Revisiting The Attributes of God

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Sac49

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2016
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#1
I would like to revisit a study I initially did around 2010. It ended up being one of my favorite studies and i revisit it once a year. I did this study about 1 1/2 years ago here on CC and those involved, including myself, seemed to have fun studying and discussing Gods Word. Yes if you are doing a Bible study should be fun for you. If you are not having fun doing a particular study then you should switch studies. This particular study is set up in a way to bring us closer to God. It is set up so that we can "know God" rather than "know about God". It is possible to know a great deal about God without knowing God. The study of Gods Word should be about building a relationship between us and God. Even though i did this study here on CC before i am not going to "cooy and paste". If i were to just copy and paste then i myself would not be studying. Each time i do this study the Holy Spirit teaches me more about God. Now i do use notes from previous studies on this subject but if i just cooy and paste, like i said, then i am not truly studying.

Now i would like to "lead" this study. Not to "puff myself up" or to say "i kniw more" but because this is not a "quick thru" study. There may be certain points we need to discuss in length to help someone else understand but then there may be points we can move quickly thru. I dont like the idea of "we have to move on" when someone else may need more time to understand than others. I dont like to "jump ahead" either as we can lose track of where we are and get off subject. But, we can always go back for more understanding. I have "lead" this study 4 times, including here on CC, and the way the Holy Spirit has guided me through this seems to work. We are studying Gods Word not to "show how much we know" but to grow closer to Him. When a certain point "dies out" i will move on to the next so please respect this so others and myself can study in a way that we can come to know God not just know about God. There may also be certain things we "disagree" about so lets treat each other with respect and love.
 

valiant

Senior Member
Mar 22, 2015
8,025
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#2
God's attributes are grace (unmerited love and compassion), righteousness, holiness, goodness, etc,
 

Sac49

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2016
582
30
0
#3
I personally feel that the study of the attributes of God can bring us closer to God, help us understand who He is, why we worship Him, why He deserves our worship, how He relates too us, who we are and how we are created in His image. Now obviously we cannot know all there is about God but we can study what He has revealed to us in His Word. These are not just attributes of God the Father but also of the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The attributes are divided into two "categories". The incommunicable and the communicable attributes. The incommunicable attributes are those that only relate to God. The communicable attributes are those which God shares with us. The communicable attributes are how we are created in His image.

Now we must understand that God is incomprehensible. Meaning that we cannot know everything about God. But, the incomprehensability of the divine nature is no reason why we should stop devout study and prayerful striving to apprehend what He has so graciously revealed of Himself. The incomprehensability of the divine nature should teach us humility, caution and reverence. We are also to rightly study the Word of God. By this i mean we are to study His Word in a way that His Word has the final say. We can use what others have written on the subject to help us study but they must be in line with Gods Word.

Before we get to the "meat" of this study i would like each of us to say a simple prayer and do this before each time we study. Provetbs 3:5,6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowedge Him, and He shall direct your paths". Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the begining of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction". Pray that the Holy Spirit will teach us through His Word that our relationship with Him can grow and that we can grow together as brothers and sisters in Christ.
 

Sac49

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2016
582
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#4
I should explain why i would like to "lead" this study and the reason i mention a couple other things i dont like.

Because i have done this study at least 10 times myself and have lead 4 Bible studies on this subject i kind of have "jump off" points for each attribute that can lead into the discussion of each subject. Again not to "puff myself up" or say "i know more" but because these "jump off points" "get the ball rolling" on each attribute. They are thought inducing starting points. Please do not think that i am trying to be "holier than tho" as i know there are those that know a great deal more than i do. Hopefully they will join this study so i can learn more also. After studying these for so long i have realised how little i actually know.

I dont like the "we have to move on" type study because then someone might be left behind in understanding. I have had that happen to me in quite a few studies and was left with a feeling of "but i still dont understand the point 3 sessions ago" but they were unwilling to go back and explain. That is why i say we can always go back then come back to where we left off. Or that we can stay on an attribute for as long as needed for better study and underdtanding for all those involved in the study.

I dont like the "jump ahead" because that can actually confuse me and others with what we are discussing. I like to discuss one part fully before we move on with everyone on the "same page". With studying the attributes of God i have found there are some things you need to understand before you go on to the next attribute.

