Doctrines Concerning
God in General
C. Some of the attributes of God as revealed in Scripture:
1. God is spirit - He is not dependent on matter.
Joh 4:24
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.Personal Opinion:
Samuel Johnson starts off his definition of spirit with "an immaterial substance". In our everyday world, something which is immaterial can only be a concept of the mind. Jesus comes close to that by comparing it to the wind to Nicodemus. Well, the wind we know is moving air, it is as material as a rock.
A concept of the mind exists no where but in the mind of each and every person who conceives it.
God would seem to be in the same situation except for the fact that he exists whether we believe or not. He certainly does not depend on us for his existence.
But it does seem to please him if we ask him in.
2. God is eternal - He has no beginning or end.
Gen 21:33
And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.Deu 32:40
For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.Psa 90:2
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.1Ti 1:17
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.1Ti 6:15
Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;Rev 1:8
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.Personal Opinion:
OK, all sorts of verses prove God will exist forever in the future and most of them also say "and by-the-way he existed before and created the world". But none of them come right out and claim that he had no beginning.
It stands to reason the his existence goes back infinitely far, but I will still have to keep my eye out for a Bible verse to that effect.
It is self-evident, I say, because it goes along with the idea that God is spirit. Spirit, being a concept not dependent on matter, is not dependent on time or existence of matter in its duration. It is present and exists whether or not the brain matter is around to conceive it.
3. God is infinite - He has no limitations.
2Ch 2:6
But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?Psa 147:5
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.Jer 23:24
Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.Personal Opinion:
These verses seem to have to do with space rather than time. But then, God is light and at the speed that light travels I am to understand from the scientists that space and time have to common sense meaning.
Be-that-as-it -may, I have to wonder about the fallen angels, particularly Satan and even about the unsaved people. Is God present in the physical space taken up by their bodies? I would assume not. But wouldn't that deny his attribute of being infinite?
I'll just have to wonder till I see Him face to face.
4. God is self-existent - He is dependent on nothing for His existence.
Exo 3:14
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.Isa 44:6
Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.Joh 5:26
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;Rev 1:8
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.Personal Opinion:
Here again the verses cited ... well I wonder if they were written to make the claim that God is dependent on nothing for his existence. He is self dependent in the extreme. It makes good sense that He is just by definition. If He were dependent on something else, that something else would be the true God and we get no hint from the Bible that such a person, place or thing exists so why look further than to the God of the Bible.
Maybe that has something to do with the problem of people wanting in the worst way to turn the descriptions in the Bible, specially the Old Testament, into myths. That way they are able to turn what is presented as concrete facts into concepts of their own making and thereby make God dependent on their own imagination; a practice which Paul somewhere warns us about.
5. God is immutable - He is not capable of change.
Num 23:19
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?1Sa 15:29
And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.Psa 33:11
The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.Psa 119:80
Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.Mal 3:6
For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.Jas 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.Personal Opinion:
All the verses cited seem to apply to decisions made by God. Once He decided a point, that's it, no looking back.
But of course there were instances in the Bible where God did change His decision as a result of prayer or just plain logic as explained to Him (by for example Moses).
I would have thought the point that He has the attribute of being immutable had to do with His make-up. But even that is hard to define or come to grips with since he has no physical nature but is spirit.
If He had a physical nature, I would expect it to be infinitely the same, immutable. It does seem strange to conceive of Him having a perfect spiritual existence, a mind of infinite capability and yet to say His mind is immutable, set like concrete.
I would find it more believable that God's mind is active in the infinite degree.
6. God is omniscient - He knows all things.
Job 36:6
He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.Psa 33:13
The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.Psa 139:2
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.Psa 147:5
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.Pro 15:3
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.Amo 9:2
Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:Mat 10:29
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.Mat 10:30
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.Act 15:8
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;Rom 11:33
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!1Jn 3:20
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.Personal Opinion:
It's strange, but at an early age I felt it to be true that God was for sure watching my every move and even able to be actually tuned into my very thoughts.
I wonder where I got that concept - Sunday School, parents, friends? My guess is that I believed it intuitively.
