Introduction

God the Father has many qualities or attributes. These virtues show His distinct characteristics. They appear to be the basis of the manifestations that His creation sees. They are not so much His acts, such as to create, guide or preserve, as they are indications of who He is. As mentioned by Joseph Osawa in the "Father Heart of God's Love" class, the whole earth is full of His lovingkindness (Ps.119:64).

This paper seeks to understand in a deeper way the heart of God the Father. It will study His qualities that are revealed to humankind in the scriptures. It appears to this writer that these distinct characteristics are the same for each person of the Trinity. This will also bebriefly discussed.

Elaborating the Father's various qualities should in no way lead the reader to think that the author believes that these attributes are in some way separate parts of a composite God or that they are some kind of fragmented segments of Himself. They are simply His perfections that are being revealed in His works of creation, providence and redemption.

I. God Is a Trinity

A. Christ as God

If there were no Trinity, Christ would not be God, and He would not absolutely know or be able to perfectly reveal God the Father. Only He has truly revealed the Father. Besides that, Christianity would not be the only full and final revelation, but simply one of the many conflicting and competing religious.

B. Basic Truths Regarding the Trinity

Though difficult to define, the truths relating to the Trinity are basically three-fold: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one God (Dt.4:35,39), manifest in three distinct Persons (Jn.3:16-17)and each Person is fully God.

C. The Personhood of God

It is generally recognized that the word "person" is an imperfect expression of the personhood of God. In other words, when the term "person" is normally used, it is understood to mean an individual, a rational being, who exists by himself or herself and who has his own individual rationale and moral qualities. But when referring to each member of the Trinity as a Person, they do not exist as three individuals like Peter, James, and John who are at each other's side and separate from each other. The essence of John is not the exact same essence of Peter. Each is a human being but each one possesses only a fractional part of Adam's specific human nature.

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Women and Spiritual Warfare | Leah's Legacy - Overcoming Rejection | A Biblical Study on the Heart of God the Father | My Christian Faith - Much More Than a Silver Lining! | My Jesus Came! | Africa's Redemptive Gifts | A Critique of Mormonism | Women in Jesus Genealogy | Ministry to the Disabled | HOME PAGE of January 2010 Issue | HOME PAGE | CONTACT EDITOR