BIBLE’S VIEWPOINT
What kind of body does God have?
“God
is a Spirit.”—John 4:24.
WHAT
THE BIBLE SAYS
The Bible describes God
as a spirit being. (2 Corinthians 3:17) As such, he is far superior to us and
beyond our physical senses. He is “the King of eternity, incorruptible,
invisible,” says 1 Timothy 1:17.
The Bible also states: “At no time has anyone beheld God.”—1 John 4:12.
Our Creator is so
superior to us that we cannot even begin to imagine what he looks like. “To
whom can you people liken God, and what likeness can you put alongside him?”
says Isaiah 40:18. Even the awe-inspiring physical heavens pale in
comparison with the Almighty.—Isaiah 40:22, 26.
There are, however,
intelligent creatures who can see God and even speak with him face-to-face. How
so? Because they too are spirits, and they live in heaven. (1 Kings 22:21; Hebrews 1:7)
Concerning these superhuman creatures, who are also called angels, Jesus Christ
said: “[They] always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.”—Matthew 18:10.
Is God omnipresent?
“You
must pray, then, this way: ‘Our Father in the heavens.’”—Matthew 6:9.
WHAT
THE BIBLE SAYS
The Bible does not teach
that God is omnipresent, or present everywhere at all times, like some
impersonal force. Rather, as Jesus’ words found at Matthew 6:9 and 18:10
show, God is a person—a “Father”—and he resides in heaven, his “established place
of dwelling.”—1 Kings 8:43.
Toward the end of his
life, Jesus said: “I am leaving the world and am going my way to the Father.” (John 16:28)
After his death in the flesh and resurrection as a spirit, Christ ascended
“into heaven itself, now to appear before the person of God.”—Hebrews 9:24.
These facts about God
matter. Why? For one thing, because God is a person, we can learn about him and
draw close to him. (James 4:8)
For another, the truth about God protects us from false worship, such as the
worship of lifeless images and objects. “Little children, guard yourselves from
idols,” says 1 John 5:21.
How
were humans formed in God’s image?
“God
proceeded to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; male
and female he created them.”—Genesis 1:27.
WHAT
THE BIBLE SAYS
As humans, we have the
potential to reflect God’s personality traits, such as his love, justice, and
wisdom. In fact, the Bible says: “Become imitators of God, as beloved children,
and go on walking in love.”—Ephesians 5:1, 2.
God also made us free
moral agents, which enables us to choose right over wrong and to express love
for others in a variety of ways. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) We also have the ability to be creative,
to enjoy beauty, and to stand in awe at the amazing world around us. Above all,
we have received a spiritual capacity, a natural desire to learn about our
Creator and his will for us.—Matthew 5:3.
How Bible truth can help
you. The
more we learn about God and imitate him, the more we live the way he intended
us to live. As a result, we experience more joy in life, along with genuine
satisfaction, inner peace, and contentment. (Isaiah 48:17, 18)
Yes, God knows that his endearing qualities resonate in the human heart,
drawing honesthearted people to him and setting them on the path to everlasting
life.—John 6:44; 17:3.
AWAKE magazine May 2013 issue
www.jw.org