At the end of the study which i have done we can always discuss other attributes which i dont "touch on". To do a study on every attribute of God would take more than a lifetime so i basically tried to study a few to start with and over the years my list has grown and keeps growing so we will look at the ones i started with and can look at ones i didnt do after the "main study". I am all for learning more about God so after the "main study" lets do some i dont cover in this study.

I am also very good at taking constructive critisism but bad at point blank attacks just like most people so lets take that into consideration when we may disagree with something.

I pray this can be a good study for all involved so we can grow closer to God.
 
M

MadParrotWoman

Guest
#5
I don't think there is enough Bible study on CC, I for one crave more than the usual one study in every 3 weeks study I currently get. I study each evening alone but it isn't the same as studying with others, getting differing takes on it, bringing differing thoughts to the table, different views.

Right now all we seem to get is different opinions on half a dozen reoccurring topics and a lack of respect for those we don't agree with all ending in crossfire which scares the gentler among us away.

Bring it on!
 

Sac49

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2016
582
30
0
#6
There are two main verses why i think that the study of the attributes of God is so important.

(1)
Exodus 20:3 "You shall have no other gods before Me."
When we study the attributes of God we begin to see how great a God He is. There is no other god besides Him. In Greek and Norse mythology they had a god for everything. A god for air, a god for water, a god for earth ect ect. When we study the attributes of God we see thst He is actually the God of everything. He is not just agod of certain things but His Sovereinty covers everything. He rules period!

(2)
Exodus 20 4,5 "You shall not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God, am a jealous God".

When we look again at Greek snd Norse mythology they made an idol to reepresent each different god. The god of air had wings, the god of water had a trident, the god of earth had a backhoe (lol). Each of their gods could be represented by something pertaining to whst they were the god of. This idol they created not only represented the specific god but it was a center of worship.
The Isrealites tried this when Moses was on the mountain and they created the bull. The bull represented strength and power. Rightly so as God is strong and powerful but where is love and mercy for example? They then proceeded to bow down and worship this thing they created. Kind of ironic that at the time they were creating this idol that God was giving them a command not to create idols. There is nothing in all creation that can "show" all the attributes of God.

When we start to study the attributes of God we can see why God gives us these two very important commands right from the start.
 
M

MadParrotWoman

Guest
#7
Sac, I think you might get more interest if you get the study started?
 

Sac49

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2016
582
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#8
The first "group" of attributes we will look at are the incommunicable attributes.

"Those attributes of God for which there is no corresponding attribute in humans". (The Westminster Dictionary of Theological terms).

The Solitariness of God

God exists in and amoung Himself. God needs nothing outside Himself to be. God is I AM!

In Genisis 1:1 we can see that there was a "time" when God existed alone. Nothing is necessary to Him in any way. When God created, nothing was added or taken from Him (Malichi 3:6).

I like how A. W. Pink "explains" why God created in his book, "Gleanings in the Godhead".

"God was under no constraint, no obligation, no necessity to create. That He chose to do so was purely a sovereign act on his part, caused by nothing outside Himself, determined by nothing but His own good pleasure; for He "worketh all things after the council of His own will" (Eph 1:11). That He did create was simply for His manifestative glory".
 

Sac49

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2016
582
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#9
When we study the solitariness of God we would do well to also study the self-existance and self-suffuciency of God. These three attributes "tie in" with each other and help us define and seperate each one as their own attribute and also being part of the other. In a way kind of like the Trinity.

Self-existance>God exists alone in Himself with nothing outside Himself needed to exist. I AM!

Self-sufficient>God needs nothing to exist. God does net need us to "make" Him whole. Our praises or denial do not affect the sufficiency of God. No where in the Bible does God declare that He "needs" us to be sufficient.

So you can see how solitariness, self-existance and self-sufficiency are each part of the other yet are also their own attribute.
 
F

FreeNChrist

Guest
#10
But God is not a solitary Being. God being the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Right?
 

Sac49

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2016
582
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#11
Yes, God is a solitary being. He does not exist as three "seperate people" within the trinity but three "aspects" of the trinity.

To describe the trinity i use a three color paint idea. Take three colors of paint and throw them on the floor. Now mix them up where they meet. At that point they "create" a new color but where they are seperate they are their own color. When they are mixed you can no longer seperate the colors but they are each also their own color. That is how the Father, Son and Holy Spirit form the Godhead. They are each their own but also combined are the one true God. So God being in three "aspects" is only one solitary being.
 
