Introduction<\/p>\n
What is Come and See?<\/p>\n
Come and See is a multi-volume collection of messianic Bible studies transcribed from Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum\u2019s original radio broadcasts. For the book series, the manuscripts made from these transcripts were expanded and text was added. Each study is a solid foundation upon which you can stand, a whiteboard from which you can teach, or a podium from which you can preach the uncompromised truth to your congregation. This extensive collection is replete with expert knowledge of Hebrew, Greek, the Talmud, the history of the Jews, the geography of Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel); a scholar\u2019s command of The Word and the illumination of Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit). Come and See will edify you in your personal devotion or small group Bible study regardless of which topic you choose.<\/p>\n
What Will You Discover in This Volume?<\/p>\n
Volume 2 of Come and See examines what we know about God. In systematic theology, this is known as theology proper or the doctrine of God and is defined this way:<\/p>\n
Theology proper is the scientific investigation of what may be known of the existence, persons, and characteristics of the Triune God, apart from His works.<\/p>\n
What is discussed in theology proper includes two topics: theism and trinitarianism. In theism, we are concerned with such things as the existence and character of God. We study God as the Creator, the Preserver, and the Governor of the universe.
\nThe term \u201ctrinitarianism\u201d comes from the word \u201ctrinity,\u201d and here we are concerned with things such as the unity, the plurality, and the Triunity of the Godhead. We investigate the various functions and characteristics of the different persons. We also deal with the relationships within the Godhead. We primarily concentrate on God the Father, while God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are discussed in what is called \u201cChristology\u201d and \u201cpneumatology.\u201d
\nTo properly discern the topics of theism and trinitarianism, we divided this book into two parts while continuing the natural flow of the chapters therein.<\/p>\n
Questions and Study Suggestions for the Course<\/p>\n
At the end of each chapter, you will find questions and study suggestions. The goal in implementing questions into this course is to bring application that is relevant to the subject.
\nThe goal of this collection is for disciples of Yeshua (Jesus) to grow in their faith and to live out their calling to make disciples. We hope you enjoy the Come and See Series!<\/p>\n
Part One<\/p>\n
Theism<\/p>\n
Chapter I<\/p>\n
The Existence of God<\/p>\n
Can you by searching find out God? Can you find out the Almighty unto perfection?
\n\u2013Job 11:7<\/p>\n
What is it that man can know about a God who, in His essence, is so distinct from him? Does He really exist? What are His character, His personality, and His attributes?
\nMan has always yearned to know God. However, the Scriptures attest to His incomprehensibility. The human mind simply cannot grasp Him. At the same time, the Scriptures also attest to the knowability of God. It seems that He wants to be known by man, and so it is God who is the greatest source of our knowledge of Him. Through His interactions with man, He initiated His self-revelation. He gave language as means of this revelation. He created man in His image so that through the intelligence of a rational being, man could grasp at least a minimum of who God is. Finally, God gave the Holy Spirit who further reveals truths to the believer. More will be said about this in the next point.<\/p>\n
A. SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE<\/p>\n
Looking more closely at the question of man\u2019s capacity to know God, we can distinguish between four sources of knowledge.<\/p>\n
1. Intuition<\/p>\n
Intuition is, to some degree, a valid source of knowledge of God. This comes out in Acts 17:28: for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
\nThe normal, natural mind makes several assumptions concerning God. It has certain ideas of time and eternity and right and wrong. It also has certain capabilities of determining mathematical exactness. The natural mind knows something about self-existence. By intuition, it knows something about the existence of matter. There are also certain things that the natural mind is able to conclude about the person of God. Thus, intuition offers some degree of direct knowledge in that there is a rational perception which precedes all processes of observation and deduction. It is through intuition that all men everywhere arrive at a point where they have made certain deductions about God. Some are valid, and some are invalid. But the fact that man is able to deduce certain true things about God apart from Scripture and in places where the Bible is not known shows that intuition does allow for some source of knowledge about God.
\nHowever, intuitive truths need to be tested by certain factors to make sure they are true. The first question that needs to be answered is if the truth is universal. Is it common to all men? This does not really pertain to the understanding or assent by all men, but whether or not all men act consciously or unconsciously on the fact. Is it a universally accepted truth? Is it a universally demonstrated concept? The second question that must be answered is if the truth is a necessity. Is it impossible to deny? The third and last question is if the truth is self-evident and self-sufficient. Is it subject to no other truths which are proved by intuition and cognition? In other words: is the idea of God really universal? Obviously, the answer, by and large, has been yes. In all societies around the world, whether the Bible is a part of the culture or not, there is a concept of God. It arises from human intuition, showing that intuition, as limited as it might be, is indeed a source of the knowledge of God.<\/p>\n
2. Tradition<\/p>\n
A second source of knowledge is tradition. Tradition is both remote and present. Remote traditions are those early impressions about God on the human race. The modern view among secularists seems to be that mankind began its faith journey with polytheism and then progressed to monotheism. The biblical view is the opposite. Man began with monotheism and believed in one God and then degenerated into polytheism and believed in many gods.
\nBoth views have been passed down from generation to generation. This shows that tradition can transmit truth and error. The tradition that transmitted the fact that there is only one God is true. But the tradition that transmitted the idea of many gods is false. So, while tradition, like intuition, could be a source of knowledge about God, it, too, is limited because it can pass down both truth and error at the same time.
\nAs far as the present tradition is concerned, it refers to the teaching that is given to children. Concerning truths about God, children exercise knowledge more readily and easily than adults. The traditions we transmit to our children are what has been taught by intuition. A progression can be noted: human intuition derives certain ideas\u2014both true and false\u2014about God. By tradition, these are passed down to the next generation, which in turn receives both truth and error. Hence, tradition, like intuition, can be a source of knowledge about God; but it is extremely limited.<\/p>\n
3. Reason<\/p>\n
The third source of knowledge is reason. Reason is the highest capacity in man to learn things about God apart from revelation. Here, man uses his ability to think logically, using reason to derive even more truths about God. Reason has an intrinsic value in that it is one of the characteristics belonging to God in perfect form. Reason gives order to the universe, and hence it is understandable to man.
\nReason is a good source of knowledge about God in that it can provide reasonable, demonstrable, logical, and philosophical arguments in favor of the existence of God. In that sense, reason is better than intuition and tradition. However, as high as reason can go and as much as reason can achieve in the realm of the knowledge of God, it cannot provide a personal relationship with Him. Therefore, it, too, is limited.<\/p>\n
4. Revelation<\/p>\n
Divine revelation is by far the greatest source of knowledge available. It comes directly from God. Revelation is not determined by human intuition. It is not based upon tradition. It is not achievable by human reason. It simply pertains to the things God has chosen to reveal to man.
\nThe topic of divine revelation is part of the first volume of the Come and See series. There you will find an in-depth study of general, special, and progressive revelation. What is important for the study of theism is the fact that God did indeed take the initiative to reveal Himself. In fact, ninety-nine percent of all that man knows about God comes from this source.
\nThe investigation of His revealing work leads to three types of arguments that speak for or against the existence of God: the naturalistic arguments, the biblical arguments, and the opposing views.<\/p>\n
B. NATURALISTIC ARGUMENTS<\/p>\n
There are two types of naturalistic arguments. One is known by the Latin phrase a posteriori, literally meaning \u201cfrom what is after\u201d\u2014that is, from effect to cause. Arguments that fall in this category relate to what can be known by observation rather than through an understanding of how certain things work. The argumentation is based on inductive reasoning and dependent on experience. In these a posteriori naturalistic arguments for the existence of God, one goes from effect to cause, from consequence to antecedent, from particulars to principle, and from phenomena to ground.<\/p>\n
There are three main a posteriori naturalistic arguments for God, and they are referred to as the cosmological argument, the teleological argument, and the anthropological argument. We will deal with these one by one as we proceed.
\nThe second type of naturalistic argument for the existence of God is known by the Latin phrase a priori, literally meaning \u201cfrom what is before\u201d\u2014that is, from cause to effect. This is based on deductive reasoning and independent of experience. A priori arguments relate to what can be known through an understanding of how certain things work rather than by observation. In this type of reasoning, the argument leads from cause to effect, from principle to particulars, from antecedent to consequence, and from ground to phenomena. The main a priori naturalistic argument is known as the ontological argument.
\nIt needs to be stated that naturalistic arguments for the existence of God do not scientifically prove His existence. However, they do predispose the natural mind to accept the fact of theism and the idea that God really does exist. We should also remember that naturalistic arguments are insufficient to save a person. Simply proving that God exists does not redeem anyone. We may convince someone through these arguments that God does exist, but they will not redeem him. On the other hand, they are sufficient to condemn. The more knowledge man has about God, and yet does not believe on His Son, the greater a weight of condemnation he will carry.<\/p>\n
1. The Cosmological Argument<\/p>\n
The cosmological argument deals with the fact that the universe is an effect. If that is so, then it requires an adequate cause. The only adequate cause for the existence of the universe is God. The Bible itself uses the cosmological argument in Hebrews 3 and Psalm 19:<\/p>\n
For every house is built by some one, but he that built all things is God.
\n\u2013Hebrews 3:4<\/p>\n
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows his handiwork. 2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night shows knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language, Their voice is not heard. 4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them has he set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices as a strong man to run his course. 6 His going forth is from the end of the heavens, And his circuit unto the ends of it; And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
\n\u2013Psalm 19:1\u20136<\/p>\n
There is no question that the material universe does exist. In facing this fact, there are only two options to explain it. The first option is that matter itself is eternal. If one is an atheist, he must believe in the perpetuity of matter.
\nThe second option is that matter is an effect. If that is so, what options are there for the cause? One possible cause is blind chance. Another one is mere force. Another option is God plus some natural forces. The last option is the biblical view: God alone. Either matter is eternal, or it is not. If it is not eternal, then something brought matter into being and the options mentioned are the only ones possible.
\nFor its validity, the cosmological argument depends on three truths:<\/p>\n
1. Every effect must have a cause.
\n2. The effect is dependent upon the cause for its existence.
\n3. Nature cannot produce itself out of nothing.<\/p>\n
The principle behind the cosmological argument is the Latin phrase ex nihilo nihil fit. It means, \u201cOut of nothing, nothing can arise.\u201d If that argument is true, then the first cause is self-existent, eternal, and powerful, and that first cause is God Himself.
\nTo summarize the cosmological argument, it simply says that the universe exists. Either it is eternal, or it is an effect. If it is an effect, then it must have an efficient cause. That efficient cause is God.<\/p>\n
2. The Teleological Argument<\/p>\n
A second naturalistic argument is known as the teleological argument. This name comes from the Greek words telos, meaning \u201can end,\u201d and logos, meaning \u201cdiscourse.\u201d It refers to the doctrine of ends, also called the doctrine of rational purpose. Basically, the argument goes like this: Any design points to a designer. The universe clearly shows design; it is orderly. Therefore, the universe owes its existence to an intelligent designer. This intelligent designer is God. The teleological argument is found in passages like Psalm 94 and Romans 1:<\/p>\n
He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see?
\n\u2013Psalm 94:9<\/p>\n
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness; 19 because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of Him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even His everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse:
\n\u2013Romans 1:18\u201320<\/p>\n
The teleological argument builds upon the cosmological argument, but it also adds meaning and purpose to the universe. The cosmological argument simply tries to prove rationally that the universe was brought into existence by God. The teleological argument adds to that cosmological argument the element of meaning and purpose for the universe. From the presence of order and design in the universe, it adduces that God exists. Now, if the argument is true, the first cause is intelligent. While the cosmological argument stated that the first cause is powerful, this argument says that the first cause is intelligent.<\/p>\n
3. The Anthropological or Moral Argument<\/p>\n
The third naturalistic argument for the existence of God is known by two different names. It is sometimes referred to as the anthropological argument and sometimes as the moral argument. Here, the evidence for God\u2019s existence is based upon the constitution of man. Man has a personality, and the three facets of personality are intellect, emotion, and will. Man is also a moral creature with a sense of right and wrong. This requires a first cause that also has personality, intellect, emotion, and will and can determine the issues of right and wrong. This argument is used in Acts 17:29: Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man.
\nIf this argument is true, then it teaches that the first cause has personality and is a moral God.<\/p>\n
4. The Ontological Argument<\/p>\n
The fourth naturalistic argument for the existence of God is called the ontological argument. This a priori argument is based upon the fact that man has an idea of God, and this proves that God exists. The idea of the perfect must come from a perfect source, and that perfect source is God. And so, the existence of God is proved by the fact that the human mind believes He exists.
\nThis is, of course, one of the weakest of the naturalistic arguments because man can have many ideas which are simply not true. For example, man has ideas about the leprechaun, but that does not mean that the leprechaun exists. Nevertheless, the ontological argument has been used in certain philosophical circles. Perhaps the most famous person to embrace this argument was Anselm of Canterbury. In 1078, this Benedictine monk and philosopher proposed an argument that went something like this: no one can conceive of anything greater than God. This implies the idea of an absolutely perfect being. If that which is perfect exists only in the intellect, it would not be the absolute greatest. One could add to its existence reality. Existence is an attribute of perfection. Thus, it follows that the being \u201cthan whom nothing greater can be conceived\u201d necessarily has real existence. The absolutely perfect being must exist.
\nDespite its weakness, the ontological argument resurfaced in the 17th century when the French philosopher Ren\u00e9 Descartes employed it. His explanation went something like this: man develops the idea that there is an infinite being. Because man is finite, the idea could not come from him. Rather, it must have come from God, whose existence is thus necessarily proved.
\nAnother philosopher who liked this argument was Samuel Clarke. According to this Anglican clergyman, space and time are attributes of substance and being. They are, respectively, infinite and eternal. There must therefore be an infinite and eternal substance, or being, to whom these attributes belong. And, of course, it is God.
\nSummarily, the ontological argument says that man cannot rid himself of the idea of God. Therefore, the real and objective existence of God is involved in the very idea of such a being. So, the very idea of God proves His existence. While there are biblical passages to support the other three naturalistic arguments, there are none that support the ontological argument. The problem lies in the fact that having an idea about something does not prove its existence. Man has all kinds of ideas about things that simply do not exist.<\/p>\n
C. BIBLICAL ARGUMENTS<\/p>\n
The biblical arguments, of course, are the main substance of this study, and we will be detailing them as we look at the various Scriptures. Summarily, it can be said that the Bible not only assumes the existence of God but also teaches it. That, in essence, is the biblical argument.<\/p>\n
D. OPPOSING VIEWS<\/p>\n
There are several views that oppose the existence of God. The major problem for those who share these views is the existence of a visible universe. They have to explain the universe by some form of abnormal theism or by some brand of atheism. There are no other options. In 1 Corinthians 2:14, Paul points out that the natural man is incapable of understanding the things of God, and they are foolishness to him: Now the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged.
\nYet, man has to find a way to explain the existence of a visible universe. The opposing views to the biblical doctrine of the existence of God can be reduced to two categories: theistic views and atheistic views.<\/p>\n
1. Ten False Theistic Views<\/p>\n
a. Polytheism<\/p>\n
Polytheism is the belief in more than one god. These gods are usually limited in power. Over two hundred fifty times, the Bible mentions pagans worshiping a plurality of gods. Romans 1:21\u201323 explains the origin of this false view:<\/p>\n
21 because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.<\/p>\n
Human depravity originated the doctrine of polytheism. Other Scriptures define polytheism in three ways:<\/p>\n
1. They refer to false gods as \u201cvanity\u201d and \u201cnothingness\u201d (Ps. 106:28; Isa. 41:24 and 29; 42:17; 44:9\u201320; Jer. 2:26\u201328).
\n2. False gods are not real gods to begin with (Gal. 4:8).
\n3. Polytheism is really demon-worship. In 1 Corinthians 10:20, idolatry is referred to by the word daimonia, which means that the true objects of heathen worship are not idols, but demons.<\/p>\n
b. Henotheism<\/p>\n
Henotheism is a form of polytheism which says that there is one god for each region. Each race or nation or region has its own god. Since the planet is divided into many different regions, there are many gods. This practice can be seen in 1 Kings 20:23, where the officials of the king of Aram made a distinction between the god of the hills and the god of the plains.<\/p>\n
c. Pantheism<\/p>\n
Pantheism means \u201cAll is god.\u201d Simply put, god is everything, and everything is god. God is the universe, and the universe is god. Everything merges into god, and god is the totality of all things. Pantheism has several theological features. It teaches:<\/p>\n
1. God is immanent, not transcendent.
\n2. There is no dualism in the universe. Pantheism denies the duality of mind and matter, soul and body, God and world.
\n3. Matter is perpetual.
\n4. There is only one substance and one being.
\n5. God does not have personality.
\n6. Sin is not possible; there is no such thing as sin.
\n7. Man is really part of god.
\n8. Good and evil are a part of god.
\n9. Man has no individual subsistence but is merely a moment in the life of god.
\n10. Man is only a mode of God\u2019s existence. Thus, our acts are the acts of god.
\n11. God is finite.
\n12. There is no basis for true morality.<\/p>\n
There are three different types of pantheism. The first type is known as materialistic pantheism, which teaches that the material universe is god and matter is the eternal cause of all life. A second form is naturalistic pantheism, which teaches that ultimate reality is neither mind nor matter, but neutral stuff, while mind and matter are but appearances. A third form is idealistic pantheism, which denies the real existence of the material universe; it simply identifies god as the sum of mind and spirit. Ultimate reality is of the nature of the mind and not the material world. The world is the product of the mind, either the individual mind or the infinite mind.<\/p>\n
d. Deism<\/p>\n
Deism is the religion of the absentee god. It teaches that god is personal, infinite, and the creator of all things. However, it also teaches that god deliberately and purposely abandoned his creation when it was completed. He intended for it to be self-sustained and self-promoted by the forces residing in it. So, god is transcendent, but he is not immanent. He does not work providentially anymore; therefore, there is no special revelation, such as the Bible, from god. Thus, there is a god in deism, but he is absent.<\/p>\n
e. Monism<\/p>\n
Monism teaches that the universe is a finite, partial, created manifestation of the divine life. The explanation of all existence and activities, including physical, psychical, and spiritual beings, and the development of the universe is to be explained by one ultimate principle or substance.
\nMonism is opposed to both dualism and pluralism. God is neither transcendent nor personal; he is finite and impersonal.
\nThere are three types of monism. Idealistic monism teaches that principle or substance is personal life. Materialistic monism teaches that principle is physical or matter. Pantheistic monism teaches that phenomena are a manifestation of an impersonal god.<\/p>\n
f. Dualism<\/p>\n
Dualism teaches the radical twofoldness of nature. It does not believe in a personal God, but in two forces of nature.
\nThere are four different types of dualism. Theological dualism teaches two eternal and opposing principles or divine beings: good and evil or God and Satan. Philosophical dualism teaches that the universe is composed of two independent, irreducible elements. Psychological or psycho-physical dualism says that body and mind are two different, independent existences. God is the soul of the world; soul is not the life of the body but has a separate existence. Ethical dualism teaches a system of morals that demands and justifies one kind of conduct towards one\u2019s fellow man in the same social group, but another kind of conduct towards other men.<\/p>\n
g. Pluralism<\/p>\n
Pluralism is the same as dualism, but it has three or more elements and denies the essential unity of the world.<\/p>\n
h. Dynamism<\/p>\n
Dynamism teaches that charms and amulets are the real thing.<\/p>\n
i. Fetishism<\/p>\n
Fetishism believes that powerful spirits inhabit material objects.<\/p>\n
j. Animism<\/p>\n
Animism is the belief in natural spirits.<\/p>\n
2. Atheistic Views<\/p>\n
There are five opposing views to the existence of God which are based on an atheistic world view.<\/p>\n
a. Basic Atheism<\/p>\n
Basic atheism simply declares there is no God. This form of atheism is mentioned in Ephesians 2:12. It is the open and positive denial of the existence of God. As far as atheists are concerned, the material universe might be accidental, and it might be eternal.
\nThere are two types of basic atheism. The first type is called practical atheism, which teaches godless existence. Life is such that it is lived as if there is no God. In Psalm 10:4; 14:1, and 53:1, Scripture describes the followers of this type of atheism as wicked and prideful fools.
\nThe second form of basic atheism is called speculative or theoretical atheism, which itself is subdivided into dogmatic atheism, skeptical atheism, and virtual atheism. Dogmatic atheism flatly denies the existence of God and advocates this assumption as fact. Human faculties are positively incapable of ascertaining or verifying God\u2019s existence simply because He does not even exist. Skeptical atheism doubts the existence of God. It denies as inconclusive any evidence upon which people rely to prove God\u2019s existence. It doubts the ability of the human mind to know whether there is or there isn\u2019t a God. Virtual atheism holds to principles which are inconsistent with a belief in God. It defines God in terms which deny His essential being. Its explanation of the universe excludes the agency of a creator or a governor. Charles Darwin was a virtual atheist.<\/p>\n
b. Agnosticism<\/p>\n
Agnosticism says that there is no sufficient ground for either an affirmation or a negation of the existence of God. Man is simply incapable of knowing anything outside of the natural phenomena. The question is, of course, how can the agnostic know this? There is a degree of logical inconsistency in agnosticism.
\nAt any rate, agnosticism says that man can only know by analogy. There is no analogy between the finite and the infinite; therefore, there is no knowledge of God. However, according to the Bible, man was created in the image of God, and so there is an analogy. Man learns by differences and contrasts, as well as by analogy, and not by analogy alone. The agnostic says that man can only know that which he can grasp in its entirety. If God exists, He is infinite, and since the finite cannot grasp the infinite, man cannot know if God exists. However, man does not have complete knowledge of anything, and yet partial knowledge can still be real knowledge. The agnostic often relies upon that which is merely partial knowledge.<\/p>\n
c. Materialism<\/p>\n
Materialism teaches that the universe equals atoms. The facts of human experience are to be explained by referencing them to realities, to affinities, and to the laws of the physical and material substance. Materialism denies the need for assuming that God is an absolute Spirit. It ignores the distinction between mind and matter, and refers all phenomena of the world, whether physical, vital, or mental, to the function of matter. So, priority is given to matter rather than to the mind.<\/p>\n
d. Idealism<\/p>\n
Idealism teaches that the universe equals force plus ideas. It explains the entire universe as the organization of a system of ideas. Progressive evolution, then, leads to the ideal itself. Nothing exists except in the thought or impression which the mind sustains. Priority is given therefore to the mind rather than to matter.<\/p>\n
e. Positivism<\/p>\n
Positivism teaches that man\u2019s knowledge is restricted to physical phenomena. The senses are the only source of knowledge. Only matter exists. The metaphysical is therefore impossible, and phenomena are related to each other by laws of nature.