Also, at some time in my life I had the feeling that dead relatives took an interest in my doings and actually watched. The first relative to die, except for an infant cousin, was a grandfather when I was about twenty. I never thought of him as watching. My grandmother died about six years later and I did think of her as taking an interest. My view now is that the dead have far better and more interesting things to do than fret over my comings and goings. Scripture seems to bear me out on that point to the extent that it is silent on the matter
7. God is omnipresent - His presence is in all places at all times.
1Ki 8:27
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?Psa 139:7
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?Psa 139:8
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.Psa 139:9
If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;Psa 139:10
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.Psa 139:11
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.Psa 139:12
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.Isa 66:1
Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?Jer 23:23
Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?Act 17:24
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;Act 17:25
Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;Act 17:26
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;Act 17:27
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:Act 17:28
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.Personal Opinion:
This can be a little bit puzzling. Not until the time of salvation does the believer receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. But here we have it for a fact that God is present in all places at all times. How to reconcile the two facts?What's the big difference between before and after salvation?
There must be a certain sense that just as the power to light up a room is always available, it is not until we make the decision to flip the switch that the power is activated. God leaves the decision to activate his power in our lives to us.
8. God is omnipotent - He is all powerful.
Gen 17:1
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.Job 42:2
I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.Isa 26:4
Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:Mat 19:26
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.Rev 19:6
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.Personal Opinion:
Who would want to put their trust in a God that was almost but not quite omnipotent? Not me.
The creator of the universe, it almost goes with out saying, should have complete power, not lacking in any ability.
Now I suppose we could sit around and think of Him creating a stone too heavy for Himself to lift, but that's just getting into word games which will get us into the trap of us withholding our complete worship of our creator.
I knew when I was six that there must be someone or something completely beyond our abilities to comprehend. It does seem we must come to that point at an early age or go through a rather painful attitude adjustment later on when our minds become set in concrete by self-pride.
9. God is transcendent - He is greater than His creation in every way.
Isa 57:15
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.Personal Opinion:
Now we are getting to the really important stuff, the place where we part with the new age people, the Buddhists, the you name it people who say "sure, I believe in God, just like you, a really powerful God, just like you, You're looking at him. Look in the mirror, you will see him there too. Surprise, surprise, you are God, I am God. We are all God and we never even knew it!!"
How dumb we were.
10. God is immanent - He is actively involved in His creation.
Eph 4:6
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Php 2:5
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:Php 2:6
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:Php 2:7
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:Php 2:8
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.Personal Opinion:
Oh well, who can follow all this? I'll just hope for the best and not go around spouting off to others how much I know about the attributes of God and my assurance that he is actively involved in my daily comings and goings.
It would seem though that the Philippians passage applies only to the time from the birth of Jesus until his death, burial and resurrection. My understanding is that he is not now physically present here on earth but sits at the right of God the Father in heaven. My guess is that all three are "immanent" now, here on earth in their "spiritual" form.
What ever, that's good enough for me.
11. God is sovereign - He has a right to do what He wants with what is His.
Psa 115:3
But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.Psa 147:18
He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.Isa 46:9
Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,Isa 46:10
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:Dan 4:25
That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.Mat 20:15
Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?Personal Opinion:
What a dilemma. We live I n a democracy. We get to pick our leaders. What power. We are in charge of our own destinies. And yet when everyone is in charge, it seems to me that no one is in charge. Our leaders are determined by the winds of change and how they happen to strike and bend the inclination of each and every individual in the voting society.
And yet, we seem to have gotten just the right person to lead us through in times of particular crisis. It does seem to me that this country has been blessed above all others, that God, not blind chance or intelligent voters has carried us through.
And that's the reason that, although I support separation of church and state, I also fear to turn my back on positions clearly contrary to God's written will, written instructions.
12. God is holy - He is totally separated from sin.
Exo 15:11
Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?Lev 11:45
For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.1Sa 2:2
There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.Isa 6:3
And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.Jas 1:13
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:1Pe 1:15
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;Rev 4:8
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.Personal Opinion:
I guess He would have to be holy, He writes the rules. All God needed to do was look in the mirror, so to speak, and describe what He saw.
Another good reason why the King James translators got it right when they translated 1 Corinthians 13:12 "through a glass" not "in a mirror". When we look "in a mirror" all we can hope to see is our own sinful self. We need to look through a clear glass to see a holy, pure God.
13. God is righteous - He always does what is right.
Gen 18:25
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?Mat 5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.1Pe 1:16
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.2Ti 4:8
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.Personal Opinion:
What ever the potter does with his pot is OK. Whether he finds it pleasing or not, it's his call, he can do with it as he wants and none can question his decision.
But it does seem to make prayer into a futile action on our part. God is going to do what is right and needs no coaching from us sideliners.
But we do know He wants us to pray. Jesus says so in the Sermon on the Mount.
