3.1 The nature of God

3.1 The nature of God Although already stated unequivocally in the First Commandment—“You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20: 3)—it was a long time before Israel professed the uniqueness of God to the exclusion of all other gods and their worship. Again and again, the prophets had to reproach the people for worshipping other gods. In Isaiah 45: 21–22, we find the words of God: “And there is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Saviour; there is none be- sides Me. Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” After their return from Babylonian captivity, profes- sion of the one God (monotheism) entered into the consciousness of the Jews as the essential distinguishing feature between them and the Gentiles. To this day, the belief expressed in the Wisdom of Solomon has been a distinguishing feature of Judaism: “For neither is there any God but [Thee]” (Wisdom of Solomon 12: 13). This profession is also firmly rooted in Christian faith, from the earliest apostolic congregations until the present. Apostle Paul advocated monothe- ism without restrictions of any kind. With a view to the polytheism of the Greek and Roman religions, he wrote: “Therefore ... we know that ... there is no other God but one” (1 Corinthians 8: 4). 3.1.3 God, the Holy One In the Old Testament God is repeatedly described as “the Holy One” (Isaiah 43: 3; Jeremiah 50: 29; Habakkuk 1: 12). The holiness which is part of God’s nature, being, and rule, refers to the fact that He is majestic, untouchable, and separate from the profane. This is also attested in Revelation 4: 8 with the words: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come” (Isaiah 6: 3). His word and His will are equally holy. The nearness of God, the presence of the Holy One, which has been re- peatedly experienced throughout the history of salvation, commands rever- ence for Him. That the presence of God is holy and that it demands reverence was experienced by Moses when he saw the burning bush and heard the voice of God: “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the 81 3 The triune God place where you stand is holy ground” (Exodus 3: 5). The holiness of God sanctifies the place where He reveals Himself. Participation in God’s holiness is both a gift and a duty: “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19: 2; cf. 1 Peter 1: 15–16). Thus every believer is called upon to strive for holiness, which derives from the holiness of God. Thereby the name of God is “hallowed”, which is also expressed in the Lord’s Prayer: “Hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 6: 9). 3.1.4 God, the Almighty The profession in the First Article of Faith—“I believe in God the Father, the Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth”—attests that God can do anything, that nothing is impossible for Him, and that for Him there are no restrictions whatsoever in the implementation of His will. In Psalm 135: 6 this is ex- pressed as follows: “Whatever the Lord pleases He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places.” God’s omnipotence is also clearly shown to mankind in His creation, for by His word alone everything came into being from nothing (Hebrews 11: 3). In His omnipotence, God constitutes the beginning and the end: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,’ says the Lord, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty’” (Revelation 1: 8). The new creation will therefore also be an expression of God’s omnipotence. Jesus Christ also spoke of the omnipotence of God: “With God all things are possible” (Mark 10: 27). His omnipotence was also attested by the angels: “For with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1: 37). The omnipotence of God incorporates His omnipresence and omnis- cience. The omniscience of God is referred to in Psalm 139: 2–4: “You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.” The same psalm also refers to God’s omnipresence: “If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I 82