Understanding the True Nature of God: A Comprehensive Biblical Response to Dake’s Physical God Theology

Introduction: Why This Matters for Your Faith

Throughout church history, Christians have faced various challenges to biblical truth. One of the most serious errors that periodically resurfaces is the teaching that God the Father has a physical body with parts like ours. This teaching, promoted by Finis Dake and adopted by some in the Word-Faith movement, fundamentally misunderstands who God is and threatens the very foundation of Christian faith.

Imagine for a moment that God had a physical body confined to one location in space. How could He hear your prayers while simultaneously hearing the prayers of a believer in China? How could He sustain the universe if He were limited to a single place? How could He be truly infinite if He had physical boundaries? These questions reveal why understanding God’s true nature matters deeply for your faith, your prayers, and your relationship with Him.

The Bible teaches us that God is spirit (John 4:24), and this truth protects us from reducing the infinite Creator to the level of His creation. When we understand God correctly as Scripture reveals Him, we can worship Him properly, trust Him completely, and rest in His unlimited ability to care for us. This article will carefully examine what the Bible actually teaches about God’s nature, why anthropomorphic language appears in Scripture, and how to respond to teachings that claim God has a physical body.

Part 1: What the Bible Clearly Teaches About God’s Nature

God Is Spirit: The Foundational Biblical Truth

Jesus Christ Himself gave us the clearest statement about God’s essential nature when He declared to the Samaritan woman at the well: “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). This statement wasn’t a casual observation but a fundamental theological truth that shapes everything else we understand about God.

The Greek word used here is “pneuma,” which means spirit, wind, or breath. It specifically denotes something immaterial and non-physical. Jesus was teaching that God’s very essence is spiritual, not material. This doesn’t mean God is less real than physical things; rather, it means He is more real, existing in a higher order of being than created matter.

Consider what Jesus said after His resurrection to help His disciples understand the difference between physical and spiritual existence. In Luke 24:39, He told them, “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” Jesus was making a clear distinction: spirits do not have physical bodies with flesh and bones. Since God is spirit, He does not have a physical body.

These passages consistently describe God as invisible. Now, physical bodies are by definition visible – they can be seen when light reflects off them. If God had a physical body, He could not be described as invisible. The biblical writers understood this distinction clearly. When they call God invisible, they’re telling us He doesn’t have a physical form that can be seen with human eyes under normal circumstances.

God’s Omnipresence: Everywhere at Once

One of God’s most comforting attributes is His omnipresence – His ability to be fully present everywhere at the same time. This truth means that wherever you are right now, God is fully there with you. He’s not partially there or sending His influence from a distance; He is completely present.

The Psalmist David understood this truth deeply when he wrote Psalm 139:7-10: “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.”

Think about what David is saying. There is nowhere in all creation where God is not fully present. This would be impossible if God had a physical body, because physical bodies can only be in one place at a time. Even if someone argues that God’s body could be very large, it would still have boundaries and limits. But David says there are no limits to God’s presence.

Jeremiah 23:23-24 makes this even clearer: “‘Am I a God at hand,’ declares the LORD, ‘and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?’ declares the LORD. ‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’ declares the LORD.” God fills heaven and earth – not in the sense of being a gas that expands to fill a container, but in the sense of being fully present at every point in space simultaneously.

This truth has profound implications for our prayer life. When you pray, you’re not sending a message across vast distances to a God who sits on a throne far away. You’re speaking to a God who is right there with you, closer than your own breath. When believers in different countries pray simultaneously, God doesn’t have to divide His attention or quickly travel between them. He is fully present with each one.

God’s Transcendence: Beyond Physical Creation

Scripture teaches that God transcends – or exists beyond – His physical creation. He is not part of the universe; rather, the universe exists because He created it and sustains it. This fundamental distinction between Creator and creation runs throughout the Bible.

In Acts 17:24-25, Paul explained to the Greek philosophers in Athens: “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” God doesn’t need a physical location because He transcends physical space itself.

When Solomon dedicated the temple in Jerusalem, he recognized this truth, praying: “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27). Solomon understood that even the vast expanse of the heavens cannot contain God. This would make no sense if God had a physical body of ordinary size, as Dake claims.

Isaiah 66:1 records God saying, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?” This poetic language isn’t describing God’s literal body parts but is using metaphor to express His sovereignty over all creation. Heaven and earth don’t contain God; rather, He contains them.

God’s Immutability: Never Changing

The Bible teaches that God never changes. Malachi 3:6 records God saying, “For I the LORD do not change.” James 1:17 tells us that with God “there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Hebrews 13:8 declares that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

This unchanging nature is called immutability, and it’s essential to God’s perfection. If God could change, He could either get better or worse. If He could get better, He’s not perfect now. If He could get worse, He wouldn’t remain perfect. Since God is absolutely perfect, He cannot change.

Physical bodies, however, are constantly changing. They move from place to place, they age, they interact with their environment. Even if we imagine a body that doesn’t age or decay, it would still change position and relationship to other objects as it moves. A God with a physical body could not be truly immutable.

Consider what this means for your faith. Because God doesn’t change, His love for you doesn’t fluctuate. His promises remain firm. His character stays constant. You can trust Him completely because He is the same God today that He was when He inspired the biblical writers, and He’ll be the same God tomorrow.

Part 2: Understanding Anthropomorphic Language in Scripture

What Are Anthropomorphisms?

When you read through the Bible, you’ll encounter many passages that speak of God’s hands, eyes, ears, and other body parts. These descriptions are called anthropomorphisms – a word that comes from the Greek words “anthropos” (human) and “morphe” (form). Anthropomorphisms are literary devices that describe God using human characteristics to help us understand Him better.

We use similar language in everyday life without thinking it literally describes physical reality. We say “the sun rises” even though we know the earth rotates. We talk about the “face of a clock” or the “hands of a clock” without thinking the clock is human. We say a computer “thinks” or “remembers” without believing it has a mind. These are ways of describing things in terms we can easily understand.

God, in His wisdom, knew that finite human minds would struggle to comprehend an infinite, spiritual being. So He graciously describes Himself in terms we can understand – using human language and imagery to reveal spiritual truths about His nature and actions.

Biblical Examples of Anthropomorphic Language

Let’s examine some specific examples of anthropomorphisms in Scripture and what they actually communicate about God:

How the Bible Itself Interprets Anthropomorphisms

One of the best ways to understand that anthropomorphisms aren’t meant literally is to see how the Bible itself interprets them. Scripture often explains its own metaphorical language, showing us that these descriptions aren’t meant to be taken as physical realities.

For example, when Exodus 33:20 says no one can see God’s “face” and live, we might wonder what this means. But 1 Timothy 6:16 explains that God “dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see.” The issue isn’t seeing a physical face; it’s that God’s glory and holiness are so overwhelming that sinful humans cannot endure direct exposure to His unveiled presence.

Similarly, when the Bible speaks of being hidden under the shadow of God’s “wings” (Psalm 91:4), it immediately explains this is about His faithfulness being our shield and buckler. God doesn’t have literal feathers and wings like a bird. The imagery communicates protection and care, like a mother bird protecting her chicks.

