#274 - Understanding The Character Of God

Main message: God is both the almighty Creator and a loving Father; the existence of evil does not disprove God's goodness because love requires free will, and through Jesus God has provided redemption and a promised end to evil.

Key points:

• The Apostles' Creed (beginning with "I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth") compresses the Bible's story from Genesis to Revelation.
• God’s character holds a tension: he is transcendent, holy, and just, and simultaneously a loving, fatherly God who desires relationship.
• God’s holiness makes direct access dangerous for fallen humans, but Jesus’ life and death remove the barrier (the torn temple veil) and grant access to the Father.
• The problem of evil is addressed by free will: love requires choice, and humanity’s wrong choices introduced brokenness; angels likewise had a one-time choice.
• God pursues redemption—evil and death have an expiration; Revelation’s promise of a new heaven and earth gives hope that suffering is temporary.
• Practical response: trust “God is good” even amid doubt, choose to put faith in Jesus, and use creeds like the Apostles' Creed as a foundation.

Scriptures mentioned: Genesis 1, Revelation 21