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Ezra -> God is... (5/3/2008 10:32:05 PM)

Light, Life, and Love.

In the natural world there could be no life without light, and there could be no love without life.

Since the natural world reflects the spiritual world in more ways than we can imagine, these three aspects of God are linked, although the linkage is seldom discussed.

Discuss with Scripture.



faithfulservant_ -> RE: God is... (5/4/2008 12:30:29 AM)

I believe God will show unconditional love to those that belong to Him. Therefore, I will love the Lord my God all the days of my life. Someday, when I see my Lord, I will tremble at His feet and bow down to Him. Then I will say to Him, "My Lord, you have been so gracious to me, an ungrateful and underserving servant."

"So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity." (Colossians 3:12-14)



drmark -> RE: God is... (5/4/2008 7:53:38 AM)

quote:

Discuss with Scripture.
Jesus specifically states "I am Light" and "I am Life" but I cannot find in Scripture His personal admission of being Love. For me, this is Christ's most important "I am". I wonder why He never specifically stated it. Perhaps He believed that living out Love every moment was more important than saying the obvious.



Prairiehiker -> RE: God is... (5/4/2008 8:55:55 PM)

I've been mulling this over during my run today. I just can't gather my thoughts together in a coherent pattern to make a post. Give me a week, lol.
Very interesting topic though.



Ezra -> RE: God is... (5/5/2008 3:50:09 AM)

For starters, let's go to the very beginning. Before all things came into existence, God was already Light, Life, and Love.

So the first thing He brought into existence was light -- cosmic light -- since the sun, moon and stars had not yet come into existence (Gen. 1:3,4), and He called it "good".

Then God brought forth life abundantly (Gen. 1:20), and all living creatures came into existence. And He called that "good".

Finally, God demonstrated His love to humanity by (1) making man in His own image and likeness and (2) blessing mankind abundantly(Gen. 1:26-31). And He called that "very good".

Now when we turn to Christ we find in the Gospel of John that He is indeed the Creator (Jn. 1:1-3), who is the true Light (Jn. 1:9) who gives eternal life to those who believe on Him (Jn. 1:12,13), because of His grace (which is also God's undeserved love to humanity (Jn. 1:16,17).

Christ said, "I am the Light of the world" (Jn.9:5) and "I am that Bread of life... I am the living Bread" (Jn.6: 48,51) as well as "I am the Resurrection and the Life" (Jn. 11:25). But, drmark asked where did He say that "I am Love"?

Well, He said it even more powerfully than simply making that statement, which would be somewhat abstract. Here is how Christ said that He is love: "I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep" (Jn. 10:11).

Do we know that sacrificing oneself for others is the highest expression of love? "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (Jn. 15:13).



Ezra -> RE: God is... (5/5/2008 4:13:56 AM)

God is Light: God's light represents (a) His indescribable glory, (b) His absolute holiness and (c) His perfect truth.

God is Life: God's life is eternal life since He is the Everlasting God, and He is the only one who can give life to any creature. But, in His infinite grace and mercy He chose mankind to receive eternal life by receiving the gift of His Son. And whosover will may come.

God is Love: God is infinite love, and all His dealings with humanity are in love (He has reserved His judgment and wrath until the Day of Grace runs out). His grace, mercy, lovingkindness, longsuffering, gentleness and meekness are all expressions of His love.

Thus light, life and love are focal points of the Gospel, because they represent everything that God is to men, who desperately need light, life and love (although God is much more than these three aspects).

But God's love cannot be separated from His light or His life, which means that we cannot present God's love without presenting His holiness and His truth, as well as His offer of eternal life.

This also means that those who will not repent will not experience the grace of God, but the wrath of God abides on them.



drmark -> RE: God is... (5/5/2008 8:26:56 AM)

Very nice, Ezra. I do have a minor concern with lumping all three essences, if you will, of God together. Life and Love are abstract qualities of Divine Nature which God demonstrates to us throughout eternity. Light is a created entity which has real physical qualities. Indeed, the very creation of light in Gen 1:3 marks the initial starting point of physical reality - energy (converted matter) moving through space (the heavens) over time (in the beginning). There is no "starting point" for life and love since the Eternal Triune Godhead has been alive and loving eternally. Could God have been light before he created it?



