The One God, Perfect and True

The great premise that comes down to us from the first of the revealed commandments is that God is one.  This forms the basis for all true “natural” religion.  Any multiplicity of deities sets the ground for idolatry and false worship. This profound understanding of God is passed down from Jews to Christians and yet something of this truth is accessible to philosophers in the use of human reason and legitimate rational deduction. An infinite regression is nonsensical. Nothing comes from nothing. The fact that we exist mandates a source that is the ground for our being. The distance from non-existence to existence is regarded as infinite and thus requiring an omnipotent Creator.  This God by necessity must exist; indeed he is the essential “to be” or existence itself. Further, this God must be singular as any plurality would lead to conflict and degradation in overall power.  As the creed reminds us, this one God is the Creator of heaven and earth. He is the Supreme and uncreated being. He is incorporeal or a perfect spirit. He exists of himself from all eternity.  All the attributes we know are but shadows of the perfections found in almighty God.  He is the Holy, Holy, Holy— all holy.  He is Goodness, itself.  His power is without limit. All knowing, he is Wisdom and divine Truth.  Given his interaction with humanity, he reveals himself as perfect Justice and Mercy. He exists outside time and space. Nevertheless, he is everywhere present— seeing, knowing and sustaining all things in existence.  There is nothing we can hide from God because we belong to him. He is aware of all we do and he penetrates our inmost thoughts. Nothing escapes his gaze. He is not simply “the man upstairs” but that one who creates us from nothing. The attributes we cherish are only a participation in his perfections. We were made for God. Apart from God, we would have nothing— we would be nothing.