Is God a Real Person?
Is God a Real Person?
Common answers:
▪ “He is everywhere, in everything. He is like the wind.”
▪ “He is an indefinable intelligence, an abstract force.”
What did Jesus say?
▪ “In the house of my Father there are many abodes.” (John 14:2) Jesus spoke of God as having a figurative house, or dwelling place.
▪ “I came out from the Father and have come into the world. Further, I am leaving the world and am going my way to the Father.” (John 16:28) Jesus believed that God is an actual Person living in a specific location.
JESUS never referred to God as some abstract force. On the contrary, he talked to God and prayed to him. He often called Jehovah his heavenly Father, a term revealing his deep intimacy with God.—John 8:19, 38, 54.
It is true that “no man has seen God at any time” and that “God is a Spirit.” (John 1:18; 4:24) But this does not mean that he is without any type of body or form. The Bible tells us: “If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual one.” (1 Corinthians 15:44) So does Jehovah have a spiritual body?
Yes. When Jesus was resurrected, he “entered . . . into heaven itself, now to appear before the person of God for us.” (Hebrews 9:24) This teaches us two important facts about God. First, he has a place of dwelling. Second, he is a Person, not simply an indefinable force that resides everywhere.
How, then, can God’s influence be felt everywhere? God can send his holy spirit, or power in action, to any place in the universe. Like a father who extends his hand to console and support his children, God extends his holy spirit to accomplish his purpose.—Psalm 104:30; 139:7.
Because God is a Person, he also has a personality with likes and dislikes—even feelings. The Bible tells us that he loves his people, rejoices in his works, hates idolatry, and feels hurt over wickedness. (Genesis 6:6; Deuteronomy 16:22; 1 Kings 10:9; Psalm 104:31) At 1 Timothy 1:11, he is called “the happy God.” No wonder Jesus said that we can learn to love this God with our whole heart!—Mark 12:30. *
[Footnote]
^ par. 12 For more information on this subject, see chapter 1 of the book What Does the Bible Really Teach? published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
[Blurb on page 5]
Like a father who extends his hand, God extends his holy spirit to accomplish his purpose