Doctrine of God: Attribute

Review

1. What doctrine that we have learned helps us understand what we can know about God?

1A. Answer: The doctrine of general revelation and special revelation.

2. What attributes about God can we learn through general revelation?

2A. Hint: Read Romans 1:20

Romans 1:20 ESV

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

3. How do we learn about God’s visible attributes then?

3A. Through special revelation.

God’s Attributes

God’s attributes can be understood in two major categories: His attributes describing Himself and His attributes towards His creation.

Think about your best friend, describe them to me…how do you know what your saying to me about your friend is true?

Attributes Describing God Himself

There are many attributes in Scripture describing God in Himself, such as His self-existence, simplicity, eternity, infinity, etc. but we are going to focus on four that are central to understanding God.

1. God’s Omnipresence

2. God’s Omniscience

3. God’s Omnipotence

4. God’s Glory

God’s Omnipresence

Lexham Survey of Theology God’s Omnipresence

Omnipresence is the name for the Christian belief that God is everywhere present and is not limited to any location or physical space.

Don’t be mistaken...Pantheists believe omnipresence to be that God takes up space everywhere, or that God simply exceeds that spatial limitations of the universe. This is not what omnipresence means.

Omnipresence is stating that God is present everywhere because he is not localized anywhere.

This is very related to two other doctrines, God is eternal and God is spiritual. Eternal means that God is not bound by time but is equally present in all times. Spiritual means God is not bound by physicality but is instead present in all places.

What’s the Bible Say?

Psalm 139:7–10 ESV

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

1 Kings 20:28 ESV

And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ ”

1 Kings 8:27–29 ESV

“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place.

How should we respond?

Should we respond out of fear and shame?

Should we respond in worship?

Should we feel comfort and protection?

God is everywhere, all the time, not just a part of God but all of God. His presence brings kings to their knees, and His enemies tremble at His name. However, His children turn to Him whenever they can, they love the sound of His voice, they submit their entire lives to Him.

In my life, God’s omnipresence...

Discipleship

Time for you to be a theologian...

How can you explain God’s omnipresence?

If God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, how do you explain omnipresence in light of the life of Jesus?

How does God’s omnipresence make you feel?