No matter what image I contrive, I have come to realize that God is always bigger, more expansive, more gracious and more loving than I imagined. He is truly an awesome God!
Haha. Good post! I do have an image of him in my mind and it goes something like this:
1. God is both 'male' and 'female' though not in the human sense. Genesis 1:26-27
2. We use 'he' to refer to God as an honorary title of his authority rather than as an accurate description of his gender role.
3. God is the only god. Romans 3:30
4. He is a triune God. Matthew 28:19
5. God the Son is the flesh. God the Father is the head of God the Son and thus makes all of the decisions. God the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. How these are distinct (to me) from each other is only clear in purpose and not in substance. God the Father made an atoning sacrifice through God the Son. God the Father directs everything God does. God the Holy Spirit gives certain spiritual gifts to people and will resurrect us. Romans 8:11
6. God is strict and demands us to be holy as he is holy. Leviticus 19:2
7. God is incredibly forgiving. Daniel 9:9
8. God is incredibly loving. Romans 8:38-39
9. God punishes the wicked but disciplines the righteous. In both there is suffering, but discipline is never meant to kill.
10. God is a God of War as well as a God of Love. He is many things as we are. We can be both soldiers and lovers. God uses whatever means is appropriate to deal with the situation. Exodus 15:3
11. If you are saved, disobey God and do not repent, then you will be disciplined in this life until you see the error of your ways. If you disobey God and you are unsaved and do not repent then you will be punished in this life or destroyed in the 'next.' Contrary to what some may believe, I believe it works this way 100% of the time. We are saved from hell, but for
every sin there is a price to pay whether that is our punishment, discipline or repentant and torn heart. God will not be mocked. Galatians 6:7
12. God is a just God and he even constrains himself to this system of justice. We sold ourselves to Satan by sin. So God has atoned (i.e. made right by paying a price) for us with his own blood. This is the meaning of his sacrifice. God did not wrathfully shed his Son's blood. Satan shed God's blood because God gave Satan his life's blood in payment for our blood. We are bought back if we accept his payment. If not, we remain with Satan.