The Attributes of God pt. 1...

Do you suppose it’s a good idea to study God? Why or why not?

Look up the following verses and write down the blessing or value that comes from studying God.

John 17:3 CSB

This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent—Jesus Christ.

,

Philippians 3:8 CSB

More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ

Phil. 3:8

Phil. 3:82 Peter 1:2, 2:20, 1 John 5:20

1 John 5:20

1 John 5:20 CSB

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true one. We are in the true one—that is, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

It needs to be stated from the outset that God is not just ‘another’ deity, existing to satisfy our religious curiosity and whims, and always ready to gratify our selfish desires. On the contrary, He is the only true and living God, who is able to do with us as He pleases. He is the Creator and King of the universe, and the sole source and sustainer of all life—natural (; ; ), spiritual and eternal. Without him nothing was made that has been made (), and without a saving knowledge of Him, His creatures are void of hope, and fit only to be banished from His presence for ever.

:20It needs to be stated from the outset that God is not just ‘another’ deity, existing to satisfy our religious curiosity and whims, and always ready to gratify our selfish desires. On the contrary, he is the only true and living God, who is able to do with us as he pleases. He is the creator and king of the universe, and the sole source and sustainer of all life—natural (; ; ), spiritual and eternal. Without him nothing was made that has been made (), and without a saving knowledge of him, his creatures are void of hope, and fit only to be banished from his presence for ever ().

What happens to those who don’t know God ?

When we come to talk about the character of God or His attributes, we obviously know that we are not able to say everything all at once.

For our purposes we will divide God’s attributes into two categories.

The incommunicable attributes of God (that is, those attributes that God does not share or “communicate” to others) and

The communicable attributes of God (those God shares or “communicates” with us).

Examples of the incommunicable attributes would be

God’s eternity (God has existed for all eternity, but we have not),

Unchangeableness (God does not change, but we do), or

Omnipresence (God is everywhere present, but we are present only in one place at one time).

Examples of the communicable attributes would be

Love (God is love, and we are able to love as well)

Knowledge (God has knowledge, and we are able to have knowledge as well)

Mercy (God is merciful, and we are able to be merciful too)

Justice (God is just and we, too, are able to be just).

This classification of God’s attributes into two major categories is helpful.

The Incommunicable Attributes of God

The incommunicable attributes have their fullest expression in the name Elohim or God. They emphasize the absolute being of God, who is both infinite and self-sufficient, and affirm His exaltedness and incomparableness, being neither found in nor shared by His creatures.

The Self-Existence of God

Look up the following verses: ; . With the phrase “In the beginning God...” () in mind, what do we learn about God? _________________________________

“In the beginning, God.” There was no heaven, where His glory is now particularly manifested. There was no earth to engage His attention. There were no angels to sing His praises. There was no universe to be upheld by the word of His power. There was nothing, no one, but God; and that not for a day, a year, or an age, but “from everlasting.” During a past eternity God was alone—self-contained, self-sufficient, in need of nothing. Had a universe, or angels, or humans been necessary to Him in any way, they also would have been called into existence from all eternity. Creating them when He did added nothing to God essentially. He changes not (), therefore His essential glory can be neither added to nor diminished.

Look up . Why does God work out anything? ___________________________

In 1:5 according to what, were we predestined to become his adopted sons and daughters?_____________________

If by chance, you think that God saving you adds to God’s greatness, read . What is said their about God’s Name in relationship to our praise? _______________

Look up .

In v34-35 Paul is underlining the unsearchable nature of God’s wisdom as he cites from the OT.

In v34 God needed no counselor when He determined and planned how He would bring salvation for both Jews and Gentiles which was effected by Christ!

Shenton, T. (2005). Our Perfect God: A Summary of the Attributes of God (p. 15). Leominster, UK: Day One Publications.

Shenton, T. (2005). Our Perfect God: A Summary of the Attributes of God (p. 8). Leominster, UK: Day One Publications.

In v35 Paul cites . Which is part of the Lord’s response to Job’s complaints () in which he questions Job and demonstrates the smallness of Job’s wisdom compared to the vastness of the Lord’s wisdom. In this context the Lord asks Job: ‘Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me’ (). Paul cites this text to show that God’s great salvation plan is implemented, not because He is under any obligation towards humanity, as if He has to repay them. Rather, He implements it, as Paul has insisted, as a matter of sheer grace (cf. 3:24; 4:4–8; 11:6; ).

In v36 Paul highlights the fact that God is the primary cause and sole source of all things.

In v36. All things are from God. All the good is of God by authorship, all the evil is of God by permission. In the great things of redemption all things are emphatically of God. For there is no spiritual life in the soul of a fallen man. If it ever lives it is through the life giving energy of God’s Holy Spirit.

II.

Everything has its origin in God the Creator; is directed by God, the Lord of all things; and will display His glory as the ultimate purpose of all things.

God’s dealings with Jew and Gentile display a cross-section of His majesty in which His sovereign will (“from him”), His sovereign activity (“through him”) and His sovereign glory (“to him”) are richly displayed (v. 36).

Beeke, J. R., Barrett, M. P. V., & Bilkes, G. M. (Eds.). (2014). The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible (pp. 1634–1635). Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books.

People who grasp this concept of God worship in a particular way. Read . As we think of how our understanding of God impacts our songs, prayers and preaching in observing the heavenly worship of God and using it as our model for worshipping God here on earth!

(a) Praising God continuously and unceasingly (In v8, they never stop day and night)

(b) Glorying in God’s:

Absolute holiness, including His sovereign power (Lord God Almighty) and

Eternal being (In vv8-9, which was, and is, and is to come; who lives for ever and ever)

(c) Humbling and subjecting themselves before God’s throne (In v10, falling down before Him; see also 7:11; 11:16; 19:4) and

Glorifying Him for their salvation and victory (In v10, casting their crowns before the throne)

(d) Giving God His rights as universal Emperor (the Roman emperor was greeted with the words You are worthy) because He created all things and they owe their past and continuing existence to His will (for Your pleasure; ). Before such a God all men are as nothing ().

So what’s our aim?

. ____________

. _______________________

God’s dealings with Jew and Gentile display a cross-section of His majesty in which His sovereign will (“from him”), His sovereign activity (“through him”) and His sovereign glory (“to him”) are richly displayed (v. 36).