Is there any place in the Old Testament where people were instructed by God to pray? I can think of none and yet the Jews were doing it when Jesus walked on earth. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that we need the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a gift which did not happen until after the glorification of Jesus.
14. God is just - He executes His laws, involving both chastisement and reward.
Deu 32:4
He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.Psa 89:14
Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.Psa 119:137
TZADDI. Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments.Psa 145:17
The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.Hos 12:6
Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.Zep 3:5
The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.Rom 2:2
But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.Rev 16:7
And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.Personal Opinion:
I would think we would have to believe God is just or we would would use it as an excuse for unbelief. How could a just God do or allow such and such bad or inequitable thing to happen?
We come to a bad happening and with next to no information or understanding make the judgment that if there is a God, He would not let it happen.
The Bible is a history of God's justice. He makes a rule, we disobey. He makes it plainer, we fail even worse. Now it is just a matter of trust and it is still too hard for most.
15. God is love - He seeks the highest good and glory for His perfections (objects of love).
Joh 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.Rom 8:32
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?2Co 13:11
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.1Jn 4:8
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.Personal Opinion:
There seems to be no doubt that God's love is for all, saved and unsaved. The unsaved have yet to open the door and let it in.
We are instructed to love God in return and to love others. What I have yet to find is a passage that clearly states we are to love the unsaved to the extent we are to love the saved, the brethren, the neighbor. The Old Testament instructions clearly define neighbor as fellow Jew, the chosen of God. The attitude they are to have to the Gentile seems to be to disassociate or even kill.
The New Testament references also seem to instruct us to love the brethren. Even Jesus gives as an example of a neighbor a Samaritan, a hy-bred Jew, but still a worshiper of the true God, not an unsaved Gentile.
16. God is true - He is consistent with Himself, He and His revelation are completely reliable.
Jer 10:10
But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.Joh 3:33
He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.Joh 17:3
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.Rom 3:4
God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.Tit 1:2
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;Heb 6:18
That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:Personal Opinion:
Aren't we chasing our tails here? We have it from a number of prophets that they have it direct from God that God never lies, always tells the truth. The most respectable testimony we can hope for here on earth but still a rather closely Knit group who a scoffer might say had colluded to trick us into believing a lie.
However, the prophets all have a very good track record for truth telling and we would be foolish to contradict and reject their testimony.
17. God is mercy - He does not give the sinner what he deserves.
Psa 103:13
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.Isa 55:7
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.Eph 2:4
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,Jas 5:11
Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.Personal Opinion:
Actually, God does give the sinner what he deserves, eternity separated from Him in darkness. His mercy is for those who repent.
In another sense, He is mercy in that sinners always get fair warning before they enter into sin. Adam and Eve were told ahead of time not to eat the forbidden fruit. All the prophets were sent to warn of sin ahead of time. And all who look at God's creation have ample evidence of his love and reject it.
I would be foolish to pick out examples of sinners who received no warning; who am I to judge? I would have to have a video of their whole lives.
I must take it on faith the warning was there.
18. God is gracious - He gives goodness and love to those who have forfeited it or are undeserving of it.
Eph 1:6
To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.Eph 1:7
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;Eph 2:8
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:Eph 2:9
Not of works, lest any man should boast.Tit 2:11
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,Personal Opinion:
I wonder if this attribute can be said to be infinite? Apparently only Paul brings it up, God's grace that is. Paul is or seems to be the one who stresses the fact that we are undeserving of salvation.
But back to whether or not God's graciousness is infinite. There is the point that some believe God chooses those who get saved, the called ones. I would be interested which verses they point to to back up that view. Possibly they are verses of Jesus' sayings to his disciples explaining that they indeed have been specially picked, called out of the world to witness his death, burial and resurrection and to spread his teachings. That would in no way prove that salvation was limited to a special few disciples.
19. God is faithful - He fulfills all that He has said He will do.
Deu 7:9
Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;Psa 36:5
Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.Psa 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.1Co 1:9
God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.1Jn 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.Personal Opinion:
What a terrible, big job God has in being faithful to all his promises to all people, all his children.
One of the hardest jobs in being a parent is to be consistent, to be faithful in fulfilling our promises, rash or well thought out.
Children, some at least, learn to keep very good track or the promises made by parents (specially those made on the spur of the moment just to hush the kid up) and will cut the parent little slack in fulfilling such rash promises.
But God has infinite wisdom and foresight and no doubt does not get into such binds.
I wonder if he forgives us our rash vows to him. Some say not, but I have hope He does.