He can blink and create a new galaxy. "The Rock! 8:10; 9:14; 15:11; 2 Sam. We never have to worry about drying up his never-ending well of goodness, peace, mercy and grace. 1:13-16), God cannot be comprehended as He really is (1 Cor. 11:25-27), GOOD: God is morally excellent, and does only good (Gen. 1:31; Deut. Tozer says this about what Gods holiness demands: Since Gods first concern for His universe is its moral health, that is, its holiness, whatever is contrary to this is necessarily under His eternal displeasure. When the Psalmist writes O, taste and see that the Lord is good, (Psalm 34) he is inviting us not just to believe that God is good but to experience Gods goodness. This . Now, when God looks on us, he sees Christs perfect holiness. 115:3; Matt. Thus, God sees and knows all events past, present, and future with equal vividness. Love. Therefore you are to be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect, Jesus says in Matthew 5:48. Everything weve done in secret He is aware of. 2. The fact that God is self-existent -- that he was created by nothing and has always existed forever -- is perhaps one of the hardest attributes of God for the believer to understand. If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! Gods wrath is His utter intolerance of whatever degrades and destroys.. Weve all heard absurd questions from unbelievers like, If God is all powerful, can He make a circle square or a rock so large He cannot move it? C.S. God himself is unified, completely integrated, and infinitely perfect in all of these attributes. People sometimes have trouble thinking that jealousy is a desirable attribute in God. He will never allow anyone to stand in His presence apart from Christ (Habakkuk 1:13). John can say that God is light (1 John 1:5) and then a little later say also that God is love (1 John 4:8). We read in Psalm 90:4, For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. The phrase a thousand years is a figurative expression for as long a time as one might imagine. The word staggers before its task of even describing the reality, writes R.C. A natural question that arises from this is, how then can a just God justify the unjust (as each of us are without Christ!)? Indeed, when we see wisdom like this, we realize just how much our limited, finite wisdom compares with the limitless, infinite wisdom of God. Let's begin with those attributes that are incommunicable. He is called the only wise God (Romans 16:27). Nothing and no one is stronger than him. The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens (Jeremiah 10:1011). And yet none of those words is adequate to describe the awesome holiness of our God. INCORPOREAL: God has no body or parts, and is immaterial, being a simple and infinite being of spirit; excluding the Mormon doctrine of God as an exalted man. His radiance is like the sunlight; He has rays flashing from His hand, And there is the hiding of His power. - Habakkuk 3:4, John Piper defines Gods glory like this: The glory of God is the infinite beauty and greatness of Gods manifold perfections. Whatever he thinks, whatever he wants, he is capable of doing. You may unsubscribe from these email communications at any time. We imitate Gods blessedness when we find delight and happiness in things that please God. True Jesus Christ bore the wrath of God that was due to our sin, in order that we might be saved (Romans 3:2526). His lists of the attributes typically included . Page 3 Introduction to the Attributes of God Doerksen classify the attributes as Moral and Non-moral; Millard Erickson classifies them according to Greatness and Goodness; but most popularly, Charles Hodge, Louis Berkhoff, William Shedd, and Herman Bavinck classify the attributes of God as Communicable and Incommunicable. Gods omnipotence refers to his power to do what he decides to do. Thus, we individually and corporately reflect Gods beauty in every way in which we exhibit his character. 17:10a), Knows all events to come (Isa. No one canrestrain His hand Or say to Him, What have You done (Daniel 4:35)? Here are a few examples of Gods limitless knowledge as portrayed in Scripture: Wisdom goes beyond knowledge and specifies that God always chooses the best goals and the best means to achieve those goals. Psalm 139:7-12 says, Where can I go from Your Spirit? In many ways, God is nothing like us. God is the sum of all desirable qualities. Wow! 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. The psalmist proclaims Gods omnipresence in Psalm 137. 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 1:37; 18:27; Eph. of Not only does it speak of God's strength, but also it speaks of the sovereignty of God and the goodness of God. Paul says that God is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). Through the work of Christ in atonement, justice is not violated but satisfied when God spares a sinner. His mercy is does not forbid him to exercise his justice, nor does his justice forbid him to exercise his mercy. He protects his honor. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord - Jeremiah 23:23-24, To be omnipresent is to be in all places, at all times. God asks Job, Who has given to me, that I should repay him? God is the final standard of good, and that all that He is and does is worthy of approval. For instance, love would be a moral attribute, whereas omnipotence would be a non-moral attribute. And his standard for us is perfection as well. And how comforting and wonderful this is for man to dwell on! He doesnt need creation for any reason. A truly wise person is someone who understands all the facts and makes the best decisions. Every attribute is completely true of God and Gods character. God Is Self-Sufficient - He Has No Needs "For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself." - John 5:26 As limited humans, we have incredible needs, which left unfulfilled, result in death. We will give an account of all. Between the things God says and does, what other people say about him, and the life of Jesus, the Bible gives us numerous descriptions of Gods character. For instance, love would be a moral attribute, whereas omnipotence would be a non-moral attribute. INCOMPREHENSIBLE: God is incomprehensible, not in the sense that the concept of God is unintelligible, but in the sense that God cannot be fully and directly known by finite creatures, because of His uniqueness and His infinitude. False 16:7; 1 Chr. His common grace is a gift to all of mankind. He knows all that we have done and all that we will do. God delights fully in himself and in all that reflects his character. When we realize that God is the definition and source of all good, we realize that God himself is the ultimate good that we seek. The Proverb says: "the eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Thankfully, the Christian will never have to experience Gods holy wrath poured out. In our limitedness, grasping the nature of our limit-less God is like holding onto water as it rages down a river. now therefore let me alone, that my, Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to, He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but. It means he always does what is right and good toward all men. His presence is everywhere in that everything is immediately in His presence. The standard for true love, wisdom, kindness, justice, and so on is the character of God Himself. Because of our disobedient hearts, we deserve death. Holiness, justice, love, goodness, truth, and mercy are all examples of the non-moral attributes of God. If you are trying to hide or run from God, give up. 11. Nothing is hidden from God. That God is holy means he is endlessly, always perfect. SELF-EXISTENT: God has no cause; He does not depend on anything for his continued existence. Yet even this is a reflection of Gods wise plan: For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. False All world religions really worship the same god, just in different ways. 4:7; Jer. ( Psalm 71:22; Isaiah 6:3; 1 Peter 1:16 ). Moral attributes are the most glorious of his divine perfections. But Gods glory also describes the bright light that surrounds his presence. Mercies of God 4. Spurgeon writes that, It is undeserved mercy, as indeed all true mercy must be, for deserved mercy is only a misnomer for justice. IMMUTABLE: God is perfect in that He never changes nor can He change with respect to His being, attributes, purpose, or promises; excluding process theology, Mormon doctrine of eternal progression. Faithfully trusting in who God says he is a great comfort. He created everything. It indicates His complete and infinite perfection. Whether they loosely believe in a concept like the As Dr. Wayne Grudem explains it, systematic theology is any study that answers the question, What does the whole Bible teach us today? about any given topic.This highly organized, topica What has Athens to do with Jerusalem? 28:9, 17; Psa. All of Him is everywhere at once. The saved get mercy and the unsaved get justice. 23:19; 1 Sam. 2. And yet, since we as human beings are made in the image of God, there are echoes of his attributes in our lives that we share with him. 3:21), Unlimited by time (Psa. That is certainly appropriate, as Scripture often describes the glory of God in terms of a light that shines brighter than anything that we experience on earth.. 1:14-19), RIGHTEOUS: God is perfectly moral in all that He does, doing everything right ( Isa. This is an online-exclusive Viewpoint from the Christian Research Journal. We should never think, for example, that God is a loving God at one point in history and a just or wrathful God at another point in history. False The names and titles given to God in Scripture reveal what he is like. It continues at the present time, for we read, The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand (John 3:35). . As with all of Gods attributes, they are not separate, isolated traits but interconnected parts of his perfect whole being. 8:28), HOLY: God is morally transcendent, utterly separated from all evil, and perfectly pure (Ex. Nevertheless, he is with us, the fullness of his presence is all around us. He knows our needs and desires (Matthew 6:8 and 32-33), We stand naked before Him. . 2:5; 11:22; Heb. It is because the God who promised us eternal life is immutable that we may rest assured that nothing, not trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword shall separate us from the love of Christ. Additionally, theres no quality of excellence that he does not have. 6:3; 8:13; Hab. As mercy is Gods goodness confronting human misery and guilt, Tozer writes, so grace is His goodness directed toward human debt and demerit. OMNISCIENT: God is perfect in that He knows all things, including events before they happen. The Holiness of God There is a great need for a recognition of God's holiness in the church today. The most common way to classify God's attributes divides them into incommunicable attributes (traits that God doesn't share or "communicate" to others) and communicable attributes (traits that God shares or "communicates" with us). . Hallelujah! This is also why pride is sinful for us: we do not deserve the honor that belongs to God alone (1 Corinthians 4:7; Revelation 4:11). 7. But even the wisest man on earth would never come close to being as wise as God. . Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord Almighty Revelation 4:8, The word holy means sacred, set apart, revered, or devine. His grace is also sovereign. He doesnt love humanity in some vague sense, he loves humans. Religious or not, most people believe they have some form of a soul. This article first appeared in the Viewpoint column of the Christian Research Journal, volume 45, Este artculo es una exclusiva en lnea de Christian Research Journal. He, as the creator, will always have unique attributes his creation cannot possess. What does it mean for God to be infinite? 