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Theology Proper: God’s Attributes

KNOWING GOD

Cognitive Knowing
James 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

Personal Knowing
Ephesians 3:17-19 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted
and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and
length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may
be filled with all the fullness of God.

It’s All About Worship


Psalm 9:10-11 And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not
forsaken those who seek you. Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the
peoples his deeds!

Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think it is important to distinguish between two different forms of
“knowing?” What does this help us avoid in our faith?

2. With whom can you share what you are learning in this class? Who in your life does not
know God? Either cognitively or personally?
INCOMMUNICABLE ATTRIBUTES

What are incommunicable attributes?

Five Incommunicable attributes of God


1. God’s independence (self-existence or aseity)

3. God’s unchangeableness (or immutability)

4. God’s eternity (or timelessness)

5. God’s omnipresence

6. God’s unity (or simplicity)

God’s Independence
Definition: God does not need us or the rest of creation for anything, yet we and the rest of
creation can glorify him and bring him joy.

Act 17:24-25 "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and
earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; (25) nor is He served by human hands, as though
He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;

Zephaniah 3:17 “The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over
you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.
God’s Unchangeableness
Definition: God is unchanging in his being, perfections, purposes, and promises, yet God
does act and feel emotions, and he acts and feels differently in response to different
situations.

James 1:17 “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the
Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”

Psalm 33:11 “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to
generation.”

1 Samuel 15:29 “He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man,
that he should change his mind.”

God’s Eternity or Timelessness


Definition: God has no beginning, end, or succession of moments in his own being, and he
sees all time equally vividly, yet God sees events in time and acts in time.

Psalm 90:2 “Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even
from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”

Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who
is to come, the Almighty."

Psalm 90:4 “For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it passes by, Or as a watch
in the night”

2 Peter 3:8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like
a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
God’s Omnipresence
Definition: God does not have size or spatial dimensions and is present at every point of
space with his whole being, yet God acts differently in different places.

Deuteronomy 10:14 “To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth
and everything in it.”

Psalm 139:7-10 “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up
to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of
the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand
will hold me fast.”

God’s Unity
Definition: God is not divided into parts, yet we see different attributes of God emphasized
at different times.

Exodus 34:6-7 Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD
God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; (7)
who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by
no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the
grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."

Discussion Questions
1. Which of these attributes is the greatest comfort to you? Why?

2. Considering who God is, what does that say about us, that he should love us?
COMMUNICABLE ATTRIBUTES

Five Broad Categories for the Communicable Attributes


1. God’s mental attributes e.g. God’s knowledge, wisdom, truthfulness, faithfulness

2. Attributes of purpose e.g. God’s will, freedom, omnipotence, sovereignty

3. Summary attributes e.g. God’s beauty and God’s perfection

4. God’s being e.g. God’s invisibility and spirituality

1. God’s moral attributes e.g. God’s love, God’s patience, God’s jealousy

MENTAL ATTRIBUTES
God’s Knowledge (or Omniscience)
Definition: God fully knows himself and all things actual and possible in one simple and
eternal act. 1

Job 37:16 “Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who is perfect in
knowledge?”

1 John 3:20 “For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”

Isaiah 40:13-14 “Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed him as his counselor?
Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it
that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?”

God’s Wisdom
Definition: God always chooses the best goals and the best means to those goals.

Job 12:13 “With him are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding.”

Psalm 104:24 “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is
full of your creatures.”

1
These definitions are taken from Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology.
Romans 11:33 “O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his
judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”

God’s Truthfulness (Veracity or Reliability) and Faithfulness


Definition: God is the true God. All his knowledge and words are both true and the final
standard of truth.

John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom
you have sent.”

Job 37:16 “Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who is perfect in
knowledge?”

Proverbs 30:5-6 “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.”

Attributes of Purpose
God’s Will
Definition: God’s will is that attribute of God whereby he approves and determines to bring
about every action necessary for the existence and activity of himself and all creation.

Ephesians 1:11 “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who
works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.” (our salvation by God’s will)

Acts 4:27-28 “Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in
this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and
will had decided beforehand should happen.” (circumstances of Christ’s death by God’s will)

James 4:13-15 “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a
year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen
tomorrow. . . . Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” (all the
events of our lives determined by God’s will)
God’s Freedom
Definition: God’s freedom is that attribute of God whereby he does whatever he pleases.

Psalm 115:3 “Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases.”

Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he
will.”

Daniel 4:35 “He does according to his will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘what are you doing?’”

God’s Omnipotence
Definition: God is able to do all his holy will.

Genesis 18:14 “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

Jeremiah 32:17 “Nothing is to hard for you.”

Ephesians 3:20 “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, to him be glory in the church and in Christ
Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

A subset of God’s omnipotence is God’s Sovereignty2

Definition: God’s sovereignty is his exercise of rule (as “sovereign” or “king”) over his
creation.

Summary Attributes
God’s Perfection
Definition: God completely possesses all excellent qualities and lacks no part of any
qualities that would be desirable for him.

Matthew 5:48 “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

2
See Chapter 16 in Grudem’s Systematic Theology and D.A. Carson’s Divine Sovereignty and
Human Responsibility: Biblical Perspectives in Tension.
Psalm 18:30 “His way is perfect.”