In Numbers 23:19, we find a crucial interpretive key: “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind.” This verse explicitly tells us that God is not like humans. He doesn’t have human limitations, human fickleness, or human form. This statement would make no sense if God actually had a human-like body.

The Danger of Hyper-Literal Interpretation

Taking anthropomorphisms literally leads to absurd and contradictory conclusions. If we must take every description of God literally, then we have to believe that:

• God has wings and feathers (Psalm 91:4)
• God is a rock (Psalm 18:2)
• God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29)
• God is a shield (Psalm 84:11)
• God is a sun (Psalm 84:11)
• God is a door (John 10:9 – Jesus saying “I am the door”)

Obviously, God cannot literally be all these things simultaneously. He can’t be both a rock (solid) and fire (energy) at the same time. He can’t be both a bird with wings and a sun. These are clearly metaphors that describe different aspects of God’s character and relationship with us.

Furthermore, if we take anthropomorphisms literally, we create contradictions within Scripture itself. Psalm 94:9 asks, “He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see?” This passage is teaching that God, as the Creator of ears and eyes, certainly has the abilities of hearing and seeing. But it’s not saying He needs physical ears and eyes to do so. In fact, it implies the opposite – that the Creator of physical organs transcends the need for them.

Part 3: The Historical Christian Understanding

The Testimony of the Early Church

From the very beginning of Christianity, believers have understood that God is spirit and does not have a physical body. This wasn’t a later development or a Greek philosophical intrusion into biblical faith. It was the consistent teaching of those who were closest to the apostles and their immediate successors.

The early church fathers were careful students of Scripture who often knew the biblical languages better than we do today. They lived in the cultural context of the Bible and understood its idioms and figures of speech. Their unanimous agreement that God is incorporeal (without a body) carries significant weight.

Irenaeus, who was taught by Polycarp (who was taught by the Apostle John), wrote in the second century: “God is not as men are… He is invisible, not comprehensible by the human mind, unmeasurable, and not confined to any place.” This teaching came from someone only one generation removed from the apostles themselves.

Clement of Alexandria, writing around AD 200, explained: “God is not in space, but above both space and time, and above the conception of what belongs to created beings.” He understood that attributing a physical body to God would limit Him to created categories and deny His transcendence.

Origen, one of the most influential early biblical scholars, wrote extensively against those who misunderstood anthropomorphic language: “God is incomprehensible and immeasurable… God must not be thought to be any kind of body, nor to exist in a body, but to be a simple intellectual nature, admitting in Himself no addition whatever.”

The Great Creeds of Christianity

Throughout church history, Christians have developed creeds and confessions to summarize biblical teaching and guard against error. These statements consistently affirm God’s spiritual, non-physical nature.

The Nicene Creed, formulated in AD 325 and expanded in AD 381, begins: “We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.” Notice that God is the maker of all things visible – He cannot Himself be a visible, physical being, or He would have had to create Himself.

The Westminster Confession of Faith, one of the most influential Protestant confessions, states: “There is but one only, living, and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions.” This confession, carefully crafted by biblical scholars, explicitly denies that God has a body or parts.

The Baptist Faith and Message, a modern evangelical confession, declares: “There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections.”

Why the Church Has Always Rejected a Physical God

The consistent Christian rejection of a physical God isn’t due to Greek philosophy corrupting biblical faith, as some claim. Rather, it comes from careful attention to what Scripture itself teaches. The church fathers recognized several biblical and logical problems with attributing a body to God:

Historical Heresies About God’s Nature

Throughout church history, various groups have taught that God has a physical body, and the church has consistently recognized these teachings as heretical. Understanding these historical errors helps us recognize similar mistakes today.

The Anthropomorphites of the fourth century were Egyptian monks who insisted that God literally had human form because humans were made in His image. The church condemned this teaching, with theologians like Cyril of Alexandria writing extensive refutations. The error was seen as so serious that it caused riots in some monasteries when bishops tried to correct it.

The Audians, followers of Audius in the fourth century, similarly taught that God had a human form. They were excluded from Christian fellowship and condemned by multiple church councils. The church fathers recognized that this teaching undermined the Creator-creature distinction and reduced God to the level of His creation.

In modern times, the Mormon church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) teaches that God the Father has a physical body of flesh and bones. This is one of the primary reasons why orthodox Christianity recognizes Mormonism as a non-Christian cult rather than a Christian denomination. The teaching fundamentally changes who God is and cannot be reconciled with biblical Christianity.

Part 4: Understanding Theophanies and Visions of God

What Are Theophanies?

One source of confusion about God’s nature comes from biblical accounts where people “see” God or where God “appears” to them. These events are called theophanies – temporary manifestations of God’s presence in visible form. It’s crucial to understand that theophanies are not revelations of God’s essential nature but accommodations to human limitations.

A theophany is like a king sending an ambassador to represent him. The ambassador speaks with the king’s authority and represents his presence, but the ambassador is not the king himself in his essential being. Similarly, when God manifests Himself in visible form, He’s accommodating Himself to our limitations, not revealing His true essence.

Think of it this way: when you video chat with someone, you see an image on your screen that represents them, but you’re not seeing their actual physical body – you’re seeing pixels of light arranged to represent them. Theophanies are infinitely more sophisticated, but the principle is similar: God presents a visible representation of Himself without that representation being His actual essence.

Biblical Examples of Theophanies

Let’s examine some specific theophanies in Scripture to understand what they do and don’t tell us about God’s nature:

Visions vs. Physical Reality

Many passages that describe people “seeing” God are explicitly identified as visions – spiritual experiences where God reveals truth through symbolic imagery. Visions are not physical events but spiritual revelations given to prophets and apostles.

For example, in Isaiah 6, the prophet says, “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up.” But this was “in the year that King Uzziah died” – it was a vision given to Isaiah, not a physical journey to God’s throne room. The seraphim, the throne, the coal from the altar – these were symbolic elements in a visionary experience communicating spiritual truths about God’s holiness and Isaiah’s calling.

Similarly, in Daniel 7:9-14, Daniel describes the “Ancient of Days” with white hair and clothing, sitting on a throne with wheels of fire. But Daniel explicitly says this was a vision: “I saw in my vision by night” (Daniel 7:2). The imagery is symbolic, communicating truths about God’s eternal nature, purity, and judgment, not providing a physical description of His body.

Ezekiel’s vision in Ezekiel 1 is particularly instructive. He sees an elaborate vision with wheels, creatures, and above them “the likeness of a throne” and “a likeness with a human appearance.” But Ezekiel is careful with his language, repeatedly using words like “likeness” and “appearance” rather than saying he saw God Himself. He concludes: “Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD” (Ezekiel 1:28). He saw a symbolic representation of God’s glory, not God’s essential being.

The Incarnation: God Truly Becoming Human

The most important thing to understand about God taking physical form is the incarnation of Jesus Christ. This was not a theophany or a vision but something unique in all of history: God the Son actually became human while remaining fully God.

John 1:14 tells us, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” This was not God appearing in human form or manifesting Himself temporarily. The Second Person of the Trinity permanently took on human nature, including a real human body, while retaining His divine nature.

