God, Humanity, and the Universe: A Christian Perspective Essay

Introduction

Throughout history, humans have questioned their origin and how the universe came to exist. Everything narrows down to the question of God as the creator and His existence. This is some issue that on the inception of various religions as Christianity was never questioned. According to Paton, the inquiry into God's existence stems from the new mode of human thinking after the establishment of religion (14). Science is making people figure out how things came into being bringing God's existence into question. There was no empirical research conducted to seek answers on God's existence during the times of Jesus. So, how did humans in history get ideas of God from? Each religion developed philosophies giving notions of God, humanity, and the universe. Ideas people hold of God is usually connected with theology. This essay will address the Christian perspective of God, humanity, and the universe in relevance to the Christian theology.

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Christian Theology and Why it is Necessary

To understand Christian theology, it is crucial to address the meaning of theology in the first place. In defining theology, McGrath splits the term into two Greek words; Theos which translates to God and logos which is knowledge (101). This makes the meaning of theology to be knowledge about God. McGrath further defines Christian theology. According to her, the term refers to the systematic research on the concepts of the Christian faith together with its sources, its development, relationship, and application (102). This explanation of theology works well in stressing the essential difference between the studies of religion in a broader perspective and the study of the ideas of God within Christianity. Henceforth, theology is the science of God and His relations with the universe.

Christians theology helps in the in-depth understanding of God, His creations and why to believe in Him. As a result, it is possible to recognize the difference that exists between the God of Christianity and that of other world religions. John states that "no one has ever seen God, but only his son Jesus Christ who is himself God and in the closest relationship with his father" (New King James Version, Jn 1:18). It is in Jesus that the exegesis of God is found and a firm foundation for the Christian faith. Christians build their view of God from Jesus, understanding His nature, what He wants from them, how to respond to Him and treat his creation (Hart 13). Timothy calls on Christians to study theology to "correctly handle the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2: 15). The word is God, and in the process of understanding God, there is the identification of essential themes and truths of scriptures and why they are essential. By this Christians understand Gods creation and how it naturally unfolded and grew mature in His understanding. If the knowledge of God could have relied on the Bible alone, then it would be not possible to come to know the many truths about Gods creations including angels, humans, sin, and redemption. Consequently, relationships and directions Christians take in life are shaped.

The other need for Christian theology is that it helps in the gaining of knowledge and the application of Christian faith towards spiritual maturity. Theology is the training, and a Christian must apply it as an instrument through which God feeds the soul. The call of Christianity is to lead a life just like Jesus did and be mentored so that the truth gets into a person (Pervo 24). From here, the person can go ahead and share this message with other people. This is not a tradition of the church but rather the act of receiving the knowledge of Christ and applying it by engaging the word and truth. In a world where different movements are lobbying for attention, Apostle Paul points out that it is the influence and the source of knowing what is crucial. The source of this knowledge should be from God and not humanistic ideas. What one puts in their mind affects their values and spiritual growth determining how they lead their lives on earth. This knowledge of Cristian faith and spiritual maturity requires theological studies. Consequently, believers cannot disdain the work of professional theologians. Of course, there is a place for scholars whom through hard work explores the intricacies of the distinctions, answering intellectual challenges to the faith and coming up with resourced summaries of doctrines.

Christian Knowledge of God and The Concept of Divine Revelation

According to McKnight, people tend to remake God in their image, and no one is sure of what He looks like (53). Though the bible state that God made humans in his own image, it is quite challenging to grasp His infinite nature. In order to know God better, there is a need to take a close look at the bible and what it does and does not mention about the maker of the universe. The Scripture tells ways through which God reveals himself to humankind for an extended period by intervening in human history. This provides Christians with the nature and attributes of God utterly different from the concepts found in other literature. The Bible says that knowledge carries the idea of a more profound appreciation or relationship with someone or something. This means that the knowledge of God is not merely being aware of his existence but a deeper appreciation and a relationship with Him. The bible is clear that knowing God begins with salvation and acknowledging him as Lord in obedience and praise. Salvation is just a matter of learning. In a world full of false values, it is essential to know the actual values. The only reliable source of these correct values is the Bible itself which are Gods word and the source of knowledge about Him.

