Theology 4: The Nature of God — His Natural Attributes

Because finite man is incapable of comprehending the essence of an infinite Being, God reveals or "explains" Himself through His attributes. The attributes of God are defined as those essential, permanent, and distinguishing characteristics which may be affirmed of His being.

For us, it is difficult to distinguish between the attributes and the essence of God.

Another definition states the attributes of God are "those perfections of His divine being which are declared in scripture or are visibly exercised by Him in His works of creation and redemption."

There have been various attempts to classify the attributes of God. They generally fall into two classifications: moral," or "communicable and incommunicable," or "positive and negative," or "absolute and relative."

In our studies we will classify the divine attributes as natural (8) and moral (12).

The natural attributes of God are those which pertain uniquely and exclusively to His very existence. They cannot be communicated to any other created being.

These attributes are His:

Unity

Trinity

Self-Existence

Omniscience

Omnipotence

Omnipresence

Eternality

Immutability

The previous lecture considered the Unity and the Trinity of God. This lecture will concern itself with the remaining six natural attributes.

I. The Self-Existence of God.

It is not correct to say that God is the cause of Himself. The existence of God does not have to be accounted for.

A. What Do We Mean by the Self-Existence of God?

We mean that God is absolutely independent of all else but Himself for the continuity and perpetuity of His being.

• God is "self-sustaining."

• He is the first cause, Himself uncaused.

B. The self-existence of God Stated.

This m "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" - Exodus 3:14. *the Father hath life in himse/P' - John 5:26. "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! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?*— Romans 11:33-35. The Name Jehovah means "I AM that I AM," or literally, The self existent One." II. THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD This means that God is "all-knowing." The Bible teaches that God is all-knowing and absolutely perfect in knowledge: "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!" - Romans 11:33. *Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?" - Job 37:16. "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him"- // Chronicles 16:9. "For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things"-/ John 3:20. Omniscience is "infinity in relation to intelligence." A. GENERAL EXAMPLES OF GOD'S OMNISCIENCE: 1. It Is All-inclusive "...and knoweth all things" - / John 3:20. 2. God Knows From Eternity Past That Which Shall Be Eternity Future: "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world" - Acts *Remember the former things of old: for l am God, and there is none else; / am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and / will do all my pleasure:" - Isaiah 46:9,10. 3. God Knows The Whole Plan Of The Ages And Man's Part In It. Ephesians 1:8-11. B. PARTICULAR EXAMPLES OF GOD'S OMNISCIENCE: 1. God Knows All About His Creation. Psalm 147:4; Matthew 10:29; Hebrews 4:13.

2 God Knows Every Action Of Man. Psalm 139:2; Proverbs 15:3. 3. God Knows Every Word Ever Spoken. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LoRD, thou knowest # altogether" — Psalm 139:4. 4. God Knows Every Thought. Psalm 94:11; 139:1; 1 Chronicles 28.9. 5. God Knows Every Sorrow *And he Loco said, Thave surely seen the afficign of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for i know their sorrows" — Exodus 3:7. Note: More discussion about God's omniscience is covered in Lecture 6. I. THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD This means that God is "all-powerful." This attribute refers to God's unlimited power by which He can bring everything to pass which He wills. It does not mean He can do (or does) anything contrary to His will — if this were so, He would not be omnipotent, but impotent! Omnipotence is "infinity in relation to energy." A. THE FACT OF GOD'S OMNIPOTENCE STATED: "But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" - Matthew 19:26. 1 know that thou canst do every thing" - Job 422. "Is any thing too hard for the Loro?" — Genesis 18:14. *Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee" - Jeremiah 32:17. "Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth" - Isaiah 40:26. B. EXAMPLES OF GOD'S OMNIPOTENCE IN NATURE: 1. God's Creative Power — Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 11:3. 2. God's Sustaining Power — Colossians 1:17. 3. God's Controlling Power — Psalm 107:25-29; Nahum 1:5,6. C. EXAMPLES OF GOD'S OMNIPOTENCE IN HUMAN EXPERIENCE: 1. Joseph. Genesis 39:2,3,21 — power to change circumstances.