Chapter 7
The
Attributes of God
“And this is
life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom thou hast sent.” -- John 17:3
There is no possibility of
salvation, no possibility of eternal life, no possibility of true Christianity
apart from knowing God in his true character, as he is revealed in Holy
Scripture. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that we have some knowledge
and understanding of the Divine character, that we know the attributes of God’s
Being, the perfections of his nature. A proper, biblical knowledge of God’s
attributes is essential to saving faith. That person who claims to believe God,
but has no idea what his character is, is deluded with a false faith. Our Lord
Jesus tells us plainly, "And this is
life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom thou hast sent." A knowledge of God’s character, his attributes,
lies at the very foundation of true religion.
Knowledge Essential To Faith
It
is impossible to trust and love God until we know who he is, until we know the
character of his Being. Indeed, it is impossible for us to know our need of
such a Savior as Christ is until we have some concept of the infinitely holy
character of God. We may be terrified by the fear of wrath to come and of
eternal judgment, and we may be delighted by the hope of escaping the wrath of
God in hell through Christ; but that is not salvation. Jesus Christ is not a
fire-escape from hell. He is the revelation of and way to the living God.
Eternal life, true Christianity, true salvation is a knowledge of God as God,
faith in God as God, and love for God as God.
Yet,
our Lord Jesus tells us that “God is
Spirit.” Because God is Spirit, he cannot be known by natural senses and
abilities. He can be known by us only as he is pleased to reveal himself to us
in his Word and works, through the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:
1-3, 14-18).
What are God’s attributes?
The attributes of God are
the perfections of his nature, the characteristics of his Being as God. God’s
attributes are those traits of character essential to Divinity. As we look at
the attributes of God revealed in the Scriptures, remember that if even one of
these attributes did not belong to him, he would not and could not be God.
These are the things which are essential to Godhood.
Theologians
have many ways of classifying the Divine attributes. Some have classified them
as communicable and incommunicable. Communicable attributes
are those which are communicated to rational creatures (angels and men). They
would be wisdom, power, righteousness, love, and mercy. Incommunicable
attributes are attributes belonging to God alone, such as infinity, immutability,
omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence.
Others
have attempted to classify the attributes of God as natural and moral. They would, for example, say that
infinity, eternality, and omnipotence are among God’s natural attributes, and
that holiness, justice, and truth are moral attributes.
There
are other ideas put forth by men to classify God’s attributes; but the Bible
never attempts to do so. When trying to understand the character of our God, we
must recognize that this is a subject so majestically sublime that it is simply
inappropriate to attempt to analyze God and divide his nature into parts like a
psychologist dissects the psyche of a man. Instead, we must look at the
glorious attributes of our God with the reverent wander of simplicity.
I
will give a brief sketch of God’s attributes with numerous Scripture texts
illustrating them. Look up each text, read it in its context, and bask your
soul in the contemplation of God’s glorious Being. Here are thirteen of those
attributes which are essential to God’s Being. The list could be much longer;
but some of God’s attributes can be viewed together, simply because they are
intimately connected. For example:
Justice demands Veracity, Omnipresence demands Infinity, and Goodness demands
Love.
1. Self existence -- God Almighty is Life in
himself, independent and underived. His Being is inexhaustible (Ps. 36:9; Isa.
41:4; John 5:26; Acts 17:24-25; Rom. 11:35-36; Gen. 1:1; Ex. 3:14 ).
2. Spirituality -- God is Spirit. He is not just a spirit.
He is Spirit. He has no body or parts like we do. He is the pure, underived,
eternal Spirit (Gen. 1:2; Deut. 4:15-19; Ps. 139:7; Isa. 60:1; Ezek. 37:14;
39:29; Joel 2:28-29; John 4:24; Acts 17:28; Rom. 8:9; 15:1; 1 Cor. 2:11; 2 Cor.
3:17; Phil. 3:3; Heb. 12:9).
