This session, "The Attributes of God Part 1," marks the eighth installment in a series exploring Systematic Theology. It follows an introduction to theology, discussions on the existence of God, and a three-part series on the Trinity, emphasizing that doctrine is a "warm and living and vital and absolutely necessary" part of the Christian walk. The anchor text, 1 Timothy 4:13-16, highlights the importance of continuing in doctrine for both personal salvation and effectively leading others.
The primary purpose of studying God's attributes before delving into the individual persons of the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) is to clarify that "each of the attributes of God applies equally to each of the members of the Trinity". This counters the common human tendency to think of three separate gods, or to subordinate one person of the Godhead to another. An attribute is defined as a quality or aspect of God's being or character.
This session focuses on God's incommunicable attributes, which define His identity and transcendence, being those characteristics man can least relate to. These include:
• God is Living: He is not merely a historical fact but the God of the "now" (Exodus 3:14). He is life itself, owes His existence to no one, and is completely independent and self-existent. He is not in a process of becoming or changing, and needs nothing from creation, including mankind, as the Trinity already exists in perfect fellowship. Man was created solely for God's glory and as an expression of His perfect love. Living worship, not "dead routine procedure," is required.
• God is Personal: He desires to be known intimately and is referred to by personal names like Lord, King, Judge, Shepherd, Husband, and Father. He thinks, feels, wills, laughs, gets angry, and sorrows, engaging in personal relationships and covenants. Jesus Christ serves as the ultimate proof of God's personality, as God appeared in human history as a man.
• God is Spirit: He is not flesh and blood, material, or a force, but completely invisible with no body. As a spirit, He is not composite, knows no limits, is absolutely free from internal struggles or instincts, and is not bound by His own nature or moral law, as He is moral law. God's promises are expressions of His nature to be trusted, not legal terms to coerce Him. Worship must be "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:4).
• God is Eternal: He has no beginning or end, existing in the past, present, and future simultaneously. He sees all of time with equal vividness, never learning or forgetting. This means our sin is never hidden, yet His forgiveness, through Christ's blood, is vast enough to overcome it. Jesus' statement "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58) underscored His claim to be eternal God.
• God is Infinite: He is unlimited and unbounded by space or anything else.
◦ Immense: God is not confined or limited by the universe itself.
◦ Omnipresent: He transcends all spatial limitations and is present at every point in space with
His whole being, all the time. This implies that all things are "naked and open to the eyes of him" (Hebrews 4:13), extending to our thoughts and actions. Even in hell, God is present to sustain, though His presence is experienced as an absence of blessing and communication.
• God is Immutable (Unchangeable): He is completely without change in His being, perfections, will, purposes, and promises, exhibiting dependability and constancy. Instances of God "repenting" in scripture reflect His unchanging response to man's changing actions, not a change in His own character or will. Our salvation and hope depend on His unchangeableness.
• God's Unity: God is not a composite being; all His characteristics exist together as one whole, all the time. Each member of the Trinity possesses all these attributes without measure, all the time.
Understanding these attributes is crucial, as they demand reflection on "what manner of persons ought we to be" in our conduct, thoughts, and relationships, always in His constant presence.