\nThese are the atheistic opposing views to the biblical view of the existence of God. Some of these are rather prevalent to this day. But, for some reason, they have always persistently existed throughout the history of man.<\/p>\n
E. QUESTIONS AND STUDY SUGGESTIONS<\/p>\n
Question 1: Over the course of our lives, we all develop an idea of what we consider the highest good in life. For some, the highest good is social justice. For others, it is the pursuit of happiness, education, or physical strength. Again for others, it is the family. What is your highest good? Now read Jeremiah 9:23\u201324. According to this verse, what does God consider to be the highest good in life? Have you found knowing God to be such a worthy pursuit that you are willing to give up all other goals to know Him? What are the benefits of knowing God?<\/p>\n
Question 2: The cosmological argument is based on the simple fact that things exist. Even science that is driven by an atheistic world view acknowledges the fact that the universe had a beginning. How does this fact of a beginning prove the existence of God? Read Psalm 19:1; Psalm 97:6, and Colossians 1:15 and try to extract from these verses God\u2019s point of view and the reason why He created the heavens and the earth.<\/p>\n
Question 3: In recent years, the endeavor to find conditions on other planets that would allow for the existence of life has sped up and swallowed huge sums of money. So far, the results have always supported the fact that hundreds of conditions are required for life to exist. The system that allows us to live on Earth is highly complex. How does this prove the existence of God?<\/p>\n
Question 4: Even people who do not believe in the existence of God agree that Adolf Hitler was an evil man. How can they draw such a conclusion, though, if they do not believe in an ultimate judge of right and wrong? Read Romans 2:14\u201315 and find out how God answers this question.<\/p>\n
Question 5: Read 1 Peter 3:15. To be able to fulfill the commandment given in this verse, what is necessary?<\/p>\n
Question 6: How will the study of the opposing views help you to fulfill 1 Peter 3:15?<\/p>\n
Chapter II<\/p>\n
The Personality of God<\/p>\n
One of the most fascinating themes of the Bible focuses on the personality of God. There are many passages that describe Him as an intelligent, sentient, living being. Examining what the Scriptures have to say about His personality, we are concerned with two things: the image of God and the elements which prove that He has a personality.<\/p>\n
A. THE IMAGE OF GOD<\/p>\n
The main source for our concept of the image of God begins with Genesis 1:26\u201327, which teaches that man was created in the image of God. For this to be true there needs to be a similarity between God and man. This similarity cannot be in the material part of man because God is spirit. It is true that the Bible uses what is known as anthropomorphism, which means that the characteristics of God are stated in terms of human elements and the human experience. So God is spoken of as having arms in Deuteronomy 33:27. He is said to have hands in Exodus 33:22 and Isaiah 65:2. He is said to have feet in Isaiah 66:1. He is said to have eyes in 2 Chronicles 16:9; Psalm 11:4, and 34:15. He has ears in Isaiah 59:1. He has a mouth in Isaiah 1:20 and 58:14. He has a face in Exodus 33:11. He has a back in Exodus 33:23. He has nostrils in 2 Samuel 22:9 and 16.
\nAll of these are anthropomorphisms. In revealing Himself to us, God had to descend to our capacity and limit Himself to language which we could understand. So the point of these anthropomorphisms is not that God actually possesses human form or emotions. After all, He is a spirit. The point is that God can do precisely those things which the physical parts of man can do. Therefore, Psalm 94:9 asks, He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see? So, the image of God has nothing to do with the material, but rather the immaterial. The image of God in man is the immaterial part of man, not the material part. God is spirit (Jn. 4:24), and spirit does not have flesh and bones (Lk 24:39), so God does not have flesh and bones, hands, eyes, or feet. All these anthropomorphic elements explain Him in a way that humans can understand. God is capable of doing the same things that a man can do, yet He is immaterial, not material. He is spirit; spirit does not have flesh and bones.<\/p>\n
B. THE ELEMENTS OF PERSONALITY<\/p>\n
The image of God is to be seen in the elements of personality, which are intellect, emotion, and will. If we can prove that God has these three elements, then we have proven that God has personality.<\/p>\n
\u2022 The fact that God has intellect is brought out in Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 1:18; Acts 15:8; Romans 11:33, and Hebrews 4:13.
\n\u2022 The fact that God has emotion is brought out in Genesis 6:6; Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 6:15; 1 Kings 11:9; Psalm 103:8\u201311, and Proverbs 6:16.
\n\u2022 The fact that God has will is brought out in Genesis 1:26 and 3:15\u201316; Psalm 115:3; Isaiah 46:10; Daniel 4:35, and 2 Peter 3:9.<\/p>\n
So, the Bible clearly presents a God who has personality, intellect, emotion, and will. Man, too, possesses these characteristics, and it is there that the image of God is to be found, and not in the physical, outward shape of man.<\/p>\n
C. QUESTIONS AND STUDY SUGGESTIONS<\/p>\n
Question 1: God is often referred to as \u201cthe Man Upstairs.\u201d Many see Him as a grandfatherly figure that strikingly resembles Santa Claus. Think about your perception of God. Have the anthropomorphisms of the Scriptures led you to see Him as a man with a long, white beard and jolly red cheeks who acknowledges the sins of His children with an astounding patience and a benevolent smile?<\/p>\n
Question 2: God truly exists. But how? What does it mean that He is spirit? Read John 4:24; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Joshua 3:10, and Psalm 84:2 and try to combine these verses into a working definition of God being spirit.<\/p>\n
Study Suggestion: Read and write down all the verses mentioned in the paragraph. Develop an understanding of what it means that man was created in the image of God. Consider the implications this has on marriage, parenthood, and your view of others, especially your enemies.<\/p>\n
Chapter III<\/p>\n
The Names of God<\/p>\n
Every one of God\u2019s names reveals something about His person and work. The study of these names is therefore essential for the development of a thorough understanding of who He really is. Thus, we will consider the various names of God, their meanings, ramifications, and applications.<\/p>\n
A. PRIMARY HEBREW NAMES<\/p>\n
The first category of the names of God is the primary Hebrew names, of which there are three: YHVH, Elohim, and Adon (or Adonai).<\/p>\n
1. YHVH or YHWH<\/p>\n
The most common name for God in the Hebrew text is comprised of four Hebrew letters that transliterate into the four English letters YHVH or YHWH. This name of God is known as the Tetragrammaton, meaning \u201cthe four letters.\u201d It is used over seven thousand times in the Old Testament. Exactly how this four-letter name is to be pronounced is no longer known, because the Jewish people refused to pronounce this name of God. In order to obey the commandment in Exodus 20:7, You shall not take the name of Jehovah your God in vain, they would substitute it with another Hebrew word that meant \u201cLord.\u201d In the course of time, the proper pronunciation of this name of God, YHVH, was forgotten. The most educated guess is that the pronunciation should be Yahweh, and that may very well be correct, but it is still only a guess. These four letters are translated into English Bibles either as Jehovah or as LORD, with all four letters capitalized, and also by the term GOD, with all three letters capitalized. The Hebrew letter vav in ancient times was pronounced as a \u201cw,\u201d but in Modern Hebrew as a \u201cv.\u201d Hence, the Tetragrammaton is spelled either as YHWH or YHVH.<\/p>\n
a. The Meaning of the Name<\/p>\n
The basic meaning of YHVH is given in Exodus 3:14: And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shall you say unto the children of Israel, I AM has sent me unto you.
\nThe root for the name of God is the Hebrew word hayah, which means \u201cto be\u201d or \u201cto exist.\u201d It normally appears in the third person as YHVH, which means \u201cHe is who He is.\u201d However, once it appears in the first person as Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh, which means \u201cI am that I am\u201d (Ex. 3:14). God\u2019s name implies that He is the One who is continuously coming to be. It emphasizes existence\u2014not existence in static form, but existence in motion. The picture of this name is that God is the eternal, self-existing One.
\nThe name is given further meaning in Exodus 6:2\u20133:<\/p>\n
2 And God spoke unto Moses, and said unto Him, I am Jehovah: 3 and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name Jehovah I was not known to them.<\/p>\n
According to this passage, the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, did not know God\u2019s name, YHVH. God was known to them as God Almighty, but not as Jehovah or YHVH. That seems a bit strange because, as one reads through the book of Genesis, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all address Him as YHVH. The Hebrew word for known means \u201cto know by experience.\u201d From Genesis, it is rather obvious that they did know that God\u2019s name consisted of these four Hebrew letters. What Moses meant, then, was that these patriarchs did not experience Him as YHVH, but as God Almighty or El Shaddai.<\/p>\n
b. The Emphases of the Name<\/p>\n
There are five emphases of the name YHVH. First, it emphasizes God as the Covenant-Keeper. God\u2019s unchangeableness in His relationship to Israel means that He is the Covenant-Keeper. This is how He presented Himself to the patriarchs. While Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did know what God\u2019s name was, they did not experience the emphasis of that name because they died before the Abrahamic covenant began to be fulfilled. Rather, they experienced the emphasis of another name, El Shaddai, or God Almighty, the One who has the authority and power to make covenants. So, they knew the name YHVH, but they did not experience the meaning of the name in its redemptive sense. The emphasis of the name YHVH is that this is God\u2019s covenant name; it is the whole manifestation of God in His relationship to Israel.
\nSome examples of Scriptures that emphasize God, YHVH, as Covenant-Keeper are Exodus 10:3; 20:1\u20132, and Jeremiah 31:31\u201334.
\nA second emphasis of the name YHVH is on its singularity; no other god has this name. Exodus 20:7 emphasizes the fact that this is God\u2019s unique name; He will not give it to any other. The same emphasis is made in Psalm 8:1; 48:10; 76:1, and Isaiah 42:8.
\nThe third emphasis of the name YHVH is that it is concerned with His divine attributes. In Exodus 33:19, God promised Moses:<\/p>\n
And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of Jehovah before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.<\/p>\n
What God promised Moses in Exodus 33:19, He fulfilled in Exodus 34:5\u20137:<\/p>\n
5 And Jehovah descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of Jehovah. 6 And Jehovah passed by before him, and proclaimed, Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth, 7 keeping lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children\u2019s children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.<\/p>\n
There is a clear emphasis in these verses on connecting the name YHVH with His divine attributes, which are all somehow connected with the uniqueness of that name. But the attribute of holiness is the one that stands out most often. Some examples of this are Leviticus 11:44\u201345; 19:1\u20132, and 20:26.
\nThe fourth emphasis of the name YHVH points to God\u2019s hatred of sin. This is found in Genesis 6:3\u20136; Exodus 34:6\u20137, and Psalm 11:5\u20136.
\nAnd the fifth emphasis of this name stresses His work of redemption. Some examples are Genesis 3:24; Exodus 12:12\u201314, and Isaiah 53:1, 6, and 10.<\/p>\n
2. Elohim<\/p>\n
The basic name Elohim has three different forms in the Hebrew text. First, it is found merely as El, which is a singular form. Depending on whether it is speaking of the true God or of a false god, this name is translated either with a capital \u201cG\u201d or with a lower case \u201cg.\u201d It is used two hundred fifty times, primarily in the poetic sections of the Old Testament. Some examples of this form are found in Job 5:8; 9:2, and 15:4.
\nThe second form of the same root is also a singular form, Eloah, meaning \u201cGod.\u201d It is not used very often and is primarily found in poetic literature, such as Job 9:13 and 31:6.
\nThe third form\u2014and by far the major usage of this name of God\u2014is Elohim. This is the plural form, and it can be used either of the true God or of false gods. When it is used of the true God, it is translated as a singular noun with a capital \u201cG,\u201d God. When it is used of false gods, it is translated as a plural noun with a lower case \u201cg,\u201d gods. Elohim can be found two thousand five hundred fifty-five times in the Old Testament. In the majority of the verses in which it appears, Elohim refers to the true God, but this very same word is also used of the heathen gods (Gen. 31:30; Ex. 12:12; Judges 5:8; Ps. 82:1; 96:5, and 97:7).<\/p>\n
a. The Origin of the Name<\/p>\n
The name Elohim originates from two different Hebrew root words. The first root meaning is that of \u201cbeing strong and mighty.\u201d The second root means \u201cto be smitten with fear.\u201d By putting both root words together, the meaning of the name Elohim is \u201cthe Strong and Mighty One who is the object of fear.\u201d<\/p>\n
b. The Emphases of the Name<\/p>\n
The name Elohim has three basic emphases. First, it emphasizes God\u2019s power (Num. 23:22). Second, it emphasizes God as the Creator (Gen. 1:1). And third, it emphasizes the kind of God that He is (Ps. 86:15).<\/p>\n
3. Adon or Adonai<\/p>\n
The third primary Hebrew name for God is Adon, the singular form, or Adonai, the plural form.<\/p>\n
a. The Meaning of the Name<\/p>\n
The root for the word Adon or Adonai means \u201cto judge\u201d or \u201cto rule.\u201d It is a word that has three basic meanings: \u201cLord,\u201d \u201cmaster,\u201d and \u201cowner.\u201d
\nAs mentioned previously in dealing with the name YHVH, Adon also has the meaning of \u201cLord.\u201d The difference is that when the Tetragrammaton is used, the translation is in all capital letters: LORD. When the word Adon is used for God, then the translation has only the first letter capitalized: Lord.
\nAdon, like the name Elohim, is also used of things other than God. When it is used of man, it is translated as \u201clord\u201d with a lower case \u201cl.\u201d Adon can refer to man in the sense of \u201cmaster,\u201d as in Numbers 11:28 and Deuteronomy 23:15. It can also refer to man in the sense of \u201cowner,\u201d as in 1 Kings 16:24. However, in the majority of the cases where the name is used in its plural form, it is used for the true and only God.
\nSometimes the word Adon is used by itself, as in Deuteronomy 10:17 and Joshua 5:14. But sometimes the word Adonai is used in conjunction with YHVH, as in Exodus 4:10 and Malachi 1:6. In those cases when it is used together with the Tetragrammaton, the translation will be either as the Lord Jehovah in the American Standard Version of the Bible or as Lord GOD in the King James Version, with the word GOD in all capital letters.<\/p>\n
b. The Emphases of the Name<\/p>\n
The first emphasis brings out the basic meaning of \u201cLord.\u201d God is the almighty Ruler to whom everything is subject and to whom man is related as a servant.
\nThe second emphasis brings out the basic meaning of \u201cmaster.\u201d God, as the Master, has the right to expect obedience. Since this name emphasizes the relationship of a servant to his lord or to his master, the master obviously has every right to expect full and complete obedience from his servants. If believers are the servants of God and if God is indeed their Master, then as their Master, He has every right to expect total obedience. So the believers\u2019 obligation, as it relates to this name, is to obey their Lord, to obey the commandments He has given them. They can either obey His commandments out of fear, emphasizing more the meaning of Elohim, or they can obey His commandments out of love, as Yeshua Himself taught His disciples in John 14:15: If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. If people ever ask the question, as they often do, \u201cHow can believers show their love for God?\u201d the answer is, \u201cThey do not show their love for God through emotionalism. They show their love for God by their obedience.\u201d This is the way Yeshua showed His love for the Father. He obeyed the Father; He learned obedience. This is the way believers should show their love for the Father.
\nThe third emphasis of this particular name is developed from the first two names in that the servant has the right to expect direction. The master has the right to expect obedience, but the servant has the right to expect direction. This is what God\u2019s responsibility is if He is going to fulfill what this name implies. If He is really going to be the almighty Ruler to whom everything is subject and to whom man is related as a servant, then His servant has the right to expect to receive direction from his Lord. Indeed, the Lord has given believers direction through the Scriptures. He has given them commandments and principles to follow, and that is their obligation to the name of Adonai; but being the servants of Adonai, believers have the right to expect direction, and indeed, they have it through the Word of God.<\/p>\n
B. PRIMARY NAMES COMPOUNDED<\/p>\n
There is a second category of divine names in which the three primary names, YHVH, Elohim, and Adonai, are compounded, or joined together, in either of two ways: YHVH Elohim and Adonai YHVH.<\/p>\n
1. YHVH Elohim<\/p>\n
This compound name is translated in two ways. Sometimes it is translated as Jehovah God, as it is in the American Standard Version. In other translations, such as the King James Version, it is translated as LORD God. The name LORD has all capital letters, emphasizing that the Hebrew word here is the four-letter name of God, and the word \u201cGod\u201d has only the first letter capitalized, reflecting the word Elohim. Examples of the two names together as Jehovah God or LORD God are Genesis 2:4\u20135, 7\u20139, 15\u201316, 18\u201319, and 21\u201322.
\nThe compound name YHVH Elohim emphasizes two relationships, the first being the relationship of God to humanity in general and the second being His relationship to Israel in particular.
\nLooking at God\u2019s relationship to humanity, four facets can be noted. The first facet is that of Creator, as seen in Genesis 2:7\u201315. The context of these verses is God\u2019s creation of man, and the compound name YHVH Elohim is used so frequently that it emphasizes Him as man\u2019s Creator.
\nThe second facet of this compound name is that God has authority over His creation. In Genesis 2:16\u201317, God issues His directives to man. He gives them commandments and tells them what they might do and what they may not do, showing that He has authority over man.
\nThe third facet emphasizes God as creating and governing man\u2019s earthly relationships to others and their relationship to Him (Gen. 2:18\u201324; 3:16\u201324).
\nThe fourth facet emphasizes God as Redeemer (Gen. 3:8\u201315 and 21). It is under this compound primary name that God promised to send the Redeemer, the Seed of the Woman, who would someday finally deal with the problem of sin that had entered the human experience.
\nThe second relationship emphasized by this compound name is the relationship of God to the nation of Israel. Examples of this are found in Genesis 24:7; Exodus 3:15\u201318; Deuteronomy 1:11; 21; Joshua 7:13; 19\u201320, and Judges 5:3.<\/p>\n
2. Adonai YHVH<\/p>\n
This combination is also translated in two different ways. The first way is Lord Jehovah, such as in the ASV. The term \u201cLord\u201d has only the first letter capitalized showing that the Hebrew word behind it is Adonai. The word Jehovah reflects the name YHVH. In other translations, such as the KJV, the translation is Lord GOD. The word \u201cLord\u201d has only the first letter capitalized, showing that the word is Adonai, but the word \u201cGOD\u201d is in all capital letters to show that in the Hebrew text, the word behind \u201cGOD\u201d is the name YHVH, not Elohim.
\nExamples of this compound name are found in Genesis 15:2; 2 Samuel 7:18\u201320; Isaiah 7:7, and Jeremiah 1:6.
\nWhat is the emphasis of these two primary names when they are used together? The name Adon or Adonai emphasizes God as master, owner, or lord. So the first name still emphasizes Him as the One who is in control of His universe and of His creation. The name YHVH emphasizes God as the Covenant-Keeper. When these two primary names are compounded, they emphasize God as the One who has the power and the strength to fulfill the covenants that He has made because He has total control of everything. While the name YHVH emphasizes God as the Covenant-Keeper, it may only emphasize the concept of intention, namely that He intends to fulfill His covenants. If He does not have the power or the control to fulfill His Word, then the best intentions would have very little practical value. The two names together, then, emphasize the fact that God is the Covenant-Keeper, and the reason He is able to fulfill His covenants is because He has the power and the strength and the control of His creation to bring these covenants to their ultimate fulfillment.
\nA good example of this concept in action is found in Exodus 2:23\u201325, where God promises to do something on the basis of the Abrahamic Covenant:<\/p>\n
23 And it came to pass in the course of those many days, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God saw the children of Israel, and God took knowledge of them.<\/p>\n
Here is the very clear concept that God is the Covenant-Keeper, and, at this point, He intended to fulfill His covenant. The term YHVH emphasizes Him as the One who is about to keep His covenant; the word Adonai emphasizes His power to do so.
\nIn Exodus 3:6\u20138, God said to Moses:<\/p>\n
6 Moreover he said, I am the God of your Father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. 7 And Jehovah said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people that are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows, 8 and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.<\/p>\n
The uniqueness of the compound primary name Adonai YHVH is that it emphasizes Him as both the Covenant-Keeper and as the One who has the great power to fulfill these covenants.<\/p>\n
C. COMPOUND HEBREW NAMES<\/p>\n
In this section, we will be looking at primary Hebrew names that are followed by a non-primary name. The section will be divided into two categories: the Hebrew names that are compounded with YHVH and the ones compounded with Elohim.<\/p>\n
1. The Compound Hebrew Names with YHVH<\/p>\n
Altogether, there are ten compound names in the Hebrew Bible that incorporate the name YHVH.<\/p>\n
a. YHVH Tzvaot<\/p>\n
The first name is YHVH Tzvaot, which means \u201cYHVH of Hosts.\u201d The word hosts means \u201carmy,\u201d the angelic armies. Some examples of this compound name are 1 Samuel 1:3 and 4:4; Isaiah 6:2\u20133, and Hosea 12:4\u20135.