Colossians 2:9 declares, “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” This is only true of Jesus Christ, not of the Father or the Holy Spirit. The incarnation was a unique event where God the Son added human nature to His divine nature, becoming the God-man.

This is why Jesus could say, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9), while also saying, “God is spirit” (John 4:24). In Christ, the invisible God became visible, not by the Father having a body, but by the Son taking on human flesh to reveal the Father to us.

Part 5: Examining and Refuting Dake’s Specific Arguments

Dake’s Misunderstanding of “Image of God”

One of Dake’s primary arguments is that since humans are made in God’s image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27), and humans have physical bodies, therefore God must have a physical body. This argument seems logical on the surface but fails when we examine what Scripture actually means by “image of God.”

The Hebrew words used in Genesis 1:26 are “tselem” (image) and “demuth” (likeness). While these words can refer to physical resemblance, they don’t require it. The context and the rest of Scripture make clear that the image of God in humanity refers to non-physical qualities.

Consider what actually distinguishes humans from animals according to Scripture. Is it our physical bodies? No – animals have bodies with eyes, ears, limbs, and organs similar to ours. What makes humans unique is our spiritual nature: our rationality, morality, creativity, capacity for relationship with God, and ability to exercise dominion as God’s representatives.

Colossians 3:10 tells us that the new self is “being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” The image of God is being renewed in knowledge, not in physical form. Ephesians 4:24 says the new self is “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” The likeness of God consists in righteousness and holiness, not physical appearance.

If the image of God were physical, we would face impossible problems. Does God have male or female anatomy, since both men and women are made in His image? Does God have the physical characteristics of all ethnic groups? Does God age, since humans of all ages bear His image? These questions show the absurdity of a physical interpretation.

Dake’s Misinterpretation of “God is Spirit”

Dake tries to argue that when Jesus says “God is spirit” in John 4:24, this doesn’t mean God lacks a body. He claims that spirit beings can have “spirit bodies” that are just as real and tangible as physical bodies, just made of different substance. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of what “spirit” means in biblical and theological usage.

The Greek word “pneuma” (spirit) is specifically contrasted with physical, material existence throughout Scripture. When Jesus said “a spirit does not have flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39), He was making a categorical distinction between spiritual and physical existence, not describing different types of physical bodies.

Dake’s concept of a “spirit body” is an oxymoron – a contradiction in terms. It’s like talking about “dry water” or “dark light.” Spirit, by definition, is non-physical. To have a body means to have physical extension, location, and limitation. These are precisely what spirit does not have.

Furthermore, 1 Corinthians 15, which Dake cites to support his view, actually refutes it. When Paul speaks of a “spiritual body” for resurrected believers, he’s not describing a body made of spirit-substance. He’s describing a physical body that is completely controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, in contrast to our current “natural” bodies that are subject to sin and decay. The resurrected body is still physical (Jesus could be touched and could eat), but it’s transformed and glorified.

Dake’s Claim About God Being “Localized”

Dake explicitly teaches that God is “localized in His body” and can only be in one place at a time. He tries to solve the problem of omnipresence by saying God’s influence and power can be everywhere, but His actual person is limited to one location. This creates a false and unbiblical division in God’s being.

Scripture never makes this distinction between God’s person and His presence. When David asks, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7), he’s not talking about fleeing from God’s influence while God Himself remains distant. He’s talking about the impossibility of being anywhere that God Himself is not fully present.

Acts 17:27-28 says God is “not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being.'” This is not describing a distant God whose influence reaches us. We exist within God’s immediate presence. He is closer to us than we are to ourselves.

Dake’s view reduces God to something like a human king who rules through intermediaries and messages. But Scripture presents God as immediately present everywhere, knowing all things directly, acting without intermediation. This is only possible because God is spirit, not confined to a body.

Dake’s Trinity Becomes Tritheism

Perhaps the most serious error in Dake’s theology is that his teaching about God having a body leads inevitably to tritheism – the belief in three Gods rather than one God in three persons. Dake explicitly states that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are “three separate and distinct persons, each with a personal body, soul, and spirit.”

If each person of the Trinity has a separate body, they cannot be one being. They would be three separate beings, which means three separate Gods. Dake tries to maintain that they are “one” in purpose and unity, but this is not what Christian monotheism means. Christians don’t believe in three Gods who work together; we believe in one God who exists in three persons.

The orthodox doctrine of the Trinity maintains that God is one in essence (what He is) and three in persons (who He is). The three persons share the same divine essence – they are not three separate beings but one being in three persons. This is a mystery beyond full human comprehension, but it’s what Scripture teaches.

When Jesus says, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), He’s not saying they are one in purpose only. The Jews understood Him to be claiming deity, which is why they tried to stone Him. The oneness of the Trinity is a oneness of being, not merely of agreement or purpose.

Part 6: The Attributes of God That Require Incorporeality

God’s Infinity

The Bible teaches that God is infinite – without limits or boundaries. Psalm 147:5 declares, “Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” The word “infinite” means without end, without limits, without boundaries. This attribute is essential to God’s deity and distinguishes Him from all created beings.

A body, by definition, is finite. It has boundaries where it ends and other things begin. It occupies a specific amount of space – no more, no less. Even if we imagine a very large body, it would still be finite, having specific dimensions and limits. There is no such thing as an infinite body; the terms are contradictory.

God’s infinity applies to all His attributes. He is infinite in power (omnipotent), infinite in knowledge (omniscient), infinite in presence (omnipresent), infinite in time (eternal), and infinite in all perfections. If God had a body, He would be limited and therefore not truly God.

Consider space itself. God created space, so He must exist independent of it. He cannot be contained within what He created. A body, however, requires space in which to exist. It has height, width, and depth. If God had a body, He would be dependent on space for His existence, which would mean He couldn’t have created it.

God’s Simplicity

Divine simplicity is the doctrine that God is not composed of parts. He is not a combination of attributes or elements put together to form a complex being. Rather, God is simple in the sense that He is uncomposed, without parts that could be separated or distinguished from His essence.

This might seem abstract, but it’s crucial for understanding God’s perfection. If God were composed of parts, several problems would arise. First, someone or something would have had to compose Him, making that composer greater than God. Second, He could potentially be decomposed or come apart. Third, His parts would be prior to the whole, meaning the parts would be more fundamental than God Himself.

A body is necessarily complex, composed of parts. Even the simplest physical body has different regions, a top and bottom, a front and back, a left and right. These parts can be distinguished from one another. But God has no parts. He is not composed of elements that could be separated or distinguished from His essence.

When we say God is loving, we don’t mean He has love as a part of His being. He IS love. When we say God is just, we don’t mean justice is a component of His nature. He IS justice. All of God’s attributes are identical with His essence. This is only possible because God is spirit, not composed of physical parts.

God’s Immutability

We touched on God’s unchanging nature earlier, but it’s worth exploring more fully how this attribute makes a physical body impossible for God. Immutability means God cannot change in any way. He doesn’t grow, develop, decay, move, or alter in His being, knowledge, or will.

