Doctrines of the Church: What Does Selfless Church Believe? God

God: His Awesomeness and Our Fear

God is not defined by mere words or limited human concepts; rather, God is fundamentally understood as the one who is to be worshipped. Across all religions, this central idea remains consistent. Any invocation of the term "God" inevitably leads back to this principle. It is vital to clarify that this is not a definition of God, but rather the foundational lens through which humanity recognizes the divine.

In the Christian tradition, this principle serves as the purpose for acknowledging God: to worship and honor such a being. This act of homage aligns with the essence of discussing anything worthy of devotion. For, what greater reverence can be shown than to exalt that which transcends human comprehension?

Yet, one might ponder: if we choose to worship something that can be fully encapsulated by human language and thought, can it truly be called God? Should the object of our worship not surpass the confines of definition, inspiring awe that goes beyond the limits of articulation? (Such questions challenge us to reflect on the nature of divinity and the profound mystery of the sacred.)

The ancient Near Eastern cultures held a distinct and unfamiliar understanding of the concept of God—an understanding that has been largely lost to the modern Western mindset. This perspective, which deserves renewal and deeper reflection, was marked by a profound sense of distance and reverence. While this approach was ultimately deemed incompatible with the Christian worldview, it encouraged individuals to perceive God as a being of immense majesty and awe. Although the Christian understanding of God has dismissed the notion of divine distance, the sense of awe must remain. Without such an elevated sense of reverence and wonder, what is worshipped ceases to truly exist as God.

Take a moment to reflect on these profound passages that exalt the greatness and awesomeness of God:

Nehemiah 1:5 declares, “Then I said, ‘O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God...’” Here, we see God described as remarkable, extraordinary in degree, magnitude, and effect. He is a God who is not only great but awesome—One who inspires awe, reverence, and even fear.

Similarly, Psalm 96:4 proclaims, “Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!” This greatness compels us to extol God, not only for who He is but also for the incredible works He has done.

Deuteronomy 10:17 underscores this dual nature in saying, “[God] is the great God, the mighty and awesome God.” Two recurrent descriptors—great and awesome—capture the essence of God's nature. Yet, the term "awesome" is often misunderstood, avoided even, because of its associations with fear and terror. The Hebrew understanding reminds us that the word includes meanings such as fear, honor, and reverence (Gesenius, W., & Tregelles, S. P. (2003). In Gesenius’ Hebrew and Chaldee lexicon to the Old Testament Scriptures(p. 364). Logos Bible Software). While some recoil at the thought of worshiping someone so "terrible," this reaction misinterprets the term.

The fear of God is not akin to the panic one feels when unexpectedly encountering a wild beast or the shock of a spider descending upon one’s head. Instead, it is a reverence born of admiration and respect. Psalm 33:8 invites, “Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him.” This awe mirrors the reverence shown to a king or dignitary, as when Israel marveled at King Solomon’s wisdom and Joshua’s leadership (Joshua 4:14; 1 Kings 2:28).

Importantly, the reverence Christians give to God is not rooted in dread but in His love, forgiveness, and justice. It is not fear as the world often defines it but a deeply rooted acknowledgment of God’s greatness and worthiness. His forgiveness toward His people inspires gratitude and worship, not torment or despair (Psalm 130:4).

It is a common misconception that fear is a purely negative experience required to worship God. On the contrary, this fear is a natural outpouring of love, respect, and awe. For Christians, God alone deserves such reverence. No one and nothing else is as worthy of it as the great and awesome God.

God: Object or Subject of Worship?

One writer once observed, “God is the object of religious awe.”[1] Ringgren, H. (1977). אֱלֹהִים. In G. J. Botterweck (Ed.), & J. T. Willis (Trans.), *Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament* (Revised Edition, Vol. 1, p. 269). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. This statement, attributed to the Sumerian conception of divinity in the ancient world, aptly describes their understanding of deities—static, distant, and fashioned to inspire reverence. Yet, as Bob Webber insightfully argues, there is an essential distinction to be made between God as the objectof worship and God as the subject of worship. This distinction illuminates the profound uniqueness of the biblical narrative of God.

Webber explains,

The biblical God is the God who acts. He creates, becomes involved with his creation, calls Israel into existence to be his own people, makes himself known to them in Law, present to them in the Tabernacle, and leads them into the future. In their history, he gives types and shadows of his forthcoming involvement in history to redeem the world. He becomes incarnate in Jesus, dies for us, is resurrected for us, ascends into heaven where he intercedes for us, and will return to complete his redemption of the world in the New Heavens and the New Earth.

If we are going to use the subject/object distinction, the scenario of God’s story clearly envisions God as the subject and the world as the object. God creates the world, loves the world, cherishes the world, and saves the world with his own “two hands”, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The incredible and radical story of God is that he loves the world so much that he enters into the suffering of the world so that through his death, sin is defeated, death is overcome, hell is conquered. And in his resurrection, life, the true life of the Spirit is recovered and man and the world is made new. Is this good news or what? In all these actions, God is not an object, but the subject who is at work in the world, redeeming it and restoring it to himself. (Reference: https://iws.edu/2005/09/robert-webber-god-object-or-subject/)

In all these actions, God remains the dynamic subject, actively at work to redeem and restore His creation. To reduce Him to an object is to diminish His nature and misrepresent His relationship with the world. An object, fundamentally, is an idol—a creation of human imagination, a tangible construct born from finite thought. In contrast, a subject transcends mere existence through action; its significance lies not in what it is, but in what it does. This distinction is central to the Scriptural treatment of idols, which are described as lifeless and inert.

Psalm 115:2–8 captures this poignantly:

“Why let the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’ Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes. Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot breathe. They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.”

This Hebrew understanding of God emphasizes His active engagement with the world. He is no inert statue or conceptual construct. Rather He is the living, acting Creator who continually intervenes in history to bring about redemption and establish His purpose. Aligning with Webber’s perspective, we affirm that idols—those lifeless objects—are the antithesis of the living God. While idols are shaped by human hands and confined to human imagination, the God of the Bible is not an object to be possessed or manipulated. He is the subject, ever sovereign, ever active, ever redeeming.

This profound truth calls us to reevaluate our understanding of worship. To worship God as the subject is to acknowledge His actions, embrace His love, and participate in His unfolding story of redemption. It is to reject the lifeless allure of idols and to place our trust wholly in the living God, who acts to save and restore.

The interaction and involvement of God is critical to establish three of the most important portrayals of God in Scripture. Unless God is involved in His creation, the following portrayals of God in Scripture is not possible. Furthermore, it is the involvement of God in His creation that causes Him to be holy and distinct from all other gods.

Therefore, we will review the Bible’s portrayal of God as Creator, King, and Father.

God as Creator

The first words found in Scripture are, In the beginning, God created. The most significant portrayal of God is that of Creator. There are two senses in which this idea should be understood. First, every existing thing is a result of God’s creative power. Second, God brought everything, not simply into existence, but into functional existence.