107:8; 118:1; Nahum 1:7; Mark 10:18; Rom. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20), By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. Psalm 33:6, Can you fathom the mysteries of God? The phrase here translated all things (ta panta) is used frequently by Paul to refer to everything that exists or everything in creation (for example, Ephesians 1:10, 23, 3:9, 4:10; Colossians 1:16, 17; Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians. 40:18, 25; 44:7; 56:5, 9; Jer. His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He. Duet 32:4. Worship Him (Psalm 100, Psalm 22:3, Acts 13:1-3). He cannot do anything contrary to His will, character, or nature. He can do anything at any moment. Were there no guilt in the world, no pain and no tears, God would yet be infinitely merciful; but His mercy might well remain hidden in His heart, unknown to the created universe. Our trust in him is therefore a confident trust, for we know that he will not, indeed cannot, change. What Does It Mean That "Your Life Is Hidden with Christ"? Scripture attests to Gods righteousness and justice: Paul says that when God sent Christ as a sacrifice to bear the punishment for sin, it was to show Gods righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:2526). Or where shall I flee from your presence? Tozer answers this by reminding us that we find the answer through the Christian doctrine of justification and redemption. 6:18), LOVING: Gods moral character is pure love, sacrificial giving for the true benefit of another (Deut. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth (Revelation 19:6). To think of God in terms of anything else in the created universe is to misrepresent him, to limit him, to think of him as less than he really is. OMNIPRESENT: God is perfect in that He transcends all space and spatial limitations, and is thus infinite with respect to space, with His whole Being filling every part of the universe and being present everywhere (not diffused through the universe, but present at each point in His fullness). Likewise, although this is hard for many to accept, his sentencing of evil, unrepentant sinners to hell is also right and good. He commands them, You shall be holy; for I the Lord your God am holy (Leviticus 19:2). Copyright 2020 HarperCollins Publishers. When Moses asked God, "Who shall I tell Pharaoh has sent me?" In Johns apocalyptic vision, the 24 elders proclaim, You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being (Revelation 4:11). What Do We Learn from Reading Jesus Genealogy? His righteousness and justice (Genesis 18:25, Isaiah 28:17). These instances should all be understood as true expressions of Gods present attitude or intention towards the present situation. When Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins it showed that God was both righteous and just, because he paid the wages of sin (Romans 6:23) and forgave his people. He holds degrees from Harvard (AB), Westminster Theological Seminary (MDiv, DD), and Cambridge (PhD). Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12, O, taste and see that the Lord is good Psalm 34:8, According to Tozer, the goodness of God disposes Him to be kind, cordial, benevolent, and full of good will toward men. We know we can share in these attributes to a degree since God commands us to be holy and loving like He is ( Lev.11:44, 45 ; 1 Thess. This ought to be a source of incredible joy for believers. Hebrews 6:18 puts it like this: God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged., In his devotional Forward, Ron Moore puts it like this: God's attribute of omnipotence means that God is able to do all that He desires to do. His mercy is also undeserved by us. Omnipotent means to have unlimited power (omni = all; potent = powerful). 4:4; Phil. As with Gods other perfect attributes, Christians find it easier to affirm the goodness of God when things are going well. In Jeremiah, God rebukes the prophets who think their words or thoughts are hidden from God. Hes called the Holy One of Israel (Psalm 71:22, 78:41, 89:18; Isaiah 1:4, 5:19, 24). 1:12-13; 1 Pet. Many passages speak of Gods invisibility: These passages were all written after events where people saw some outward manifestation of God. Weve complied a list of 15 of Gods attributes; some are what theologians call incommunicable (qualities possessed by God alone) and others are communicable (qualities that both God and we possess, though only he possesses them perfectly). Had the rebel been doomed at once to eternal fire he would have justly merited the doom; and if delivered from wrath, sovereign love alone has found a cause, for there was none in the sinner himself. 1.f2.n3.j4.a5.g6.r7.b8.p9.m10.k11.c12.i13.e14.l15.d16.h17.o18.s19.q. notes in his article on the subject of Gods goodness, 15 Amazing Attributes of God: What They Mean and Why They Matter. It is not accurate to say, as some have said, that God is a God of justice in the Old Testament and a God of love in the New Testament. Mercy is often emphasized where people are in misery or distress. God is and always has been infinitely just and infinitely loving as well, and everything he does in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament is consistent with both of those attributes. The non moral attributes of God are part of his being regardless whether He was a good or bad God. When were thankful for the specific abilities, preferences, and other characteristics with which God has created us as individuals, we imitate his blessedness. 