Physical bodies are constantly changing. At the molecular level, atoms vibrate and move. Bodies change position as they move through space. They interact with their environment, receiving sensory input and responding to it. Even if we imagine a body that doesn’t age or decay, it would still change in position and relationship to other objects.

If God had a body that moved from place to place, as Dake teaches, He would be constantly changing. His relationship to created things would alter as He moved closer to some things and farther from others. He would experience succession of moments, existing in time rather than transcending it.

But Scripture teaches that God transcends time. He is “the Alpha and the Omega… who is and who was and who is to come” (Revelation 1:8). He sees all of time simultaneously. The past, present, and future are equally present to Him. This would be impossible if He were confined to a body experiencing temporal succession.

God’s Aseity (Self-Existence)

Aseity comes from the Latin words “a” (from) and “se” (self), meaning God exists from Himself. He is self-existent, not dependent on anything outside Himself for His being. God is the only being who exists necessarily – He cannot not exist. Everything else exists contingently, dependent on God for existence.

Acts 17:24-25 expresses this truth: “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.”

A physical body would make God dependent on matter for His existence. Matter itself is created and contingent. It doesn’t have to exist. If God needed a material body to exist, He would be dependent on something outside Himself, which contradicts His aseity.

Furthermore, physical bodies require an environment in which to exist. They need space, they exist in relation to other objects, they require the laws of physics to maintain their coherence. If God had a physical body, He would be dependent on all these created realities, making Him a dependent being rather than the self-existent Creator.

Part 7: The Practical Implications for Christian Life

How This Affects Our Worship

Understanding God’s true nature profoundly impacts how we worship Him. Jesus said that true worshipers worship the Father “in spirit and truth” (John 4:23). This means our worship must be based on truth about who God really is, not on false imaginations about Him.

When we understand that God is infinite spirit, our worship expands beyond any physical location or representation. We don’t need to face a particular direction when we pray, travel to a special place to meet God, or create physical images to help us connect with Him. God is immediately present with us wherever we are.

The Second Commandment prohibits making any graven image or likeness of God (Exodus 20:4-5). This commandment makes perfect sense when we understand that God is spirit. Any physical representation of God would necessarily be a false representation, reducing the infinite Creator to finite, created categories. It would be a lie about who God is.

Worshiping a God with a physical body would fundamentally change the nature of worship. It would become about approaching a localized deity, perhaps competing with others for His attention, wondering if He’s listening to us or someone else. But knowing God is omnipresent spirit means He is fully attentive to each worshiper simultaneously, never distracted, never far away.

How This Affects Our Prayer Life

Prayer becomes infinitely more meaningful when we understand God’s incorporeal nature. Because God is omnipresent spirit, He is always immediately present with us. We don’t have to shout to be heard or wait for our turn to have His attention. He is closer to us than our own thoughts.

Matthew 6:8 tells us, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” This is possible because God is omniscient and omnipresent. He doesn’t learn about our needs by listening to our prayers from a distance. He knows our thoughts before we think them, our words before we speak them. Prayer isn’t about informing God but about relating to Him, aligning our will with His, and expressing our dependence on Him.

Because God is not limited by a body, millions of believers can pray to Him simultaneously, and He hears each one perfectly. A mother in Nigeria, a businessman in Japan, a child in Brazil, and a grandmother in Canada can all pray at the same moment, and God is fully present with each one, giving complete attention to each prayer. This would be impossible if God were confined to a body in one location.

Furthermore, because God is spirit, He can work in our spirits directly. Romans 8:26 tells us that “the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” The Holy Spirit can work within us because He is not confined to a physical form outside us. He can indwell us, transform us from within, and commune with our spirits directly.

How This Affects Our Understanding of Providence

God’s providence – His governing and sustaining of all creation – depends on His incorporeal nature. Colossians 1:17 says of Christ, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Hebrews 1:3 says He is “upholding the universe by the word of his power.”

If God had a physical body in one location, how could He sustain the entire universe? How could He govern the movements of every atom, direct the course of every star, and superintend every event in creation? He would need intermediaries, delegating responsibilities to lesser beings. But Scripture presents God as directly and immediately involved in every aspect of creation.

Jesus taught that not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from the Father’s will, and that the very hairs of our heads are numbered (Matthew 10:29-30). This intimate knowledge and care is only possible because God is omnipresent spirit, not a localized physical being trying to manage a vast universe from a distance.

Understanding God’s incorporeal nature gives us confidence in His providence. No detail of our lives escapes His notice. No corner of the universe is beyond His immediate control. He doesn’t need to travel to reach us in our time of need. He is already there, already aware, already acting for our good and His glory.

How This Affects Our Security in Christ

The security of our salvation rests partly on God’s incorporeal, omnipresent nature. Jesus promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). This promise would be limited if Jesus were only physically present in one location. But because He is God and possesses divine omnipresence through His divine nature, He can be with every believer always.

Romans 8:38-39 assures us that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This includes physical distance – “neither height nor depth.” If God were confined to a body in one location, physical distance could separate us from Him. But because He is omnipresent spirit, nothing in all creation can come between us and His loving presence.

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which is the seal and guarantee of our salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14), would be impossible if the Spirit had a physical body. How could He dwell in millions of believers simultaneously? But because He is spirit, He can indwell every believer fully, not partially or in turns.

Part 8: The Danger of False Teaching About God

Why Doctrine Matters

Some Christians think doctrine doesn’t matter as long as we love Jesus and try to live good lives. But what we believe about God fundamentally shapes everything else in our Christian life. A.W. Tozer famously wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

False doctrine about God’s nature isn’t a minor error – it’s a different god altogether. If someone worships a god with a physical body who is limited to one location, they’re not worshiping the God of the Bible, regardless of what names they use. This is why the apostles and early church leaders fought so vigorously against false teaching.

Paul warned in 2 Corinthians 11:4 about those who preach “another Jesus” or “a different gospel.” He said such teachers are “false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:13). The apostle John warned, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

Getting God’s nature wrong affects everything downstream in our theology. If God has a body, then He’s not infinite, not omnipresent, not immutable, not simple, and not truly distinct from creation. This undermines the gospel itself, which depends on an infinite God becoming man to accomplish an infinite atonement for sin.

The Connection to Other Errors

False teaching about God’s nature rarely stands alone. It’s usually connected to other theological errors. In Dake’s case, his teaching about God having a body is connected to several other problematic doctrines.

For instance, Dake’s theology leads to a form of tritheism – belief in three Gods rather than one God in three persons. If each person of the Trinity has a separate body, they cannot be one being but must be three separate beings. This denies the fundamental Christian doctrine of monotheism.

The Word-Faith movement, which has been influenced by Dake’s teachings, extends these errors further. Some Word-Faith teachers claim that humans are “little gods” who can create reality with their words, just as God created with His words. This teaching depends partly on a physical, limited view of God that brings Him down closer to human level.

These teachers often present faith as a force that even God must obey, rather than trust in the sovereign God of Scripture. They reduce prayer to techniques for getting God to do what we want, rather than submitting to His will. All of these errors flow from a fundamental misunderstanding of who God is.

