The question is, "Who is God?"
Regardless of what I think or anyone else, God (Elohim) is my Father. He knows me personally. He loves me individually and perfectly.
My personal relationship with Him is through His Son, Jesus the Christ. He also knows me personally, loves me individually and perfectly.
Intellectual study only verifies my personal experiences which I will never deny.
God is my Father and I am His child
(Malachi 2:10) "Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us?"
(Hebrews 12:19) "Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?"
(Matthew 5:48) Jesus said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."
(Matthew 6:9) Jesus prayed, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."
(1 Corinthians 8:5-6) "For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him."
(Hebrews 12:9) "Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?"
Character and Nature of God
God has a body... therefore, if I am in His image, I value and will take care of my body.
(Genesis 1:26) "God said, let us make man in our own image, after our likeness." Later, (Genesis 5:3) "And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth." This is the verbage used by the same writer to express a similarity between fathers and their sons.
(Genesis 5:1) "God created man, in the likeness of God made he him."
(Genesis 9:6) "In the image of God made he man."
(Acts 7:56) Stephen saw "the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."
(James 3:9) "men, which are made after the similitude of God."
And many others.
God is Omniscient... therefore, I can trust His judgement and His timing.
(Isaiah 66:18, 88) He "knoweth their works and their thoughts... knoweth the secrets of the heart."
(Matthew 10:29) Jesus said, "Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of."
(Matthew 10:29) Jesus also said, "sparrows … shall not fall on the ground without your Father."
(Acts 15:18) "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning."
(Acts 17:26) He "hath determined the times before appointed."
God is Omnipotent... therefore, He has power to do anything He desires. He has power to help me become like Him.
(Genesis 17:1) "I am the Almighty God"
(Genesis 18:14) "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"
(Jeremiah 51:15) "He hath made the earth by his power."
(Malachi 3:11) "I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes."
(Matthew 19:26) "With God all things are possible."
(Matthew 28:18) The Resurrected Lord states that he now has power given Him directly from the Father. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."
(John 1:3) "All things were made by him."
(Romans 4:17) "God, who quickeneth the dead."
(Revelations 4:8) "Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."
(Revelations 19:6) "Lord God omnipotent reigneth."
God is Love... This is His defining characteristic. His love for me is boundless and in my childlikeness, I love Him with all my heart!
(Deuteronomy 5:10) Mercy is a reward of His love. "Shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me."
(Deuteronomy 6:5) We are commanded to feel and act on that feeling. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."
(Jeremiah 31:3) "I have loved thee with an everlasting love."
(John 3:16) Father was willing to sacrifice His special Son for the rest of us. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son."
(John 14:21) Father rewards those who love Jesus with his love. "He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father."
(John 14:23) Father rewards obedience with love and His presence. "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."
(John 15:9) Jesus loves us the same way the Father does. "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you."
(2 Corinthians 13:11) Father grants us His presencense when we live in peace. "Live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."
(1 John 4:7) Love is something that comes from God. "Let us love one another: for love is of God.
God is Spirit... So am I.
(John 4:24) "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."
So am I. I am a spirit being with a mortal body at this time. To say that I am a spiritual being having mortal experiences in no way changes the character of my very being.
Father's body, however, is perfect or complete, glorious, refined, radiant, and eternal.
The early Christians understood this scripture, but it was later used to mean that God is "only" a spirit. That does not change the truth, however.
God is a devouring fire to the wicked, and the fullness of joy for the righteous
(1 Chronacles 16:27) "Glory and honour are in his presence."
(Psalms 16:11) "In thy presence is fulness of joy."
(Psalms 68:2) Disobedient behaviour is punished. "Let the wicked perish at the presence of God."
(Psalms 140:13) God's presence is reward for obedience. "The upright shall dwell in thy presence."
(Matthew 5:8) Jesus said the Father will reward the pure in heart with His presence. "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."
(Hebrews 3:11) Wickedness is punished by blessings being withheld. "I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest."
(James 4:8) Father rewards some actions with the blessing of His presence. "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you."
I could go on and on!
God is my Father, I am His child. Imagine that! The Glorious God of all is my Father! That makes me daughter to the King of all Kings. That makes me a royal princess!
He has a personal interest in me and wants the best for me. There are so many scriptures that tell me this, but my testimony of His divine love and individual involvement in the details of my life are personal manifestations. Each sacred communication and expression of love fills my soul beyond the boundaries of my mortal body. Additionally, whenever He asks me to be His instrument, and I do it, He imprints part of Himself on me and I become more like Him. I know what I know about Him through these experiences, enhanced by the holy scriptures.
That's who God is.