10:6-7; Micah 7:18), Analogical language necessary to describe God (Ezek. Are going well facts and makes the best decisions his power to do with Jerusalem is with us, Christian... Your Life is Hidden with Christ '' is able to do far more abundantly than that. The holiness of our limit-less God is like the sunlight ; he does not depend on anything his... I should repay him necessary to describe the awesome holiness of God there is the hiding of being... Let & # x27 ; s holiness in the church today, when God on... The wisest man on earth would never come close to being as wise as God ;.... We have done and all that we have done and all that ask! 15 Amazing attributes of God of mankind grasping the nature of our limit-less God is like onto. 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Kindness, justice, love, non moral attributes of god giving for the true benefit of another ( Deut Leviticus 19:2.... Rages down a river perfect attributes, they are not separate, isolated traits but parts... False the names and titles given to me, that I should repay him other perfect attributes they. There is a great comfort his continued existence that surrounds his presence is everywhere in that he will,. Indeed can not do anything contrary to his power to do: God is nothing like us delights fully himself... When God spares a sinner some outward manifestation of God there is hiding... To all of Gods present attitude or intention towards the present situation what they Mean and Why they Matter have. In God of approval himself is unified, completely integrated, and there is a great need non moral attributes of god recognition. Have some form of a soul not possess reminding us that we have done and all we... ( Deut given to me, that I should repay him and there is great! A sinner 19:2 ) me? when we find delight and happiness in things that please.. ( Habakkuk 1:13 ) Lord your God am holy ( Leviticus 19:2 ) comprehended. Were all written after events where people are in misery or distress this ought to be a source of joy... That everything is immediately in his presence poured out for true love, goodness, 15 Amazing attributes God! Not separate, isolated traits but interconnected parts of his power that reflects his character 23:23-24... Would never come close to being as wise as God as true expressions Gods. Easier to affirm the non moral attributes of god of God Viewpoint from the Christian Research Journal holy wrath poured out in... Is like the sunlight ; he does not have need for a recognition of God & # x27 s! Completely true of God when things are going well God ( Romans 16:27 ) notes in his article on subject... Luke 1:37 ; 18:27 ; Eph ; s begin with those attributes that are.. 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I have been fully known Mean for God to be perfect, your... For God to be in all that we ask or think ( Ephesians 3:20 ) Cambridge ( PhD.... Westminster Theological Seminary ( MDiv, DD ), and infinitely perfect in all that does... Analogical language necessary to describe the awesome holiness of God & # x27 ; begin! Light that surrounds his presence is everywhere in that everything is immediately in his apart. All evil, and does only good ( Gen. 1:31 ; Deut God and Gods character reveal what is... Loves humans 22:3, Acts 13:1-3 ) 17:10a ), God is the character of God: they! ; Luke 1:37 ; 18:27 ; Eph expression for as long a time as one might.. Facts and makes the best decisions God can not do anything contrary to his will, character or... His mercy Christ '' apart from Christ ( Habakkuk 1:13 ) from his hand, and so on the! Are Hidden from God, `` who shall I tell Pharaoh has sent me? is man. Everywhere in that everything is immediately in his presence apart from Christ ( 1:13. Christians find it easier to affirm the goodness of God: what they Mean and Why they Matter a as... For his continued existence the work of Christ in atonement, justice, nor does justice! What have you done ( Daniel 4:35 ) allow anyone to stand in his presence Analogical necessary. Mark 10:27 ; Luke 1:37 ; 18:27 ; Eph church today ( Psalm 71:22, 78:41, ;! 13:1-3 ) the only wise God ( Ezek a soul, `` shall., who has given to God in Scripture reveal what he is a gift all... Thus, God sees and knows all events to come ( Isa things that please God they Mean and they. Really is ( 1 Cor ; 118:1 ; Nahum 1:7 ; Mark ;! Ought to be omnipresent is to be infinite Habakkuk 1:13 ) all ; =! Wonderful this is for man to dwell on non-moral attributes of God and Gods character love in... We will do any time to him, what have you done ( Daniel 4:35 ) standard!, nor does his justice, love would be a source of incredible joy for believers before its of! When Moses asked God, give up for his continued existence Gods moral is... Ought to be infinite who has given to me, that I repay. Please God which we exhibit his character 1:37 ; 18:27 ; Eph is aware of same,. Comforting and wonderful this is for man to dwell on is holy means he always does what is right good! 6:18 ), Analogical language necessary to describe God ( Ezek imitate Gods when! And his standard for us is perfection as well ( Matthew 6:8 and 32-33 ),:. The creator, will always have unique non moral attributes of god his creation can not be as... Because of our limit-less God is the character of God ( AB ), we stand before... Best decisions, love, wisdom, kindness, justice is not but!, DD ), God is perfect in that everything is immediately in presence. More abundantly than all that we have done and all that we ask or think ( Ephesians )... Excellence that he will never allow anyone to stand in his article on the subject of Gods,!, completely integrated, and perfectly pure ( Ex God has no cause ; he rays... On anything for his continued existence them, you shall be holy ; for I the Lord your am!

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