How to Respond to False Teaching

When you encounter teaching that God has a physical body or similar errors, how should you respond? First, remember that many people who hold these views are sincere believers who have been misled. They need patient correction, not harsh condemnation.

Start by going to Scripture. Show them the clear passages that teach God is spirit (John 4:24), that He is invisible (1 Timothy 1:17), and that He fills heaven and earth (Jeremiah 23:24). Help them understand the difference between anthropomorphic language and literal description.

Ask thoughtful questions that reveal the problems with their view. If God has a body, how can He be omnipresent? How can He hear millions of prayers simultaneously? How can He be infinite if He has physical boundaries? These questions can help people see the logical problems with physical god theology.

Point them to the historic Christian faith. Show them that for two thousand years, Christians have understood God to be incorporeal spirit. This isn’t a modern innovation or Greek philosophy corrupting Christianity – it’s what the Bible teaches and what Christians have always believed.

Most importantly, help them see what they lose if God has a physical body. They lose the comfort of God’s immediate presence, the assurance of His infinite power, the security of His unchanging nature, and the wonder of His transcendent glory. The God of the Bible is infinitely greater than a god with a body.

Part 9: The Glory of the Invisible God

God’s Invisibility as Glory, Not Limitation

Some people think that if God doesn’t have a visible body, He’s somehow less real or less personal than if He did. This is completely backwards. God’s invisibility isn’t a limitation – it’s part of His infinite glory and perfection. He transcends the physical creation rather than being part of it.

Paul calls God “the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God” (1 Timothy 1:17). Notice that invisibility is listed alongside immortality as one of God’s glorious attributes. It’s not something lacking in God but something that sets Him apart as divine.

Physical visibility would actually diminish God’s glory. Physical things can be measured, contained, and limited. They exist in one place and not another. They can be avoided or escaped. But the invisible God is inescapable, immeasurable, and unlimited. His invisibility speaks to His transcendence, His infinitude, and His spiritual nature that surpasses all physical reality.

Consider how limited our relationship with God would be if He had a physical body. We could only approach Him by traveling to wherever He was located. We would have to wait our turn for His attention. We could be separated from Him by distance or barriers. But because God is invisible spirit, He is immediately accessible to all who call upon Him in faith.

Seeing the Invisible God Through Christ

The wonderful paradox of Christianity is that the invisible God has made Himself visible in Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:15 calls Christ “the image of the invisible God.” John 1:18 says, “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”

This doesn’t mean the Father has a body that looks like Jesus. Rather, it means that in the incarnation, God the Son took on human nature to reveal the Father to us. When we see Jesus’ character, we see the Father’s character. When we see Jesus’ love, we see the Father’s love. When we see Jesus’ holiness, we see the Father’s holiness.

Jesus told Philip, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). This wasn’t because the Father has a physical body like Jesus, but because Jesus perfectly reveals the Father’s nature and character. The invisible God became visible not by the Father taking on a body, but by the Son becoming incarnate to reveal Him.

This is the beauty of the incarnation. We don’t have to guess what God is like. We don’t have to create images or imagine His appearance. God has shown us exactly what He’s like in the person of Jesus Christ. And what we see is not a God limited by physical form, but infinite love, wisdom, power, and holiness expressed through the incarnate Son.

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Scripture calls us to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). This principle is fundamental to Christian living. We trust in the God we cannot see, and this faith is “the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

If God had a physical body that we could see, faith would not be necessary in the same way. We would relate to Him by sight, like we relate to other physical beings. But God calls us to a higher form of relationship – one based on spiritual communion rather than physical sight.

Jesus said to Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). There’s a special blessing for those who believe in the invisible God without requiring physical sight. This faith isn’t blind or irrational – it’s based on the sure testimony of Scripture and the inner witness of the Holy Spirit.

Walking by faith in the invisible God develops spiritual perception. We learn to recognize God’s presence not through physical senses but through spiritual discernment. We see His hand in providence, hear His voice in Scripture, and feel His presence through the Holy Spirit. These spiritual realities are more certain and lasting than anything we could perceive with physical senses.

The Future Vision of God

Scripture promises that one day we will “see” God in a way we cannot now. 1 John 3:2 says, “We know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” Revelation 22:4 says of the New Jerusalem, “They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.”

This doesn’t mean God will acquire a physical body He doesn’t now have. Rather, it means our capacity for perceiving God will be transformed. We will have glorified bodies with enhanced capabilities. More importantly, we will be freed from sin, which currently clouds our spiritual perception.

The beatific vision – the direct sight of God that awaits believers – isn’t about seeing a physical form. It’s about an immediate, unveiled experience of God’s glory and presence that transcends anything possible in our current state. We will know God fully, even as we are fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12).

This future vision doesn’t contradict God’s spiritual nature. Rather, it represents the perfection of spiritual sight. Just as we now perceive spiritual realities dimly, then we will perceive them clearly. The invisible God will remain spirit, but our capacity to perceive and experience Him will be gloriously transformed.

Part 10: Common Questions and Objections

But Didn’t People See God in the Old Testament?

This is perhaps the most common objection raised by those who believe God has a physical body. They point to passages where people “saw” God and argue this proves He has a visible form. Let’s carefully examine what Scripture actually says about these encounters.

First, we must let Scripture interpret Scripture. John 1:18 explicitly states, “No one has ever seen God.” 1 John 4:12 repeats, “No one has ever seen God.” These clear statements must guide our interpretation of passages that speak of people “seeing” God.

So what did people see in these Old Testament encounters? They saw theophanies – temporary, visible manifestations of God’s presence adapted to human perception. They didn’t see God’s essential being, which is invisible spirit, but rather accommodated representations that God provided for specific purposes.

Consider Moses’ experience. In Exodus 33:20, God tells Moses, “You cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” Yet in Exodus 33:11, we read that “the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” This seems contradictory until we understand that “face to face” is a Hebrew idiom meaning “directly” or “intimately,” not necessarily involving physical sight. God communicated with Moses directly, but Moses never saw God’s essential being.

When Moses asked to see God’s glory, God proclaimed His attributes to him (Exodus 34:6-7) rather than showing a physical form. God revealed His character – His compassion, grace, patience, love, faithfulness, and justice. This is God’s true glory, not a physical appearance.

What About the “Image of God” in Humans?

Another common argument is that since humans are made in God’s image and have physical bodies, God must have a physical body too. This misunderstands what the Bible means by the image of God.

If the image of God were physical, we would face numerous problems. Are tall people more in God’s image than short people? Are men more in God’s image than women, or vice versa? Are certain ethnic features more godlike than others? Obviously not. The image of God cannot be about physical appearance.

Scripture itself tells us what the image of God involves. Colossians 3:10 speaks of being “renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” Ephesians 4:24 describes being “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” The image of God consists in our rational, moral, and spiritual capacities, not our physical form.

Humans uniquely bear God’s image in our ability to reason, create, make moral choices, exercise dominion, and have relationship with God. Animals have bodies much like ours, but they don’t bear God’s image. This proves the image isn’t about physical form but about spiritual and rational capacities that reflect God’s nature.

Doesn’t God Sit on a Throne?

