God Is
The words “God is” occur 157 times in both the Old and New Testaments. It is a tremendous affirmation. So much is held dear in the words “God is.” We do not have to look too far to see just how important are the words “God is.” Negatively, if “God is not,” then there would be no Creation. If “God is not,” then we would have no Word of God. If “God is not,” then we would have no Son of God and Savior. If “God is not,” then the church has no reason to exist. If “God is not,” then we would be lost forever.
Men respond variously to the words, “God is.” The Atheist says he knows “there is no God” (Psalm 14:1). The Agnostic says he is unable to know that God is or God is not. The Materialist claims he does not need God, such as the rich farmer in Luke 12:13-21. BUT, what about the responses from the Christian? The Christian will tell you that there is nothing to this life without the existence of God. The Christian knows how vital the importance of a strong faith is in the fact—“God is.”
“God is” affirms God’s existence. The existence of God is inherent in the words “God is.” God has not left man to grope in darkness about His existence. God has not left us in doubt about the importance of the matter. God is One in whom we must believe (Hebrews 11:6). God would not ask man to believe that which could not be believed. Our faith is based upon the Word of God (Romans 10:17). “I am the Almighty God; walk before me” (Genesis 17:1). The phrase “I am the Lord God Almighty” (Leviticus 19:2-4) is a declaration from God that man is not to take lightly.
“God is” draws attention to God’s nature. God’s nature involves His character, His attributes, and His personality. Daniel said, “. . . [T]he people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits [great things]” (11:32). In both Testaments God is more than a match for all the evil that confronts man. God “loves” (John 3:16), God “hates” (Proverbs 6:16), God “cares” (1 Peter 5:7), and man can “grieve” God (Genesis 6:6). Malachi says God is unchangeable, “For I, Jehovah, change not” (3:6). God is “from everlasting”; i.e. eternal (Psalm 93:2). Paul writes of God’s nature as pure, “the glory of the incorruptible God” (Romans 1:23). Moses said that God is always truthful, “God is not a man that he should lie, that He should repent” (Numbers 23:19).
“God is” affirms man’s responsibility. God created man in “His image, and after His likeness” (Genesis 1:26-27); i.e. man has godly traits given him that God possesses. For example: man loves, hates, thinks, acts, is a creature of choice, and relational in nature, etc. God made man a free moral agent with the ability to obey or disobey. When God placed man in the Garden of Eden, God gave man the ability to choose to obey or disobey. “God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17).
Since “God is” who He is, and man is who he is, man, if he is honest, can understand his responsibility to the “God who is.” There is not a man among us who cannot understand that this is true. All men are subject to God. We are to obey God; however, being creatures of choice we also can disobey God and suffer the consequences. “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). God calls us to responsible.