Why Knowing Who God Is Matters for the Good News
If you want to really understand what the gospel—the “good news” about Jesus—is all about, it helps to start by learning something important: who God is. The Bible doesn’t talk about God like He’s just a mysterious energy floating out there. It describes God as personal—the Creator and Lord of everything.
God Isn’t Just a Force—He’s Personal
God isn’t an “it,” but a “who.” The Bible shows us that God is truly alive, knows us, and cares about us. He made the world (see Genesis 1) and is in charge of it.
At the same time, God is unique. Christians believe in what’s called the Trinity. This means there is one God, but He exists as three persons: Father, Son (that’s Jesus), and Holy Spirit. They aren’t three different gods, but three persons who are each fully God. It’s a big idea, but the point is: God is personal, not distant.
God Is Love—And That Changes Everything
One of the most important things the Bible tells us is that God is love. Love isn’t just something God does; it’s part of who He is. All real love comes from God, and His love is the kind that gives and gives, wanting the good of others. The Bible describes God’s love as full of kindness, patience, mercy, and grace.
So, no matter what you’ve heard or felt, you can trust what the Bible says: God is love. He’s not harsh, stingy, or quick to get angry. Instead, He’s full of compassion and gives good things to people.
· “God is love.” (1 John 4:8)
· “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.” (Psalm 103:8)
· “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father…” (James 1:17)
God Is Holy—Completely Pure and Set Apart
God isn’t just loving; He’s also holy. That means He’s completely pure, perfect, and set apart from everything that’s wrong or broken in the world. God is above everything and everyone—He’s not like humans, who make mistakes or do wrong.
Holiness means God can’t do anything wrong, can’t be tempted by evil, and doesn’t ignore or overlook bad things. He’s so pure that no darkness or evil can exist with Him.
· “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)
· “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5)
Why Does This Matter?
Because God is loving, He wants to save and help people. Because He is holy, He cannot ignore sin or evil. This is why the gospel—what Jesus did—matters so much. To really get why Jesus’s death and resurrection are such good news, we have to understand both God’s loving heart and His perfect holiness.
God loves us and wants to be close to us, but He also must deal with what’s gone wrong in the world. That’s the starting point for understanding the gospel—and for starting a relationship with God yourself.
Minister A Francine Green
July 2025
afrancinegreen.com 