taken under the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit.
While forgetting God who has placed them into their calling and that they are responsible for guiding us, the flock of the church, into Gods will.
It is so important to be in unity and of One Mind, yes pray about something, even talk to your elders or leaders and if you have a problem, do not become rebellious, but fast and pray, but in the end, keep your eyes on Jesus always and place your trust in God.
The Holy Spirit is clearly speaking through Paul and not only to the Church at Ephesus, but to us through the ages to this present time and into our future.
As you draw near to God, he, God, draws near to you, and he opens your eyes to every spiritual truth in Christ
So, why was Paul guided by the Holy Spirit to write those words?
I believe the Holy Spirit who is the spirit of truth wanted them in their time and us now in the future to understand the true spiritual blessings that is ours in the heavenly realm through our unity in Christ.
Look at John 16:13.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come.
Remembering we are the body of Christ the church and emphasising the importance of unity.
One mind in Christ Jesus, and in doing away with man-made rules which hinder and hold us back preventing us from receiving the fullness of His Holy Spirit, and the gifts and (All Blessings) that come from this gift and unity in Christ.
Look at 1Peter 1:23.
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
The Holy Spirit is reaching out to us in these verses and telling us to remain faithful in Christ, we are to Point the Way to Jesus in all our actions, words and deeds.
Others, investigators, non-Christians, new Christians, notice our actions, and even if by saying harmful things, as well as behaving badly and in disunity. Then how can we then lead by example, as in their eyes, we are but hypocritical and a fraud.
Ask yourselves, are you known as a blessed and faithful follower of Christ Jesus?
Be truthful, pray over it and ask God to open the eyes of your hearts so you can see areas which might need correcting, and if you find something, then from the heart repent and why not also say sorry to the leadership and those we sinned against.
Been humble is what God looks for and he is searching the whole earth looking to see whose heart is perfect towards him.
Look at 2 Chronicles 16: 9a.
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him.
Look at the (NIV) version.
For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
Now read Proverbs 4:20-22.
My son attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my saying. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
I believe for some of us we are finding it difficult to believe in Christ Jesus and that yes, you are a Born-Again Christian. Is it not Satan who is whispering these lies and half-truths?
And saying. “But the word of God does not truly mean what it says.”
Is that not the line he Satan used in the beginning with Eve? And is still to this day telling the very same lie, only with different coatings and flavours on it.
In the Book of Genesis 3: we read the words ’Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden. - Satan then went on to say, ’You will not certainly die.”
Yet that appears to be what selected individuals are consciously or unconsciously believing.
As I have heard them say not all scripture is real, you don’t believe in a real Adam or Eve, do you? And so much more negativity as if the Holy Scriptures are false and just a collection of old books.
O, that is so sad, and if only they realised how blinkered they have become, how bitter and full of disunity.
And of the lies they have been led into believing, so the true power of God, his living word, in our Lord Jesus Christ, who he, God has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus.
Not just a few or a selected one or two, no, but every Spiritual Blessing, and every meaning just that. All Spiritual Blessings. Look at verse 4: onwards.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with
he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavishes on us.
With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfilment to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
