God is spirit – What does that mean?
Because God is spirit, He does not have a physical body. This means He is able to be omnipresent and is not limited by physical location. In John 4, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman at the well, "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:23–24).Jesus was a person with a physical body, and He was God on earth (John 1:1). Jesus is known as Immanuel, "God with us" (Matthew 1:23), but even Jesus, as the Son of God, was not able to be with every person in every place at once while on this earth. Jesus left earth so that we may have the Holy Spirit here with us: "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you" (John 16:7). It is necessary that God be spirit so that we are able to communicate with Him and be with Him at all times.
Anthropomorphism is "the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object." The Bible frequently utilizes this approach, ascribing human-like physical qualities to God. It mentions his eyes (2 Chronicles 16:9), mouth (Matthew 4:4), arm and hand (Psalm 89:13), and ear (Isaiah 59:1). This frequent use of anthropomorphism does not imply that God has a physical body, but it enables us to better understand His character and actions by viewing them through a lens that makes sense to us.
As spirit, God is invisible to our natural human eyes (Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17), but He is nevertheless a living being, active in our lives and on the earth (Joshua 3:10; Psalm 84:2). As spirit, God is infinite, unlimited by any dimensions of time or space. He Himself was not created, but He is the self-existent one and the power that created all other beings and the entire universe. He described Himself to Moses in this way: "God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And he said, 'Say this to the people of Israel: "I AM has sent me to you"'" (Exodus 3:14).
Because God is spirit, He is with us at all times and is aware of our ways. David wrote, "Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me" (Psalm 139:7–10). Because God is spirit, we can be aware of and thankful for His constant presence with us in every situation.
What are some of the key things to know about the nature of God?
What is God like?
The attributes of God, what are they?
Does God have a physical body?
How does the Bible use anthropomorphism to talk about God?
Truth about God
