Thoughts on the Attributes of God - by Jovan Payes

There are few biblical subjects that demand as must attention as does the attributes of God. Unfortunately, it seems sometimes insufficient attention to this topic is given.

We are not overstating the case when it is suggested that as a consequence of neglecting a specific study of the attributes of God, unbiblical concepts are formulated on the part of many Bible students regarding God and his attributes; not to mention, the demonstration of one's obedience to his Creator (Eccl. 12.13).

The scope of this subject is so vast; however, that obviously it cannot be addressed completely in such a minute space as this. However, there are numerous items that we can address. The particular lines of thought considered below are crucial to the formulation of a balanced and biblical understanding of God and his attributes.

The Goal to Understand God and His Attributes is a Paradox
A paradox is basically two statements that sound contradictory, but actually are not. When we say that understanding God and his attributes is paradoxal, we are referring the two pictures that the Bible presents. On the one hand, God can be known by humanity. On the other hand, Scripture presents God as beyond total human comprehension.[1] Look at an example of this contrast:

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. (1 John 2.3)

And the peace of God, which surpasses all under-standing, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4.7)[2]

When Scripture makes reference to the fact that we can know God, we must not conclude that we know God exhaustively. We know God to the limit that He has revealed himself to humanity – through Scripture and Nature (Eph. 4.6; Rom. 1.19-20). Beyond His revelation, we cannot search (Isa. 40.28; 1 Cor. 2.10-16).

Despite the fact that we cannot understand God beyond what is revealed, we must constantly remember that his revelation can be adequately understood (John 6.44-45). Furthermore, his written revelation will be the measure by which man will be ultimately judged (2 Thess. 1.8; Jude 3).

Philosophies such as subjectivity or postmodernity will not be the standard of judgment; instead, it will be righteousness (Acts 17.31; John 12.48ff).

Synthesizing the Biblical Teaching on God
Understanding God and his attributes must be based upon a synthetic process of reasoning. In other words, we must not focus upon one attribute to the exclusion of all the rest.

To focus upon one attribute to the exclusion of another is to be unduly analytical. Analysis literally means to break apart to the most basic components for the purpose of individual study. This can be done to great profit; however, we must remember that God is every attribute at the same time (cf. Matt. 5.48).

God’s attributes exist in harmony in such an infathomable fashion, that we agree with the inspired Paul who observed that God is beyond total human comprehension (Rom. 11.33).

It is truly ironic when Atheist who are woefully ignorant of the Bible, or even when supposed Bible scholars presumptuously act as if they know God better than God (Isa. 55.6-11). No finite being has the intrinsic ability to prescribe what an infinite God can or should not do.

The Attributes of God are Cooperative
We must understand that the attributes of God are cooperative, not divisive. Where humans are prone to sacrificing one or more of their characteristics for another, God alone exists with all of his attributes intact. God’s goodness is not diminished by his mercy; neither is his justice altered by his love and good will, nor is his holiness infringed upon when God enacts his wrath.

As we underscored above, we must understand God and his attributes synthetically. The attributes of God never cancel each other out; otherwise, God would not be God and infinite. Furthermore, he will never do anything that would diminish or contradict any of his attributes. If he did, it would mean that he is not infinite in all of his attributes; hence, not the God of the Bible – the only true God (1 Thess. 1.9).

Contemplating the Attributes of God
We will briefly introduce a number of attributes of God and observe that there is no way to accept one attribute to the exclusion of another. These observations are made in light of the fact that so many sincere people extract one attribute that is most appealing to them, and divorce it from the totality of the nature of God.

Virtually everything we believe and practice religiously goes back to our perception of God; consequently, if our perception of God is skewed our beliefs will be too.

1. The attribute of love. Among many of the more popular attributes of God which religionists cleave to is his love. The Bible says that “God is love” (1 John 4.16). The term here used is agape, and expresses behavior that has another’s best interest in mind.[3] Furthermore, action is taken to obtain the best possible state of being for another. This is expressed clearly in the sacrifice of Jesus, where God agape-loved the whole world, that he demonstrated the measure of his concern for our best spiritual interests by sending his son to give us spiritual life (John 3.16). But, we live under false assumptions if we exclude that God is equally demonstrative in his other attributes, like his just wrath (John 3.33-36).
2. The attribute of justice. Justice includes God’s ability to evaluate humanity’s moral and immoral actions, and as its judge respond apprpriately (Gen. 18.25). Sometimes in God’s infinite justice certain actions, or punishments, are taken that do not make sense to finite humanity. For example, since God is holy, and will not allow sin to be in his presence (Lev. 16.13-15), sinners deserve estrangement from his presence (Isa. 59.1-2ff). That is the magnitude of sin (Rom. 3.23, 5.12). The ultimate estrangement is an eternal punishment in hell (Rev. 20.14). While some have over stressed the wrath aspect of the justice of God (cf. Jonathon Edwards[4]), it must be constantly reminded that God is also infinite in the mercy aspect of his justice.
3. The attribute of mercy. The attribute of mercy is profoundly important to consider here. It seems that despite the just punishment of estrangement from God due to our sins, redemptive mercy had to be made and offered to humanity for God to be God. Observe this quote:
   

   [23] [F]or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus [25] whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. [26] It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Rom. 3.23-26)

   His mercy and justice did not clash, but work harmoniously. Humans probably do not like the idea that punishment is still there looming in the possible future should they reject God’s mercy (Matt. 23.33; Mark 16.16). This disposition says more about the limitation or incompletion of our finite concept of justice and mercy, than it does about the alleged incompatibility of eternal punishment for unforgiven sin.
4. The attribute of omnipotence. Defining omnipotence is extremely important. Thomas B. Warren presents a helpful description of the omnipotence of God:
   

   God can do whatever is possible to be done (that is, he can accomplish whatever is subject to power), and that (in harmony with his perfection in goodness and in justice) he will only do what is in harmony with the absolute perfection of his own nature.[5]

   The omnipotence of God is a two-sided concept. God has infinite power, but God only uses that power in harmony with his other attributes (mercy, holiness, etc.). Power cannot violate any of God’s other infinite attributes, even if he is employing infinite power. Note these examples: God cannot lie (Titus 1.2), God cannot be tempted with evil (Jas. 1.13), and God cannot be illogical since he is the foundation of logic. These are things that no amount of power can accomplish.

In conclusion, studying the attributes of God is of supreme importance, since much of what we practice and believe, stems from our conception of God. Let us develop a biblical picture of God, so we will not create a god in the image of our ignorance.

As we study this subject, let us remember that:

(1) Understanding God and his attributes is paradoxal.

(2) Understanding God and his attributes must be synthetic.

(3) We must understand that the attributes of God are cooperative, not divisive.

Finally, let us reflect upon what Moses has written:

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deut. 29.29)

Sources

1. Gilmore, Ralph. "Four Paradoxes of Our Sovereign God." Unpublished essay, 2004. Freed-Hardeman University. Henderson, TN; pp. 3-4.
2. All Scriptural quotations are taken from the English Standard Version of the Holy Bible (Wheaton: Crossway, 2001).
3. Newman, Jr., Barclay M. A Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament. Stuttgart: Deutsche Biblegesellschaft, 1993; p. 2.
4. Edwards, Jonathon. "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." 8 July 1741. Leadership U Online. 6 March 1997. Accessed: 24 July 2007.
5. Warren, Thomas B. Have Atheists Proved there is no God? Moore, OK: National Christian, 1972; p. 27.