The Nature of God

This section explains the nature of God in Christianity. Christians believe that God is one, yet exists in three distinct Persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. This belief is known as the Trinity, a term derived from ‘tri’ meaning ‘three’ and ‘unity’ meaning ‘one’.

Key Attributes of God

• Omnipotence – God is all-powerful. Evidence for this includes the creation of the world and the resurrection of Jesus, demonstrating His supreme authority over life and death.
• Omnibenevolence – God is all-loving. Christians believe that His love is expressed in various ways, particularly through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross to save humanity from sin.
• Justice – God is perfectly fair and just. He rewards the good and forgives those who sincerely repent. As stated in Psalm 25:8:

‘Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.’

• Omniscience – God is all-knowing. He has full knowledge of past, present, and future, as well as every person's innermost thoughts and feelings.
• Transcendence – God exists beyond time, space, and human understanding. Unlike humans, He is eternal, neither beginning nor ending.
• Immanence – God is actively involved in the world and interacts with His creation. Examples include:
  • Sending Jesus Christ to earth as a human to guide people.
  • Performing miracles in the past and present.
  • Answering prayers and guiding believers in their daily lives.

The Problem of Evil

Many Christians struggle with the question of why evil and suffering exist if God is truly all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving. This issue is known as the problem of evil.

Christian Responses to the Problem of Evil

Christians have developed different explanations and solutions to reconcile God’s goodness with the existence of suffering:

• Free Will – God granted humans free will, meaning they are responsible for their own choices. Suffering often results from human actions, rather than God's will.
• A Test of Faith – Suffering may serve as a test of faith. The biblical story of Job demonstrates this; despite enduring great suffering, he remained faithful and was ultimately rewarded by God.
• The Need for Balance – Some Christians argue that evil is necessary for humans to appreciate goodness and virtue. Without suffering, kindness and compassion might lack meaning.
• Divine Plan Beyond Human Understanding – God’s ways are beyond human comprehension. Many Christians trust that He has a greater purpose, even if they do not understand it.
• Ultimate Justice – Christians believe that while suffering exists in the world, God will provide justice in the afterlife. Those who have endured suffering faithfully will be rewarded in Heaven.

Despite the challenges posed by the problem of evil, many Christians maintain faith in God’s goodness and seek to respond to suffering with compassion, prayer, and acts of kindness.