CherishedbyGod -> RE: God is... (5/5/2008 1:31:55 PM)

God has brought so many scriptures to me, since I first saw this thread yesterday, that I would not even know where to begin.

But I think I will start with a few tracing God as creating light and God as Light and then close with one on God, Life and Love. Most of the other scriptures the Holy Spirit gave me are both from the gospel of John and 1 John. Apparently, the apostle John was quite focused on this aspect of our dear Lord. God as Light and Love apparently made a hugh impact on him. Why was he so focused on God as Light? Anyone?

Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:3-4


For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Corinthians 4:6


But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light
Revelation 21:22-23


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
John 3:16



frankman -> RE: God is... (5/5/2008 5:25:17 PM)

[sm=icon_smile_idea.gif] Light is GOD THE FATHER= Isa.30:21="Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, `This is the way; walk in it."
Light is JESUS=John 8:12= "I am the light of the world."
Light is the HOLY SPIRIT=John 15:26= "When the Councilor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, He will testify about Me."
Light is MY BIBLE=Ps.119:105= "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."
Light is BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS=Matt.5:14= "You are the light of the world."

[sm=icon_smile_kanji.gif] Life is JESUS=John 6:47= "I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life."

[sm=heart.gif] Love is whatever you need. God loves all of us so much that He has provided for us so much in order to supply for all our needs. Allow me to mention 26 things the God of love is to us as the "I AM THE GOD OF LOVE", one for each letter of the alphabet.
A=access; B=brother; C=courage; D=deliverer; E=example; F=friend; G=guarantee; H=helper; I=intercessor; J=justifier; K=kinsman; L=lighthouse; M=motivation; N=navigator; O=oasis; P=peace; Q=quarerback; R=reason to be; S=strength; T=treasure; U=upgrade; V=victory; W=wellspring; X=xenophile(lover of strangers); Y=yardstick; Z=zion;
God`s love is in every letter of the alphabet and everything inbetween. Rev.1:11 states "I am Alpha and the Omeda, the first and the last." [:)] Yet Jesus is all you need. Jesus is our link to light, life and love.



Ezra -> RE: God is... (5/7/2008 12:29:39 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: drmark
Very nice, Ezra. I do have a minor concern with lumping all three essences, if you will, of God together.


drmark:

I believe that Scripture shows a clear connection between Light, Life and Love. We just need to dig a little deeper.

quote:

Life and Love are abstract qualities of Divine Nature which God demonstrates to us throughout eternity.


Let's reflect on this for a moment. Are God's life and love really that abstract? If God were not very Life itself, this universe would be lifeless. God breathed into Man "the breath of life" and therefore dust acquired life. When we die, dust returns to dust but the spirit and soul live on. That is only because God is eternal life and He created souls and spirits to live eternally.

As to God's love, how can you say it is "abstract"? The fact that Christ took on our humanity (albeit sinless) and went willingly to die of the Cross for our redemption is concrete evidence of the love of God. "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, CHRIST DIED FOR US" (Rom. 5:8).

quote:

Could God have been light before he created it?


Absolutely. "GOD IS LIGHT" (1 Jn. 1:5). The glory of God is primarily His light, and it also shines in the face of Jesus Christ. So first of all, God has always been Light -- not natural light but supernatural glorious light to which no man can approach (1 Tim. 6:16). God not only dwells in light, but He Himself is the Light of all lights.

quote:

Light is a created entity which has real physical qualities. Indeed, the very creation of light in Gen 1:3 marks the initial starting point of physical reality - energy (converted matter) moving through space (the heavens) over time (in the beginning).


Created light is only a "reflection" of the light of God, just as the light of the moon is only a reflection of the light of the sun. And without light there could ne no life on this planet. Plants need light, as do all creatures. But this light pales before the light of God. When Christ appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus, it was noontime, but His light was brighter than the noonday sun. Not only did it blind Paul, but it could have destroyed everyone present had Christ not controlled it somehow. No man can apprach this light.

quote:

There is no "starting point" for life and love since the Eternal Triune Godhead has been alive and loving eternally.


This is very true, but the same applies to Light. God has been Light eternally.



