Discovering the Wonder of God

Who is God

Discovering the Wonder of God series

001 WHO IS GOD AND WHAT MAKES HIM UNIQUE (PART 1)

By Lizelle de Bruin for video, commissioned by GRNSA, 2024



We live in a world filled with diverse religions, each with its own gods, goddesses, myths, and legends. Some people believe there is no God at all. How can we know what is true? Some suggest that all religions are expressions of one divine being and thus all are equal and true.

As a Christian, I believe not only that God exists but that there is only one true God.


You might ask, “How is your God different from any other god?” This is a very good question. Humans are naturally curious and like to explore and understand everything around us, including the divine. We often use our minds to define our gods and religions. However, the God in whom Christians believe cannot be fully explained by human reason alone. Augustine of Hippo, an early Christian believer, said, “The moment you think you understand God, then that is not God.” For Christians, God is a mystery who can only be known as far as He reveals Himself to us. This means we will never fully understand everything about God. As creations of God, we are un-qualified to define Him purely by reason. We try to understand God by knowing what He is not.


To address how the One True God differs from other gods, I will start by saying: God is not a tyrant. His power and might are not arbitrary. This means His actions are never without reason. Therefore, we don’t have to fear the unpredictability of His actions. God does not act out of need, greed, or self-interest. He does not misuse His authority. By His will, God restrains His power and acts as a Father. As the Almighty Father, He gives life to all that exists; everything comes from Him, through Him, and belongs to Him.

God is completely good and devoid of evil. He hates evil because God is love. Love is not merely an emotion for God; it is His very being. His actions flow from His love.


God was not created. He had no beginning and will have no end. He did not have parents, He does not get tired, grow old, or ever stop existing. God’s nature is the sheer act of being – He just is, was, and always will be. God exists without beginning or end, yet He never changes and is always in control. To ask who created God is to misunderstand that God is not part of creation. Christians believe in a God who is outside of all creation; everything that exists flows from Him. God may be in creation, but He is not contained by it. God plus all of creation is not greater than God alone. He does not need anything to exist.


God does not compete for existence. His presence enhances creation rather than displacing it. Importantly, God shows Himself as self-sacrificing. This is one way God differs from other so-called gods.


Another way the One True God differs, is His nature as a Community of Love, a Family, and Friendship. God is love, meaning there is within God “Someone Who Loves,” “Someone Who is being Loved,” and “the Love they share among Them.” The “Someone Who Loves” is called the Father. The “Someone Who is being Loved” is the Son. The “Love They share” is the Holy Spirit. The One True God is a Community of Three Divine Persons: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. These Three are not different gods but One God. God is a Trinity, and this is the most unique characteristic of the One True God.


God is fully content and perfect in Himself. He does not need creation but chooses to create out of love. This non-competitiveness of God, being a Community of Love, is why He doesn’t need to compete for existence.


God’s creation of everything, including you and me, flows from His love. This topic is extensive, and if you are interested in learning more about the One True God who created us, I am ready to share more next time.