\nThe emphasis of this name is twofold. First, it inspires confidence (1 Kings 18:15; Ps. 46:7; 11). Second, God gives special help to Israel (1 Kings 19:14; Isa. 1:9; 10:24\u201327; 31:4\u20135; Hag. 2:4; Mal. 3:16\u201317).<\/p>\n
b. YHVH Yireh<\/p>\n
The second compound Hebrew name is YHVH Yireh, which means \u201cYHVH will provide\u201d and emphasizes God as the One who provides the sacrifice. It is not a name used for general provision, but the particular provision of a substitutionary blood-sacrifice. This name is found in Genesis 22:14.<\/p>\n
c. YHVH Ropheka<\/p>\n
The third compound Hebrew name is YHVH Ropheka, which means \u201cYHVH, your Healer\u201d and emphasizes that God heals both physically and spiritually. This name is found in Exodus 15:26.<\/p>\n
d. YHVH Nissi<\/p>\n
The fourth compound Hebrew name is YHVH Nissi, which means \u201cYHVH, my Banner\u201d and emphasizes God as the One who protects. This name is found in Exodus 17:15.<\/p>\n
e. YHVH Mekaddishkem<\/p>\n
The fifth compound Hebrew name is YHVH Mekaddishkem, which means \u201cYHVH, your Sanctifier\u201d and emphasizes God as the One who sets apart. This name is used in Exodus 31:13 and Leviticus 20:7\u20138.<\/p>\n
f. YHVH Shalom<\/p>\n
The sixth compound Hebrew name is YHVH Shalom, which means \u201cYHVH is peace\u201d and emphasizes the fact that God gives peace in spite of adversity. This name is found in Judges 6:24.<\/p>\n
g. YHVH Rohi<\/p>\n
The seventh compound Hebrew name is YHVH Rohi, which means \u201cYHVH, my Shepherd\u201d and emphasizes God as the One who keeps and protects. This name is used in Psalm 23:1.<\/p>\n
h. YHVH Tzidkeinu<\/p>\n
The eighth compound Hebrew name is YHVH Tzidkeinu, which means \u201cYHVH, our Righteousness\u201d and emphasizes God as being the One who will rule righteously in the Messianic kingdom. This name is found in Jeremiah 23:6 and 33:16.<\/p>\n
i. YHVH Makkeh<\/p>\n
The ninth compound Hebrew name is YHVH Makkeh, which means \u201cYHVH smites\u201d and emphasizes God as the One who punishes sin. This name is used in Ezekiel 7:9.<\/p>\n
j. YHVH Shammah<\/p>\n
The tenth compound Hebrew name is YHVH Shammah, which means \u201cYHVH is there\u201d and emphasizes the presence of God. This name is found in Ezekiel 48:35.<\/p>\n
2. The Compound Hebrew Names with Elohim<\/p>\n
The second category of compound names contains the name Elohim followed by a non-primary Hebrew name. There are five combinations with the word Elohim.<\/p>\n
a. El Shaddai<\/p>\n
The first compound is the name El Shaddai, which means \u201cthe Almighty God.\u201d It is used a total of forty-eight times in the Old Testament. The word Shaddai has two roots. The first root means \u201cto be powerful,\u201d emphasizing the fact that God possesses all power in heaven and on earth. It pictures God as subjecting all the power of nature and making it subservient to the work of divine grace. The second root for the word Shaddai is \u201cbreast,\u201d which emphasizes God as the nourisher and sustainer. As the All-Sufficient One, He is the source of blessing and comfort. Used together, these words emphasize the greatness of God. This name relates God to His covenant blessings. This was a very early name for God that was especially known experientially by the patriarchs; it appears in Genesis 17:1; 28:3, and Exodus 6:3.<\/p>\n
b. El Elyon<\/p>\n
The second compound name is El Elyon, which means \u201cthe Most High God.\u201d The word Elyon comes from a Hebrew root that means \u201cto be elevated.\u201d Primarily, it emphasizes God as the Exalted One. From this primary emphasis, a secondary emphasis is derived that stresses God\u2019s sovereignty over heaven (Isa. 14:13\u201314) and over earth (2 Sam. 22:14\u201315; Ps. 21:7; 83:16\u201318; 91:9\u201312). A third emphasis is on God\u2019s relationship to Gentiles (Gen. 14:18\u201319; Num. 24:16; Deut. 32:8\u20139).<\/p>\n
c. El Olam<\/p>\n
The third compound name is El Olam, which means \u201cthe Everlasting God.\u201d The root for the word Olam means \u201cage\u201d or \u201chidden.\u201d It emphasizes God as the God of eternity, the God of the ages, the One who is sovereign over time and eternity. Some examples are Genesis 21:33 and Isaiah 40:28.<\/p>\n
d. El Rohi<\/p>\n
The fourth compound name is El Rohi, which means \u201cthe God of Sight\u201d and emphasizes God as the One who keeps watch. This name used in Genesis 16:13.<\/p>\n
e. El Gmulot<\/p>\n
The fifth compound name is El Gmulot, which means \u201cthe God of Recompense\u201d and emphasizes God as the One who avenges. This name is found in Jeremiah 51:56.<\/p>\n
D. THE OTHER HEBREW DESIGNATIONS<\/p>\n
There is a fourth category of names of God, which contains other Hebrew designations for God. Altogether, there are 15 such designations, most of which are titles of one sort or another:<\/p>\n
1 Shield, in Genesis 15:1
\n2. Lawgiver or Judge, in Genesis 18:25
\n3. The Mighty One and the Almighty, emphasizing His omnipotence and His divine aid for the oppressed in Israel against her enemies, in Genesis 49:24 and Ruth 1:20\u201321.
\n4. Fortress, in Psalm 18:2
\n5. Tower, in Psalm 18:2
\n6. Deliverer, in Psalm 18:2
\n7. Shepherd, in Psalm 23:1
\n8. Creator, in Ecclesiastes 12:1; Isaiah 40:28 and 43:15
\n9. The Holy One of Israel, emphasizing His special covenant relationship to Israel, in Isaiah 1:4
\n10. A husbandman, in Isaiah 5:1\u20137
\n11. King, in Isaiah 43:15
\n12. Redeemer, in Isaiah 44:6 and 24
\n13. Rock, in Isaiah 44:8
\n14. Father, in Isaiah 63:16
\n15. Husband, in Jeremiah 31:32<\/p>\n
E. THE NEW TESTAMENT NAMES<\/p>\n
In the New Testament, there are several additional names, titles, and other designations for God.<\/p>\n
1. Greek Names<\/p>\n
a. Theos<\/p>\n
The first New Testament Greek name is Theos, which is equivalent to the Hebrew word Elohim and expresses the essential deity and essence of God. It is used over one thousand times in the New Testament of the true God. One example is John 1:1. Like the Hebrew Elohim, it is also used of the heathen gods, as in Acts 28:6 and 2 Thessalonians 2:4.<\/p>\n
b. Kurios<\/p>\n
The second New Testament Greek name is Kurios, which means \u201cLord.\u201d It is the equivalent to two Old Testament names YHVH and Adonai. The root for Kurios is Greek and means \u201cpower.\u201d It emphasizes God as the Mighty One, the Lord Possessor, and Ruler and as the One who is and who was and who is to come (Rev. 1:4; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13). It is a word used of both human relationships (Mt. 6:24) and divine relationships (Eph. 6:9; Col. 4:1). As a title for Yeshua, it is used six hundred and fifty times, clearly identifying Him with the Elohim and YHVH of the Old Testament, as in Matthew 3:3.<\/p>\n
c. Despotes<\/p>\n
The third New Testament Greek name is the word Despotes, which means \u201cLord,\u201d \u201cmaster,\u201d \u201cowner.\u201d The English word \u201cdespot\u201d comes from this Greek word. It is used in reference both to God and to man. When it is used of human relationships, it emphasizes a man as an owner, particularly a slave owner (1 Tim. 6:1\u20132). When it is used of God, it also emphasizes the concept of ownership. It is used of God the Father in Luke 2:29 and Acts 4:24 and of the Messiah in 2 Peter 2:1.<\/p>\n
d. Logos<\/p>\n
The fourth New Testament Greek name is the term Logos, which means \u201cWord.\u201d The root has the concept of \u201cthought,\u201d \u201cconception,\u201d \u201cexpression,\u201d or \u201cutterance.\u201d It is used of the Messiah in John 1:1\u201314. It emphasizes a revealer in John 1:18; the visible portrayal of the invisible God in John 6:46 and Hebrews 1:3; and Yeshua as the embodiment of divine wisdom and the collective thought of God in 1 Corinthians 1:24; Ephesians 3:10\u201311, and Colossians 2:2\u20133.<\/p>\n
e. Hupsistos<\/p>\n
The fifth New Testament Greek name is Hupsistos, which means \u201cthe Highest.\u201d It emphasizes God as the Highest in heaven (Mt. 21:9). He is called God Most High in Hebrews 7:1. It is used of the Messiah in Luke 1:32.<\/p>\n
f. Pantokrator<\/p>\n
The sixth New Testament Greek name is Pantokrator, which means \u201cthe Almighty,\u201d emphasizing God as the All-Powerful One. It is a word used only of God, as in Revelation 1:8.<\/p>\n
2. The Trinitarian Titles<\/p>\n
All three of the Trinitarian titles are found in Matthew 28:19: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n
a. Father<\/p>\n
Concerning the title Father, the Greek word is Pater. It designates God the Father in several ways:<\/p>\n
\u2022 The Father of our Lord Yeshua Messiah (2 Cor. 1:3; Eph. 1:3; Col. 1:3)
\n\u2022 The Heavenly Father (Jn. 17:1)
\n\u2022 The Father of Spirits (Heb. 12:9)
\n\u2022 The Holy Father (Jn. 17:11)
\n\u2022 The righteous Father (Jn. 17:25)
\n\u2022 The Father of lights (Jas. 1:17)<\/p>\n
When the First Person of the Trinity is called the Father, it emphasizes Him in three relationships: first, as the Father of creation (1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 3:14\u201315); second, as the Father of the Messiah (Lk. 2:49); and third, as the Father of believers (Jn. 1:12; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:5\u20136).<\/p>\n
b. Son<\/p>\n
The second Trinitarian title is Son. The Greek word is Huios, and it is specifically used of Yeshua Messiah our Lord (Rom. 1:4). Lord, in Greek Kurios and in Hebrew Adon, emphasizes His deity. Jesus\u2019 name in Hebrew is Yeshua, meaning \u201csalvation.\u201d It is transliterated into Greek as Iesous. This emphasizes His humanity. \u201cChrist\u201d (which was replaced in this verse with the more appropriate term \u201cMessiah\u201d) is transliterated into English from the Greek word Christos, meaning \u201canointed,\u201d just as the Hebrew Mashiach, and this emphasizes His office.<\/p>\n
c. Holy Spirit<\/p>\n
The third Trinitarian title is that of Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has several designations:<\/p>\n
\u2022 The Spirit of God (Rom. 8:14)
\n\u2022 The Spirit of truth (Jn. 16:13)
\n\u2022 The Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2)
\n\u2022 The Spirit of Messiah (Rom. 8:9)
\n\u2022 The spirit of adoption (Rom. 8:15)
\n\u2022 The Holy Spirit of promise (Eph. 1:13)<\/p>\n
3. Other Designations<\/p>\n
Finally, other New Testament designations of God include Creator in Romans 1:25, Potentate in 1 Timothy 6:15, shepherd in Hebrews 13:20, Bishop in 1 Peter 2:25, and King in Revelation 15:3.<\/p>\n
F. QUESTIONS AND STUDY SUGGESTIONS<\/p>\n
Question 1: Try to think through the concept of knowing versus experiencing. In what area do you know God intellectually, if you will, but not experientially?<\/p>\n
Study Suggestion 1: Look up the verses in which Elohim is used and try to develop a good understanding of this important name of God. What does it tell you about who He is?<\/p>\n
Question 2: What will help you to obey God\u2019s commandments as they are found in the New Testament without turning legalistic?<\/p>\n
Question 3: Read Psalm 148:13. God\u2019s name is of utmost importance. Who is He for you? The Most High God? The God of Recompense? The Everlasting One? The Provider? God knows our names. Should we not know His?<\/p>\n
Question 4: In the Old Testament, God is referred to as \u201cFather\u201d fifteen times. In the New Testament, this title is used two hundred and forty-five times. In fact, this is Yeshua\u2019s favorite name for God. Why do you think He used this name more often than God\u2019s other names?<\/p>\n
Study Suggestion 2: To allow the study of God\u2019s names to really sink in, to help you develop the meaning they can have in your life, we recommend that you write down all the names mentioned. Why not memorize them so that next time you pray you can call God by another one of His wonderful names?<\/p>\n
Chapter IV<\/p>\n
The Attributes of God<\/p>\n
Without having to think twice, a believer in Yeshua can quickly name a few of God\u2019s qualities. He will probably say that God is all-loving and all-powerful, full of mercy and grace. The attributes of God are manifold, and, after an initial definition of who God is, they will be discussed in four categories.<\/p>\n
A. DEFINITION OF ATTRIBUTE<\/p>\n
The second chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith defines God and His attributes with the following words:<\/p>\n
1. There is but one only, living, and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure Spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions; immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, for His own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; and withal, most just, and terrible in His judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.<\/p>\n
2. God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself; and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them. He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things; and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them whatsoever Himself pleaseth. In His sight all things are open and manifest, His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent, or uncertain. He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands. To Him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience he is pleased to require of them.<\/p>\n
3. In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost: the Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.<\/p>\n
That is a long definition of the attributes of God. There is also a short form, which goes like this:<\/p>\n
God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.<\/p>\n
There are some ramifications that are derived from these definitions. God is a necessary and self-existent being. By way of definition, He is a spirit, and as such, He is infinite, eternal, and immutable in His being; in all that belongs to His intelligence, knowledge, and wisdom; and in all that belongs to His will, including His power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
\nIn this definition of God, four points should be noted:<\/p>\n
1. It is not possible to know all there is to know about God.
\n2. All definitions of God are, at best, only partial.
\n3. We can and do know something about God.
\n4. True knowledge of God can only come by revelation.<\/p>\n
From what has been noted so far, seven elements can be defined that describe an attribute. First, an attribute is a property intrinsic to its subject by which it is distinguished and identified. With that as a definition, the attributes of God are perfections that constitute His nature. They are essential, permanent, and distinguishing characteristics which can be affirmed of His being.
\nThe second point is that God and His attributes are one. They are not to be considered as so many parts that enter into the composition of God. They are not to be considered as something added to the being of God. It is not that He has these things, but that He is these things.
\nThird, an attribute describes the essence of God. The whole essence is in each individual attribute. Knowledge of the attribute carries with it knowledge of the divine essence. God\u2019s attributes are His essential qualities, which are inherent in His very own being and co-exist with it. The essential qualities of each attribute reveal some aspect of the being of God. Each attribute describes God as He is, not just parts of His being, or simply what He does. Attributes have objective existence; they are not simply mere names for the human conceptions of God. Attributes are inherent in the divine essence; they are not separate existences. Attributes belong to the divine essence as such, and in those manifesting the divine essence, the essence is only revealed through the attributes. Thus, the attributes describe the very essence of God.
\nFourth, no one attribute is higher than any other. The Scriptures in their totality give equal space to each one.
\nFifth, all attributes apply equally to each member of the Trinity.
\nSixth, all characteristics of the divine essence are resident in God, but not all are manifest at one time. All the attributes are always there, but not seen all at once.
\nSeventh, distinguishing characteristics of the divine nature, which are inseparable from the idea of God, constitute the basis and ground for His various manifestations to His creatures.
\nThese seven points comprise a basic definition of an attribute, as a followup to the definition of God.<\/p>\n
B. CLASSIFICATION OF ATTRIBUTES<\/p>\n
In considering the classification of the attributes of God, we run into a major problem in that different theologies and different theologians and different systematics all seem to divide the attributes into two main categories. However, the attributes of God are not always listed under the same name or in the same way. In deciding the classification of attributes, two main considerations should be pointed out.<\/p>\n
1. The Basis of the Classification<\/p>\n
The reason the attributes are classified into two main categories is based upon the fact that some of these attributes are true of God alone. At the same time, some of them are found to be in man, albeit in a limited way. Thus, the attributes are often divided on the basis of those which are only true of God and those which are true of God in a perfect way and of man in a limited way.<\/p>\n
2. The Theologians\u2019 Classifications<\/p>\n
The other way of classifying the attributes is to list the various categories that different theologians have used. One of them, an American Dutch Reformed theologian by the name of Louis Berkhof, divides them into incommunicable and communicable attributes. By \u201cincommunicable\u201d he means the qualities of God that \u201cemphasize the absolute distinction between God and the creature.\u201d By \u201ccommunicable\u201d he means the qualities \u201cof which we find some resemblance in man.\u201d
\nA second twofold division is found in Henry C. Thiessen\u2019s Lectures in Systematic Theology. This theologian classifies God\u2019s qualities as non-moral and moral attributes. When he speaks of the non-moral attributes of God, he is referring to the \u201cnecessary predicates of the divine essence that do not involve moral qualities. These are omnipresence, omniscience, omnipotence, and immutability.\u201d When he speaks of the moral attributes, he means \u201cthose necessary predicates of the divine essence that involve moral qualities.\u201d An example for this would be God\u2019s holiness.
\nA third twofold division is found in Augustus H. Strong\u2019s systematic theology, which he wrote at the end of the nineteenth century. In this work, he divides the attributes of God into immanent\/intransitive and emanant\/transitive predicates. By \u201cimmanent or intransitive,\u201d he means that the attributes are within God\u2019s being. They remain in His nature. An example would be His spirituality. By \u201cemanant or transitive,\u201d he means God\u2019s attributes flow out from Him, affecting creation. An example of this would be His mercy.
\nStrong also talks of absolute and relative attributes\u2014a fourth twofold division which needs to be mentioned. By \u201cabsolute,\u201d Strong means the qualities that concern God\u2019s relationship to Himself. By \u201crelative,\u201d he means God\u2019s relationship to others.
\nA fifth division, used by Lewis Sperry Chafer, divides the predicates into those relating to God\u2019s personality and those that can be classified as constitutional. Under \u201cpersonality,\u201d Chafer lists the attributes that relate to God\u2019s intellect, emotion, and will. Under \u201cconstitutional,\u201d he lists those that are related to the being of God.
\nA sixth division differentiates between negative and positive attributes. \u201cNegative\u201d refers to the predicates that are free from finite limitations. Something is denied concerning God. \u201cPositive\u201d are the attributes that, in a limited degree, also belong to the creature. In this case, something is affirmed.
\nThe seventh and final division distinguishes between passive and active attributes. By \u201cpassive,\u201d theologians mean that the attributes belong to God alone, while \u201cactive\u201d attributes extend to creation.<\/p>\n
C. THE FIRST GROUP OF ATTRIBUTES<\/p>\n
The first group of qualities concerns the incommunicable, natural, immanent, intransitive, absolute, \u201cpersonality,\u201d negative, passive attributes. Altogether there are ten of these attributes of God.<\/p>\n
1. Self-existence<\/p>\n
The self-existence of God is theologically also known as aseity, from the Medieval Latin word aseitas, meaning \u201cbeing by itself.\u201d This attribute denotes that God is not dependent upon anything outside of Himself, that He is self-sufficient in His whole being. So, the ground of God\u2019s existence is He. This attribute is found in Exodus 3:14; John 5:26, and Acts 17:25.
\nBy way of application, this means that God is the cause of our own existence. This is taught in Psalm 36:9: For with you is the fountain of life: In your light shall we see light.<\/p>\n
2. Simplicity<\/p>\n
Simplicity means that God is uncompounded, uncomplex, and indivisible. It means God is one essence and not made up in parts. It means He is incorporeal, invisible, without material substance, without physical parts or passions, and therefore free from all temporal limitations. The Scripture that teaches the simplicity of God is John 4:24, which tells us that God is a Spirit. The fact that God is a spirit has seven consequences.<\/p>\n
1. God is not a corporeal or material being (Lk. 24:39).
\n2. God is immaterial; He cannot be divided or compounded (Lk. 24:39).
\n3. God is invisible (Rom. 1:20; Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. 1:17).
\n4. He has spiritual substance or reality.
\n5. He has personality. He has intellect, emotions, and will. We see in Genesis 18:19 that He has intellect for God \u201cknew Abraham.\u201d In Exodus 3:7, He knows Israel\u2019s affliction. God also has emotion, as seen in Genesis 6:6, where He was \u201cgrieved.\u201d Psalm 103:8\u201313 states God has the emotions of anger, love, and pity. God also has will; in Genesis 3:15, He says \u201cI will.\u201d Psalm 115:3 states God \u201cdoes whatsoever He pleases.\u201d So, one consequence of God being a spirit is that He also has personality.
\n6. He is a living God (Josh. 3:10; 1 Sam. 17:26; Ps. 84:2; Jer. 10:10; and 1 Thess. 1:9).
\n7. God is a moral being (Ex. 34:6\u20137).<\/p>\n
The attribute of God\u2019s simplicity is applicable to us because, according to John 4:24, we must worship God in spirit.<\/p>\n
3. Unity<\/p>\n
Unity means that God is numerically one, and as such, He is unique. This attribute stresses the oneness and singularity of God. This does not violate the concept of the Trinity; it simply emphasizes the fact that God is one in essence, although He may be distinct in subsistence.
\nThere are several Scriptures that teach this attribute of God.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Deuteronomy 4:35b: Jehovah he is God; there is none else besides him.
\n\u2022 Deuteronomy 6:4: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.
\n\u2022 In Deuteronomy 32:39, God declares, \u201cAnd there is no god with me.\u201d
\n\u2022 In 1 Kings 8:60, we read, that all the peoples of the earth may know that Jehovah, he is God; there is none else.
\n\u2022 In Isaiah 44:6, it is again God who declares, \u201cbeside me there is no God.\u201d
\n\u2022 Isaiah 45:5: \u201cI am Jehovah, and there is none else; besides me there is no God.\u201d
\n\u2022 Zechariah 14:9: Jehovah shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall Jehovah be one, and his name one.
\n\u2022 In John 5:44, Yeshua talks about the only God.
\n\u2022 In John 17:3, He prays to the only true God.
\n\u2022 In 1 Corinthians 8:4, Paul declares that there is no God but one.
\n\u2022 In 1 Corinthians 8:6, he specifies this by saying, there is one God, the Father.
\n\u2022 In 1 Timothy 1:17, the apostle again speaks about the only God.
\n\u2022 In 1 Timothy 2:5, he says, there is one God.
\n\u2022 In 1 Timothy 6:15\u201316, Paul calls Him the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.
\n\u2022 In James 2:19, this thought is repeated when it says, You believe that God is one; you do well: the demons also believe, and shudder.<\/p>\n
By way of application, we need to have a consciousness of who it is that we worship.<\/p>\n
4. Freedom<\/p>\n
God is free. This indicates that He is independent of His creation. He is at liberty to act or not to act, according to His good pleasure. He is free as to His volition, and His freedom is determined by His own sense of what is wise, right, and desirable. The only restrictions on God\u2019s freedom are those of His own perfections. He cannot do that which goes contrary to His nature, in other words, He cannot sin. The Scripture teaches this attribute in Isaiah 40:13\u201314:<\/p>\n
13 Who has directed the Spirit of Jehovah, or being his counsellor has taught him? 14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed to him the way of understanding?<\/p>\n
By way of application, this shows that God is not bound to us; He does not need us. We, however, need Him, so His relationship to us is that of His own freedom.<\/p>\n
5. Infinity<\/p>\n
That God is infinite means He is without termination or finitude. There are no limitations that can be assigned to His essence. He transcends all limitations of time and space. As He relates to time, He is eternal. As He relates to space, He is immense. As to His being, He is absolute perfection.
\nThe Scriptures that teach the infinity of God are 1 Kings 8:27, where it says that the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him, and Acts 17:28, where we read that in him we live, and move, and have our being.
\nThe application of this attribute to us is that we must rest in His greatness.<\/p>\n
6. Eternity<\/p>\n
God is eternal; He is infinite in relation to time. This concerns the relationship that God sustains to duration. He is free from cessation of time, He is free to act in relation to time, and He is free to act outside of its limitations. This is taught by Genesis 18:14, where He says, \u201cat the set time I will return.\u201d Galatians 4:4 speaks of God moving \u201cin the fullness of time.\u201d
\nAccording to Hebrews 7:3, God has neither beginning of days nor end of life. That includes eternity past and eternity future, where only God is eternal in both. While believers inherit eternal life, they are not from eternity past.
