Mark Vestal Supporter Proud of nothing of myself. Freed by Christ who did it all!

The references could have multiple implications, but my first thought is to primarily convey God the Father as being the one true God who is not only "living", as in "The Creator", but also actively living within believers. Consider Paul's speech at Mars Hill below. He tells the Athenians of how they have too many gods, but goes on to teach of the One they also ignorantly worship. He then qualifies God through His traits as being the one true of the many false they maintain.

He ends His speech with an admonition for them to change their minds (repent) from worshipping their false gods, and introduces "that man whom he hath ordained" for being their/our righteousness, who is alive today by His resurrection and who dwells within believers:

Acts 17:22-32
"Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter."

Isn't it interesting how "some mocked", but others would "hear" more? Salvation for these souls hinged (at that moment at least) on belief in Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection (1 Cor 15:1-4)..."the gospel". Hopefully some who only mocked at that time would come to hear more later...maybe by witnessing God's living power through them that would believe (1 Cor 1:17-24).

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Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

What is the significance of God the Father, Jehovah, being repeatedly (many times) referred to as 'the living God' in Scripture?

Acts 17:22: "Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, 'Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, "To The Unknown God." Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.'"

Building on common ground, Paul mentioned that he had observed tangible evidence of the Athenians' religiousness​—an altar dedicated "To an Unknown God." According to one source, "it was customary for Greeks and others to dedicate altars to 'unknown gods,' for fear that in their worship they had omitted some god who might otherwise be offended." By means of such an altar, the Athenians admitted the existence of a God who was unknown to them. Paul used the presence of this altar to make a transition into the good news that he was about to preach. 

Paul here was telling about the significance of God being called "the living God" is that it emphasises his existence as an active, self-existent, and life-giving being, in stark contrast to lifeless idols or impersonal forces.

Some time earlier, Matthew wrote the following: Matt 16:16: 16 And Simon Peter answering said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God."

We see here that Peter was quick to respond. He put into clear, bold words the conclusion that had formed in the hearts of many there. "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," he said. We can imagine Jesus giving Peter a smile of approval as He commended him warmly. Jesus reminded Peter that it was [Jehovah ]God​—not any man—​who had made this vital truth so plain to those with genuine faith. Through the Holy Spirit, Peter had been enabled to discern one of the greatest truths Jehovah had yet revealed​—the identity of the long-promised Messiah, or Christ!​

In the question and Peter's reply, we note that God's name is used, which is known from Psalm 83:18: "That men may know that thou, Whose Name alone is Yahweh, Art Most High over all the earth."

[Yahweh - or the standard English version Jehovah] The name Jehovah (or Yahweh) is related to the Hebrew verb "to be," signifying his permanent, self-existent nature. He is the God who "ever was, is and will be".

On this point, note Exodus 3:13: And Moses said unto God, "Lo! as surely as I go in unto the sons of Israel, and say unto them, 'The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you,' so surely will they say unto me, 'What is his name?' What shall I say unto them?"

Note verse16:  Go—and thou shalt gather together the elders of Israel, and shalt say unto them, "Yahweh, God of your fathers, hath appeared unto me, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'I am concerned for you, and for what is done to you in Egypt'" [and this is why in some Bibles this name is used].

So, the term "living God" is used to indicate that He is a real, personal God who is actively involved in the world, not a distant or absent one. 

Jehovah is active and influential: In contrast, Jehovah actively intervenes in human history, demonstrates his power, and delivers his people. The Old Testament recounts many instances of him proving his vitality over dead gods, such as when Hezekiah's prayer, as recorded in 2 Kings 19:14-19 and Isaiah 37:1-32, acknowledged the Assyrians' power while affirming that their gods were powerless and made by human hands.

1 Tim 1:17: Now to the King of eternity,+ incorruptible,+ invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Paul here is showing that God existed for an eternity before anyone or anything else in the universe came into being, and his existence stretches forever into the future.

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