A brief study of the Attributes of God An overview

What we are not going to attempt . . Discussing Proofs for existence of God * Detailing the doctrine of The Trinity General and Special Revelation - God reveals Himself to us in Creation, The Scriptures, and His Son. * Examining Extensive Scriptural proof texts – there are just too many.

For the purposes of this study, we will assume all of these! That the One Triune God exists and has revealed Himself to us in Creation, Scripture and in His Son. That God is one and all of his attributes are always there and equally in the three persons of the Trinity. That we have “finite human” and moral limitations and need faith and the Holy Spirit.

A Definition of “Attribute” “The Characteristics of God which distinguish Him as God” “Whatever God has in anyway revealed as being true about Himself” “It is also something that we can conceive as being true of Him.” “An attribute, as we can know it, is a mental concept, an intellectual response to God's self-Revelation”

Tozer talks about the Overwhelming Problem of God . . . “Who He is, What He is Like and What we as moral beings in His image must do about Him.” Small Groups Reading and Discussing Chapter 1 of The Knowledge of the Holy: Why We must Think Rightly About God

Two Weeks on the “Incommunicable” Attributes – Those that set God apart from His Creatures Three Weeks on God’s Attributes expressed towards Creation, The Fallen, The Redeemed One Week on What man has and should do in Glorifying God

A brief study of the Attributes of God The Solitary God

Knowledge of The Holy: Chapters 2, 5, 6, 7 God’s “Self ie” Self-Existence Self-Sufficient Eternal Incomprehensible Knowledge of The Holy: Chapters 2, 5, 6, 7

I AM THAT I AM

Some Definitions . . . “Spirit” = Incorporeal and personal Incommunicable – Those Characteristics of God that are unique to Him. Communicable – Those Characteristics of God that are reflected in his creatures. Transcendence – God is completely separate from all creation Immanence – God is fully present and involved in all creation

Westminister Assembly

Westminster Assembly Met 1643 - 1649 Called by the Long Parliament During English Civil War to settle Religious Issues 121 Clergy and 30 observers Attempts to Revise 39 Articles – chose to write a Confession of Faith Oath: Scriptural Authority – For God's Glory Rule: Prove it out of Scripture - Confession resubmitted for proof Texts Added Catechisms for instructing Ministers and Children

Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter II Paragraph 1 There is but one only living and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute, working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will, for his own glory, most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek him; and withal most just and terrible in his judgments; hating all sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty.

Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter II Paragraph 2 God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself; and is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; he is the alone foundation of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom, are all things; and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth. In his sight all things are open and manifest; his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature; so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain. He is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands. To him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience he is pleased to require of them.

Westminster Catechisms Westminster Larger Catechism #7 : God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection; all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere present, almighty, knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. Westminster Shorter Catechism #4 : God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.

Larger Catechism #7 God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection; all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere present, almighty, knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.

Shorter Catechism #4 “God's Glory is the sum total of all of his attributes as well as any of his attributes.” “What ever God is He is completely and simultaneously.” The chief end of man is to Glorify God and enjoy Him forever

Self Existence

Self Sufficient

Eternal

The Doctrine of Trinity In the unity of the Godhead there be three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternal begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son. That historic, orthodox teaching on the Trinity eliminates many possible misunderstandings of its nature, such as these: We worship three gods Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three different names for God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three different parts of God God shows up at different times as either Father, Son, or Holy Spirit Jesus is a lesser god than the Father or a created god Jesus is fully God, but he was not fully man The Holy Spirit is an impersonal force from God