\nTime has objective reality to God, but He sees the past and the future as vividly as the present, and according to Hebrews 1:1\u20132 and 11:3, He is the cause of time.
\nThe Scriptures that teach that God is eternal include the following verses:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Genesis 21:33, where He is called the Everlasting God.
\n\u2022 Deuteronomy 32:40: as I live for ever.
\n\u2022 Deuteronomy 33:27: the eternal God.
\n\u2022 Job 36:26: The number of his years is unsearchable.
\n\u2022 Psalm 90:2: from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
\n\u2022 Psalm 90:4: For a thousand years in your sight Are but as yesterday when it is past.
\n\u2022 Psalm 102:27: your years shall have no end.
\n\u2022 Isaiah 57:15: For thus says the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity.
\n\u2022 Colossians 1:17: he is before all things.
\n\u2022 1 Timothy 1:17, He is King eternal.
\n\u2022 2 Peter 3:8, But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
\n\u2022 Revelation 1:8; 21:6, and 22:13: He is called the Alpha and the Omega. By way of application, this attribute means that God gives eternal life (Jn. 3:16; 1 Jn. 5:11). Therefore, we must \u201credeem the time\u201d for eternity (Eph. 5:16).<\/p>\n
7. Immutability<\/p>\n
The fact that God is immutable means that He is unchanging and unchangeable. He is neither capable of nor susceptible to change. In no sphere or relationship is He subject to change. This is true of His essence and His character. On the other hand, being immutable does not mean inactivity or immobility.
\nThe verses for this attribute include the following:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Psalm 102:27, which says, But you are the same, And your years shall have no end.
\n\u2022 Malachi 3:6, where God Himself declares, For I, Jehovah, change not.
\n\u2022 Hebrews 1:12, where the writer contrasts the finite nature of the universe with the statement that God is the same.
\n\u2022 Hebrews 6:17\u201318, where the writer emphasizes God\u2019s immutability.
\n\u2022 James 1:17 declares that with God can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.<\/p>\n
The attribute of immutability raises a problem, for if God is unchanging and unchangeable, why do the Scriptures sometimes say that He repents? It seems that certain passages contradict others. Some clearly state that God does not repent. These are Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Psalm 110:4, and Romans 11:29. However, there are also equally clear passages which speak of the fact that God does repent. They are Genesis 6:6; Exodus 32:14; 1 Samuel 15:11 and 35; 2 Samuel 24:16; Joel 2:13\u201314; Amos 7:3 and 6, and Jonah 3:10.
\nSo how do we reconcile these two apparently contradictory sets of passages? The reconciliation is not at all that difficult to understand. The Bible sometimes uses anthropomorphism to describe God in such a way that man can understand Him. The concept of anthropomorphism helps us to recognize that the change is not in God, but in man. What changes is the way the plan is unfolded to man, not the plan itself. God has an eternal plan, and it is fixed; it does not change. Sometimes, what we perceive as change is merely the outworking of God\u2019s permissive will. Immutability consists in the fact that He always does the right thing. Sometimes, He adapts the treatment of His creatures to the variations in their character and conduct. An example of this can be found in Jeremiah 18:1\u201310:<\/p>\n
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying, 2 Arise, and go down to the potter\u2019s house, and there I will cause you to hear my words. 3 Then I went down to the potter\u2019s house, and, behold, he was making a work on the wheels. 4 And when the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. 5 Then the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, 6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? says Jehovah. Behold, as the clay in the potter\u2019s hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel. 7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it; 8 if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. 9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; 10 if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.<\/p>\n
The passage above reveals an interesting principle. God decreed to judge sin. That is an absolute law. However, another absolute law is that God is going to respond to man\u2019s repentance. So, suppose God has decreed judgment upon a nation and then that nation repents\u2014as was the case with Nineveh. When Nineveh repented, the threatened judgment did not come. Did God change His mind about the judgment? There was no change in God; the change took place in man. God is and stays unchangeable; He does and will always punish sin. And because He is unchangeable, He does respond to repentance. So, when the population of Nineveh repented, it brought the appropriate response from the unchangeable God. The change actually took place in man, which resulted in a different part of God\u2019s plan working its way out in that nation\u2019s history. Thus, there was no actual change in God; the change was strictly in man.
\nThere are at least five areas where God is immutable.<\/p>\n
1. God is immutable as far as His power is concerned (Rom. 4:20\u201321).
\n2. He is immutable in His plan and purpose (Isa. 46:9\u201310; Rom. 11:29).
\n3. God\u2019s promises are immutable (Num. 23:19; 1 Kings 8:56; 2 Cor. 1:20; Titus 1:2; Heb. 10:23 and 11:11).
\n4. God is immutable in His love and mercy (Ps. 103:17; Mal. 3:6).
\n5. God is immutable in His justice (Gen. 18:26).<\/p>\n
By way of application, immutability is a very important attribute of God. It allows us to rely on God\u2019s unchanging Word. He will not change His faithfulness. We can count on His promises and, according to 1 John 1:9, on His forgiveness. Finally, we can trust that He will keep us (2 Tim. 2:11\u201313).<\/p>\n
8. Omnipresence<\/p>\n
That God is omnipresent means that He is present everywhere at the same time. It is His relation to the universe where other beings are present.
\nTwo other attributes, immanence and transcendence, are related to God\u2019s omnipresence. The fact that He is immanent means that He is within the world and acts within and through His creation. Transcendence, on the other hand, means that God is separate from His creation.
\nIn light of this, there are certain errors that should be avoided. They entail four wrong conclusions that are made concerning the omnipresence of God. The first error to be avoided is the concept that God is diffused through space and that only parts of Him are present everywhere. God is one and cannot be divided. He is totally present all the time in every place. A second error to be avoided is the concept that God\u2019s presence is everywhere in the same sense. God is omnipresent, but His special dwelling place is in heaven. God is everywhere, but His presence with believers is different than His presence with unbelievers. So, there are distinctions within His omnipresence. The third error which needs to be avoided is thinking of His presence as being a bodily or material form. God is a spirit, and He is invisible. The fourth philosophy to avoid is pantheism, which teaches that god is everything and everything is god. Pantheism confuses the Creator with what He has created. God is distinct from His creation.
\nThe Scriptures that teach the attribute of omnipresence include the following:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Genesis 16:13, You are a God that sees.
\n\u2022 Psalm 139:7\u201312, God is everywhere.
\n\u2022 Proverbs 15:3, The eyes of Jehovah are in every place.
\n\u2022 Jeremiah 23:23\u201324, where it says: Am I a God at hand, says Jehovah, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places so that I shall not see him? says Jehovah. Do not I fill heaven and earth? says Jehovah.
\n\u2022 Amos 9:2, He is both in heaven and Sheol.
\n\u2022 Acts 17:27 adds that he is not far from each one of us.
\n\u2022 Hebrews 4:13 says that there is no creature that is not manifest in His sight.<\/p>\n
God is omnipresent. There are four applications to us that arise from this. First, we can derive comfort from the fact that God is near us (Ex. 33:14). Second, we pray to someone who is very near. Third, we cannot go where God is not present. This should be an incentive for us to be dedicated in our service to Him (Joshua 1:9; Job 34:21\u201322). Fourth, we are under God\u2019s protection. He sees every danger we face (Gen. 28:15; Ps. 121:3\u20134; Heb. 13:5).<\/p>\n
9. Immensity<\/p>\n
God is immense. This means He is infinite in relation to space. He is not restricted by space. He fills all things and surpasses all creation and extends without end. God is the cause of space. He is not in space; space is actually in Him.
\nThere are five verses for this attribute:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Deuteronomy 4:39, where we read that Jehovah he is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath.
\n\u2022 1 Kings 8:27, which explains that His immensity is such that heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him.
\n\u2022 Isaiah 66:1, where God says of Himself that heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.
\n\u2022 Jeremiah 23:24, where God says He fills heaven and earth.
\n\u2022 Ephesians 1:23, where Paul says He fills all in all.<\/p>\n
The application we should get from this attribute is that we can trust in the greatness of God.<\/p>\n
10. Sovereignty<\/p>\n
That God is sovereign means that He is a supreme ruler; He is King of heaven and earth. His sovereignty is universal, it is absolute, and it is immutable.
\nSome examples of God exercising His sovereignty include the fact that He established the physical laws of the universe. In His power, He determined the different orders of nature and assigned to each its appropriate place in the universe. We see His sovereignty at work in His appointing of each individual to their position and lot. We also see it in His distribution of favors.
\nThe following Scriptures teach the attribute of sovereignty:<\/p>\n
\u2022 1 Samuel 2:6\u20138, where God decides the status of man.
\n\u2022 1 Chronicles 29:11\u201312, where all is in God\u2019s control.
\n\u2022 2 Chronicles 20:6, He is the Ruler of the kingdoms.
\n\u2022 Psalm 47:2, He is the King of the earth.
\n\u2022 Psalm 115:3, He has done whatsoever he pleased.
\n\u2022 Daniel 4:35, he does according to His will.<\/p>\n
The application which we can derive from this attribute is that nothing that ever happens to us is out of God\u2019s control. It is His sovereignty that produced our salvation (Eph. 1:4\u20136) and the means by which our salvation is also worked out (Phil. 2:13).<\/p>\n
E. THE SECOND GROUP OF ATTRIBUTES<\/p>\n
In this section, we are concerned with the seven communicable, moral, immanent, transitive, relative, constitutional, positive, and active attributes of God.<\/p>\n
1. Omniscience<\/p>\n
God is omniscient. He knows all there is to know about everything. According to Matthew 17:27 and 1 Corinthians 2:11, He has total knowledge of all things concerning Himself. He has total knowledge of all things past, present, and future. The things of the past are as real to Him as the things of the present. The future is as real to Him as the past. By divine arrangement, events do follow in sequence and chronological order, but He is not bound by that (Isa. 45:21; 46:10; Acts 15:18). God also has total knowledge of all things both possible and actual. He can answer questions like \u201cWhat if I had not made that decision?\u201d and \u201cWhat if I had done that instead?\u201d He has total knowledge of all things, both possible as well as actual (1 Sam. 23:11\u201312; Mt. 11:21\u201324). Furthermore, God already knows our discovery of facts. He doesn\u2019t have to discover anything; He knows it all (Isa. 40:13\u201314; Rom. 11:34\u201336).
\nGod also has total knowledge of His own world, including His inanimate creation (Ps. 147:4). He has total knowledge of His animal creation (Mt. 10:29). He has total knowledge of man and his works (Ps. 33:13\u201315; Prov. 5:21). He has total knowledge of man\u2019s thoughts and heart (Ps. 139:1\u20134). He has total knowledge of man\u2019s needs (Mt. 6:8) and man\u2019s wants (Mt. 6:32) and man\u2019s sorrows (Ex. 3:7). He has detailed knowledge of the facts of life (Mt. 10:30).
\nOmniscience is infinity in wisdom. It is eternal because it has always been and always will be an attribute of God. It is also immutable because it cannot be added to or subtracted from. It includes infinity in understanding and wisdom (Ps. 147:3).
\nScriptures on the attribute include the following:<\/p>\n
\u2022 In Isaiah 66:18, God says, I know their works and thoughts.
\n\u2022 Jeremiah 16:17: He sees all man\u2019s ways.
\n\u2022 Ezekiel 11:5: God knows things that come to mind.<\/p>\n
When we apply the meaning of this attribute to our lives, we can rest assured that we will be justified (Job 23:10). We can also be certain that our wants are known to Him (Mt. 6:31\u201332). God\u2019s omniscience is an incentive for the walk of the believer (Col. 1:10), and it is the source of our wisdom (Jas. 1:5).<\/p>\n
2. Omnipotence<\/p>\n
God is omnipotent. He is all powerful, and His power is infinite. This attribute gives life and action to all the other attributes.
\nThe Bible often refers to God as El Shaddai, God Almighty. It is a word used forty-eight times in the Old Testament, and it is used only of God. Omnipotence is the realization of all that God wills. He has the power to execute His will (Gen. 9:13\u201314; Ps. 2:12). This attribute operates through volition. God has not done all that He could do.
\nOmnipotence means that God can do anything that is not inconsistent with His own character or contradicts His own nature, such as lying (Heb. 6:18). He cannot sin (Jas. 1:13). He cannot look upon iniquity (Hab. 1:13). He cannot change (Mal. 3:6). He cannot deny Himself (2 Tim. 2:13).
\nOmnipotence includes the power of self-limitation. God can use His power to limit Himself, as He has done in certain areas. His omnipotence always operates in conformity with His wisdom, knowledge, holiness, and justice. He does not will to use all of His power, but He has power over His own power. His power is without effort. It is simply by His word that He exercises it, as we repeatedly see in the first chapter of Genesis: \u201cAnd God said, \u2018let there be \u2026\u2019 and it was so.\u201d This is also brought out in Psalm 33:9: For he spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.
\nThere are several Scriptures that emphasize the omnipotence of God.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Job 42:2: I know that you can do all things, And that no purpose of yours can be restrained.
\n\u2022 Psalm 36:6, where He preserves man and beast.
\n\u2022 Psalm 66:9, where He holds our soul in life.
\n\u2022 Psalm 147:5, where He is mighty in power.
\n\u2022 Jeremiah 32:17, where creation is by God\u2019s great power.
\n\u2022 Matthew 19:26, where all things are possible.
\n\u2022 Revelation 19:6, where He is \u201cthe Lord God omnipotent.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are a number of applications arising from this attribute. God\u2019s power is available to believers (Isa. 40:29; Jer. 33:3; Eph. 1:19; 3:20; Phil. 4:13). There is no need to fear (Ps. 27:1). We are to trust in His strength (Isa. 26:4). The gospel is God\u2019s power to save (Rom. 1:16). It means power for evangelism (Acts 1:8) and power for the believer\u2019s service (2 Cor. 9:8). It means that we are kept by God\u2019s power (2 Tim. 1:12; 1 Pet. 1:5).<\/p>\n
3. Will<\/p>\n
God\u2019s will is the cause of all things which come to pass. The Scriptures divide this attribute into various categories. There is God\u2019s decretive will, which refers to His immutable decrees. This is spoken of in Deuteronomy 29:29, where it says:<\/p>\n
The secret things belong unto Jehovah our God; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.<\/p>\n
In Psalm 115:3, we learn that He has done whatsoever he pleased. Psalm 135:6 confirms this: Whatsoever Jehovah pleased, that has he done, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps. In Isaiah 46:9\u201310, God states, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.
\nThere is also His preceptive will. It refers to His rule of authority or conduct, which may be disobeyed. God has given us certain precepts, but we have the power to disobey them. This is mentioned in Deuteronomy 29:29.
\nAnother aspect is His desiderative will, which refers to what God desires, but does not bring to pass. For example, He may desire that all will be saved, but He does not bring that to pass. His desiderative will is mentioned in 1 Timothy 2:3\u20134 and 2 Peter 3:9.
\nAnother aspect is God\u2019s permissive will. It includes what He allows. For instance, He allowed sin to enter the universe.
\nApplying this attribute to our lives, we can see that it was God\u2019s will that saved us (Eph. 1:11). Furthermore, according to Ephesians 1:9, we can know God\u2019s will.<\/p>\n
4. Holiness<\/p>\n
God is holy. He is free from all moral evil. He has moral perfection and absolute purity. He is the center and essence of moral character. This attribute of holiness is active, intrinsic, uncreated, and untarnished.
\nPositively, God loves holiness and desires it in His people (Prov. 15:9). Negatively, it means He hates sin and all evil (Hab. 1:13). This attribute of holiness is co-extensive with all of God\u2019s other attributes, so that, in one way or another, they all reflect His holiness. Holiness is the eternal conformity of His being to His will. It becomes the basis of all ethical and moral standards in man.
\nSome Scriptures that deal with God\u2019s holiness include the following:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Exodus 3:5, where God is, it is holy ground.
\n\u2022 Leviticus 11:44\u201345: Twice, God says that He is holy.
\n\u2022 Leviticus 19:2: I Jehovah your God am holy.
\n\u2022 Joshua 24:19a: And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve Jehovah; for he is a holy God.
\n\u2022 1 Samuel 2:2: There is none holy as Jehovah.
\n\u2022 Psalm 22:3a: But you are holy.
\n\u2022 Psalm 47:8: God sits upon His holy throne.
\n\u2022 Psalm 89:35: Once have I sworn by my holiness: I will not lie unto David.
\n\u2022 Psalm 99:9: Exalt ye Jehovah our God, And worship at His holy hill; For Jehovah our God is holy.
\n\u2022 Psalm 111:9: His name is holy.
\n\u2022 Isaiah 6:3: Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah of hosts.
\n\u2022 Isaiah 41:14, the Holy One of Israel.
\n\u2022 Habakkuk 1:12: O Jehovah my God, my Holy One.
\n\u2022 1 Peter 1:15: he who called you is holy.
\n\u2022 Revelation 4:8b: Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.
\n\u2022 Revelation 6:10: and they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, do you not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
\n\u2022 Revelation 15:4a: Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? for you only are holy.<\/p>\n
There are several ways how this attribute applies to us. There is a chasm between God and man (Isa. 59:1\u20132). Therefore, man must approach God on the merits of another. The New Testament tells us we have access to Him through the Messiah Yeshua (Rom. 5:1\u20132; Eph. 2:18; Heb. 10:19\u201323). God is to be addressed with reverence and Godly fear (Heb. 12:28\u201329), and we are to live a holy life before God and man (Lev. 11:44; Rom. 6:13; 1 Tim. 6:11). A question we should always be asking ourselves about what we may or may not do is: Is it holy?<\/p>\n
5. Righteousness and Justice<\/p>\n
The attributes of righteousness and justice will be looked at in combination because they share the same root. They are expressions of God\u2019s moral character in the administration of rewards and punishment. God is both a righteous ruler and a just judge. Righteousness and justice conform to a law He carries within Himself. Here, the holiness of God is expressed in relation to man. It is exhibited by righteous laws given to man and observed in the plan of redemption. According to Romans 2:12\u201316, His righteousness and justice are seen in the final distribution of reward and punishment to all creatures:<\/p>\n
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law; 13 for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified: 14 (for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves; 15 in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them); 16 in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Yeshua Messiah.<\/p>\n
There are several Scriptures that speak of God\u2019s righteousness and justice:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Genesis 18:25b: shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
\n\u2022 2 Chronicles 19:3: there is no respect of persons with God.
\n\u2022 Psalm 19:9: The fear of Jehovah is clean, enduring for ever: The ordinances of Jehovah are true, and righteous altogether.
\n\u2022 Psalm 89:14: Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne: Lovingkindness and truth go before your face.
\n\u2022 Psalm 97:2: Clouds and darkness are round about Him: Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
\n\u2022 Psalm 116:5: Gracious is Jehovah, and righteous; Yea, our God is merciful.
\n\u2022 Psalm 145:17a: Jehovah is righteous in all his ways.
\n\u2022 Isaiah 45:21: a just God.
\n\u2022 Jeremiah 12:1a: Righteous are you, Jehovah.
\n\u2022 Zephaniah 3:5a: Jehovah in the midst of her is righteous; he will not do iniquity; every morning does he bring His justice to light, he fails not.
\n\u2022 Revelation 15:3: And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are your ways, you King of the ages.<\/p>\n
There are several applications we can draw from the attribute of righteousness and justice. God is going to judge the world (Acts 17:31). He is going to judge believers; He is also going to judge unbelievers (Rev. 16:5). God is both just and the justifier of us who are believers (Rom. 3:26). It means we can be bold on the Day of Judgment (1 Jn. 4:17). It is the basis of our self-judgment (1 Cor. 11:31) and of confession (1 Jn. 1:9). Therefore, we should be living an upright life.<\/p>\n
6. Goodness<\/p>\n
This perfection of God, that He is good, prompts Him to deal bountifully and kindly with all of His creatures. Psalm 145:9 says, Jehovah is good to all; And His tender mercies are over all His works. The same point is made in Matthew 19:17 and Romans 11:22.
\nGod is good, and there are five facets to this. They are that He is benevolent, merciful, longsuffering, loving, and gracious. Let\u2019s look at each of these five facets.<\/p>\n
a. His Benevolence<\/p>\n
Benevolence refers to His disposition to promote happiness. It is goodness in its generic sense, embracing all of His creatures. It is the affection God feels and manifests towards them.
\nThis aspect of His goodness is found in Job 38:41, in that He provides even for the raven. He preserves man and beast (Ps. 36:6). Even the lions seek their food from God (Ps. 104:21), and He does indeed sustain all of His creatures (Ps. 145:15\u201316) and allows the sun and rain to come upon both good and evil (Mt. 5:45).
\nThe application of this attribute is that we need to show benevolence and do good to all men, but especially to those who are members of the household of the faith (Gal. 6:9\u201310).<\/p>\n
b. His Mercy<\/p>\n
Mercy, exercised on behalf of the needs of others, is another facet of God\u2019s goodness. It refers to practical kindness and includes compassion, which is goodness manifested to those who are in misery and distress.
\nThe exercise of divine mercy is optional. God does not have to show mercy, but He chooses to (Rom. 9:14\u201318). God is merciful to those who put their trust in Him (2 Cor. 1:3\u20134; Heb. 4:16). When an individual sinner is called and saved, it is the exercise of God\u2019s mercy (1 Tim. 1:13). God\u2019s mercy will be manifested in a special way in Israel\u2019s national restoration (Isa. 54:7).
\nThere are several additional Scriptures that deal with God\u2019s mercy as a facet of His goodness:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Deuteronomy 5:10, where God shows mercy unto thousands of them that love Him.
\n\u2022 1 Chronicles 16:34, where His lovingkindness endures for ever.
\n\u2022 Psalm 57:10, where His lovingkindness is great unto the heavens.
\n\u2022 Psalm 86:5, where God is abundant in lovingkindness unto all that call upon Him.
\n\u2022 Psalm 136:1\u201326, where it is repeated many times over, for His mercy endures for ever (NASB).
\n\u2022 Isaiah 55:7, where His mercy leads to pardon: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
\n\u2022 Luke 1:54, where God remembers mercy.
\n\u2022 Luke 1:72 where God shows mercy.
\n\u2022 Luke 1:78, where God has tender mercy.
\n\u2022 Romans 11:30\u201331, where both Jews and Gentiles have obtained mercy.
\n\u2022 Romans 15:9, where the Gentiles praise God for His mercy.
\n\u2022 Ephesians 2:4\u20135, where it is the basis of our salvation.
\n\u2022 James 5:11, where the Lord is full of pity, and merciful.