3. Unity -- Though there are three
Persons in the Godhead, these three are One and this triune God is the only God
there is (Ex. 20:3; Deut. 4:35,39; 6:4; 1 Sam. 2:2; 2 Sam. 7:22; 1 Kings 8:60;
2 Kings 19:15; Neh. 9:6; Ps. 86:10; Isa. 44:6-8; 45:22; Jer 10:10; Joel 2:27;
Zech. 14:9; Mark 12:29; John 17:3; Rom. 1:21-23; 1 Cor. 8:4-6; Gal. 3:20; Eph.
4:6; 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 John 5:7).
4. Eternity -- God’s eternality means that he always is,
that he is unlimited by time. He is the eternal “I AM” (Gen. 21:33; Ex. 15:18;
Deut. 32:40; 1 Chron. 16:36; Neh. 9:5; Ps. 90:1-4; Isa. 44:6; 48:12; 57:15;
Jer. 10:10; Lam. 5:19; Dan. 4:3, 34; Mic. 4:7; Hab. 1:12; Rom. 1:20; 16:26; 1
Tim. 1:17; Heb. 1:10-12; 2 Pet. 3:8; Rev. 4:8-10).
5. Immutability – God is unchanging and
unchangeable. When the Scriptures declare that God changes not, we are taught
that though he changes all things, nothing moves or changes him. In his Being
and in his purpose, God is unchangeable. That is our security (Ex. 3:15; Num.
23:19; 1 Sam. 15:29; Ps. 33:11; Pro. 19:21; Ecc. 3:14; Isa. 14:24; Ezek 24:14;
Mal. 3:6; Rom. 11:29; Heb. 6:17-18; James 1:17).
6. Omnipresence -- God is unlimited by space. He is
everywhere present, in all the fulness of his being at all times. It means that
he is immanent, that he fills all things with his Being and comprehends all
things in his Being (Gen. 28:15-16; Deut. 4:39; Josh. 2:11; 1 Kings 8:27; Ps.
139:7-10; Pro. 15:3, 11; Isa. 66:1; Jer. 23:23-24; Amos 9:2-4, 6; Acts 7:48-49;
17:27-28; Eph. 1:23).
7. Omniscience -- God knows all things absolutely and at
all times. God’s omniscience must not be confused with his foreknowledge.
Omniscience is an attribute of God’s Being. Foreknowledge is an act of his
grace (Gen. 18:18-19; 25:23; Ex. 3:19; Deut. 31:21; 1 Sam. 2:3; 1 Kings
8:39; 2 Kings 8:10, 13; 1 Chro. 28:9;
Ps. 94:9, 11; 139:1-16; 147:4-5; Pro. 15:3, 11; Isa. 29:15-16; 40:28; Jer.
1:4-5; 16:17; Ezek. 11:5; Dan. 2:22, 28; Hos. 7:2; Amos 4:13; Nah. 1:7; Zech.
4:10; Matt. 6:4, 6, 8, 18; Luke 16:15; Acts 15:8, 18; Rom. 8:27, 29; 1 Cor.
3:20; 2 Tim. 2:19; Heb. 4:13; 1 Pet. 1:2; 1 John 3:20).
8. Wisdom -- God is all wise. He always
accomplishes the best designs by the best possible means (Ps. 104:24; Pro.
3:19; Isa. 28:29; Jer. 10:12; Dan. 2:20-21; Rom. 11:33-36; 1 Cor. 1:24-25, 30;
2:6-7; Eph. 3:10; Col. 2:2-3).
9. Omnipotence -- God is all-powerful, almighty. In the
truest sense nothing is impossible with him. His will, his work, his purpose,
is irresistible; because God is omnipotent (Gen. 1:1; 17:1; 18:14; Ex. 15:7;
Deut. 3:24; 32:39; 1 Sam. 14:6; 1 Chro.
16:25; 2 Chro. 20:6; Job 40:2, 9; 42:2; Ps. 33:9; 135:6; Isa. 40:12-15; Jer.