Passages that describe God sitting on a throne are often cited as proof He has a body. After all, sitting requires a body, doesn’t it? This objection misses the symbolic nature of throne language in Scripture.

A throne in ancient times represented royal authority and sovereign rule. When Scripture speaks of God’s throne, it’s communicating His absolute sovereignty over creation, not describing divine furniture or posture. This is clear from passages like Isaiah 66:1, where God says, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” If this were literal, God’s body would have to be larger than the universe, with feet resting on our planet. This is obviously metaphorical language expressing God’s sovereign rule over all creation.

Similarly, when Psalm 47:8 says “God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne,” it’s expressing God’s sovereign rule, not His physical position. The throne represents authority, just as we might say “the throne of England” to refer to royal authority, not a piece of furniture.

In prophetic visions like Daniel 7 or Revelation 4, the throne imagery is part of symbolic visions communicating spiritual truths through visual imagery. These are not photographs of heaven but symbolic representations of spiritual realities adapted to human understanding.

How Can God Be Personal Without a Body?

Some people struggle with the idea that God can be personal – having thoughts, emotions, and relationships – without having a physical body. They assume personhood requires physicality. But this assumption is false both biblically and logically.

Personhood is about mind, will, and capacity for relationship, not about having a physical form. Angels are persons – they think, choose, and relate – but they are spirits without physical bodies (unless they temporarily assume visible form). Human souls continue as persons after death, even while separated from their bodies awaiting resurrection.

God is the supreme person, the source of all personhood. He thinks, wills, loves, and relates in the fullest possible way. His personhood isn’t diminished by His spiritual nature; rather, it’s perfected in it. He’s not limited by physical constraints in His ability to know, love, and relate to His creatures.

In fact, God’s lack of a physical body enables Him to be more personal with us, not less. He can be intimately present with each of us simultaneously, knowing us completely, loving us perfectly, and relating to us directly through His Spirit. A God with a physical body could only be personally present with a few people at a time.

Part 11: The Biblical Languages and God’s Nature

Understanding Hebrew Thought

To properly understand biblical statements about God, we need to appreciate how the Hebrew language and mindset work. Hebrew is a concrete language that often expresses abstract concepts through physical imagery. This doesn’t mean the Hebrew writers believed everything was physical, but rather that they used concrete language to communicate spiritual truths.

For example, Hebrew speaks of the “hand” of God to express His power and action, the “eyes” of God to express His knowledge and watchfulness, and the “face” of God to express His presence and favor. These are standard Hebrew idioms, not theological statements about God’s anatomy.

The Hebrew word “ruach” means spirit, wind, or breath. When Genesis 1:2 says the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters, it uses this word that fundamentally means something non-physical, something that moves and acts but cannot be seen or grasped. This same word describes God’s essential nature throughout the Old Testament.

Hebrew writers were perfectly capable of distinguishing between literal and figurative language. When Isaiah 55:12 says “the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands,” no ancient Hebrew thought mountains literally sang or trees had hands. They understood poetic imagery.

Greek Precision About God’s Nature

The New Testament, written in Greek, provides even more precise language about God’s nature. Greek philosophy had developed sophisticated vocabulary for discussing metaphysical concepts, and the New Testament writers, under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, used this vocabulary to communicate truths about God.

When Jesus says “God is spirit” (John 4:24), He uses the Greek word “pneuma.” This word specifically denotes non-physical existence. The Greek-speaking world understood the distinction between material (physical) and immaterial (spiritual) reality. Jesus was making a categorical statement about God’s nature.

The apostle Paul, educated in both Hebrew and Greek thought, carefully distinguishes between physical and spiritual realities. In 1 Corinthians 15, he contrasts the “natural body” (soma psychikon) with the “spiritual body” (soma pneumatikon). Even when speaking of resurrection bodies that are physical, he carefully distinguishes them from purely spiritual existence.

The Greek word “aoratos” (invisible) used to describe God in 1 Timothy 1:17 and Colossians 1:15 literally means “not seen” or “unable to be seen.” It’s not describing something temporarily hidden but something that by nature cannot be seen with physical eyes. This precisely communicates God’s non-physical nature.

Translation Challenges and Misunderstandings

Some confusion about God’s nature arises from translation challenges. English translations sometimes use words that can be misunderstood if we don’t consider the original language and context.

For instance, when the King James Version says God “repented” (Genesis 6:6), modern readers might think God changed His mind like a human who made a mistake. But the Hebrew word “nacham” means to be grieved or to feel sorrow. Modern translations better capture this by saying God “regretted” or “was grieved.” This describes God’s emotional response to sin, not a change in His being or knowledge.

Similarly, passages that speak of God “coming down” (Genesis 11:5) or “going up” (Genesis 17:22) use language of appearance from the human perspective. From our viewpoint, God manifests His presence in a particular place (comes down) or ceases that manifestation (goes up). This doesn’t mean God literally travels through space from one location to another.

Understanding these translation issues helps us avoid the mistake of reading modern, Western, literalistic assumptions into ancient, Eastern, phenomenological texts. The biblical writers described things as they appeared from human perspective while understanding the deeper theological realities.

Part 12: Responding to Dake’s Specific Claims

The “Bodily Parts” Lists

Dake compiles extensive lists of biblical references to God’s bodily parts – hands, eyes, ears, mouth, etc. – and argues these prove God has a literal body. He claims these are “too clear and literal to misunderstand” and that denying their literalness is rebellion against God’s word. Let’s examine why this argument fails.

First, if we must take all these descriptions literally, we must also believe God has wings (Psalm 91:4), is a rock (Psalm 18:2), is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29), and is a door (John 10:9). Dake doesn’t apply his literalistic method consistently. He picks which metaphors to take literally based on his predetermined belief that God has a human-like body.

Second, many of these passages explicitly indicate they’re using figurative language. When Psalm 94:9 asks, “He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see?” it’s arguing from the greater to the lesser. The Creator of physical organs certainly has the abilities those organs provide, but He doesn’t need the organs themselves. In fact, needing them would make Him inferior to His creation.

Third, taking these descriptions literally creates absurdities and contradictions. If God literally has eyes that roam throughout the earth (2 Chronicles 16:9), are His eyeballs detached from His body? If His hand is not shortened (Isaiah 59:1), does this mean it can stretch infinitely? If He rides on a cherub (Psalm 18:10), is He smaller than an angel? These interpretations are clearly absurd.

The “Ordinary Size” Claim

One of Dake’s most shocking claims is that God is “of ordinary size” – essentially human-sized. He bases this on passages where God appears to people and they interact with Him in human-like ways. This claim reveals the fundamental absurdity of his position.

If God were human-sized, how could He create and sustain the universe? How could He be present everywhere? How could He hear the prayers of billions simultaneously? Dake tries to answer by saying God’s power and influence extend everywhere, but His person is localized. This creates an unbiblical separation between God and His attributes.

Scripture never separates God from His attributes. God doesn’t just have love; He is love (1 John 4:8). He doesn’t just have power; He is power. His attributes are not tools He uses from a distance but aspects of His essential being. To separate God’s person from His presence is to divide God Himself.