\n\u2022 1 Peter 1:3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua Messiah, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Yeshua Messiah from the dead.<\/p>\n
The key application from this facet of God\u2019s goodness is that we, too, need to be merciful.<\/p>\n
c. His Longsuffering<\/p>\n
God\u2019s longsuffering is another facet of His goodness, and it is this aspect that means He bears with evil and delays His judgment.
\nThis can be seen in several Scripture passages:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Exodus 34:6\u20137a: And Jehovah passed by before him, and proclaimed, Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth, keeping lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.
\n\u2022 Psalm 86:15, where it says that God is slow to anger.
\n\u2022 Romans 2:4, where His longsuffering stems from His goodness.
\n\u2022 Romans 9:22, where God endures with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction.
\n\u2022 1 Peter 3:20, where the longsuffering of God waits.
\n\u2022 2 Peter 3:15, where the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.<\/p>\n
The application of this third facet of God\u2019s goodness is that we are to bear with others in the same way and exercise patient endurance and longsuffering.<\/p>\n
d. His Love<\/p>\n
God\u2019s love is the fourth facet of His goodness. God is eternally moved to self-communication. He always seeks the highest good: that of displaying His own glory. Love is that which seeks good for the object loved. Good equals the will of God. True love, then, is evidenced by seeking the will of God for the object loved. Love also includes His voluntary affection, not mere emotional impulse. It is the very nature of God, the very structure of His being (1 Jn. 4:8 and 16). God, indeed, is love.
\nIn dealing with the objects of God\u2019s love, the Bible reveals four things:<\/p>\n
1. God the Father loves God the Son, the Messiah (Mt. 3:17; Jn. 17:24).
\n2. He loves the world (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 1 Jn. 3:16).
\n3. He loves Israel (Deut. 7:7\u20138; Jer. 31:3; Ez. 16:8; Hos. 11:1).
\n4. He loves the believer (Jn. 16:27; 17:23; 1 Jn. 4:19).<\/p>\n
Other Scriptures concerning the love of God would include Psalm 11:7, where He loves righteousness; Isaiah 61:8, where He loves justice; and 2 Corinthians 13:11, where He is the God of love.
\nThe application that comes from this facet of God\u2019s goodness includes the fact that nothing can separate us from His love (Rom. 8:35\u201339). For that reason, we should love the brethren (1 Jn. 3:16).<\/p>\n
e. His Grace<\/p>\n
According to Titus 3:3\u20137, grace, as a facet of God\u2019s goodness, is love exercised towards the unworthy. It is God\u2019s goodness manifested toward the undeserving. It is God\u2019s free actions on behalf of the meritless.
\nWhen the Bible talks about the grace of God, there are seven areas in which it operates:<\/p>\n
1. Human salvation is the product of God\u2019s grace (Acts 18:27; Eph. 2:7\u20139).
\n2. Election is the result of His grace (Eph. 1:4\u20136).
\n3. So is redemption (Eph. 1:7\u20138).
\n4. Sanctification is the fruit of His grace (Rom. 5:21).
\n5. So is His preservation (2 Cor. 12:9).
\n6. So is service (Heb. 12:28).
\n7. God\u2019s grace will also result in the final presentation of Yeshua the Messiah (1 Pet. 1:13).<\/p>\n
Because this aspect of God\u2019s goodness is so important to mankind, it needs to be investigated at greater depth.<\/p>\n
(1) The Words that Describe God\u2019s Grace<\/p>\n
There are two Hebrew words and one Greek word from which a definition of grace can be derived.<\/p>\n
(a) Chen<\/p>\n
The first Hebrew word is chen. In the Old Testament, it is used at least sixty-nine times. From the extensive use of this word, it is obvious that it reveals to us a number of different facets regarding the concept of the grace of God. Ten examples of its various usages can be mentioned.<\/p>\n
1. This word chen means \u201cpure, unmerited favor from a superior to an inferior.\u201d This usage is found in Exodus 33:19 and 34:6\u20139, where God, as the superior, is extending His unmerited favor to humans, who are inferior.
\n2. It means \u201cdivine favor\u201d (Jer. 31:2).
\n3. The source of this unmerited, divine grace is God Himself (Zech. 12:10).
\n4. Chen is used in the sense of grace to the poor and contains within it a sense of mercy (Ex. 22:27).
\n5. It is a grace that perseveres (Ps. 116:5).
\n6. It is a grace that provides (Ps. 111:4\u20135).
\n7. It is a grace that is merciful, although it might be provoked (Ex. 34:7).
\n8. It is a grace that hears a repentant sinner (2 Chr. 30:9; Joel 2:13).
\n9. It is a grace that is connected with spiritual redemption (Job 33:24; Ps. 26:11).
\n10. It is a grace that relates to physical redemption from enemies, from wars, and from sins (Ps. 4:1; 9:13; 25:16; 30:10; 31:9; 56:1; 57:1; 86:1\u20133; 119:132, 134; 123:3).<\/p>\n
The best way to summarize the use of the word chen is that it is the unmerited favor of a superior to an inferior. In this case, God, the superior, expresses grace to man, the inferior. His grace is usually expressed as temporal or occasionally as spiritual blessings; it can also be expressed as physical or spiritual redemption and deliverance.<\/p>\n
(b) Chesed<\/p>\n
The second Hebrew word from which the concept of the grace of God comes is chesed. It is used a total of two hundred fifty times in the Old Testament. The basic meaning of chesed is \u201cloyal love.\u201d It carries the idea of intensity in kindness and love, presupposing a relationship of those involved in acts of kindness.
\nThe word chesed also has several different facets in the Hebrew Old Testament. All together there are nine different ways that it is used, with all of them somehow related to the grace of God:<\/p>\n
1. This word emphasizes God\u2019s covenantal relationship with Israel (Deut. 7:12).
\n2. It means \u201ccommunion with God\u201d (Ps. 5:6\u20137).
\n3. It emphasizes grace in deliverance (Ps. 6:4).
\n4. It is a grace that produces praise (Ps. 13:5).
\n5. It is a grace that promises preservation (Ps. 23:6).
\n6. It is a grace that extends forgiveness (Ps. 51:1).
\n7. It means \u201cthe grace of enablement\u201d (Ps. 85:6\u20137).
\n8. It carries the concept of grace in enlightenment (Ps. 119:64, 124).
\n9. It is a grace that shows itself in hope or produces hope (Ps. 130:7).<\/p>\n
To summarize, the word chesed is that firm lovingkindness expressed by God toward people, particularly in the covenants that God has made with His people and that are firmly guaranteed by His promise. The basic meaning is \u201cloyal love,\u201d as especially expressed in those covenants. This word for \u201cgrace\u201d relates to the Mosaic Covenant (Ex. 20:6; 34:6\u20137; Deut. 5:10) and with the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7:15; 1 Chr. 17:13; 2 Chr. 1:8; 6:14, 42; Ps. 61:6\u20137; 89:33\u201334, 49).<\/p>\n
(c) Charis<\/p>\n
The third term which the Scriptures use for grace is the Greek word charis. It too is used in several different ways.<\/p>\n
1. It sometimes means \u201cthat which provides joy, pleasure, delight, charm, and loveliness.\u201d To have this grace means to have joy, pleasure, delight, charm, and loveliness. This is its meaning in classical Greek where it was not particularly related to God. Its classical meaning is found in Luke 4:22 and Ephesians 4:29.
\n2. It means, \u201cgood will,\u201d \u201clovingkindness,\u201d \u201cfavor,\u201d and \u201cgrace\u201d (Lk. 1:30; 2:52; Rom. 11:6; 2 Cor. 4:15; 6:1; 9:14).
\n3. This grace is also an expression of thanks (1 Cor. 10:30; 2 Tim. 1:3).
\n4. This particular word for \u201cgrace\u201d will sometimes emphasize the benefits of grace, such as the benefit of the entire spiritual condition (Rom. 5:2; 1 Pet. 5:12), grace giving (1 Cor. 16:3; 2 Cor. 8:6\u20137), earthly blessings (2 Cor. 9:8), or saving grace (Jn. 1:17; 1 Cor. 15:8\u201310; 2 Cor. 8:9; 1 Pet. 1:10, 13).
\n5. A slightly different form of charis has the same root and means \u201cto bestow grace upon.\u201d Believers can bestow grace upon someone else (Col. 4:6).
\n6. Charis is used to emphasize a grace gift. There are two types of grace gifts: the gift of salvation (Rom. 6:23) and the use of spiritual gifts. This can be seen in another form of this same Greek word, charisma. This form emphasizes the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12:3\u20138; 1 Cor. 7:7. 12:1\u201331; Eph. 4:8\u201311; 1 Pet. 4:10).<\/p>\n
These are the three original words which the Scriptures use to express the concept of grace. One needs to be aware of these various usages to come to a knowledge of all that is meant by this facet of God\u2019s goodness.<\/p>\n
(2) Grace in the Old and New Testaments<\/p>\n
Studying how grace appears over time in the Old Testament, one realizes that, over time, it was extended to particular people.
\nDuring the patriarchal period, the grace of God was extended to at least five persons: Noah (Gen. 6:8), Abraham (Gen. 18:3; 24:27), Lot (Gen. 19:19), Jacob (Gen. 32:10; 33:5), and Joseph (Gen. 39:21; 43:29).
\nAlthough theologians often distinguish between the dispensation of law and the dispensation of grace, the grace of God was extended even under the dispensation of law. For example, Moses was a recipient of the grace of God (Ex. 33:12\u201317) and so was the nation of Israel (Ex. 15:13).
\nFurthermore, in investigating the concept of grace in the Old Testament, one realizes that the covenants found there were received because of the grace of God. In fact, the second Hebrew word, chesed, particularly emphasizes His loyalty to His covenants. The Abrahamic Covenant was a product of the grace of God (Mic. 7:20), as were the Mosaic Covenant (Ex. 34:6\u20137) and the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7:14\u201315; Ps. 89:33\u201335; Is. 55:3; Jer. 31:3).
\nHowever, the greatest display of the grace of God is found in the pages of the New Testament.<\/p>\n
(a) In the Gospels<\/p>\n
In the Gospels, the word \u201cgrace\u201d is used a total of eleven times. Eight of these verses are found in the Gospel of Luke (1:30; 2:40, 52; 4:22; 6:32\u201336; 17:9) and three in the Gospel of John (1:14, 16\u201317). Matthew and Mark do not use the word at all.
\nFrom these eleven usages, three observations can be made. First, Yeshua Himself only used the word twice, in Luke 6:32\u201334 and 17:9. In both instances, the term carries the meaning of \u201cthanks.\u201d A second observation is that Luke uses the word more often than any other Gospel writer. His close association with the Apostle Paul is probably the reason for this. Paul was the great proponent and teacher of the grace of God. The third observation is that in the Gospel of John, it only appears in chapter 1. According to John, it is recognized that the Messiah was the full revelation of the grace of God.
\nIn the Gospels, the word \u201cgrace\u201d carries five different meanings:<\/p>\n
1. It carries the meaning of \u201cthanks\u201d (Lk. 6:32\u201334; 17:9).
\n2. It carries the meaning \u201cto grant a favor\u201d (Lk. 1:28; 7:21, 42\u201343).
\n3. It carries the meaning of \u201cwinsomeness,\u201d someone who is winsome (Lk. 2:40, 52).
\n4. It has the meaning of \u201cgracious words about grace\u201d (Lk. 4:22).
\n5. It carries the full theological meaning of grace only in John 1:14, 16\u201317.<\/p>\n
(b) In the Book of Acts<\/p>\n
In Acts, the word \u201cgrace\u201d is used in six different ways.<\/p>\n
1. It has the meaning of \u201cfavor\u201d (2:47).
\n2. It is used to describe God\u2019s works in the Old Testament (7:10, 46).
\n5. It is how the gospel is brought to men (15:11; 18:27).
\n6. The word \u201cgrace\u201d emphasizes God\u2019s gifts to believers after their salvation (4:33; 6:8; 11:23; 14:26; 15:40).<\/p>\n
(c) In the Letters of Paul<\/p>\n
Paul, the greatest and most extensive teacher on the grace of God, used the word \u201cgrace\u201d in both the opening and the closing of every one of his epistles. Since the book of Romans is his major work on theology, it is not unusual that he used the word a great number of times in this book (1:5, 7; 3:24; 4:4, 16; 5:2, 15, 17, 21; 6:1, 14\u201315; 11:5\u20136; 12:3, 6). From these references, it is obvious that Paul used the word \u201cgrace\u201d in at least five different ways:<\/p>\n
\u2022 The grace of apostleship
\n\u2022 The grace of justification
\n\u2022 The grace of sanctification
\n\u2022 The grace of election
\n\u2022 The grace of spiritual gifts<\/p>\n
In I Corinthians, Paul used the word in the introduction (1:3) and then in five different ways in the epistle: he used it to describe what God did for him on the Damascus road (15:10). He explained that it was what enables us for acceptable spiritual service (3:10). He used it in the sense of thanksgiving (10:30) and to emphasize the gift of the Holy Spirit, meaning the gift of salvation (1:4). Finally, Paul used the word to emphasize the gifts of the Holy Spirit (12:4, 9, 28, 30\u201331).
\nIn II Corinthians, Paul used the word \u201cgrace\u201d in the introduction (1:2) and then in five different ways in the epistle:<\/p>\n
\u2022 As saving grace (6:1)
\n\u2022 As enabling grace (4:15; 12:9)
\n\u2022 As a thanks (1:11)
\n\u2022 As a sphere of life in which a believer operates (1:12)
\n\u2022 In the giving of money, which is considered as the grace of God (8:1, 4, 6\u20137, 19; 9:8, 14)<\/p>\n
In Galatians, the word \u201cgrace\u201d is found seven times (1:3, 6, 15; 2:9, 21; 5:4; 6:18). Paul\u2019s emphasis in this book is to show that God had revealed to him the uniqueness of the doctrine of grace.
\nIn Ephesians, it is used as the opening (1:2), and then it is used three different ways:<\/p>\n
\u2022 To emphasize the grace of salvation (1:7; 2:5, 8)
\n\u2022 To emphasize the grace of service (3:2, 7\u20138; 4:7)
\n\u2022 To emphasize the grace of speech (4:29)<\/p>\n
In Philippians, the word \u201cgrace\u201d is used in the opening (1:2, 7).
\nIn Colossians, it is used as the opening (1:2) and then in two other ways: the grace of the gospel itself (1:5\u20136) and the grace of speech (3:16; 4:6).
\nIn I Thessalonians, it is used as part of the opening of the letter (1:1).
\nIn II Thessalonians, it is used also as part of the opening of the letter (1:2), and then it is mentioned again as the evidence of faith (1:12).
\nIn the pastoral epistles of I and II Timothy and Titus, Paul uses the word in the sense of \u201csaving grace\u201d in all cases but one. In 2 Timothy 2:1, he speaks of grace in terms of the believer\u2019s position in relation to God. As \u201csaving grace,\u201d he uses the word in 1 Timothy 1:2 and 14; 2 Timothy 1:2 and 9, and Titus 1:4; 2:11, and 3:7.
\nHaving surveyed how the apostle used the word \u201cgrace\u201d in his epistles, three points can be made. First, the origin of Paul\u2019s concept of the grace of God is his experience on the Damascus road. He frequently harked back to that experience when discussing where his ideas, concepts, and knowledge of the grace of God originated. Second, Paul always uses the word in reference to God\u2019s grace to man. He never uses it about a man\u2019s favor to another person. It is used this way elsewhere, but not in Paul\u2019s letters. Third, his concept of grace is multifaceted. God\u2019s grace is the grace of Yeshua the Messiah in His sacrifice (2 Cor. 8:9; Gal. 2:20\u201321). According to Paul, grace is absolutely free; man does not have to pay anything for it, but of course, it did cost God the life of His Son (Rom. 3:24; 5:15; Eph. 2:8). Furthermore, grace is the sin-conquering power in salvation and sanctification (Rom. 5:12\u201321; 6:1\u201323). Paul teaches that grace is freely offered to all men (Eph. 2:8\u20139). It is the sum of the believer\u2019s blessing (Eph. 1:7; 3:8). Lastly, the apostle makes it clear that we live in the dispensation of grace (Rom. 6:14).<\/p>\n
(d) In Hebrews<\/p>\n
In the book of Hebrews, the word \u201cgrace\u201d is used a total of seven times to emphasize four things:<\/p>\n
\u2022 The death of the Messiah (2:9)
\n\u2022 The believer\u2019s position in the grace of God (4:16, used twice)
\n\u2022 The Spirit of grace (10:29)
\n\u2022 Grace in the believer\u2019s life (12:15, 28; 13:9)<\/p>\n
(e) In the General Epistles<\/p>\n
The general epistles are James, I and II Peter, I, II, and III John, and Jude:<\/p>\n
\u2022 In James, the word \u201cgrace\u201d is found twice, both times in 4:6.
\n\u2022 In I Peter, it is used to teach four concepts:
\n1. That the prophetic content in the Old Testament was part of God\u2019s grace (1:10)
\n2. The eschatological hope of grace (1:13)
\n3. Grace as the concept of spiritual living (3:7; 5:5, 10, 12)
\n4. Peter, like Paul, used the word \u201cgrace\u201d to emphasize spiritual gifts (4:10).
\n\u2022 In II Peter, it is found in 1:2 and 3:18.
\n\u2022 In I John, it is not used at all.
\n\u2022 In II John, it is found once, in verse 3.
\n\u2022 In III John, it is not used at all.
\n\u2022 In the book of Jude, it is used only once, in verse 4.<\/p>\n
(f) In the Book of Revelation<\/p>\n
In the book of Revelation, the word \u201cgrace\u201d is found only twice: in the opening greeting (1:4) and the closing benediction (22:21).<\/p>\n
(3) Definition of Grace<\/p>\n
Having dealt with the original Greek and Hebrew words and having surveyed the use of the word \u201cgrace\u201d in the Old and New Testaments, a definition of the grace of God can be derived.
\nA very simple definition is: the grace of God is favor that is unmerited, that is totally unrelated to every question of human merit. This simple definition carries seven specific ramifications that should be noted:<\/p>\n
1. Grace is not withheld because of sin; otherwise, it would not be true grace.
\n2. Grace is not lessened because of sin.
\n3. Grace cannot incur a debt. Good works may follow the experience of God\u2019s grace, but not for the purpose of compensation. This is the point of Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:14, and 3:8. Grace is grace; it is unmerited. It is pure love given to man with its various benefits.
\n4. Grace is never exercised as a just payment of a debt (Rom. 4:4).
\n5. Grace is never the overpayment of a debt. Grace does not increase or decrease.
\n6. Grace does not appear in the immediate divine dealings with the sins of the unsaved. This means that God deals with any sin only on the basis of mercy, not leniency. Sin is not forgiven because God is big-hearted enough to remit the penalty or to waive His righteous judgments. Forgiveness is not an immediate act of grace; rather, it is a judicial pardon in view of the fact that the debt has already been paid by another, the Messiah. Grace is mediated through the cross.
\n7. Grace does not appear in the immediate divine dealings with the sins of the saved, because forgiveness is based on the cross of the Messiah. The means of receiving forgiveness for a believer who has sinned is by confession (1 Jn. 1:9).<\/p>\n
(4) What Grace Means for the Believer<\/p>\n
Two main passages emphasize that those who are believers are standing in a new position; they are standing in grace. The first passage is Romans 5:2:<\/p>\n
Through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.<\/p>\n
Here Paul writes that believers are standing in this grace, and they attained that standing by faith. Their standing in this grace provides the hope of the glory of God that someday the believer will be glorified, even as they have been justified and are now being sanctified.
\nThe second main passage which speaks about this standing in grace is 1 Peter 5:12:<\/p>\n
By Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I account him, I have written unto you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God: stand ye fast therein.<\/p>\n
As Peter concludes his first epistle, he points out that the reason he wrote it was to testify concerning the truth of the grace of God in which these believers were standing. They were standing in the grace of God, just as believers are today.
\nFurthermore, the principle of grace includes that God will keep the believer. Because of this, three things must be disposed of:<\/p>\n
1. There must be a disposal of every condemnation that divine righteousness could impose because of sin. According to John 3:18; 5:24, and Romans 8:1, there has indeed been such a disposal. The point of these passages is that believers are no longer standing in condemnation. They are standing in grace. It is the unbeliever who has the wrath of God abiding on him.
\n2. There must be a disposal of every human obligation. The giving of this standing in grace does not obligate anyone to repay God for this grace. There are obligations, of course, but these obligations are not for the purpose of repayment. This grace is an absolutely free gift which requires no repayment.
\n3. There must be disposal of every human merit, because human merit cannot achieve this grace of God.<\/p>\n
God\u2019s grace will reach into the coming age. In every revelation of this truth, the keeping power of God through grace is implied. This means that the grace believers have right now reaches into the coming ages for its total enjoyment (Jn. 6:37; Phil. 1:6).<\/p>\n
7. Truth<\/p>\n
Truth means veracity, which, in relation to God, means that His being and knowledge eternally conform to each other. Veracity is in agreement and consistent with all that is represented by God Himself. It is God\u2019s knowledge, declarations, and representations conforming to reality. It means that God is consistent within Himself, which results in the fact that He is true.
\nThere are four implications of this attribute.<\/p>\n
1. Truth is that which is opposed to fictitiousness or that which is imaginary and contrary to the true God.
\n2. What it purposes is that which completely comes up to its ideal.
\n3. It corresponds exactly to reality; God is what He declares Himself to be, and His declarations correspond to reality.
\n4. God can be depended upon because He is, after all, immutable and therefore true.<\/p>\n
There are three areas of God\u2019s truth.<\/p>\n
1. God\u2019s ways are true (Ps. 25:10; Rev. 15:3).
\n2. God\u2019s works are true (Ps. 33:4; 111:7\u20138; Dan. 4:37).
\n3. God\u2019s words are true (2 Sam. 7:28; 1 Kings 17:24; Ps. 19:9; 138:2; Jn. 17:17; 2 Cor. 6:7; Eph. 1:13).<\/p>\n
There are several other Scriptures that deal with God\u2019s attribute of being true:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Numbers 23:19, which says that God cannot lie.
\n\u2022 Psalm 31:5, where He is the God of truth.
\n\u2022 Psalm 86:15, where He is abundant in truth.
\n\u2022 Jeremiah 10:10, where Jehovah is the true God.
\n\u2022 John 3:33: He that has received His witness has set His seal to this, that God is true.
\n\u2022 John 17:3, where He is the only true God.
\n\u2022 Romans 3:4, where He is found true.
\n\u2022 1 Thessalonians 1:9, where we are serving a living and true God.
\n\u2022 Titus 1:2 repeats that God cannot lie.
\n\u2022 Hebrews 6:18 adds that it is impossible for God to lie.
