The riches of a wealthy man are in his abundance of money, and the riches of a wealthy farmer are in his abundance of land. What are the riches of God? In what can God’s riches be seen? We can find a few items in the Bible. There are the riches of God’s grace (Eph. 1:7), the riches of God’s glory (v. 18; 3:16; Rom. 9:23), and the riches of God’s kindness, forbearance, and long-suffering (2:4).
According to the revelation in the entire Bible, the riches of God are seen in life. Among the many items of God’s creation life is the richest. Mankind began with one person, Adam, who propagated and multiplied. Now mankind covers the entire earth because the human life is rich. The life of our God is even richer than the human life.
God’s riches are also seen in the manifestation of His life and nature. Man possesses love, honesty, endurance, purity, and forbearance as human virtues. Man was made in the image of God and according to God’s likeness (Gen. 1:26). This means that God has forbearance, and therefore, He created forbearance in man. God also has long-suffering, and therefore, He created long-suffering in man. All of God’s attributes are the source of our human virtues. Man’s greatest characteristic is not in having an intelligent mind, in developing huge potentials, or in achieving a great career; the greatest characteristic of man is that his virtues can express God’s attributes.
In other words, human virtues are the greatest characteristic of mankind. Philippians 4:8 says, “What things are true, what things are dignified, what things are righteous, what things are pure, what things are lovely, what things are well spoken of,...take account of these things.” “These things” are the human virtues that are derived from God and are made according to God’s likeness. The source of every human virtue is God. God is rich in love, rich in mercy, rich in forbearance, and rich in many other attributes.
During the past two thousand years of human history, ancient philosophers acknowledge that there is a sovereign “One” in the universe. For example, Confucius said, “He who offends Heaven has none to whom he can pray.” Confucius referred to this sovereign One as Heaven. This is similar to the prodigal son likening God to heaven when he spoke to his father in Luke 15:21, saying, “I have sinned against heaven and before you.” Before the Lord Jesus’ incarnation, before He dwelt among men, mankind always wondered about God. They wondered whether God is forbearing or generous, narrow or broadminded, strict or loving. However, it was not until the Lord Jesus was incarnated, that is, when God was expressed through Jesus Christ, that human beings could see God.
The record in the four Gospels of the Lord Jesus’ life on earth shows that the virtues of the Lord Jesus were the expression of God on earth. The Lord Jesus was meek, caring, compassionate, forbearing, and upright. His love was the love of God, His mercy was the mercy of God, and His compassion was the compassion of God. The life of Jesus on earth was the practical expression of God. Men saw the expressed God in Jesus. Before Jesus came, people did not know God. They wondered whether God was lovely or detestable, generous or narrow, loving or strict. However, in Jesus, God was openly manifested before men. Hence, 1 Timothy 3:16 says, “Confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was manifested in the flesh.” When Jesus came, God was expressed. Everything about the Lord Jesus, what He did, His speaking, attitude, conduct, behavior, and the way He treated others, fully expressed God.
God’s attributes and virtues are His riches. God is so rich that His riches overflow. When God’s riches overflow, they become His fullness, and this fullness is the expression of God.