The inquiry into the identity and essence of God transcends the physical realm. A grasp of spirituality is essential to form a coherent concept of God’s nature. Idolatry has plagued humanity for ages, stemming from an inadequate understanding of the spiritual. The Trinity doctrine, widely embraced in Christianity, adds complexity to this issue. However, the teachings of Jesus, the founder of Christianity, remain the source of answers for all Christian queries.
In Christianity, placing Jesus as the primary guiding authority is a matter of personal choice. The first step is to comprehend what drives a person to be open to accepting Jesus. It is thought that only humans have the spiritual capacity that enables decision-making. Understanding God is unattainable without first grasping the role of the spiritual aspect in humanity.
The distinction between animals and humans lies in the spiritual aspect of humanity. Humans may mistreat animals with impunity, yet they, themselves, are not subjected to being abused by those animals. Donkeys, for example, are often subjected to treatment that seems exceedingly harsh, yet the same donkeys remain steadfastly loyal and uncomplaining. Slavery was abolished because it was considered inhumane, recognizing that humans differ from animals due to their spiritual nature.
Abuse of humans can lead to international condemnation, a reaction that differs from grievances related to animals. Considering the differences between animals and humans reveals that humans have spirituality, which animals lack. Even without in-depth study, it is evident that humans are supported by a spiritual nature that endows them with reasoning. The spiritual nature is what allows for the discernment between good and evil, a concept central to understanding Jesus and Christianity. From this standpoint, we can begin to grasp the spiritual definition of God.
“But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’
“But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
“These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one” (1 Corinthians 2:9-15 NKJV).
Paul posed a profound question: “What does a man know of the things of a man except the spirit within him?” There is a spirit in man that distinguishes him from animals. Yet, this spirit, while elevating him above animals, necessitates the Spirit of God to comprehend God’s spiritual essence. Paul states that the natural man does not embrace the things of the Spirit of God. They are foolish to him and beyond his understanding because they are spiritually appraised. Hence, we can infer that comprehending God’s spiritual nature is unattainable without the Spirit of God. The key lies in embracing the Spirit of God.
This opens up the prospect of receiving the Holy Spirit. The reluctance of God to bestow His Holy Spirit liberally stems from the fact that to the carnal mind, the matters of God’s Spirit seem foolish. Before His departure, Jesus promised His disciples that they would be endowed with the Holy Spirit on one condition: adherence to His teachings. Thus, without a willingness to follow Jesus’ teachings, comprehending the spiritual nature of God remains elusive.
“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray for the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
“A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him” (John 14:15-21 NKJV).
The term “God” first appears in the Bible in the creation narrative of the Book of Genesis. Although the Hebrew word for “God” has various names, in Genesis 1, it is referred to as “Elohim,” a term that is uni-plural, like “family” or “team.” For example, we talk about one family, which includes several members, rather than just one person. This is reflected in the creation of humanity, where God said, “Let us make man in our image,” indicating a collective decision by a unified entity, rather than a singular personality.
The question of how many members make up that family remains unclear. When Jesus arrived, He proclaimed His eternal relationship with His Father, speaking of no one else but Himself and His Father. He was acknowledged as the begotten Son of God, embodying the Spirit of God, which affirmed His unity with God. Throughout His ministry, Jesus revealed the nature of the Godhead, solely emphasizing the unity between Him and His Father. The notion of the Father figure encompassing multiple personalities remains ambiguous.
In teaching prayer, Jesus directed them to address their prayers to the Father, thereby not including Himself as He was the Son. This Father was recognized as the God of Israel, a singular identity introduced to the Israelites. They were not provided with a physical representation of the God they were to worship. In Exodus 20, God commanded them not to make any physical likeness of Him, whether of earthly or heavenly things. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4 NKJV).
Considering the plural term for “God” as presented in Genesis, it leads to the conclusion that the oneness referred to, in Deuteronomy, maintains the plurality. This is analogous to the marital union, which is characterized by oneness, yet consists of two distinct individuals, male and female. “And the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together let not man separate” (Mark 10:8-9 NKJV). This supports the concept of oneness as depicted by the term “Elohim” in Genesis. Another clue is also presented in the creation of Mankind, suggesting oneness in the brotherhood of men.
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:26-27 KJV).
An in-depth analysis of the cited Scriptural text suggests that the act of creation extends beyond a solitary figure. This is further clarified by the statement “Male and female he created them,” which implies that creation is not limited to merely two beings. The idea of creating humanity in God’s likeness includes all humans in existence. The act of creation mentioned should be interpreted spiritually rather than physically. It applies to all of humanity, regardless of the variety of racial and tribal backgrounds. The golden rule, which advocates treating others as one would like to be treated, underscores the inherent unity of mankind.
The concept of God’s oneness suggests a divine family, which, according to our present human comprehension, originally consisted of the Father and the Son. This family was destined to grow, as all who received the Holy Spirit became God’s children. Proponents of Trinitarianism argue that the divine Godhead comprises three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Yet, Jesus did not characterize the Holy Spirit as a person, but a condition. The Apostle Paul provided a clear explanation of God’s family that does not encompass the Holy Spirit.
“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:19-21 NKJV).
The referenced Household of God is a Spiritual Temple, encompassing all believers, beginning with the apostles and prophets. Jesus is portrayed as the chief cornerstone of this edifice. The crucial point of this narrative is that it represents not a physical temple, but a spiritual one. Jesus is a spiritual entity, as are the saints mentioned, who together form a spiritual assembly. The hallmark of those who belong to the Household of God is the presence of the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, one would not be regarded as a member of that Household.
“So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Romans 8:8-17 NKJV).
The Spirit that descended upon Jesus during His baptism, affirming Jesus’ identity as the Son of God, is the same Spirit that affirms Christians as God’s children. This Spirit empowers Christians to address God as their Father, mirroring Jesus’ reference to God as His Father. Jesus communicated with His Father through prayer, just as Christians are encouraged to do the same. In His earthly form, Jesus was not equal to His Father, to whom He also prayed. Likewise, members of the Household of God are not equal to their Father while they exist in physical form.
Yet, as spiritual entities, they become part of the divine family. When Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father, Jesus affirmed that seeing Him was the same as seeing the Father. This truth was validated by the Holy Spirit within Him. Before His crucifixion, Jesus was unique, as the only begotten Son of God, marked by the presence of the Holy Spirit within Him. Thus, He was the sole person who could claim that to see Him was to see the Father. This principle extends to anyone who receives the Holy Spirit, fulfilling the promise made by Jesus to His disciples before His ascension.
“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:15-18 NKJV).
In humans, conception occurs when sperm is deposited into a woman’s ovary, leading to pregnancy. The gestation period lasts nine months until the baby is born. However, there is a possibility of miscarriage during this time. The birth is celebrated at the moment of delivery, not at conception. Similarly, when a person receives the Holy Spirit, they become conceived as a child of God, though not yet born as a spiritual being. There is a risk, in that they may not enter God’s Kingdom, akin to a fetus not reaching full term. Yet, they are considered God’s child from the moment the Holy Spirit is received.
Upon receiving the Holy Spirit, which guides their actions and movements, individuals are justified to echo Christ’s declaration: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” Such proclamations may provoke disapproval from worldly individuals, akin to Jesus’ disapproval by nonbelievers. With God’s Spirit, Christians’ physical bodies become temples of the Lord. Their involvement in communities signifies the presence of God and Jesus, though unrecognized by worldly people. They embody both the Father and the Son, thus bearing the authority of God. In essence, a Christian embodies an aspect of God’s nature.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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