\n\u2022 Revelation 6:10, where He is the Master, the holy and true.<\/p>\n
The application we can derive from this particular attribute of God is that all truth is His truth. Everything that is truly true is the truth of God. Whatever the secular, unbelieving man may discover concerning truth, it is yet God\u2019s truth. If a medical doctor discovers that a certain medicine will cure a particular disease and it is true, then it is God\u2019s truth. Whatever the scientist uncovers as being really true is also God\u2019s truth. This makes God\u2019s truth the ground for man\u2019s truth. It is the basis for the truth that we discover, so that whatever truth we do discover is really God\u2019s truth.
\nBecause God is true, we can trust His promises. If God was known to lie, we couldn\u2019t trust Him. That God is true means that He is incapable of lying, and therefore we can trust what He has promised.
\nWe must be truthful and not lie (Prov. 6:16\u201317; Mt. 5:37). We should be characterized by truthfulness ourselves\u2014even with what we write on our income tax return!
\nWe can judge what is and is not truth (1 Jn. 4:6). We have the capacity to judge what is truth, and what is not.
\nHaving discussed the attributes of God, we have concluded the first main division of theology proper, which is theism. The next division deals with what we know about the Trinity.<\/p>\n
F. QUESTIONS AND STUDY SUGGESTIONS<\/p>\n
Question 1: How dependent is God\u2019s existence on the perceptions of mankind? Does His self-existence make our existence insignificant?<\/p>\n
Question 2: In your own words, what does it mean to worship God in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:24)?<\/p>\n
Question 3: Read Exodus 20:4\u20135. How can you reconcile the truth of God\u2019s attribute of freedom with the fact that He is a jealous God?<\/p>\n
Question 4: Time is part of God\u2019s act of creation. He Himself transcends it. Being spirit, God lives outside the realm of time. Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 are often quoted by those who want to combine the Genesis account with the theory of evolution. How can you reason with them?<\/p>\n
Question 5: How can God\u2019s immutability bring comfort in the times of sickness or death?<\/p>\n
Question 6: Does the attribute of being omnipresent bring you more comfort or discomfort? Why?<\/p>\n
Question 7: God\u2019s sovereignty poses some difficult questions for believers. Since God can do whatever He pleases (Ps. 115:3), why does He not do away with sin? Why does He allow terrorists to successfully commit atrocities in the world? On a personal level, you may be asking why your loved one had to die, why you lost your job, or why you still suffer from this and that if you prayed according to His will. Try to develop solid answers to tough questions like these.<\/p>\n
Question 8: What role does God\u2019s attribute of being omniscient play in your understanding of the creation account?<\/p>\n
Question 9: According to 2 Peter 1:3\u201311, how can the believer tap into God\u2019s power?<\/p>\n
Question 10: How are you faring in the light of the fact that God is just? Does Romans 3:23\u201326 help or discourage you in this context?<\/p>\n
Study Suggestion: Loving, merciful, gracious, true\u2014the attributes we just studied\u2014have enormous implications for our lives. List them on a separate piece of paper and try to sort them in order from what you feel is the least important to the most important. Revisit this paper in a few months to see if you still agree with the order you wrote down today. Could it be that, over time, our needs, our desires, and our situations change so much that different attributes become more\u2014or less\u2014important to us?<\/p>\n
Chapter II<\/p>\n
The Personality of God<\/p>\n
One of the most fascinating themes of the Bible focuses on the personality of God. There are many passages that describe Him as an intelligent, sentient, living being. Examining what the Scriptures have to say about His personality, we are concerned with two things: the image of God and the elements which prove that He has a personality.<\/p>\n
A. THE IMAGE OF GOD<\/p>\n
The main source for our concept of the image of God begins with Genesis 1:26\u201327, which teaches that man was created in the image of God. For this to be true there needs to be a similarity between God and man. This similarity cannot be in the material part of man because God is spirit. It is true that the Bible uses what is known as anthropomorphism, which means that the characteristics of God are stated in terms of human elements and the human experience. So God is spoken of as having arms in Deuteronomy 33:27. He is said to have hands in Exodus 33:22 and Isaiah 65:2. He is said to have feet in Isaiah 66:1. He is said to have eyes in 2 Chronicles 16:9; Psalm 11:4, and 34:15. He has ears in Isaiah 59:1. He has a mouth in Isaiah 1:20 and 58:14. He has a face in Exodus 33:11. He has a back in Exodus 33:23. He has nostrils in 2 Samuel 22:9 and 16.
\nAll of these are anthropomorphisms. In revealing Himself to us, God had to descend to our capacity and limit Himself to language which we could understand. So the point of these anthropomorphisms is not that God actually possesses human form or emotions. After all, He is a spirit. The point is that God can do precisely those things which the physical parts of man can do. Therefore, Psalm 94:9 asks, He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see? So, the image of God has nothing to do with the material, but rather the immaterial. The image of God in man is the immaterial part of man, not the material part. God is spirit (Jn. 4:24), and spirit does not have flesh and bones (Lk 24:39), so God does not have flesh and bones, hands, eyes, or feet. All these anthropomorphic elements explain Him in a way that humans can understand. God is capable of doing the same things that a man can do, yet He is immaterial, not material. He is spirit; spirit does not have flesh and bones.<\/p>\n
B. THE ELEMENTS OF PERSONALITY<\/p>\n
The image of God is to be seen in the elements of personality, which are intellect, emotion, and will. If we can prove that God has these three elements, then we have proven that God has personality.<\/p>\n
\u2022 The fact that God has intellect is brought out in Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 1:18; Acts 15:8; Romans 11:33, and Hebrews 4:13.
\n\u2022 The fact that God has emotion is brought out in Genesis 6:6; Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 6:15; 1 Kings 11:9; Psalm 103:8\u201311, and Proverbs 6:16.
\n\u2022 The fact that God has will is brought out in Genesis 1:26 and 3:15\u201316; Psalm 115:3; Isaiah 46:10; Daniel 4:35, and 2 Peter 3:9.<\/p>\n
So, the Bible clearly presents a God who has personality, intellect, emotion, and will. Man, too, possesses these characteristics, and it is there that the image of God is to be found, and not in the physical, outward shape of man.<\/p>\n
C. QUESTIONS AND STUDY SUGGESTIONS<\/p>\n
Question 1: God is often referred to as \u201cthe Man Upstairs.\u201d Many see Him as a grandfatherly figure that strikingly resembles Santa Claus. Think about your perception of God. Have the anthropomorphisms of the Scriptures led you to see Him as a man with a long, white beard and jolly red cheeks who acknowledges the sins of His children with an astounding patience and a benevolent smile?<\/p>\n
Question 2: God truly exists. But how? What does it mean that He is spirit? Read John 4:24; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Joshua 3:10, and Psalm 84:2 and try to combine these verses into a working definition of God being spirit.<\/p>\n
Study Suggestion: Read and write down all the verses mentioned in the paragraph. Develop an understanding of what it means that man was created in the image of God. Consider the implications this has on marriage, parenthood, and your view of others, especially your enemies.<\/p>\n
Chapter III<\/p>\n
The Names of God<\/p>\n
Every one of God\u2019s names reveals something about His person and work. The study of these names is therefore essential for the development of a thorough understanding of who He really is. Thus, we will consider the various names of God, their meanings, ramifications, and applications.<\/p>\n
A. PRIMARY HEBREW NAMES<\/p>\n
The first category of the names of God is the primary Hebrew names, of which there are three: YHVH, Elohim, and Adon (or Adonai).<\/p>\n
1. YHVH or YHWH<\/p>\n
The most common name for God in the Hebrew text is comprised of four Hebrew letters that transliterate into the four English letters YHVH or YHWH. This name of God is known as the Tetragrammaton, meaning \u201cthe four letters.\u201d It is used over seven thousand times in the Old Testament. Exactly how this four-letter name is to be pronounced is no longer known, because the Jewish people refused to pronounce this name of God. In order to obey the commandment in Exodus 20:7, You shall not take the name of Jehovah your God in vain, they would substitute it with another Hebrew word that meant \u201cLord.\u201d In the course of time, the proper pronunciation of this name of God, YHVH, was forgotten. The most educated guess is that the pronunciation should be Yahweh, and that may very well be correct, but it is still only a guess. These four letters are translated into English Bibles either as Jehovah or as LORD, with all four letters capitalized, and also by the term GOD, with all three letters capitalized. The Hebrew letter vav in ancient times was pronounced as a \u201cw,\u201d but in Modern Hebrew as a \u201cv.\u201d Hence, the Tetragrammaton is spelled either as YHWH or YHVH.<\/p>\n
a. The Meaning of the Name<\/p>\n
The basic meaning of YHVH is given in Exodus 3:14: And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shall you say unto the children of Israel, I AM has sent me unto you.
\nThe root for the name of God is the Hebrew word hayah, which means \u201cto be\u201d or \u201cto exist.\u201d It normally appears in the third person as YHVH, which means \u201cHe is who He is.\u201d However, once it appears in the first person as Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh, which means \u201cI am that I am\u201d (Ex. 3:14). God\u2019s name implies that He is the One who is continuously coming to be. It emphasizes existence\u2014not existence in static form, but existence in motion. The picture of this name is that God is the eternal, self-existing One.
\nThe name is given further meaning in Exodus 6:2\u20133:<\/p>\n
2 And God spoke unto Moses, and said unto Him, I am Jehovah: 3 and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name Jehovah I was not known to them.<\/p>\n
According to this passage, the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, did not know God\u2019s name, YHVH. God was known to them as God Almighty, but not as Jehovah or YHVH. That seems a bit strange because, as one reads through the book of Genesis, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all address Him as YHVH. The Hebrew word for known means \u201cto know by experience.\u201d From Genesis, it is rather obvious that they did know that God\u2019s name consisted of these four Hebrew letters. What Moses meant, then, was that these patriarchs did not experience Him as YHVH, but as God Almighty or El Shaddai.<\/p>\n
b. The Emphases of the Name<\/p>\n
There are five emphases of the name YHVH. First, it emphasizes God as the Covenant-Keeper. God\u2019s unchangeableness in His relationship to Israel means that He is the Covenant-Keeper. This is how He presented Himself to the patriarchs. While Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did know what God\u2019s name was, they did not experience the emphasis of that name because they died before the Abrahamic covenant began to be fulfilled. Rather, they experienced the emphasis of another name, El Shaddai, or God Almighty, the One who has the authority and power to make covenants. So, they knew the name YHVH, but they did not experience the meaning of the name in its redemptive sense. The emphasis of the name YHVH is that this is God\u2019s covenant name; it is the whole manifestation of God in His relationship to Israel.
\nSome examples of Scriptures that emphasize God, YHVH, as Covenant-Keeper are Exodus 10:3; 20:1\u20132, and Jeremiah 31:31\u201334.
\nA second emphasis of the name YHVH is on its singularity; no other god has this name. Exodus 20:7 emphasizes the fact that this is God\u2019s unique name; He will not give it to any other. The same emphasis is made in Psalm 8:1; 48:10; 76:1, and Isaiah 42:8.
\nThe third emphasis of the name YHVH is that it is concerned with His divine attributes. In Exodus 33:19, God promised Moses:<\/p>\n
And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of Jehovah before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.<\/p>\n
What God promised Moses in Exodus 33:19, He fulfilled in Exodus 34:5\u20137:<\/p>\n
5 And Jehovah descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of Jehovah. 6 And Jehovah passed by before him, and proclaimed, Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth, 7 keeping lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children\u2019s children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.<\/p>\n
There is a clear emphasis in these verses on connecting the name YHVH with His divine attributes, which are all somehow connected with the uniqueness of that name. But the attribute of holiness is the one that stands out most often. Some examples of this are Leviticus 11:44\u201345; 19:1\u20132, and 20:26.
\nThe fourth emphasis of the name YHVH points to God\u2019s hatred of sin. This is found in Genesis 6:3\u20136; Exodus 34:6\u20137, and Psalm 11:5\u20136.
\nAnd the fifth emphasis of this name stresses His work of redemption. Some examples are Genesis 3:24; Exodus 12:12\u201314, and Isaiah 53:1, 6, and 10.<\/p>\n
2. Elohim<\/p>\n
The basic name Elohim has three different forms in the Hebrew text. First, it is found merely as El, which is a singular form. Depending on whether it is speaking of the true God or of a false god, this name is translated either with a capital \u201cG\u201d or with a lower case \u201cg.\u201d It is used two hundred fifty times, primarily in the poetic sections of the Old Testament. Some examples of this form are found in Job 5:8; 9:2, and 15:4.
\nThe second form of the same root is also a singular form, Eloah, meaning \u201cGod.\u201d It is not used very often and is primarily found in poetic literature, such as Job 9:13 and 31:6.
\nThe third form\u2014and by far the major usage of this name of God\u2014is Elohim. This is the plural form, and it can be used either of the true God or of false gods. When it is used of the true God, it is translated as a singular noun with a capital \u201cG,\u201d God. When it is used of false gods, it is translated as a plural noun with a lower case \u201cg,\u201d gods. Elohim can be found two thousand five hundred fifty-five times in the Old Testament. In the majority of the verses in which it appears, Elohim refers to the true God, but this very same word is also used of the heathen gods (Gen. 31:30; Ex. 12:12; Judges 5:8; Ps. 82:1; 96:5, and 97:7).<\/p>\n
a. The Origin of the Name<\/p>\n
The name Elohim originates from two different Hebrew root words. The first root meaning is that of \u201cbeing strong and mighty.\u201d The second root means \u201cto be smitten with fear.\u201d By putting both root words together, the meaning of the name Elohim is \u201cthe Strong and Mighty One who is the object of fear.\u201d<\/p>\n
b. The Emphases of the Name<\/p>\n
The name Elohim has three basic emphases. First, it emphasizes God\u2019s power (Num. 23:22). Second, it emphasizes God as the Creator (Gen. 1:1). And third, it emphasizes the kind of God that He is (Ps. 86:15).<\/p>\n
3. Adon or Adonai<\/p>\n
The third primary Hebrew name for God is Adon, the singular form, or Adonai, the plural form.<\/p>\n
a. The Meaning of the Name<\/p>\n
The root for the word Adon or Adonai means \u201cto judge\u201d or \u201cto rule.\u201d It is a word that has three basic meanings: \u201cLord,\u201d \u201cmaster,\u201d and \u201cowner.\u201d
\nAs mentioned previously in dealing with the name YHVH, Adon also has the meaning of \u201cLord.\u201d The difference is that when the Tetragrammaton is used, the translation is in all capital letters: LORD. When the word Adon is used for God, then the translation has only the first letter capitalized: Lord.
\nAdon, like the name Elohim, is also used of things other than God. When it is used of man, it is translated as \u201clord\u201d with a lower case \u201cl.\u201d Adon can refer to man in the sense of \u201cmaster,\u201d as in Numbers 11:28 and Deuteronomy 23:15. It can also refer to man in the sense of \u201cowner,\u201d as in 1 Kings 16:24. However, in the majority of the cases where the name is used in its plural form, it is used for the true and only God.
\nSometimes the word Adon is used by itself, as in Deuteronomy 10:17 and Joshua 5:14. But sometimes the word Adonai is used in conjunction with YHVH, as in Exodus 4:10 and Malachi 1:6. In those cases when it is used together with the Tetragrammaton, the translation will be either as the Lord Jehovah in the American Standard Version of the Bible or as Lord GOD in the King James Version, with the word GOD in all capital letters.<\/p>\n
b. The Emphases of the Name<\/p>\n
The first emphasis brings out the basic meaning of \u201cLord.\u201d God is the almighty Ruler to whom everything is subject and to whom man is related as a servant.
\nThe second emphasis brings out the basic meaning of \u201cmaster.\u201d God, as the Master, has the right to expect obedience. Since this name emphasizes the relationship of a servant to his lord or to his master, the master obviously has every right to expect full and complete obedience from his servants. If believers are the servants of God and if God is indeed their Master, then as their Master, He has every right to expect total obedience. So the believers\u2019 obligation, as it relates to this name, is to obey their Lord, to obey the commandments He has given them. They can either obey His commandments out of fear, emphasizing more the meaning of Elohim, or they can obey His commandments out of love, as Yeshua Himself taught His disciples in John 14:15: If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. If people ever ask the question, as they often do, \u201cHow can believers show their love for God?\u201d the answer is, \u201cThey do not show their love for God through emotionalism. They show their love for God by their obedience.\u201d This is the way Yeshua showed His love for the Father. He obeyed the Father; He learned obedience. This is the way believers should show their love for the Father.
\nThe third emphasis of this particular name is developed from the first two names in that the servant has the right to expect direction. The master has the right to expect obedience, but the servant has the right to expect direction. This is what God\u2019s responsibility is if He is going to fulfill what this name implies. If He is really going to be the almighty Ruler to whom everything is subject and to whom man is related as a servant, then His servant has the right to expect to receive direction from his Lord. Indeed, the Lord has given believers direction through the Scriptures. He has given them commandments and principles to follow, and that is their obligation to the name of Adonai; but being the servants of Adonai, believers have the right to expect direction, and indeed, they have it through the Word of God.<\/p>\n
B. PRIMARY NAMES COMPOUNDED<\/p>\n
There is a second category of divine names in which the three primary names, YHVH, Elohim, and Adonai, are compounded, or joined together, in either of two ways: YHVH Elohim and Adonai YHVH.<\/p>\n
1. YHVH Elohim<\/p>\n
This compound name is translated in two ways. Sometimes it is translated as Jehovah God, as it is in the American Standard Version. In other translations, such as the King James Version, it is translated as LORD God. The name LORD has all capital letters, emphasizing that the Hebrew word here is the four-letter name of God, and the word \u201cGod\u201d has only the first letter capitalized, reflecting the word Elohim. Examples of the two names together as Jehovah God or LORD God are Genesis 2:4\u20135, 7\u20139, 15\u201316, 18\u201319, and 21\u201322.
\nThe compound name YHVH Elohim emphasizes two relationships, the first being the relationship of God to humanity in general and the second being His relationship to Israel in particular.
\nLooking at God\u2019s relationship to humanity, four facets can be noted. The first facet is that of Creator, as seen in Genesis 2:7\u201315. The context of these verses is God\u2019s creation of man, and the compound name YHVH Elohim is used so frequently that it emphasizes Him as man\u2019s Creator.
\nThe second facet of this compound name is that God has authority over His creation. In Genesis 2:16\u201317, God issues His directives to man. He gives them commandments and tells them what they might do and what they may not do, showing that He has authority over man.
\nThe third facet emphasizes God as creating and governing man\u2019s earthly relationships to others and their relationship to Him (Gen. 2:18\u201324; 3:16\u201324).
\nThe fourth facet emphasizes God as Redeemer (Gen. 3:8\u201315 and 21). It is under this compound primary name that God promised to send the Redeemer, the Seed of the Woman, who would someday finally deal with the problem of sin that had entered the human experience.
\nThe second relationship emphasized by this compound name is the relationship of God to the nation of Israel. Examples of this are found in Genesis 24:7; Exodus 3:15\u201318; Deuteronomy 1:11; 21; Joshua 7:13; 19\u201320, and Judges 5:3.<\/p>\n
2. Adonai YHVH<\/p>\n
This combination is also translated in two different ways. The first way is Lord Jehovah, such as in the ASV. The term \u201cLord\u201d has only the first letter capitalized showing that the Hebrew word behind it is Adonai. The word Jehovah reflects the name YHVH. In other translations, such as the KJV, the translation is Lord GOD. The word \u201cLord\u201d has only the first letter capitalized, showing that the word is Adonai, but the word \u201cGOD\u201d is in all capital letters to show that in the Hebrew text, the word behind \u201cGOD\u201d is the name YHVH, not Elohim.
\nExamples of this compound name are found in Genesis 15:2; 2 Samuel 7:18\u201320; Isaiah 7:7, and Jeremiah 1:6.
\nWhat is the emphasis of these two primary names when they are used together? The name Adon or Adonai emphasizes God as master, owner, or lord. So the first name still emphasizes Him as the One who is in control of His universe and of His creation. The name YHVH emphasizes God as the Covenant-Keeper. When these two primary names are compounded, they emphasize God as the One who has the power and the strength to fulfill the covenants that He has made because He has total control of everything. While the name YHVH emphasizes God as the Covenant-Keeper, it may only emphasize the concept of intention, namely that He intends to fulfill His covenants. If He does not have the power or the control to fulfill His Word, then the best intentions would have very little practical value. The two names together, then, emphasize the fact that God is the Covenant-Keeper, and the reason He is able to fulfill His covenants is because He has the power and the strength and the control of His creation to bring these covenants to their ultimate fulfillment.
\nA good example of this concept in action is found in Exodus 2:23\u201325, where God promises to do something on the basis of the Abrahamic Covenant:<\/p>\n
23 And it came to pass in the course of those many days, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God saw the children of Israel, and God took knowledge of them.<\/p>\n
Here is the very clear concept that God is the Covenant-Keeper, and, at this point, He intended to fulfill His covenant. The term YHVH emphasizes Him as the One who is about to keep His covenant; the word Adonai emphasizes His power to do so.
\nIn Exodus 3:6\u20138, God said to Moses:<\/p>\n
6 Moreover he said, I am the God of your Father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. 7 And Jehovah said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people that are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows, 8 and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.<\/p>\n
The uniqueness of the compound primary name Adonai YHVH is that it emphasizes Him as both the Covenant-Keeper and as the One who has the great power to fulfill these covenants.<\/p>\n
C. COMPOUND HEBREW NAMES<\/p>\n
In this section, we will be looking at primary Hebrew names that are followed by a non-primary name. The section will be divided into two categories: the Hebrew names that are compounded with YHVH and the ones compounded with Elohim.<\/p>\n
1. The Compound Hebrew Names with YHVH<\/p>\n
Altogether, there are ten compound names in the Hebrew Bible that incorporate the name YHVH.<\/p>\n
a. YHVH Tzvaot<\/p>\n
The first name is YHVH Tzvaot, which means \u201cYHVH of Hosts.\u201d The word hosts means \u201carmy,\u201d the angelic armies. Some examples of this compound name are 1 Samuel 1:3 and 4:4; Isaiah 6:2\u20133, and Hosea 12:4\u20135.
