Knowing God Lesson 3 of 12 – Knowing His Character

Character of God – Knowing His Character (meeting 1a)

In growing in knowing the Lord we come to his character attributes and one by one understand who he is and as we interact with him we get to experience him in prayer as well as life’s dealings. Again like two wings of a bird it takes both knowing about God and relational experience with God to truly know him.

If the disciple knows that God is merciful, but has not experienced that mercy then the knowing is merely head knowledge about God, similar to knowing a persons resume but not really knowing them personally.

God’s character does not change and we can always trust that he will act consistent with his character.

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” NASB

Malachi 3:6 “"For I, the LORD, do not change..” NASB

It is possible for the young disciple to have wrong concepts about God’s character. For example:

Job 42:7 “ It came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.” NASB

The Lord wants us truly know His character attributes and to know that he acts according to his character and is always consistent in that thus we can always trust in Him.

Jeremiah 9:24 “but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.”

As we grow there will be times when we question things and that is the time where we can experience God’s character in action. For example take the Psalmist in Psalm 73 who struggled with the prosperity of the wicked;

“2But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; ” I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. 5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. 7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.8 They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. 9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,and their tongues take possession of the earth. 10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. 11 They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?" 12 This is what the wicked are like—always carefree, they increase in wealth.13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.14 All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.15 If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed your children. 16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. 18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. 19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! 20 As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies. 21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, 22I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.” NIV

We help the disciple grow in knowing the Lord by teaching them the Lord’s character attributes and encouraging them to apply this in their life. How have they seen the Lord act according to his character? What will the Lord do in situation x that is consistent with his character? What do you think?

Jesus would ask that question to his disciples:
Matthew 18:12 “What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?

Matthew 17:25 “He said, "Yes." And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?"
Matthew 21:28 “ "But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go work today in the vineyard.'

The Apostles used that phrase as well to encourage disciples to know the Lord.

Hebrews 10:29 “How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?”
James 4:5 “Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: " He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"?
Romans 2:4 “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

So we ask the young disciple “what do you think God is like?” and “what do you think God would do?” and “do you think God would…?

Another way to help the disciple know and experience the Lord’s character attributes is to use “Biblical history” applied to the current situation, keeping in mind the actions of the Lord are consistent with his character.. Jesus and the apostles did this:

Luke 4:25 "But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; 26and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27"And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." NASB

Romans 11:21 “for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.” NASB

James 5:16-18 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.”

God the Father loves us just as he loved Jesus and will do for us just what he is willing to do for Jesus, this is the character of God we should establish in the young disciple first.
John 17:23 “.. so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”

Jeremiah 9:24 “but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.”


May the Lord anoint you to make disciples who know the Lord’s love.

Disciple Maker

P.S. At the next meeting on this subject we will start to examine the character attributes of the Lord one by one begining with the Lord is "patient, slow to anger" and help the disciple grow in knowing the Lord.