God does not reveal His character only so we can admire Him from a distance.
He wants to restore His character in us.
Sin damaged the image of God in humanity. It twisted our desires, darkened our understanding, weakened our wills, and taught us to live for self instead of love.
But Jesus came to do more than forgive our past.
He came to make us new.
The Bible says:
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)
God wants to forgive us, cleanse us, teach us, heal us, and reshape our hearts until His love begins to flow through us to others.
King David once prayed:
“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 (NLT)
That prayer is still needed.
We cannot create clean hearts in ourselves.
We can change habits for a while. We can improve outward behavior. We can learn religious words. We can appear good in front of people.
But only God can create a clean heart.
Only God can go deep enough to change what we love, what we desire, what we cling to, and what we become.
This is why the gospel is such good news.
God does not merely point at our sins and tell us to try harder.
He offers to make us new Himself, from the inside out.
The Bible says:
“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you.” Ezekiel 36:26 (NLT)
That is what God wants to do in us.
He wants to replace fear with trust.
He wants to replace rebellion with surrender.
He wants to replace selfishness with love.
He wants to replace guilt with peace.
He wants to replace spiritual death with life.
The Bible says:
“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” Philippians 2:5 (NLT)
God wants the mind of Jesus to be formed in us.
That means He wants us to think differently, love differently, respond differently, and live differently.
Jesus was humble and gentle.
He was faithful and patient with our weakness.
Jesus hated sin but loved sinners. He forgave His enemies.
Jesus served people who could not repay Him.
He lived to reveal the Father and save the lost.
This is the kind of life God wants to reproduce in His children.
Not forced behavior.
Not fear-based religion.
Not outward holiness with inward pride.
A transformed heart.
The Bible says:
“Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” Romans 12:2 (NLT)
God’s goal is not merely to make us look religious.
His goal is to make us like Jesus.
One of the clearest signs that God’s love is changing us is forgiveness.
Jesus said:
“But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:15 (NLT)
That is a serious statement.
It does not mean forgiveness is easy.
It does not mean evil should be excused.
It does not mean trust is instantly restored.
It does not mean we should pretend deep wounds did not happen.
But it does mean that a heart receiving mercy from God cannot knowingly cling to mercilessness toward others.
We forgive because we have been forgiven.
We show mercy because mercy has been shown to us.
We release revenge because judgment belongs to God.
Forgiveness is not weakness.
It is the heart of Jesus working in a human life.
At the cross, Jesus prayed for the people who were killing Him.
That is not natural human love.
That is the love of God.
And that is the love He wants to grow in us.
God wants His people to reflect His beauty.
Not merely by what they say.
By how they live, by how they treat the weak.
By how they speak when angry, by how they respond when wronged.
By how they forgive, how they serve, and how they love when love is costly.
Jesus said:
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” John 13:34 (NLT)
The standard is not merely human kindness.
The standard is Jesus.
As I have loved you.
That means patient love.
Humble love.
Truthful love.
Serving love.
Sacrificial love.
Forgiving love.
God wants His love to be seen in His children so that others can begin to understand what He is like.
God’s love is never meant to stop with us.
When His life enters the heart, it begins to flow outward.
A person who is learning the heart of Jesus will begin to care about the hurting, the lonely, the lost, the ashamed, the confused, and the forgotten.
This does not mean we become perfect overnight.
It means God begins a real work in us.
The Bible says:
“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.” Philippians 2:13 (NLT)
Even the desire to do what is right begins with God.
He does not stand far away waiting for us to produce holiness on our own.
He works in us.
He gives the desire.
He gives the power.
He teaches us to love what is good and to hate what destroys.
He teaches us to trust Him more deeply.
And as we come to know Him, love for Him grows.
To know God is to love Him.
And the more we love Him, the more His love changes how we live.
So what is God like?
He is living, eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, holy, merciful, humble, patient, just, faithful, and loving beyond anything we can fully understand.
He is not the cruel Being Satan accused Him of being.
He is not looking for reasons to reject you.
He is looking for ways to save you.
Jesus shows us the Father.
The cross shows us His love.
The resurrection shows us His power over death.
His Word shows us His plan to end sin forever and make all things new.
And His Spirit is still calling hearts today.
God wants you to know Him.
He wants you to trust Him.
He wants you to receive His salvation.
He wants to restore His image in you.
And He wants you to live with Him forever.
The Bible says:
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NLT)
That is what God is like.