\nThe emphasis of this name is twofold. First, it inspires confidence (1 Kings 18:15; Ps. 46:7; 11). Second, God gives special help to Israel (1 Kings 19:14; Isa. 1:9; 10:24\u201327; 31:4\u20135; Hag. 2:4; Mal. 3:16\u201317).<\/p>\n
b. YHVH Yireh<\/p>\n
The second compound Hebrew name is YHVH Yireh, which means \u201cYHVH will provide\u201d and emphasizes God as the One who provides the sacrifice. It is not a name used for general provision, but the particular provision of a substitutionary blood-sacrifice. This name is found in Genesis 22:14.<\/p>\n
c. YHVH Ropheka<\/p>\n
The third compound Hebrew name is YHVH Ropheka, which means \u201cYHVH, your Healer\u201d and emphasizes that God heals both physically and spiritually. This name is found in Exodus 15:26.<\/p>\n
d. YHVH Nissi<\/p>\n
The fourth compound Hebrew name is YHVH Nissi, which means \u201cYHVH, my Banner\u201d and emphasizes God as the One who protects. This name is found in Exodus 17:15.<\/p>\n
e. YHVH Mekaddishkem<\/p>\n
The fifth compound Hebrew name is YHVH Mekaddishkem, which means \u201cYHVH, your Sanctifier\u201d and emphasizes God as the One who sets apart. This name is used in Exodus 31:13 and Leviticus 20:7\u20138.<\/p>\n
f. YHVH Shalom<\/p>\n
The sixth compound Hebrew name is YHVH Shalom, which means \u201cYHVH is peace\u201d and emphasizes the fact that God gives peace in spite of adversity. This name is found in Judges 6:24.<\/p>\n
g. YHVH Rohi<\/p>\n
The seventh compound Hebrew name is YHVH Rohi, which means \u201cYHVH, my Shepherd\u201d and emphasizes God as the One who keeps and protects. This name is used in Psalm 23:1.<\/p>\n
h. YHVH Tzidkeinu<\/p>\n
The eighth compound Hebrew name is YHVH Tzidkeinu, which means \u201cYHVH, our Righteousness\u201d and emphasizes God as being the One who will rule righteously in the Messianic kingdom. This name is found in Jeremiah 23:6 and 33:16.<\/p>\n
i. YHVH Makkeh<\/p>\n
The ninth compound Hebrew name is YHVH Makkeh, which means \u201cYHVH smites\u201d and emphasizes God as the One who punishes sin. This name is used in Ezekiel 7:9.<\/p>\n
j. YHVH Shammah<\/p>\n
The tenth compound Hebrew name is YHVH Shammah, which means \u201cYHVH is there\u201d and emphasizes the presence of God. This name is found in Ezekiel 48:35.<\/p>\n
2. The Compound Hebrew Names with Elohim<\/p>\n
The second category of compound names contains the name Elohim followed by a non-primary Hebrew name. There are five combinations with the word Elohim.<\/p>\n
a. El Shaddai<\/p>\n
The first compound is the name El Shaddai, which means \u201cthe Almighty God.\u201d It is used a total of forty-eight times in the Old Testament. The word Shaddai has two roots. The first root means \u201cto be powerful,\u201d emphasizing the fact that God possesses all power in heaven and on earth. It pictures God as subjecting all the power of nature and making it subservient to the work of divine grace. The second root for the word Shaddai is \u201cbreast,\u201d which emphasizes God as the nourisher and sustainer. As the All-Sufficient One, He is the source of blessing and comfort. Used together, these words emphasize the greatness of God. This name relates God to His covenant blessings. This was a very early name for God that was especially known experientially by the patriarchs; it appears in Genesis 17:1; 28:3, and Exodus 6:3.<\/p>\n
b. El Elyon<\/p>\n
The second compound name is El Elyon, which means \u201cthe Most High God.\u201d The word Elyon comes from a Hebrew root that means \u201cto be elevated.\u201d Primarily, it emphasizes God as the Exalted One. From this primary emphasis, a secondary emphasis is derived that stresses God\u2019s sovereignty over heaven (Isa. 14:13\u201314) and over earth (2 Sam. 22:14\u201315; Ps. 21:7; 83:16\u201318; 91:9\u201312). A third emphasis is on God\u2019s relationship to Gentiles (Gen. 14:18\u201319; Num. 24:16; Deut. 32:8\u20139).<\/p>\n
c. El Olam<\/p>\n
The third compound name is El Olam, which means \u201cthe Everlasting God.\u201d The root for the word Olam means \u201cage\u201d or \u201chidden.\u201d It emphasizes God as the God of eternity, the God of the ages, the One who is sovereign over time and eternity. Some examples are Genesis 21:33 and Isaiah 40:28.<\/p>\n
d. El Rohi<\/p>\n
The fourth compound name is El Rohi, which means \u201cthe God of Sight\u201d and emphasizes God as the One who keeps watch. This name used in Genesis 16:13.<\/p>\n
e. El Gmulot<\/p>\n
The fifth compound name is El Gmulot, which means \u201cthe God of Recompense\u201d and emphasizes God as the One who avenges. This name is found in Jeremiah 51:56.<\/p>\n
D. THE OTHER HEBREW DESIGNATIONS<\/p>\n
There is a fourth category of names of God, which contains other Hebrew designations for God. Altogether, there are 15 such designations, most of which are titles of one sort or another:<\/p>\n
1 Shield, in Genesis 15:1
\n2. Lawgiver or Judge, in Genesis 18:25
\n3. The Mighty One and the Almighty, emphasizing His omnipotence and His divine aid for the oppressed in Israel against her enemies, in Genesis 49:24 and Ruth 1:20\u201321.
\n4. Fortress, in Psalm 18:2
\n5. Tower, in Psalm 18:2
\n6. Deliverer, in Psalm 18:2
\n7. Shepherd, in Psalm 23:1
\n8. Creator, in Ecclesiastes 12:1; Isaiah 40:28 and 43:15
\n9. The Holy One of Israel, emphasizing His special covenant relationship to Israel, in Isaiah 1:4
\n10. A husbandman, in Isaiah 5:1\u20137
\n11. King, in Isaiah 43:15
\n12. Redeemer, in Isaiah 44:6 and 24
\n13. Rock, in Isaiah 44:8
\n14. Father, in Isaiah 63:16
\n15. Husband, in Jeremiah 31:32<\/p>\n
E. THE NEW TESTAMENT NAMES<\/p>\n
In the New Testament, there are several additional names, titles, and other designations for God.<\/p>\n
1. Greek Names<\/p>\n
a. Theos<\/p>\n
The first New Testament Greek name is Theos, which is equivalent to the Hebrew word Elohim and expresses the essential deity and essence of God. It is used over one thousand times in the New Testament of the true God. One example is John 1:1. Like the Hebrew Elohim, it is also used of the heathen gods, as in Acts 28:6 and 2 Thessalonians 2:4.<\/p>\n
b. Kurios<\/p>\n
The second New Testament Greek name is Kurios, which means \u201cLord.\u201d It is the equivalent to two Old Testament names YHVH and Adonai. The root for Kurios is Greek and means \u201cpower.\u201d It emphasizes God as the Mighty One, the Lord Possessor, and Ruler and as the One who is and who was and who is to come (Rev. 1:4; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13). It is a word used of both human relationships (Mt. 6:24) and divine relationships (Eph. 6:9; Col. 4:1). As a title for Yeshua, it is used six hundred and fifty times, clearly identifying Him with the Elohim and YHVH of the Old Testament, as in Matthew 3:3.<\/p>\n
c. Despotes<\/p>\n
The third New Testament Greek name is the word Despotes, which means \u201cLord,\u201d \u201cmaster,\u201d \u201cowner.\u201d The English word \u201cdespot\u201d comes from this Greek word. It is used in reference both to God and to man. When it is used of human relationships, it emphasizes a man as an owner, particularly a slave owner (1 Tim. 6:1\u20132). When it is used of God, it also emphasizes the concept of ownership. It is used of God the Father in Luke 2:29 and Acts 4:24 and of the Messiah in 2 Peter 2:1.<\/p>\n
d. Logos<\/p>\n
The fourth New Testament Greek name is the term Logos, which means \u201cWord.\u201d The root has the concept of \u201cthought,\u201d \u201cconception,\u201d \u201cexpression,\u201d or \u201cutterance.\u201d It is used of the Messiah in John 1:1\u201314. It emphasizes a revealer in John 1:18; the visible portrayal of the invisible God in John 6:46 and Hebrews 1:3; and Yeshua as the embodiment of divine wisdom and the collective thought of God in 1 Corinthians 1:24; Ephesians 3:10\u201311, and Colossians 2:2\u20133.<\/p>\n
e. Hupsistos<\/p>\n
The fifth New Testament Greek name is Hupsistos, which means \u201cthe Highest.\u201d It emphasizes God as the Highest in heaven (Mt. 21:9). He is called God Most High in Hebrews 7:1. It is used of the Messiah in Luke 1:32.<\/p>\n
f. Pantokrator<\/p>\n
The sixth New Testament Greek name is Pantokrator, which means \u201cthe Almighty,\u201d emphasizing God as the All-Powerful One. It is a word used only of God, as in Revelation 1:8.<\/p>\n
2. The Trinitarian Titles<\/p>\n
All three of the Trinitarian titles are found in Matthew 28:19: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n
a. Father<\/p>\n
Concerning the title Father, the Greek word is Pater. It designates God the Father in several ways:<\/p>\n
\u2022 The Father of our Lord Yeshua Messiah (2 Cor. 1:3; Eph. 1:3; Col. 1:3)
\n\u2022 The Heavenly Father (Jn. 17:1)
\n\u2022 The Father of Spirits (Heb. 12:9)
\n\u2022 The Holy Father (Jn. 17:11)
\n\u2022 The righteous Father (Jn. 17:25)
\n\u2022 The Father of lights (Jas. 1:17)<\/p>\n
When the First Person of the Trinity is called the Father, it emphasizes Him in three relationships: first, as the Father of creation (1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 3:14\u201315); second, as the Father of the Messiah (Lk. 2:49); and third, as the Father of believers (Jn. 1:12; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:5\u20136).<\/p>\n
b. Son<\/p>\n
The second Trinitarian title is Son. The Greek word is Huios, and it is specifically used of Yeshua Messiah our Lord (Rom. 1:4). Lord, in Greek Kurios and in Hebrew Adon, emphasizes His deity. Jesus\u2019 name in Hebrew is Yeshua, meaning \u201csalvation.\u201d It is transliterated into Greek as Iesous. This emphasizes His humanity. \u201cChrist\u201d (which was replaced in this verse with the more appropriate term \u201cMessiah\u201d) is transliterated into English from the Greek word Christos, meaning \u201canointed,\u201d just as the Hebrew Mashiach, and this emphasizes His office.<\/p>\n
c. Holy Spirit<\/p>\n
The third Trinitarian title is that of Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has several designations:<\/p>\n
\u2022 The Spirit of God (Rom. 8:14)
\n\u2022 The Spirit of truth (Jn. 16:13)
\n\u2022 The Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2)
\n\u2022 The Spirit of Messiah (Rom. 8:9)
\n\u2022 The spirit of adoption (Rom. 8:15)
\n\u2022 The Holy Spirit of promise (Eph. 1:13)<\/p>\n
3. Other Designations<\/p>\n
Finally, other New Testament designations of God include Creator in Romans 1:25, Potentate in 1 Timothy 6:15, shepherd in Hebrews 13:20, Bishop in 1 Peter 2:25, and King in Revelation 15:3.<\/p>\n
F. QUESTIONS AND STUDY SUGGESTIONS<\/p>\n
Question 1: Try to think through the concept of knowing versus experiencing. In what area do you know God intellectually, if you will, but not experientially?<\/p>\n
Study Suggestion 1: Look up the verses in which Elohim is used and try to develop a good understanding of this important name of God. What does it tell you about who He is?<\/p>\n
Question 2: What will help you to obey God\u2019s commandments as they are found in the New Testament without turning legalistic?<\/p>\n
Question 3: Read Psalm 148:13. God\u2019s name is of utmost importance. Who is He for you? The Most High God? The God of Recompense? The Everlasting One? The Provider? God knows our names. Should we not know His?<\/p>\n
Question 4: In the Old Testament, God is referred to as \u201cFather\u201d fifteen times. In the New Testament, this title is used two hundred and forty-five times. In fact, this is Yeshua\u2019s favorite name for God. Why do you think He used this name more often than God\u2019s other names?<\/p>\n
Study Suggestion 2: To allow the study of God\u2019s names to really sink in, to help you develop the meaning they can have in your life, we recommend that you write down all the names mentioned. Why not memorize them so that next time you pray you can call God by another one of His wonderful names?<\/p>\n
Chapter IV<\/p>\n
The Attributes of God<\/p>\n
Without having to think twice, a believer in Yeshua can quickly name a few of God\u2019s qualities. He will probably say that God is all-loving and all-powerful, full of mercy and grace. The attributes of God are manifold, and, after an initial definition of who God is, they will be discussed in four categories.<\/p>\n
A. DEFINITION OF ATTRIBUTE<\/p>\n
The second chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith defines God and His attributes with the following words:<\/p>\n
1. There is but one only, living, and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure Spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions; immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, for His own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; and withal, most just, and terrible in His judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.<\/p>\n
2. God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself; and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them. He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things; and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them whatsoever Himself pleaseth. In His sight all things are open and manifest, His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent, or uncertain. He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands. To Him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience he is pleased to require of them.<\/p>\n
3. In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost: the Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.<\/p>\n
That is a long definition of the attributes of God. There is also a short form, which goes like this:<\/p>\n
God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.<\/p>\n
There are some ramifications that are derived from these definitions. God is a necessary and self-existent being. By way of definition, He is a spirit, and as such, He is infinite, eternal, and immutable in His being; in all that belongs to His intelligence, knowledge, and wisdom; and in all that belongs to His will, including His power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
\nIn this definition of God, four points should be noted:<\/p>\n
1. It is not possible to know all there is to know about God.
\n2. All definitions of God are, at best, only partial.
\n3. We can and do know something about God.
\n4. True knowledge of God can only come by revelation.<\/p>\n
From what has been noted so far, seven elements can be defined that describe an attribute. First, an attribute is a property intrinsic to its subject by which it is distinguished and identified. With that as a definition, the attributes of God are perfections that constitute His nature. They are essential, permanent, and distinguishing characteristics which can be affirmed of His being.
\nThe second point is that God and His attributes are one. They are not to be considered as so many parts that enter into the composition of God. They are not to be considered as something added to the being of God. It is not that He has these things, but that He is these things.
\nThird, an attribute describes the essence of God. The whole essence is in each individual attribute. Knowledge of the attribute carries with it knowledge of the divine essence. God\u2019s attributes are His essential qualities, which are inherent in His very own being and co-exist with it. The essential qualities of each attribute reveal some aspect of the being of God. Each attribute describes God as He is, not just parts of His being, or simply what He does. Attributes have objective existence; they are not simply mere names for the human conceptions of God. Attributes are inherent in the divine essence; they are not separate existences. Attributes belong to the divine essence as such, and in those manifesting the divine essence, the essence is only revealed through the attributes. Thus, the attributes describe the very essence of God.
\nFourth, no one attribute is higher than any other. The Scriptures in their totality give equal space to each one.
\nFifth, all attributes apply equally to each member of the Trinity.
\nSixth, all characteristics of the divine essence are resident in God, but not all are manifest at one time. All the attributes are always there, but not seen all at once.
\nSeventh, distinguishing characteristics of the divine nature, which are inseparable from the idea of God, constitute the basis and ground for His various manifestations to His creatures.
\nThese seven points comprise a basic definition of an attribute, as a followup to the definition of God.<\/p>\n
B. CLASSIFICATION OF ATTRIBUTES<\/p>\n
In considering the classification of the attributes of God, we run into a major problem in that different theologies and different theologians and different systematics all seem to divide the attributes into two main categories. However, the attributes of God are not always listed under the same name or in the same way. In deciding the classification of attributes, two main considerations should be pointed out.<\/p>\n
1. The Basis of the Classification<\/p>\n
The reason the attributes are classified into two main categories is based upon the fact that some of these attributes are true of God alone. At the same time, some of them are found to be in man, albeit in a limited way. Thus, the attributes are often divided on the basis of those which are only true of God and those which are true of God in a perfect way and of man in a limited way.<\/p>\n
2. The Theologians\u2019 Classifications<\/p>\n
The other way of classifying the attributes is to list the various categories that different theologians have used. One of them, an American Dutch Reformed theologian by the name of Louis Berkhof, divides them into incommunicable and communicable attributes. By \u201cincommunicable\u201d he means the qualities of God that \u201cemphasize the absolute distinction between God and the creature.\u201d By \u201ccommunicable\u201d he means the qualities \u201cof which we find some resemblance in man.\u201d
\nA second twofold division is found in Henry C. Thiessen\u2019s Lectures in Systematic Theology. This theologian classifies God\u2019s qualities as non-moral and moral attributes. When he speaks of the non-moral attributes of God, he is referring to the \u201cnecessary predicates of the divine essence that do not involve moral qualities. These are omnipresence, omniscience, omnipotence, and immutability.\u201d When he speaks of the moral attributes, he means \u201cthose necessary predicates of the divine essence that involve moral qualities.\u201d An example for this would be God\u2019s holiness.
\nA third twofold division is found in Augustus H. Strong\u2019s systematic theology, which he wrote at the end of the nineteenth century. In this work, he divides the attributes of God into immanent\/intransitive and emanant\/transitive predicates. By \u201cimmanent or intransitive,\u201d he means that the attributes are within God\u2019s being. They remain in His nature. An example would be His spirituality. By \u201cemanant or transitive,\u201d he means God\u2019s attributes flow out from Him, affecting creation. An example of this would be His mercy.
\nStrong also talks of absolute and relative attributes\u2014a fourth twofold division which needs to be mentioned. By \u201cabsolute,\u201d Strong means the qualities that concern God\u2019s relationship to Himself. By \u201crelative,\u201d he means God\u2019s relationship to others.
\nA fifth division, used by Lewis Sperry Chafer, divides the predicates into those relating to God\u2019s personality and those that can be classified as constitutional. Under \u201cpersonality,\u201d Chafer lists the attributes that relate to God\u2019s intellect, emotion, and will. Under \u201cconstitutional,\u201d he lists those that are related to the being of God.
\nA sixth division differentiates between negative and positive attributes. \u201cNegative\u201d refers to the predicates that are free from finite limitations. Something is denied concerning God. \u201cPositive\u201d are the attributes that, in a limited degree, also belong to the creature. In this case, something is affirmed.
\nThe seventh and final division distinguishes between passive and active attributes. By \u201cpassive,\u201d theologians mean that the attributes belong to God alone, while \u201cactive\u201d attributes extend to creation.<\/p>\n
C. THE FIRST GROUP OF ATTRIBUTES<\/p>\n
The first group of qualities concerns the incommunicable, natural, immanent, intransitive, absolute, \u201cpersonality,\u201d negative, passive attributes. Altogether there are ten of these attributes of God.<\/p>\n
1. Self-existence<\/p>\n
The self-existence of God is theologically also known as aseity, from the Medieval Latin word aseitas, meaning \u201cbeing by itself.\u201d This attribute denotes that God is not dependent upon anything outside of Himself, that He is self-sufficient in His whole being. So, the ground of God\u2019s existence is He. This attribute is found in Exodus 3:14; John 5:26, and Acts 17:25.
\nBy way of application, this means that God is the cause of our own existence. This is taught in Psalm 36:9: For with you is the fountain of life: In your light shall we see light.<\/p>\n
2. Simplicity<\/p>\n
Simplicity means that God is uncompounded, uncomplex, and indivisible. It means God is one essence and not made up in parts. It means He is incorporeal, invisible, without material substance, without physical parts or passions, and therefore free from all temporal limitations. The Scripture that teaches the simplicity of God is John 4:24, which tells us that God is a Spirit. The fact that God is a spirit has seven consequences.<\/p>\n
1. God is not a corporeal or material being (Lk. 24:39).
\n2. God is immaterial; He cannot be divided or compounded (Lk. 24:39).
\n3. God is invisible (Rom. 1:20; Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. 1:17).
\n4. He has spiritual substance or reality.
\n5. He has personality. He has intellect, emotions, and will. We see in Genesis 18:19 that He has intellect for God \u201cknew Abraham.\u201d In Exodus 3:7, He knows Israel\u2019s affliction. God also has emotion, as seen in Genesis 6:6, where He was \u201cgrieved.\u201d Psalm 103:8\u201313 states God has the emotions of anger, love, and pity. God also has will; in Genesis 3:15, He says \u201cI will.\u201d Psalm 115:3 states God \u201cdoes whatsoever He pleases.\u201d So, one consequence of God being a spirit is that He also has personality.
\n6. He is a living God (Josh. 3:10; 1 Sam. 17:26; Ps. 84:2; Jer. 10:10; and 1 Thess. 1:9).
\n7. God is a moral being (Ex. 34:6\u20137).<\/p>\n
The attribute of God\u2019s simplicity is applicable to us because, according to John 4:24, we must worship God in spirit.<\/p>\n
3. Unity<\/p>\n
Unity means that God is numerically one, and as such, He is unique. This attribute stresses the oneness and singularity of God. This does not violate the concept of the Trinity; it simply emphasizes the fact that God is one in essence, although He may be distinct in subsistence.
\nThere are several Scriptures that teach this attribute of God.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Deuteronomy 4:35b: Jehovah he is God; there is none else besides him.
\n\u2022 Deuteronomy 6:4: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.
\n\u2022 In Deuteronomy 32:39, God declares, \u201cAnd there is no god with me.\u201d
\n\u2022 In 1 Kings 8:60, we read, that all the peoples of the earth may know that Jehovah, he is God; there is none else.
\n\u2022 In Isaiah 44:6, it is again God who declares, \u201cbeside me there is no God.\u201d
\n\u2022 Isaiah 45:5: \u201cI am Jehovah, and there is none else; besides me there is no God.\u201d
\n\u2022 Zechariah 14:9: Jehovah shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall Jehovah be one, and his name one.
\n\u2022 In John 5:44, Yeshua talks about the only God.
\n\u2022 In John 17:3, He prays to the only true God.
\n\u2022 In 1 Corinthians 8:4, Paul declares that there is no God but one.
\n\u2022 In 1 Corinthians 8:6, he specifies this by saying, there is one God, the Father.
\n\u2022 In 1 Timothy 1:17, the apostle again speaks about the only God.
\n\u2022 In 1 Timothy 2:5, he says, there is one God.
\n\u2022 In 1 Timothy 6:15\u201316, Paul calls Him the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.