32:17; Ezek. 10:5; Dan. 3:17; 4:35; Amos 4:13; 5:8; Zech. 12:1; Matt. 19:26;
Mark 10:27; Luke 1:37; 18:27; Rom. 1:20; Eph. 1:19; 3:20; Col. 1:16, 17; Rev.
15:3; 19:6).
10. Holiness – God is absolute moral
purity. He can neither sin nor tolerate sin. All that God is is holy. He
cannot do anything, be anything, associate with, or accept anything short of
absolute, perfect holiness. R. L. Dabney wrote, God’s “holiness is the collective and
consummate glory of his nature.” A. A.
Hodge said, “Infinite, moral
perfection is the crown of his Godhead; holiness is the total glory thus
crowned.” (Ex. 15:11; Lev. 11:44-45; 20:26; Deut. 32:4; Josh. 24:19; 1 Sam.
2:2; 2 Sam. 22:31; Ezra 9:15; Ps. 5:4; 111:9; 145:17; Isa. 6:3; 43:14-15; Jer.
23:29; Ezek. 39:7; Dan. 9:7, 14; Hab. 1:13; Zech. 8:8; Mal. 2:17; Matt. 5:48;
Luke 1:49; John 17:11; James 1:13; 1 Pet. 1:15-16; 1 John 1:5; 3:3; Rev. 4:8;
15:3-4)
11. Justice -- God is
just and always demands justice. He demands righteousness from all his
creatures and always deals righteously toward them, upon the grounds of
absolute, strict justice. God never does anything except that which is just and
right (Gen. 18:23-32; Ex. 20:5-6; Deut. 7:9-10; 10:17-18; 24:16; 2 Chro. 19:7;
Neh. 9:23; Ps. 9:8, 16; 89:14; Pro. 24:12; Isa. 9:7; 45:21; Jer. 17:10; 32:19;
Lam. 1:18; Ezek. 18:1-32; 33:18-20; Dan. 9:7, 14; Nah. 1:3; Zeph. 3:5; Luke
12:47-48; Acts 10:34-35; 17:31; Rom. 3:24-26; 11:2, 5-11; Gal. 2:6; 6:7-8; Eph.
6:8-9; Col. 3:25; Heb. 6:10; 1 Pet. 1:17; 2 Pet. 2:9; 1 John 1:9; Jude 1:14-15;
Rev. 16:17).
12. Goodness – God’s goodness includes his benevolence,
love, mercy, grace, long-suffering, patience, forbearance, and kindness (Gen.
19:16; Ex. 34:6-7; Num. 14:18; Deut. 4:31; 7:7-8; Judges 2:18; 1 Kings 8:23; 2
Kings 13:23; 1 Chro. 16:34; 2 Chro. 30:9; Neh. 9:17, 31; Ps. 23:1-6; 25:8-10;
86:5, 15; Pro. 22:23; Isa. 63:9; Jer. 3:12; 31:3; Lam. 3:22-23; Ezek. 33:11;
Dan. 9:9; Hos. 11:1-4, 8,9; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2, 10, 11; Micah 7:18-20; Nah.
1:7; Zeph. 3:17; Zech. 9:17; Mal. 1:2; Matt. 5:45; 19:17; Luke 1:50; 6:36; John
3:16; Acts 14:17; Rom. 2:4; 5:8; 8:38-39; 2 Cor. 1:3; 13:11; Eph. 2:4, 7; 2
Thess. 2:16; Tit. 2:11; 3:4-5; James 5:11; 1 Pet. 1:3; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 John 3:1;
4:7-10, 16).
13. Faithfulness – The Lord our God is absolutely
trustworthy, dependable, and true in all things. His decrees are sure. His
promises are certain. His words will never fail. We may safely trust him in all
things, with all things, and at all times. (Ex. 34:6; Num. 23:19; Deut. 4:31;
31:7, 9; Josh. 21:43-45; 23:14; 1 Sam. 15:29; 2 Sam. 7:28; 1 Kings 8:24, 56;
Ps. 105:8; 119:89-90; Isa. 25:1; 49:7; Jer. 4:28; Lam. 3:23; Ezek. 12:25;
16:60, 62; Dan. 9:4; Micah 7:20; Luke 18:7-8; John 3:33; Rom. 3:4; 15:8; 1 Cor.
