Sermon Tone Analysis

Chapter 6

THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD

I. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD

The various perfections of God are not component parts of God.

Each describes His total being.

Love, for example, is not a part of God’s nature; God in His total being is love.

Although God may display one quality or another at a given time, no quality is independent of or preeminent over any of the others.

Whenever God displays His wrath, He is still love.

When He shows His love, He does not abandon His holiness

II.

CATEGORIES OF THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD

Most theologies offer some classification of God’s attributes.

A. Nonmoral (or Natural) and Moral Attributes

The former, like self-existence and infinity, belong to the constitution of God; the latter, like justice and holiness, to His will.

But all of the so-called nonmoral qualities are qualities of the most moral Being in the universe, and all the moral attributes are from the nature of God.

B. Absolute and Relative Attributes

Absolute attributes include those that belong to the essence of God as considered in itself (eternity, infinity), and relative attributes belong to the essence of God as considered in relation to His Creation (like omniscience).

Again, this is an artificial distinction, since we are unable to make such a determination when, in fact, all of His attributes relate to His Creation.

C. Incommunicable and Communicable Attributes

The former are those that belong only to God (eternity, infinity), whereas the latter are those that are found in a relative or limited degree in people (wisdom, justice).

But the communicable attributes are found in people, albeit in a limited way, not because God somehow communicated them, but only because mankind was made in the image of God.

III.

CATALOG OF THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD

In alphabetical order, here are fourteen of the perfections of God considered under (a) meaning, (b) scriptural statement(s), and (c) application and/or any problem involved.

A. Eternity

1. Meaning.

The attribute of eternity means that God exists endlessly.

His existence extends endlessly backward and forward (from our viewpoint of time) without any interruption or limitation caused by succession of events.

Putting these ideas together, Berkhof defines eternity as “that perfection of God whereby He is elevated above all temporal limits and all succession of moments, and possesses the whole of His existence in one indivisible present.”

2. Scripture.

God’s eternality is reflected in Psalm 90:2, “from everlasting to everlasting,” and in Genesis 21:33, where El Olam, the Everlasting God, comes from an original form that means “the God of eternity.”

3. Question.

What is God’s relation to the succession of events?

As an eternal Being He sees the past and the future as clearly as the present; further, He must see them as including succession of events, and yet He is in no way bound by that succession.

An illustration of this is found in the heavenly scene in Revelation 6:9–11

4. A ramification.

A comforting ramification of God’s eternity is the confidence that God has never, nor will He ever, cease to exist; therefore His sustaining, providential control of all things and events is assured.

B. Freedom

1. Meaning.

Freedom in God means that He is independent of His creatures and His Creation.

2. Scripture.

When Isaiah asked the people who had directed the Lord or taught Him anything or instructed Him, he expected the answer, “no one,” because God is free, that is, independent of His creatures (Isa.

40:13–14).

3. Question.

Is God restricted in any way if He is free?

Usually the answer states that God is restricted only by His own nature; e.g., His holiness restricts Him from ever sinning.

But how can we even use the word restriction in connection with perfection?

There can be no restrictions in perfection.

4.

An application.

Being free, God is not obligated to us in any way unless He chooses to initiate an obligation.

He does not have to do anything for us unless He chooses to do so.

Consequently, we cannot put Him in our debt.

C. Holiness

1. Meaning.

Usually defined negatively and in relation to a relative, not absolute, standard, holiness in the Bible means separation from all that is common or unclean.

In respect to God, holiness means not only that He is separate from all that is unclean and evil but also that He is positively pure and thus distinct from all others.

An analogy may help in understanding this concept.

What does it mean to be healthy?

It is the absence of illness, but also a positive infusion of energy.

Holiness is the absence of evil and the presence of positive right.

In God, His holiness is a purity of being and nature as well as of will and act.

2. Scripture.

Holiness is the attribute by which God wanted to be especially known in Old Testament times (Lev.

11:44; Josh.

24:19; Ps. 99:3, 5, 9; Isa.

40:25; Hab.

1:12).

In the New Testament it appears in direct statements (John 17:11; 1 Pet.

1:15), in ascriptions of praise (Rev.

4:8), and in the figure of God being light (1 John 1:5).

3. Applications.

The absolute, innate holiness of God means that sinners have to be separated from Him unless a way can be found to constitute them holy.

And that way has been provided in the merits of Jesus Christ.

A proper view of the holiness of God should make the believer sensitive to his own sin (Isa.

6:3, 5; Luke 5:8).

The holiness of God becomes the standard for the believer’s life and conduct (1 John 1:7).

This should put to an end the often useless discussions over what is permitted and what is not in the Christian life.

Proper conduct can be tested by the simple question, Is it holy?

This is the believer’s standard.

Although he does not always measure up to it, he must never compromise it.

D. Immutability

1. Meaning.

Immutability means that God is unchangeable and thus unchanging.

This does not mean that He is immobile or inactive, but it does mean that He is never inconsistent or growing or developing.

2. Scripture.

Malachi 3:6 and James 1:17 speak of immutability.

Notice in the former verse immutability guarantees the preservation of Israel.

3. Problem.

If God is immutable, how can it be said that He repents?

(Gen.

6:6; Jon.

3:10).

If there actually was a change in God Himself, then either He is not immutable or not sovereign or both.

Most understand these verses as employing anthropomorphism; i.e., interpreting what is not human in human terms.

In the unfolding revelation of God’s plan there seems to be change.

However, this can be said to be so only from the human viewpoint, for His eternal plan is unchanging, as is He.

However, the expression may simply mean that God was sorry or grieved, which eliminates any concept of change.

4. Ramifications in relation to God. “If self-existence should change, it would become dependent existence; eternity would become time; perfection imperfection; and therefore God would become not-God.”

Immutability assures us that none of God’s perfections change.

5. Ramifications in relation to us.

Immutability offers comfort and assurance that God’s promises will not fail (Mal.

3:6; 2 Tim.

2:13).

Immutability reminds us that God’s attitudes toward sin, for example, do not change.