God’s Blessedness
Definition: God delights fully in himself and in all that reflects his character.

1 Timothy 6:15 “God, the blessed and only Ruler”

1 Timothy 1:11 “the glorious gospel of the blessed God”

Genesis 1:31 “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”

Isaiah 62:5 “As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.”

God’s Beauty
Definition: God’s beauty is that attribute of God whereby he is the sum of all desirable
qualities.

Psalm 27:4 “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the
Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord.”

God’s Glory
Definition: God’s glory is the created brightness that surrounds God’s revelation of himself.

Psalm 104:1-2 “Praise the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with
splendor and majesty. He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a
tent.”

Luke 2:9 “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they
were terrified.” (God’s glory surrounds Jesus at his birth.)

Matthew 17:2 “There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes
became as white as light.” (God’s glory surrounds Jesus at his transfiguration.)
Attributes of God’s Being
God’s Spirituality
Definition: God exists as a being that is not made of any matter, has no parts or dimensions,
is unable to be perceived by our bodily sense, and is more excellent than any other kind or
existence.

John 4:24 “God is spirit.”

God’s Invisibility
Definition: God’s total essence, all of his spiritual being, will never be able to be seen by us,
yet God still shows himself to us through visible, created things.

John 1:18 “No one has ever seen God” (cf. John 6:46; 1 John 4:12)

1 Timothy 1:17 “To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and
ever. Amen.”

1 Timothy 6:16 “who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever
seen or can see”

Genesis 18:1-33 (God appeared to Abraham) cf. Gen. 32:28-30; Ex. 13:21-22; Ex. 24:9-11; Isa.
6:1
God’s Moral Attributes
God’s Goodness
Definition: God is the final standard of good, and all God is and does is worthy of approval.

Luke 18:19 “No one is good but God alone.”

Psalm 34:8 “O taste and see that the Lord is good!”

Genesis 1:31 “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.”

James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly
lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

God’s Mercy
Definition: God’s goodness toward those in misery and distress.

2 Samuel 24:14 “I am in great distress; let us fall into the hand of the Lord for his mercy is great...”

2 Corinthians 1:3 “Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (Paul describes God as such in the context
of suffering)

God’s Grace
Definition: God’s goodness toward those who deserve only punishment.

Exodus 33:19 (cf. Romans 9:15) “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on
whom I will show mercy.”

1 Peter 5:10 “God of all grace”

Romans 3:23-24 “Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace
as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.”
God’s Patience
Definition: God’s goodness in withholding of punishment toward those who sin over a
period of time.

Exodus 34:6 God is “slow to anger” (Numbers 14:18; Psalm 86:15; Jonah 4:2)

Romans 2:4 “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not
realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?”

1 Timothy 1:16 (cf. Romans 9:22; 1 Peter 3:20) “But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that
in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who
would believe on him and receive eternal life.”

God’s Love
Definition: God eternally gives of himself to others.3

1 John 4:8 “God is love”

John 17:24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the
glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.”

1 John 4:10 “In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the
propitiation for our sins. (God’s love for sinful people)

Romans 5:8 “God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” (cf. John
3:16; Galatians 2:20)

God’s Holiness
Definition: God is separated from sin and devoted to seeking his own honor.

Isaiah 6:3 “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory”

Psalm 71:22 “The Holy One of Israel” (cf. Isaiah 1:4)

Psalm 24:3 “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?”

3
See D.A. Carson’s The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God for an excellent treatment of this
attribute.
God’s Peace (Order)
Definition: In God’s being and in his actions God is separate from all confusion and
disorder, yet he is continually active in innumerable well-ordered, fully controlled,
simultaneous actions.

1 Corinthians 14:33 “God is not a God of confusion but of peace”

Psalm 29:11 “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.”

2 Thessalonians 3:16 “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.
The Lord be with all of you.”

God’s Righteousness (Justice)


Definition: God always acts in accordance with what is right and is himself the final
standard of what is right.

Deuteronomy 32:4 “All his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and right
is he.”

Isaiah 45:19 “I the Lord speak the truth, I declare what is right.”

Romans 9:20-21 “But who are you, a man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder,
‘Why have you made me thus?’ Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one
vessel for beauty and another for menial use?”

God’s Jealousy
Definition: God continually seeks to protect his own honor.

Exodus 34:14 “For you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous
God.” (cf. Deuteronomy 4:24; 5:9)

Isaiah 48:11 “My glory I will not give to another.”

God’s Wrath
Definition: God intensely hates all sin.
Exodus 32:9-10 “I have seen this people . . . now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot
against them and I may consume them.”

Deuteronomy 9:7-8 “Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the
wilderness. . . . Even at Horeb you provoked the Lord your God to wrath, and the Lord was so angry with
you that he was ready to destroy you.”

John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but
he wrath of God rests upon him.”

Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of
men.”

Discussion Questions
1. Which of these communicable attributes inspires you to worship more?

2. Which one of these attributes are you more eager to display or reflect to those around
you?

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