Understanding God's Character Through Scripture for Spiritual Discernment
Scripture reveals God's character as the foundation for spiritual discernment, a knowledge that comes not through human wisdom but through divine unveiling. Paul writes that "to us God has revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God" [1, 6]. This revelation operates on two levels: the inspiration of Scripture itself, given "by inspiration of the Holy Spirit" [2], and the Spirit's ongoing work illuminating those texts to believers [7].
The Biblical Foundation for Knowing God
The biblical texts identify Scripture as the primary means by which God's character becomes known. Torrey's Topical Textbook catalogs Scripture's names—"Word of God," "Word of truth," "Scripture of truth"—emphasizing its divine origin and reliability [2]. This written revelation provides what one commentary calls "the understanding" of godly fear through searching the Scriptures [3]. The knowledge Scripture imparts differs from mere intellectual awareness; as Jamieson-Fausset-Brown notes on Philippians 3:10, "To know HIM is more than merely to know a doctrine about Him. Believers are brought not only to redemption, but to the Redeemer Himself" [9].
God's Character as the Standard
Scripture presents God's character as the normative pattern for holiness. Leviticus 19:2 and 1 Peter 1:15-16 establish "the character of God, the standard of" holiness, while Romans 8:29 and related texts point to "the character of Christ, the standard of" conformity for believers [4]. This dual standard—God's holiness and Christ's example—provides the benchmark against which spiritual discernment operates. The attributes Scripture reveals include God's loving-kindness, described as "great," "excellent," "everlasting," and "better than life" [5], and his goodness, which serves as a motive for godly fear [3].
Discernment Through Revealed Character
Understanding God's character enables believers to test their own hearts and spiritual experiences. Deuteronomy 8:2 describes God testing Israel "to prove your character (literally to know what is in your heart)," though God already knew their thoughts; he wanted "their character to come out in their actions" [8]. Similarly, prophecy's power to make "secrets of his heart made manifest" demonstrates how Scripture "opens out" a person's "inner character" through "the sword of the Spirit" [10]. This self-knowledge, grounded in knowledge of God's character, becomes the mechanism of discernment—measuring one's life against the revealed standard of divine holiness and love.
Sources
- 1 Corinthians “But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. -- 1 Corinthians 2:10”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Scriptures, The — Given by inspiration of God -- 2Ti 3:16. Given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit -- Ac 1:16; Heb 3:7; 2Pe 1:21. Christ sanctioned, by appealing to them -- Mt 4:4; Mr 12:10; Joh 7:42. Christ taught out of -- Lu 24:27. Are called the Word. -- Jas 1:21-23; 1Pe 2:2. Word of God. -- Lu 11:28; Heb 4:12. Word of Christ. -- Col 3:16. Word of truth. -- Jas 1:18. Holy Scriptures. -- Ro 1:2; 2Ti 3:15. Scripture of truth. -- Da 10:21. Book. -- Ps 40:7; Re 22:19. Book of the Lord. -- Isa 34:16. Book of the law. -- Ne 8:3; Ga 3:10. Law of the Lord. -- Ps 1:2; Isa”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Fear, Godly — God is the object of -- Isa 8:13. God is the author of -- Jer 32:39,40. Searching the Scriptures gives the understanding of -- Pr 2:3-5. Described as Hatred of evil. -- Pr 8:13. Wisdom. -- Job 28:28; Ps 111:10. A treasure to saints. -- Pr 15:16; Isa 33:6. A fountain of life. -- Pr 14:27. Sanctifying. -- Ps 19:9. Filial and reverential. -- Heb 12:9,28. Commanded -- De 13:4; Ps 22:23; Ec 12:13; 1Pe 2:17. Motives to The holiness of God. -- Re 15:4. The greatness of God. -- De 10:12,17. The goodness of God. -- 1Sa 12:24. The forgiveness of God. -- Ps 130:4.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Holiness — Commanded -- Le 11:45; 20:7; Eph 5:8; Col 3:12; Ro 12:1. Christ Desires for his people. -- Joh 17:17. Effects, in his people. -- Eph 5:25-27. An example of. -- Heb 7:26; 1Pe 2:21,22. The character of God, the standard of -- Le 19:2; 1Pe 1:15,16; Eph 5:1. The character of Christ, the standard of -- Ro 8:29; 1Jo 2:6; Php 2:5. The gospel the way of -- Isa 35:8. Necessary to God's worship -- Ps 24:3,4. None shall see God without -- Eph 5:5; Heb 12:14. Saints Elected to. -- Ro 8:29; Eph 1:4. Called to. -- 1Th 4:7; 2Ti 1:9. New created in. -- Eph 4:24. Possess. ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Loving-Kindness of God, The — Is through Christ -- Eph 2:7; Tit 3:4-6. Described as Great. -- Ne 9:17. Excellent. -- Ps 36:7. Good. -- Ps 69:16. Marvellous. -- Ps 17:7; 31:21. Multitudinous. -- Isa 63:7. Everlasting. -- Isa 54:8. Merciful. -- Ps 117:2. Better than life. -- Ps 63:3. Consideration of the dealings of God gives a knowledge of -- Ps 107:43. Saints Betrothed in. -- Ho 2:19. Drawn by. -- Jer 31:3. Preserved by. -- Ps 40:11. Quickened after. -- Ps 119:88. Comforted by. -- Ps 119:76. Look for mercy through. -- Ps 51:1. Receive mercy through. -- Isa 54:8. Are ”
- I Corinthians “I Corinthians 2:10 (LEB) — For to us God has revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 2:10: revealed . . . by . . . Spirit--The inspiration of thoughts (so far as truth essential to salvation is concerned) makes the Christian (Co1 3:16; Co1 12:3; Mat 16:17; Joh 16:13; Jo1 2:20, Jo1 2:27); that of words, the PROPHET (Sa2 23:1-2; Kg1 13:1, Kg1 13:5), "by the word of the Lord" (Co1 2:13; Joh 20:30-31; Pe2 1:21). The secrets of revelation are secret to some, not because those who know them will not reveal them (for indeed, the very notion of revelation implies an unveiling of what had been veiled), but because those to whom they are announ”
- Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 8:2: 8:2 to prove your character (literally to know what is in your heart): God already knew the Israelites’ innermost thoughts (Pss 51:6; 139:1, 4, 23); he wanted their character to come out in their actions. • to find out whether: The Old Testament often describes God in human terms, even in ways that appear to limit God. Anthropomorphism (assigning human characteristics to God) and anthropopathism (assigning human feelings or emotions to God) are ways of representing God on a human level so the human mind can better grasp his ways, but God is not limited in his ”
- Philippians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Philippians 3:10: That I may know him--experimentally. The aim of the "righteousness" just mentioned. This verse resumes, and more fully explains, "the excellency of the knowledge of Christ" (Phi 3:8). To know HIM is more than merely to know a doctrine about Him. Believers are brought not only to redemption, but to the Redeemer Himself. the power of his resurrection--assuring believers of their justification (Rom 4:25; Co1 15:17), and raising them up spiritually with Him, by virtue of their identification with Him in this, as in all the acts of His redeeming work”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 14:25: And thus--omitted in the oldest manuscripts and versions. secrets of his heart made manifest--He sees his own inner character opened out by the sword of the Spirit (Heb 4:12; Jam 1:23), the word of God, in the hand of him who prophesieth. Compare the same effect produced on Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 2:30 and end of Dan 2:47). No argument is stronger for the truth of religion than its manifestation of men to themselves in their true character. Hence hearers even now often think the preacher must have aimed his sermon particularly at them. and so--”