Furthermore, when Solomon says “heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain” God (1 Kings 8:27), this makes no sense if God is ordinary-sized. Solomon clearly understood that God transcends all spatial limitations, not that He’s simply too large for any building.

The “Spirit Body” Concept

Dake tries to reconcile the biblical teaching that God is spirit with his belief that God has a body by inventing the concept of a “spirit body” – something he claims is just as real and tangible as a physical body but made of spirit substance rather than matter. This is philosophical confusion.

The very concept of “spirit body” is self-contradictory. Spirit, by definition, is non-corporeal (without body). Body, by definition, is corporeal (physical, extended in space). You cannot have a non-corporeal corporeality any more than you can have a square circle or a married bachelor.

When Scripture speaks of “spiritual bodies” in 1 Corinthians 15, it’s not describing bodies made of spirit-substance. It’s describing physical bodies that are immortal, incorruptible, and completely controlled by the Holy Spirit. The contrast is between bodies subject to sin and decay (natural) and bodies freed from these limitations (spiritual), not between material and immaterial bodies.

Dake’s “spirit body” concept is an attempt to have it both ways – to affirm that God is spirit while maintaining He has a body. But this does violence to language, logic, and biblical teaching. It’s like saying God is invisible but can be seen, or infinite but has boundaries.

The Tritheism Problem

Perhaps the most serious consequence of Dake’s teaching is that it leads inevitably to tritheism – belief in three Gods rather than one God in three persons. If the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each have separate bodies, they must be three separate beings, not one being in three persons.

Dake explicitly embraces this consequence, saying the three persons are “as separate and distinct as any three persons we could think of.” He reduces the unity of the Godhead to mere agreement and cooperation, like three humans working together. This fundamentally denies biblical monotheism.

Scripture consistently affirms that there is only one God. Deuteronomy 6:4 declares, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” Isaiah 43:10 records God saying, “Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.” 1 Timothy 2:5 states, “There is one God.”

The Trinity is not three Gods working together but one God existing eternally in three persons. The three persons share the same divine essence. They are distinct in their personal relations but one in their essential being. This mystery transcends human comprehension, but it’s what Scripture teaches. Dake’s tritheism is a heretical departure from biblical Christianity.

Conclusion: Standing Firm on Biblical Truth

As we conclude this extensive examination of what Scripture teaches about God’s nature, it’s important to remember why this matters so deeply for your faith. The God you worship, pray to, and trust with your eternal soul is either the infinite, omnipresent, spiritual God of the Bible, or He is something else entirely. There is no middle ground on this fundamental issue.

Throughout this article, we’ve seen that Scripture consistently teaches that God is spirit, not physical. From Jesus’ own words in John 4:24 to the apostolic teaching that God is invisible and fills all things, the Bible presents a God who transcends physical limitations while remaining intimately involved with His creation. This isn’t a minor theological point but the foundation of true worship and relationship with God.

We’ve examined how anthropomorphic language in Scripture serves to communicate God’s actions and attributes in terms we can understand, not to describe His physical appearance. When the Bible speaks of God’s hands, eyes, or face, it’s using metaphorical language to express spiritual truths about His power, knowledge, and presence. Taking these descriptions literally while ignoring other metaphors like God being a rock or fire reveals an inconsistent and agenda-driven interpretation.

The historical testimony of the church, from the earliest fathers to modern evangelical scholars, unanimously affirms that God is incorporeal spirit. This isn’t because of Greek philosophical influence, as some claim, but because of faithful attention to what Scripture actually teaches. The church has consistently recognized that a physical God would be a different god altogether – a finite, limited being unworthy of worship.

The Stakes Could Not Be Higher

We must understand that Dake’s teaching about God having a physical body isn’t just an alternative interpretation or a minor disagreement among Christians. It’s a fundamental departure from biblical Christianity that affects everything else we believe. If God has a body, then:

• He cannot be infinite, for bodies have boundaries
• He cannot be omnipresent, for bodies can only be in one place
• He cannot be immutable, for bodies move and change
• He cannot be simple, for bodies have parts
• He cannot transcend creation, for bodies exist within space
• The Trinity becomes three gods, not one God in three persons

Each of these consequences strikes at the heart of who God is. A finite, localized, mutable, complex god who exists within creation is not the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It’s not the God who revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. It’s not the God proclaimed by the apostles and believed by Christians throughout history.

Standing Against the Tide

In our current religious climate, where experience often trumps doctrine and feelings override truth, it can be challenging to stand firm on biblical teaching. You may encounter sincere, passionate believers who insist that God has a body, who quote Dake or similar teachers as authorities, and who accuse you of not taking the Bible literally if you disagree.

Remember that sincerity doesn’t equal truth. The Pharisees were sincere in their religion, but Jesus said they were wrong. Many cults are filled with sincere believers, but sincerity doesn’t make their beliefs true. We must test everything against Scripture, properly interpreted in its context and in harmony with the whole counsel of God.

When confronted with false teaching about God’s nature, stand firm with gentleness and respect. Don’t attack the person but address the teaching. Show them the clear scriptural evidence that God is spirit. Help them understand the difference between anthropomorphic language and literal description. Point them to the consistent teaching of the church throughout history.

The Beauty of the True God

As we reject the false teaching of a physical God, we’re not losing something precious – we’re preserving something infinitely more glorious. The God of the Bible, who is infinite spirit, offers us far more than a physical god ever could:

This is the God worthy of our worship, trust, and devotion. This is the God who created the universe by His word, who sustains all things by His power, who knows the end from the beginning, and who works all things according to the counsel of His will. This is the God who became incarnate in Christ to save us, not because He needed a body to be complete, but because we needed Him to take on flesh to redeem us.

A Final Word of Encouragement

If you’ve been influenced by Dake’s teaching or similar errors about God’s nature, don’t despair. Many sincere believers have been led astray by convincing-sounding arguments and selective use of Scripture. The important thing is to return to the truth of God’s word, properly understood and faithfully interpreted.

Take time to study the passages we’ve examined in this article. Read them in context. Compare Scripture with Scripture. Consult sound commentaries and theological works. Most importantly, pray for the Holy Spirit’s illumination as you seek to know God as He truly is.

Remember that knowing God correctly isn’t just about having right theology – it’s about having right relationship. The infinite, spiritual God of the Bible is able to have intimate, personal relationship with you in a way that a localized, physical god never could. He knows you perfectly, loves you completely, and is present with you always.

As you grow in true knowledge of God, you’ll find your faith strengthened, your worship deepened, and your confidence increased. You’ll rest in the truth that the God who holds the universe in existence is the same God who holds you in His love. You’ll pray with confidence, knowing that the omnipresent God hears you immediately. You’ll face trials with peace, knowing that the immutable God’s purposes cannot fail.

The Call to Faithfulness

In closing, I call you to be faithful to the biblical revelation of God. Don’t be swayed by novel interpretations or charismatic teachers who contradict two thousand years of Christian orthodoxy. Don’t let anyone reduce the infinite God to finite, physical categories. Don’t exchange the glory of the incorruptible God for images resembling corruptible man.