According to the book of Genesis, the first man, and woman, Adam and Eve knew God, recognized him as their Lord and submissively carried out the tasks of naming the animals at the garden of Eden. However, their disobedience and eating of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil would lead to the fall of man. Nonetheless, this fall never destroyed the knowledge that was available about God. After the fall of man, the knowledge of God solely depends on His decision to reveal himself to his people. In these acts of special revelation, God chooses people purposefully and guide them back to Him. In the present, such revelations form the historical context through which Christians understand God. As a result, as given in the Bible, the knowledge of God often rely on the witness of others to whom He has revealed himself (Isa 51:1-2, Pslm 44:1-4)

Christians obtain the actual knowledge of God from his creation through which He reveals himself. Plantinga and Michael states that Apostle Paul points out that that the real knowledge of God comes from the light of nature. David also clearly states that God's creation reveals some knowledge about Him (31). Creation is the explicit evidence for God's existence, presence, grace, and goodness. Even though it does not tell everything about God, it reveals some key things. In Paul's letter to Romans, he mentions that through the creation of the world, believers can learn of God's invincible qualities, his divine nature and eternal power (Rom 1:20). Regardless of the creator being a spirit and invisible to the eyes of man, His creation speaks of his qualities. The size and complexity of creation especially seen from the sun, moon, and stars reveal how God is mighty. The exquisiteness, arrangement, and design of the universe show God's divine nature.

There is the Messianic promise of knowledge recorded in the Jeremiah 24:7. Reflecting on this promise, there is a finality to the Christian knowledge of God. In Jesus Christ, another way through which God reveals Himself, there are hidden treasures of knowledge and Wisdom. In fact, unlike the conventional historical understanding, the truths about God derived from Jesus Christ is authentic. God Himself personally confronts each person in the word which is a way of growing spiritual knowledge by reading the Bible.

The Bible: Its Authority, Inspiration, Infallibility, and Inerrancy

Biblical authority is the extent to which the book is commanding over Christians belief and conduct. Bruce mentions that to understand the authority of the scripture, three factors are inherent to it; inspiration, infallibility, and inerrancy. He further states that it is these three factors that offer confidence on the facts that the bible claims providing a solid ground on which the Bible can receive the final authority on all of life (12).

In regards to inspiration, this is the notion that whatever occurs in the bible was a result of either direct or indirect influence of God. Parker while quoting 2 Timothy 3:16-17 mentions that this is the essential text in the bible in relevance to the inspiration of the Scripture (34). The book reads that the words in the bible are breathed out by God with the involvement of man instrumentally. Put differently; God made the use of man in revealing his words, telling them the truth, and protecting them while they are writing what He would state exactly. The other feature of the Bible is that is important is its infallibility. Claiming that the bible is infallible is that the book is incapable of teaching any error since it is God inspired and God cannot make mistakes. This is a feature that actively presents the perfection of the Bible. It is not that the apostles or prophets who authored various books of the bible could not error in life. The fact is that these people could not make mistakes when composing the text. Finally, the inerrancy of the Scripture is the natural flow of inerrancy in the book. Since the authors could not make mistakes, there is no affirmation of anything that is not factual. Inerrancy is the quality of originality of the Bible.

In the light of the above feature of the Bible, Christians should view the book as authoritative since it is God's words. According to Frame, God is His own authority, and there is nothing outside where his power is established (15). That is why when making promises to the people of Israel He swore by His name (Heb, 6:13). God's authority is in who and what He is. Who God is comes through the ways by which He manifests Himself. Since God manifests Himself through revelation, his authority lies in these revelations. The bible is one of the means in which God reveals Himself, and so is his authority.

Distinctive Christian View of God

Human understanding of God is limited with the finite abilities man is created with. Knowledge of God cannot be complete but instead tied to attempts to figure out an infinite being who has revealed himself. If humankind would have the capability of understanding God, then they could be Him, having omniscience capabilities (Migliore 60). Christians view God in a way which is unique and outstanding than other view of God. The Christian understanding of God is not in any way independent human reasoning theorized to figure out what He looks like. Christians view of God stems from the means through which He reveals himself to His people. Nobody has ever seen God, but through the divine incarnation of Jesus, Christ humankind has experienced His human form. Equally, God has revealed himself through the creation as a personal God to His people.

Christianity is among the religions that are monotheists. Christians believe in a single God, and his attributes are found in the New and Old Testaments of the Bible. Both these sections of the Bible teach that there is only one God who is pure in spirit. Despite being one, God exists in three forms, and that is Father Son and Holy Spirit. God is the maker of the universe, and He is holy and good. God is all-powerful, He is...