Spiritual Teachings/The Nature of God
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Spiritual Teachings
1. The Nature of God
All peoples have believed in a mysterious higher Power in the universe. This Power or Supreme Being has been called by many titles—God, Jehovah, Allah—all of which are names for the One Who is the Creator and Lord of the universe. Baha’u’llah has come to teach man about God and to explain God’s purpose for man in this day.
What is God like? While man has been created with a desire to know God and draw closer to Him, man’s limited mind can never understand God. No created thing can ever understand its creator. The essence of God is unknowable. God has, however, provided a way for man to learn about Him. The Manifestations of God perfectly reflect His attributes. By studying the life and Teachings of Moses, Christ, Baha’u’llah, and the other Man- ifestations, man learns that God is just, merciful, loving, and wise.
All the Prophets have taught that man is created in the image of God. Baha’u’llah tells man that God says, “‘Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee,’’ assuring man that ‘‘within thee have I placed the essence of My light.’’' As man tears away the veils of ignorance and selfishness which hide the light of God within him and begins to reflect the attributes of God, he learns more about the nature of God. He also better understands his own true nature as a servant of God.
While it is difficult to learn about God, man is assured that God is very close to him and loves him. Baha’u’llah says that God is closer to man than the veins carrying his lifeblood. When one feels far away from God, he can find comfort in remember- ing that God has said, ‘‘My love is in thee, know it, that thou mayest find Me near unto thee.’’?