Instead, worship the God who is spirit in spirit and truth. Marvel at His infinity, rest in His omnipresence, trust in His immutability, and glory in His transcendence. Let your understanding of God be shaped by His word, not by human speculation or misguided literalism.

The battle for truth about God’s nature isn’t just an academic exercise – it’s a battle for the heart of the Christian faith. When we get God wrong, everything else goes wrong. But when we know Him as He truly is, everything else falls into proper place. We worship rightly, pray confidently, live hopefully, and witness effectively.

May God grant you wisdom to discern truth from error, courage to stand for biblical teaching even when it’s unpopular, and grace to help others come to a true knowledge of the infinite, spiritual, glorious God of Scripture. May you never exchange this glorious truth for any lesser vision of God, no matter how appealing it might seem to human reasoning.

The God of the Bible – infinite, eternal, unchangeable, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, and spiritual – is the only true God. There is no other. He alone is worthy of worship. He alone can save. He alone deserves our complete trust and devotion. This is the God revealed in Scripture, proclaimed by the apostles, confessed by the church, and worthy of our lives.

Epilogue: Resources for Further Study

As you continue to grow in your understanding of God’s nature and defend against false teaching, it’s important to have solid resources for further study. The following recommendations will help you deepen your knowledge of biblical theology and strengthen your ability to recognize and refute errors like those promoted by Dake.

Recommended Books on the Nature of God

For those wanting to study the biblical doctrine of God more deeply, several excellent resources are available. “The Knowledge of the Holy” by A.W. Tozer provides a readable yet profound exploration of God’s attributes. Though written decades ago, its insights remain timeless and its reverent approach to God’s nature provides a helpful corrective to casual modern attitudes.

“The Attributes of God” by Arthur W. Pink offers a more detailed theological study of God’s perfections. Pink carefully examines each attribute, showing how they’re revealed in Scripture and why they matter for Christian life. His work particularly emphasizes God’s transcendence and sovereignty, providing a strong antidote to teachings that diminish God’s glory.

For a comprehensive systematic theology, Wayne Grudem’s “Systematic Theology” includes excellent chapters on the nature and attributes of God. Grudem writes at an accessible level while maintaining theological precision, making his work ideal for serious Bible students who want thorough treatment of these doctrines.

Understanding Biblical Interpretation

Since many errors about God’s nature stem from poor biblical interpretation, it’s crucial to understand proper hermeneutics (the science of biblical interpretation). “How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth” by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart provides practical guidelines for interpreting different types of biblical literature correctly.

The authors explain how to recognize and interpret various literary genres in Scripture, including historical narrative, poetry, prophecy, and apocalyptic literature. Understanding these distinctions helps readers avoid the error of taking figurative language literally or missing the significance of literal statements.

“Basic Bible Interpretation” by Roy Zuck offers a more detailed exploration of hermeneutical principles. Zuck addresses specific interpretive challenges, including how to understand anthropomorphisms, metaphors, and other figures of speech. His work provides the tools needed to study Scripture accurately and avoid the kind of errors that lead to false doctrine.

Historical Theology Resources

Understanding how the church has historically understood God’s nature provides important perspective and guards against novel interpretations. “Historical Theology” by Gregg Allison surveys the development of Christian doctrine through the centuries, showing how the church has consistently affirmed God’s incorporeal, spiritual nature.

The early church fathers’ writings, available in collections like “The Ante-Nicene Fathers,” demonstrate that from the beginning, Christians understood God to be spirit, not physical. Reading these primary sources shows that the orthodox understanding of God’s nature isn’t a later development but the original Christian teaching.

For those interested in the creeds and confessions, “Creeds, Councils and Christ” by Gerald Bray explains how and why the church developed formal statements of faith. These documents consistently affirm God’s spiritual nature and provide helpful summaries of biblical teaching.

Dealing with False Teaching

When encountering false teaching about God’s nature in your church or community, several approaches can help. First, approach leadership privately with your concerns, bringing specific biblical evidence and asking for clarification. Many pastors are unaware of the serious theological problems in resources like Dake’s Bible and appreciate being informed.

If you’re in a teaching position, take opportunities to present positive biblical truth about God’s nature. Rather than constantly attacking false teaching, focus on building a strong foundation of sound doctrine. When people are well-grounded in truth, they’re less susceptible to error.

For family members or friends influenced by false teaching, patient dialogue often works better than confrontation. Ask questions that help them think through the implications of their beliefs. Share resources that present biblical truth clearly. Most importantly, pray for the Holy Spirit to open their eyes to truth.

The Importance of Christian Community

Fighting for theological truth shouldn’t be a solitary battle. God has placed us in the body of Christ for mutual encouragement, accountability, and instruction. If you’re not already part of a Bible-believing church that holds to orthodox doctrine, finding one should be a priority.

Look for a church that affirms the historic creeds, teaches the whole counsel of Scripture, and maintains the fundamental doctrines of the faith. A healthy church will have leadership that can answer theological questions, provide biblical teaching, and protect the flock from false doctrine.

Within your church community, seek out mature believers who can mentor you in the faith. Join or form study groups that dig deeply into Scripture and theology. Iron sharpens iron, and discussing these truths with other believers will strengthen your understanding and conviction.

The Role of Seminary and Bible College

For those called to deeper study or ministry, formal theological education can provide invaluable training. Seminaries and Bible colleges offer systematic instruction in biblical languages, theology, church history, and pastoral skills. This training equips students to handle Scripture accurately and defend the faith effectively.

However, be careful to choose institutions that maintain biblical orthodoxy. Some schools have drifted from their founding principles and no longer uphold fundamental Christian doctrines. Research carefully, looking at doctrinal statements, faculty credentials, and denominational affiliations.

Even if you’re not called to vocational ministry, many seminaries offer distance learning or part-time programs that allow you to deepen your theological understanding while maintaining your current vocation. This investment in biblical education will benefit not only you but also those you influence.

Final Thoughts

The battle for truth about God’s nature is part of the larger spiritual warfare that has raged since the garden of Eden, when the serpent asked, “Has God really said?” Just as Satan sought to distort God’s word and character then, he continues to do so today through false teaching that misrepresents who God is.

But we need not fear or despair. The same God who preserved His truth through centuries of challenge continues to guard His word and His people today. He has given us His Scripture, His Spirit, and His church to guide us into all truth. As we remain faithful to biblical revelation, we can have confidence that the gates of hell will not prevail against Christ’s church.

Remember that this isn’t merely an intellectual exercise. Knowing God correctly is the foundation of eternal life, as Jesus said: “This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). The God we know, worship, and proclaim must be the true God revealed in Scripture, not a god of human imagination or misinterpretation.

May you continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the perfect revelation of the invisible God. May you stand firm on the foundation of biblical truth, unmoved by every wind of doctrine. And may you help others come to know the true and living God, who is spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in all His glorious perfections.

The truth about God’s nature matters eternally. Guard it, proclaim it, and live in light of it. For in knowing the true God, we find life, peace, and joy that transcends all understanding. This is our heritage as children of the living God, and no false teaching can take it from us when we stand firm on the unchangeable truth of His word.

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