Yes, God is a person, but He is not a human being as most of us would assume a "person" to be. By "person," we mean that God is a self-aware rational Being with a personality. Some theologians have defined personhood as "an individual being with a mind, emotions, and a will." In this case, God is definitely a person. The Bible gives us examples of His mind: "How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep!" (Psalm 92:5). It gives us examples of His emotions (Psalm 78:40; 103:8; 135:14) and His will (1 Corinthians 1:1). The personhood of mankind is not doubted, and because we were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26–27), it makes sense that He is also a person.
As we read the Bible, we see God behaving as and interacting with people as a person. He teaches us (Psalm 32:8; Isaiah 2:3), comforts us (2 Corinthians 1:3–4), strengthens us (Isaiah 41:10), and leads us in His paths (Psalm 73:23–24; Proverbs 3:5–6). We are able to pray to Him and hear His voice (John 10:27).
God's personhood is discussed in the Bible and it exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This is called the triunity of God, three in one. It can be a difficult concept to grasp, but if we look at the Scriptures we see that God is indeed three persons and one God. From the very beginning of the Bible, we see separate mention of God the Father and God the Spirit: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. . . And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:1–2). The Son of God speaks of the Father and the Spirit. It happens prophetically in Isaiah 48:16 and Isaiah 61:1. Jesus, the Son of God, says He fulfills the prophecy in Luke 4:14–21. When Jesus was baptized, the Spirit descended upon Him and the Father spoke from heaven (Matthew 3:16–17), and all three are referenced in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20).
The personhood of all three persons of the Godhead is affirmed in the Bible. God the Father has a mind (Isaiah 55:8–9), will (1 Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:15–17), and emotions (Psalm 103:13). Jesus, the Son of God, has a mind (Luke 2:52), will (Luke 22:42), and emotions (John 11:35). The Holy Spirit also has a mind (Romans 8:27), will (Romans 8:5), and emotions (Ephesians 4:30).
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together to accomplish God's purposes and plans (Hebrews 9:14). Not only is God a person, He exists as three persons in One. May we be willing participants in the triune God's work in us and on this earth.
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Corinthians 13:14).
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