Ezra -> RE: God is... (5/7/2008 12:42:46 AM)

quote:

God as Light and Love apparently made a hugh impact on him. Why was he so focused on God as Light? Anyone?


CherishedbyGod:

Thanks for posting those Scriptures. And you are absolutely right. But John speaks of God as Light, Life and Love in his first epistle. As to why he so focused on God as Light, we may never truly know, other than that the Holy Spirit directed him through divine revelation to focus on these aspects of God. They are necessary for our souls. We all desperately need God's light, life and love in our souls.

We should not forget that John (with Peter and James) was also among the three disciples who saw Christ transfigured into a radiant light-emitting glorious Person speaking to Moses and Elijah . This had a tremendous impact on the apostles, and Peter alludes to this when he states that they were "eyewitnesses of His majesty" "on the holy mount" (2 Pet. 1:16-18). One aspect of Christ's majesty is His glory -- His radiant light. Furthermore, John looks at sin and untruth as "darkness" and contrasts then with God as Light, in whom is no darkness at all.

There is much more that can be garnered from John's epistle in this regard.



Ezra -> RE: God is... (5/7/2008 12:47:18 AM)

quote:

"You are the light of the world."


Frankman:

Thanks for sharing those thoughts.

But you have put before us a huge responsibility. If believers are the light of the world with Christ, we need to watch every thought, every word, and every deed very carefully every day.

Are we truly being lights, or are we hindering the light? It is truly an awesome responsibility, and were it not for the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, we could not bear it. As Paul said "Who is sufficient for these things?"



CherishedbyGod -> RE: God is... (5/11/2008 4:14:52 PM)

Isn't His light connected with His holiness?

For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Hebrews 7:26


And, in this verse it says He is holy and harmless. Holy - harmless (no sin) = life and ?light

He is separate from sinners. Sin = harmful, death, darkness.

The two cannot mix. Light and darkness cannot mix. Life and death cannot mix.

Just some meandering thoughts. Sorry if they don't make sense...



drmark -> RE: God is... (5/11/2008 5:52:52 PM)

quote:

Isn't His light connected with His holiness?
Absolutely right, CbG, nothing meandering or nonsensical with that! 1 John 1:7 clearly indicates the relation of Light to Holiness.



CherishedbyGod -> RE: God is... (5/11/2008 6:09:20 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: drmark

quote:

Isn't His light connected with His holiness?
Absolutely right, CbG, nothing meandering or nonsensical with that! 1 John 1:7 clearly indicates the relation of Light to Holiness.


Thank you for your kindness[:D]



hammurabi -> RE: God is... (5/13/2008 10:10:38 PM)

quote:

PROP. XIV. Besides God no substance can be granted or conceived.

PROP. XV. Whatsoever is, is in God, and without God nothing can be, or be conceived.
Proof.--Besides God, no substance is granted or can be conceived (by Prop. xiv.), that is (by Def. iii.) nothing which is in itself and is conceived through itself. But modes (by Def. v.) can neither be, nor be conceived without substance; wherefore they can only be in the divine nature, and can only through it be conceived. But substances and modes form the sum total of existence (by Ax. i.), therefore, without God nothing can be, or be conceived. Q.E.D.

Note.--Some assert that God, like a man, consists of body and mind, and is susceptible of passions. How far such persons have strayed from the truth is sufficiently evident from what has been said. But these I pass over. For all who have in anywise reflected on the divine nature deny that God has a body. Of this they find excellent proof in the fact that we understand by body a definite quantity, so long, so broad, so deep, bounded by a certain shape, and it is the height of absurdity to predicate such a thing of God, a being absolutely infinite. But meanwhile by the other reasons with which they try to prove their point, they show that they think corporeal or extended substance wholly apart from the divine nature, and say it was created by God. Wherefrom the divine nature can have been created, they are wholly ignorant; thus they clearly show, that they do not know the meaning of their own words.

- Spinoza, in the Ethics.


[;)]



SpiritSeeker -> RE: God is... (5/22/2008 8:51:33 PM)

Would just like to say bless all who have partaken of this thread.Bless you all I have found this topic very enlightening and uplifting.Thank you



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