Saturday 18 April 2015

The Christian God's personality: what is it?

The Biblical God has had his personality questioned more than a little of late. He's big enough to take it without losing his rag. But to understand the Biblical God’s personality, it is informative to look at his image - that is, Jesus himself. 


A good thing to do is to read the gospels - try the Gospel of Mark - to see what makes Jesus joyful, sad, frustrated and angry. You can tell a lot about a man by what makes him angry, for instance.
 
So, in the Christian way of seeing it, there is no way better way to get to know God than to get to know Jesus. So what's his personality?
 
By personality we may mean "what aspects of Jesus distinguish him from other people?" I don’t think ‘personality’ is something one simply possesses like a kidney or a liver, so I’m suspicious of simplistic statements that try to put anyone’s “personality” neatly in a box.
 
We can infer personality from observing behaviour, because personality is to do with how we relate to other people and to God and to the world. We can tell a good tree or a bad tree by observing the fruit it produces.
 
So to list some of Jesus’ personality traits, I would include at least these, in no particular order:
 


Trusting and accepting
Can stand up against tradition/authority/the majority

Peaceful
Fair and genuine, disliking hypocrisy and injustice
Respecting others as well as himself


Consistent, faithful and steadfast

Gentle and encouraging
Gracious
Humble


Thoughtful
Patient and slow to anger


Quick to forgive
Not quick to judge


Polite
Wise
Intelligent and articulate
Loving and honest
Reliable
Hard-working
Attentive and responsive


Showing leadership
Taking responsibility
Concerned for others’ welfare
Strong moral/ethical standards and keeps his own standards
Able to give and receive love
Sense of humour


Self-disciplined
Warm-hearted
Bold
Sociable and tolerant
Vulnerable
Unpretentious


Putting others before himself
Prepared to be unpopular
Not a worrier
Conscientious and careful
Imaginative and creative
Composed


Practically minded
No-nonsense
Understanding
Adaptable
Confident
Spirited
 
Want to know Jesus better? I suggest reading any of the gospels in the Bible. Or all of them!

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