F

FreeNChrist

Guest
#12
Yes, God is a solitary being. He does not exist as three "seperate people" within the trinity but three "aspects" of the trinity.

To describe the trinity i use a three color paint idea. Take three colors of paint and throw them on the floor. Now mix them up where they meet. At that point they "create" a new color but where they are seperate they are their own color. When they are mixed you can no longer seperate the colors but they are each also their own color. That is how the Father, Son and Holy Spirit form the Godhead. They are each their own but also combined are the one true God. So God being in three "aspects" is only one solitary being.
The language used when speaking of the nature of God is extremely important. We do not want to de-personalize any of the Three by calling them mere "aspects". Three distinct, not seperate, Persons.

The Three are companions of One another, eternally so. The Three have eternally danced together as One. In fact, it into that relationship between them that we are being invited to enter into. Relationally of course, not in essence.
 

Sac49

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2016
582
30
0
#13
When we look at the solitariness of God we are looking at the Godhead combined as the trinity. God is alone in His being. There are none like Him. We cannot seperate the trinity and then say that beause God is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit they are not solitary. Being that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are ONE they are alone in their solitariness.
 

Sac49

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2016
582
30
0
#14
The language used when speaking of the nature of God is extremely important. We do not want to de-personalize any of the Three by calling them mere "aspects". Three distinct, not seperate, Persons.

The Three are companions of One another, eternally so. The Three have eternally danced together as One. In fact, it into that relationship between them that we are being invited to enter into. Relationally of course, not in essence.
Yeah i know but at the moment i couldnt think of the correct way of saying it. I will call it "brain fade" lol

Thank you for clarifying that
 

Sac49

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2016
582
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#15
And this is why i like to do study in groups. Because someone else will be better than myself, and vise versa, on explaining something. More input brings better study i think.
 
F

FreeNChrist

Guest
#16
When we look at the solitariness of God we are looking at the Godhead combined as the trinity. God is alone in His being. There are none like Him. We cannot seperate the trinity and then say that beause God is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit they are not solitary. Being that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are ONE they are alone in their solitariness.
I think the word that better explains what you are trying to convey is "independent". God alone is an independent Being.
 

Sac49

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2016
582
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#17
Yeah "independance" could replace solitariness. I never thought of that as when i initially did the study "solitariness" was the word used in the rescources i used. I guess that is why i add self-existance and self-sufficient to this part of the study because all three are so close in definition. Like the Trinity you can seperate them but they cannot be totally seperated. They merge into one at a point it can be hard to find the differences. And hard to explain one without explaining the other two.
 

Sac49

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2016
582
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#18
The Omnipresence of God

When studying this attribute we must first "define" a couple things which it doesnt mean.

Pantheism--the being of God is really the substance of all things.

Deism--God is present in His power but not in His nature or being and acts upon the world from a distance.

Now a short Biblical definition would be--the presence of God encompases all things in the wholeness of His being at all times.

John Wesley "In a word, there is no point of space, whether within or without the bounds of creation, where God is not".

C. H. Spurgeon "God is everywhere. His circumfrance is nowhere, but His center is everywhere."
 
1

1LonelyKnight

Guest
#19
What are the seven spirits of God - hint - it's in the Bible

What are the elements of a triune nature;
e.g. three pillars, Authority, Compassion, Discernment
... Law, Prophets, Wisdom (The Tanakh)
... Father, Son, Spirit

Enjoy your bible study. Addressing the above questions will be illuminating...
 

Sac49

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2016
582
30
0
#20
When i initially did this study I had no problem understanding the omnipresence of God. That is until I read Psalm 139:8 "If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If i make my bed in Sheol, you are there!" Sheol? This is another word for hell. How could God be in hell when hell is a place devoid of God? Upon further study i realized i made a fatal mistake in my studies. I was studying from a human point of view not a "God" point of view. Yes, God is present in hell but not in a way where i was understanding His presence. God does something here that can be hard but not impossible for us to understand. God is present in all of His wrath, justice and judgement! Imagine a place where God withholds His love, mercy, grace, compassion, comfort ect. Because God withholds these attributes it is impossible to feel any of those since all of those attributes that we share with God, given to us by God are taken from those who are in hell. Could you image never again feeling any joy, love, compassion ect. in any way? This is hell. So yes God is present in hell but He withholds certain attributes from those there. If God was not present in hell in any way this would make God not omnipresent. But, He is there in His wrath, justice and judgement.