1:9; 10:13; 2 Cor. 1:20; 1 Thess. 5:24; 2 Thess. 3:3; 2 Tim. 2:13; Tit. 1:2;
Heb. 6:18; 10:23; 1 Pet. 4:19; 2 Pet. 3:9, 13; 2 Pet. 3, 4, 8; 1 John 1:9; Rev.
15:3).
How does God reveal his attributes to us?
We see some of our God’s
great attributes in creation. Everything our eyes see, our ears hear, or our
hands handle, in heaven and earth is filled with the glory of the Lord. Even
the unbelieving and the heathen have God’s attributes sufficiently revealed to
them to render them utterly without excuse (Rom. 1:19-20).
The Lord’s attributes are
revealed to us in his Word. Even before the fall, in innocence, Adam and Eve
were ruled by the Word of God, by his revealed will; and God’s revelation of
himself is the revelation of his attributes.
The attributes of God are
somewhat revealed in the character even of fallen men, who are created in the
image of God. Without question, the
image of God in man is terribly effaced since the fall; but man still reflects
his Creator. The law of God is stamped in the hearts of all. And man is so much
a reflection of God, even in his fallen state, that those who abuse, malign, or
murder their neighbors incur the wrath of God in doing so (Gen. 9:6; James
3:9).
Certainly, we see the
attributes of our God in the Lord Jesus Christ, our great and glorious
Redeemer, the incarnate God (John 1:14; Col. 2:9). Though our Lord Jesus veiled
his glorious attributes as God, emptying himself of any display of his
dazzling, essential glory as God, still, Godhood beamed forth and radiated from
him while he walked on this earth as a man. And now, the exalted Christ is
worthy as a man to receive all the honor of his Divine attributes as it is
heaped upon him in his glory (Rev. 5:12).
The law of God, in great
measure, displays the attributes of his Being. The precepts of the law are a
mirror in which we see the reflection of God’s perfections. Each commandment is
an expression of his nature. The book of the law reveals what God loves and
what he hates, what he approves of and what he despises, thus revealing in some
measure what his character is. Still, in all these things (creation, law, man,
even the incarnation), as Job puts it, we see only “parts of his ways” (Job 26:14).
The only total, full,
complete revelation of God’s glory as God, the only full display of his
glorious attributes is the gospel of our great and glorious Savior, the Lord
Jesus Christ. The only place in this world where God is fully revealed is in
the sin-atoning sacrifice of Christ at Calvary for the salvation of God’s
elect. With regard to all the other manifestations of God’s glory, it must be
said, “No man hath seen God at any time.
The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared
him.” It is only in the death of Christ as our Substitute that every
attribute of God’s Being meets and is revealed in perfect harmony.
I do not suggest for a
moment that God’s attributes ever conflict with one another. They do not. But
everywhere else, they appear to conflict. We see many displays of
righteousness, justice, and truth, and of mercy, love, and grace. But only in
our glorious Christ do see them all
displayed fully and perfectly (Ps. 85:9-13).
We
see justice in the flood, and mercy in the ark. We see justice in Sodom’s
destruction, and mercy in Lot’s deliverance. We see justice in the slaying of
the firstborn, and mercy in the salvation of Israel. We see mercy in the
parting of the sea, and justice overflowing Pharaoh’s army. We see justice in
the fires of hell, and mercy in the glories of heaven. But only in the
crucified Son of God, slain as our Substitute for the saving of our souls, do
we see mercy and justice, peace and truth shining forth brilliantly unto the
glory of God (Rom. 3:24-26). This is the glory of the gospel. It reveals the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 4:6).