\n\u2022 In James 2:19, this thought is repeated when it says, You believe that God is one; you do well: the demons also believe, and shudder.<\/p>\n
By way of application, we need to have a consciousness of who it is that we worship.<\/p>\n
4. Freedom<\/p>\n
God is free. This indicates that He is independent of His creation. He is at liberty to act or not to act, according to His good pleasure. He is free as to His volition, and His freedom is determined by His own sense of what is wise, right, and desirable. The only restrictions on God\u2019s freedom are those of His own perfections. He cannot do that which goes contrary to His nature, in other words, He cannot sin. The Scripture teaches this attribute in Isaiah 40:13\u201314:<\/p>\n
13 Who has directed the Spirit of Jehovah, or being his counsellor has taught him? 14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed to him the way of understanding?<\/p>\n
By way of application, this shows that God is not bound to us; He does not need us. We, however, need Him, so His relationship to us is that of His own freedom.<\/p>\n
5. Infinity<\/p>\n
That God is infinite means He is without termination or finitude. There are no limitations that can be assigned to His essence. He transcends all limitations of time and space. As He relates to time, He is eternal. As He relates to space, He is immense. As to His being, He is absolute perfection.
\nThe Scriptures that teach the infinity of God are 1 Kings 8:27, where it says that the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him, and Acts 17:28, where we read that in him we live, and move, and have our being.
\nThe application of this attribute to us is that we must rest in His greatness.<\/p>\n
6. Eternity<\/p>\n
God is eternal; He is infinite in relation to time. This concerns the relationship that God sustains to duration. He is free from cessation of time, He is free to act in relation to time, and He is free to act outside of its limitations. This is taught by Genesis 18:14, where He says, \u201cat the set time I will return.\u201d Galatians 4:4 speaks of God moving \u201cin the fullness of time.\u201d
\nAccording to Hebrews 7:3, God has neither beginning of days nor end of life. That includes eternity past and eternity future, where only God is eternal in both. While believers inherit eternal life, they are not from eternity past.
\nTime has objective reality to God, but He sees the past and the future as vividly as the present, and according to Hebrews 1:1\u20132 and 11:3, He is the cause of time.
\nThe Scriptures that teach that God is eternal include the following verses:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Genesis 21:33, where He is called the Everlasting God.
\n\u2022 Deuteronomy 32:40: as I live for ever.
\n\u2022 Deuteronomy 33:27: the eternal God.
\n\u2022 Job 36:26: The number of his years is unsearchable.
\n\u2022 Psalm 90:2: from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
\n\u2022 Psalm 90:4: For a thousand years in your sight Are but as yesterday when it is past.
\n\u2022 Psalm 102:27: your years shall have no end.
\n\u2022 Isaiah 57:15: For thus says the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity.
\n\u2022 Colossians 1:17: he is before all things.
\n\u2022 1 Timothy 1:17, He is King eternal.
\n\u2022 2 Peter 3:8, But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
\n\u2022 Revelation 1:8; 21:6, and 22:13: He is called the Alpha and the Omega. By way of application, this attribute means that God gives eternal life (Jn. 3:16; 1 Jn. 5:11). Therefore, we must \u201credeem the time\u201d for eternity (Eph. 5:16).<\/p>\n
7. Immutability<\/p>\n
The fact that God is immutable means that He is unchanging and unchangeable. He is neither capable of nor susceptible to change. In no sphere or relationship is He subject to change. This is true of His essence and His character. On the other hand, being immutable does not mean inactivity or immobility.
\nThe verses for this attribute include the following:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Psalm 102:27, which says, But you are the same, And your years shall have no end.
\n\u2022 Malachi 3:6, where God Himself declares, For I, Jehovah, change not.
\n\u2022 Hebrews 1:12, where the writer contrasts the finite nature of the universe with the statement that God is the same.
\n\u2022 Hebrews 6:17\u201318, where the writer emphasizes God\u2019s immutability.
\n\u2022 James 1:17 declares that with God can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.<\/p>\n
The attribute of immutability raises a problem, for if God is unchanging and unchangeable, why do the Scriptures sometimes say that He repents? It seems that certain passages contradict others. Some clearly state that God does not repent. These are Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Psalm 110:4, and Romans 11:29. However, there are also equally clear passages which speak of the fact that God does repent. They are Genesis 6:6; Exodus 32:14; 1 Samuel 15:11 and 35; 2 Samuel 24:16; Joel 2:13\u201314; Amos 7:3 and 6, and Jonah 3:10.
\nSo how do we reconcile these two apparently contradictory sets of passages? The reconciliation is not at all that difficult to understand. The Bible sometimes uses anthropomorphism to describe God in such a way that man can understand Him. The concept of anthropomorphism helps us to recognize that the change is not in God, but in man. What changes is the way the plan is unfolded to man, not the plan itself. God has an eternal plan, and it is fixed; it does not change. Sometimes, what we perceive as change is merely the outworking of God\u2019s permissive will. Immutability consists in the fact that He always does the right thing. Sometimes, He adapts the treatment of His creatures to the variations in their character and conduct. An example of this can be found in Jeremiah 18:1\u201310:<\/p>\n
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying, 2 Arise, and go down to the potter\u2019s house, and there I will cause you to hear my words. 3 Then I went down to the potter\u2019s house, and, behold, he was making a work on the wheels. 4 And when the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. 5 Then the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, 6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? says Jehovah. Behold, as the clay in the potter\u2019s hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel. 7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it; 8 if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. 9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; 10 if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.<\/p>\n
The passage above reveals an interesting principle. God decreed to judge sin. That is an absolute law. However, another absolute law is that God is going to respond to man\u2019s repentance. So, suppose God has decreed judgment upon a nation and then that nation repents\u2014as was the case with Nineveh. When Nineveh repented, the threatened judgment did not come. Did God change His mind about the judgment? There was no change in God; the change took place in man. God is and stays unchangeable; He does and will always punish sin. And because He is unchangeable, He does respond to repentance. So, when the population of Nineveh repented, it brought the appropriate response from the unchangeable God. The change actually took place in man, which resulted in a different part of God\u2019s plan working its way out in that nation\u2019s history. Thus, there was no actual change in God; the change was strictly in man.
\nThere are at least five areas where God is immutable.<\/p>\n
1. God is immutable as far as His power is concerned (Rom. 4:20\u201321).
\n2. He is immutable in His plan and purpose (Isa. 46:9\u201310; Rom. 11:29).
\n3. God\u2019s promises are immutable (Num. 23:19; 1 Kings 8:56; 2 Cor. 1:20; Titus 1:2; Heb. 10:23 and 11:11).
\n4. God is immutable in His love and mercy (Ps. 103:17; Mal. 3:6).
\n5. God is immutable in His justice (Gen. 18:26).<\/p>\n
By way of application, immutability is a very important attribute of God. It allows us to rely on God\u2019s unchanging Word. He will not change His faithfulness. We can count on His promises and, according to 1 John 1:9, on His forgiveness. Finally, we can trust that He will keep us (2 Tim. 2:11\u201313).<\/p>\n
8. Omnipresence<\/p>\n
That God is omnipresent means that He is present everywhere at the same time. It is His relation to the universe where other beings are present.
\nTwo other attributes, immanence and transcendence, are related to God\u2019s omnipresence. The fact that He is immanent means that He is within the world and acts within and through His creation. Transcendence, on the other hand, means that God is separate from His creation.
\nIn light of this, there are certain errors that should be avoided. They entail four wrong conclusions that are made concerning the omnipresence of God. The first error to be avoided is the concept that God is diffused through space and that only parts of Him are present everywhere. God is one and cannot be divided. He is totally present all the time in every place. A second error to be avoided is the concept that God\u2019s presence is everywhere in the same sense. God is omnipresent, but His special dwelling place is in heaven. God is everywhere, but His presence with believers is different than His presence with unbelievers. So, there are distinctions within His omnipresence. The third error which needs to be avoided is thinking of His presence as being a bodily or material form. God is a spirit, and He is invisible. The fourth philosophy to avoid is pantheism, which teaches that god is everything and everything is god. Pantheism confuses the Creator with what He has created. God is distinct from His creation.
\nThe Scriptures that teach the attribute of omnipresence include the following:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Genesis 16:13, You are a God that sees.
\n\u2022 Psalm 139:7\u201312, God is everywhere.
\n\u2022 Proverbs 15:3, The eyes of Jehovah are in every place.
\n\u2022 Jeremiah 23:23\u201324, where it says: Am I a God at hand, says Jehovah, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places so that I shall not see him? says Jehovah. Do not I fill heaven and earth? says Jehovah.
\n\u2022 Amos 9:2, He is both in heaven and Sheol.
\n\u2022 Acts 17:27 adds that he is not far from each one of us.
\n\u2022 Hebrews 4:13 says that there is no creature that is not manifest in His sight.<\/p>\n
God is omnipresent. There are four applications to us that arise from this. First, we can derive comfort from the fact that God is near us (Ex. 33:14). Second, we pray to someone who is very near. Third, we cannot go where God is not present. This should be an incentive for us to be dedicated in our service to Him (Joshua 1:9; Job 34:21\u201322). Fourth, we are under God\u2019s protection. He sees every danger we face (Gen. 28:15; Ps. 121:3\u20134; Heb. 13:5).<\/p>\n
9. Immensity<\/p>\n
God is immense. This means He is infinite in relation to space. He is not restricted by space. He fills all things and surpasses all creation and extends without end. God is the cause of space. He is not in space; space is actually in Him.
\nThere are five verses for this attribute:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Deuteronomy 4:39, where we read that Jehovah he is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath.
\n\u2022 1 Kings 8:27, which explains that His immensity is such that heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him.
\n\u2022 Isaiah 66:1, where God says of Himself that heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.
\n\u2022 Jeremiah 23:24, where God says He fills heaven and earth.
\n\u2022 Ephesians 1:23, where Paul says He fills all in all.<\/p>\n
The application we should get from this attribute is that we can trust in the greatness of God.<\/p>\n
10. Sovereignty<\/p>\n
That God is sovereign means that He is a supreme ruler; He is King of heaven and earth. His sovereignty is universal, it is absolute, and it is immutable.
\nSome examples of God exercising His sovereignty include the fact that He established the physical laws of the universe. In His power, He determined the different orders of nature and assigned to each its appropriate place in the universe. We see His sovereignty at work in His appointing of each individual to their position and lot. We also see it in His distribution of favors.
\nThe following Scriptures teach the attribute of sovereignty:<\/p>\n
\u2022 1 Samuel 2:6\u20138, where God decides the status of man.
\n\u2022 1 Chronicles 29:11\u201312, where all is in God\u2019s control.
\n\u2022 2 Chronicles 20:6, He is the Ruler of the kingdoms.
\n\u2022 Psalm 47:2, He is the King of the earth.
\n\u2022 Psalm 115:3, He has done whatsoever he pleased.
\n\u2022 Daniel 4:35, he does according to His will.<\/p>\n
The application which we can derive from this attribute is that nothing that ever happens to us is out of God\u2019s control. It is His sovereignty that produced our salvation (Eph. 1:4\u20136) and the means by which our salvation is also worked out (Phil. 2:13).<\/p>\n
E. THE SECOND GROUP OF ATTRIBUTES<\/p>\n
In this section, we are concerned with the seven communicable, moral, immanent, transitive, relative, constitutional, positive, and active attributes of God.<\/p>\n
1. Omniscience<\/p>\n
God is omniscient. He knows all there is to know about everything. According to Matthew 17:27 and 1 Corinthians 2:11, He has total knowledge of all things concerning Himself. He has total knowledge of all things past, present, and future. The things of the past are as real to Him as the things of the present. The future is as real to Him as the past. By divine arrangement, events do follow in sequence and chronological order, but He is not bound by that (Isa. 45:21; 46:10; Acts 15:18). God also has total knowledge of all things both possible and actual. He can answer questions like \u201cWhat if I had not made that decision?\u201d and \u201cWhat if I had done that instead?\u201d He has total knowledge of all things, both possible as well as actual (1 Sam. 23:11\u201312; Mt. 11:21\u201324). Furthermore, God already knows our discovery of facts. He doesn\u2019t have to discover anything; He knows it all (Isa. 40:13\u201314; Rom. 11:34\u201336).
\nGod also has total knowledge of His own world, including His inanimate creation (Ps. 147:4). He has total knowledge of His animal creation (Mt. 10:29). He has total knowledge of man and his works (Ps. 33:13\u201315; Prov. 5:21). He has total knowledge of man\u2019s thoughts and heart (Ps. 139:1\u20134). He has total knowledge of man\u2019s needs (Mt. 6:8) and man\u2019s wants (Mt. 6:32) and man\u2019s sorrows (Ex. 3:7). He has detailed knowledge of the facts of life (Mt. 10:30).
\nOmniscience is infinity in wisdom. It is eternal because it has always been and always will be an attribute of God. It is also immutable because it cannot be added to or subtracted from. It includes infinity in understanding and wisdom (Ps. 147:3).
\nScriptures on the attribute include the following:<\/p>\n
\u2022 In Isaiah 66:18, God says, I know their works and thoughts.
\n\u2022 Jeremiah 16:17: He sees all man\u2019s ways.
\n\u2022 Ezekiel 11:5: God knows things that come to mind.<\/p>\n
When we apply the meaning of this attribute to our lives, we can rest assured that we will be justified (Job 23:10). We can also be certain that our wants are known to Him (Mt. 6:31\u201332). God\u2019s omniscience is an incentive for the walk of the believer (Col. 1:10), and it is the source of our wisdom (Jas. 1:5).<\/p>\n
2. Omnipotence<\/p>\n
God is omnipotent. He is all powerful, and His power is infinite. This attribute gives life and action to all the other attributes.
\nThe Bible often refers to God as El Shaddai, God Almighty. It is a word used forty-eight times in the Old Testament, and it is used only of God. Omnipotence is the realization of all that God wills. He has the power to execute His will (Gen. 9:13\u201314; Ps. 2:12). This attribute operates through volition. God has not done all that He could do.
\nOmnipotence means that God can do anything that is not inconsistent with His own character or contradicts His own nature, such as lying (Heb. 6:18). He cannot sin (Jas. 1:13). He cannot look upon iniquity (Hab. 1:13). He cannot change (Mal. 3:6). He cannot deny Himself (2 Tim. 2:13).
\nOmnipotence includes the power of self-limitation. God can use His power to limit Himself, as He has done in certain areas. His omnipotence always operates in conformity with His wisdom, knowledge, holiness, and justice. He does not will to use all of His power, but He has power over His own power. His power is without effort. It is simply by His word that He exercises it, as we repeatedly see in the first chapter of Genesis: \u201cAnd God said, \u2018let there be \u2026\u2019 and it was so.\u201d This is also brought out in Psalm 33:9: For he spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.
\nThere are several Scriptures that emphasize the omnipotence of God.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Job 42:2: I know that you can do all things, And that no purpose of yours can be restrained.
\n\u2022 Psalm 36:6, where He preserves man and beast.
\n\u2022 Psalm 66:9, where He holds our soul in life.
\n\u2022 Psalm 147:5, where He is mighty in power.
\n\u2022 Jeremiah 32:17, where creation is by God\u2019s great power.
\n\u2022 Matthew 19:26, where all things are possible.
\n\u2022 Revelation 19:6, where He is \u201cthe Lord God omnipotent.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are a number of applications arising from this attribute. God\u2019s power is available to believers (Isa. 40:29; Jer. 33:3; Eph. 1:19; 3:20; Phil. 4:13). There is no need to fear (Ps. 27:1). We are to trust in His strength (Isa. 26:4). The gospel is God\u2019s power to save (Rom. 1:16). It means power for evangelism (Acts 1:8) and power for the believer\u2019s service (2 Cor. 9:8). It means that we are kept by God\u2019s power (2 Tim. 1:12; 1 Pet. 1:5).<\/p>\n
3. Will<\/p>\n
God\u2019s will is the cause of all things which come to pass. The Scriptures divide this attribute into various categories. There is God\u2019s decretive will, which refers to His immutable decrees. This is spoken of in Deuteronomy 29:29, where it says:<\/p>\n
The secret things belong unto Jehovah our God; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.<\/p>\n
In Psalm 115:3, we learn that He has done whatsoever he pleased. Psalm 135:6 confirms this: Whatsoever Jehovah pleased, that has he done, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps. In Isaiah 46:9\u201310, God states, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.
\nThere is also His preceptive will. It refers to His rule of authority or conduct, which may be disobeyed. God has given us certain precepts, but we have the power to disobey them. This is mentioned in Deuteronomy 29:29.
\nAnother aspect is His desiderative will, which refers to what God desires, but does not bring to pass. For example, He may desire that all will be saved, but He does not bring that to pass. His desiderative will is mentioned in 1 Timothy 2:3\u20134 and 2 Peter 3:9.
\nAnother aspect is God\u2019s permissive will. It includes what He allows. For instance, He allowed sin to enter the universe.
\nApplying this attribute to our lives, we can see that it was God\u2019s will that saved us (Eph. 1:11). Furthermore, according to Ephesians 1:9, we can know God\u2019s will.<\/p>\n
4. Holiness<\/p>\n
God is holy. He is free from all moral evil. He has moral perfection and absolute purity. He is the center and essence of moral character. This attribute of holiness is active, intrinsic, uncreated, and untarnished.
\nPositively, God loves holiness and desires it in His people (Prov. 15:9). Negatively, it means He hates sin and all evil (Hab. 1:13). This attribute of holiness is co-extensive with all of God\u2019s other attributes, so that, in one way or another, they all reflect His holiness. Holiness is the eternal conformity of His being to His will. It becomes the basis of all ethical and moral standards in man.
\nSome Scriptures that deal with God\u2019s holiness include the following:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Exodus 3:5, where God is, it is holy ground.
\n\u2022 Leviticus 11:44\u201345: Twice, God says that He is holy.
\n\u2022 Leviticus 19:2: I Jehovah your God am holy.
\n\u2022 Joshua 24:19a: And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve Jehovah; for he is a holy God.
\n\u2022 1 Samuel 2:2: There is none holy as Jehovah.
\n\u2022 Psalm 22:3a: But you are holy.
\n\u2022 Psalm 47:8: God sits upon His holy throne.
\n\u2022 Psalm 89:35: Once have I sworn by my holiness: I will not lie unto David.
\n\u2022 Psalm 99:9: Exalt ye Jehovah our God, And worship at His holy hill; For Jehovah our God is holy.
\n\u2022 Psalm 111:9: His name is holy.
\n\u2022 Isaiah 6:3: Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah of hosts.
\n\u2022 Isaiah 41:14, the Holy One of Israel.
\n\u2022 Habakkuk 1:12: O Jehovah my God, my Holy One.
\n\u2022 1 Peter 1:15: he who called you is holy.
\n\u2022 Revelation 4:8b: Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.
\n\u2022 Revelation 6:10: and they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, do you not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
\n\u2022 Revelation 15:4a: Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? for you only are holy.<\/p>\n
There are several ways how this attribute applies to us. There is a chasm between God and man (Isa. 59:1\u20132). Therefore, man must approach God on the merits of another. The New Testament tells us we have access to Him through the Messiah Yeshua (Rom. 5:1\u20132; Eph. 2:18; Heb. 10:19\u201323). God is to be addressed with reverence and Godly fear (Heb. 12:28\u201329), and we are to live a holy life before God and man (Lev. 11:44; Rom. 6:13; 1 Tim. 6:11). A question we should always be asking ourselves about what we may or may not do is: Is it holy?<\/p>\n
5. Righteousness and Justice<\/p>\n
The attributes of righteousness and justice will be looked at in combination because they share the same root. They are expressions of God\u2019s moral character in the administration of rewards and punishment. God is both a righteous ruler and a just judge. Righteousness and justice conform to a law He carries within Himself. Here, the holiness of God is expressed in relation to man. It is exhibited by righteous laws given to man and observed in the plan of redemption. According to Romans 2:12\u201316, His righteousness and justice are seen in the final distribution of reward and punishment to all creatures:<\/p>\n
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law; 13 for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified: 14 (for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves; 15 in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them); 16 in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Yeshua Messiah.<\/p>\n
There are several Scriptures that speak of God\u2019s righteousness and justice:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Genesis 18:25b: shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
\n\u2022 2 Chronicles 19:3: there is no respect of persons with God.
\n\u2022 Psalm 19:9: The fear of Jehovah is clean, enduring for ever: The ordinances of Jehovah are true, and righteous altogether.
\n\u2022 Psalm 89:14: Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne: Lovingkindness and truth go before your face.
\n\u2022 Psalm 97:2: Clouds and darkness are round about Him: Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
\n\u2022 Psalm 116:5: Gracious is Jehovah, and righteous; Yea, our God is merciful.
\n\u2022 Psalm 145:17a: Jehovah is righteous in all his ways.
\n\u2022 Isaiah 45:21: a just God.
\n\u2022 Jeremiah 12:1a: Righteous are you, Jehovah.
\n\u2022 Zephaniah 3:5a: Jehovah in the midst of her is righteous; he will not do iniquity; every morning does he bring His justice to light, he fails not.
\n\u2022 Revelation 15:3: And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are your ways, you King of the ages.<\/p>\n
There are several applications we can draw from the attribute of righteousness and justice. God is going to judge the world (Acts 17:31). He is going to judge believers; He is also going to judge unbelievers (Rev. 16:5). God is both just and the justifier of us who are believers (Rom. 3:26). It means we can be bold on the Day of Judgment (1 Jn. 4:17). It is the basis of our self-judgment (1 Cor. 11:31) and of confession (1 Jn. 1:9). Therefore, we should be living an upright life.<\/p>\n
6. Goodness<\/p>\n
This perfection of God, that He is good, prompts Him to deal bountifully and kindly with all of His creatures. Psalm 145:9 says, Jehovah is good to all; And His tender mercies are over all His works. The same point is made in Matthew 19:17 and Romans 11:22.
\nGod is good, and there are five facets to this. They are that He is benevolent, merciful, longsuffering, loving, and gracious. Let\u2019s look at each of these five facets.<\/p>\n
a. His Benevolence<\/p>\n
Benevolence refers to His disposition to promote happiness. It is goodness in its generic sense, embracing all of His creatures. It is the affection God feels and manifests towards them.
\nThis aspect of His goodness is found in Job 38:41, in that He provides even for the raven. He preserves man and beast (Ps. 36:6). Even the lions seek their food from God (Ps. 104:21), and He does indeed sustain all of His creatures (Ps. 145:15\u201316) and allows the sun and rain to come upon both good and evil (Mt. 5:45).
\nThe application of this attribute is that we need to show benevolence and do good to all men, but especially to those who are members of the household of the faith (Gal. 6:9\u201310).<\/p>\n
b. His Mercy<\/p>\n
Mercy, exercised on behalf of the needs of others, is another facet of God\u2019s goodness. It refers to practical kindness and includes compassion, which is goodness manifested to those who are in misery and distress.
\nThe exercise of divine mercy is optional. God does not have to show mercy, but He chooses to (Rom. 9:14\u201318). God is merciful to those who put their trust in Him (2 Cor. 1:3\u20134; Heb. 4:16). When an individual sinner is called and saved, it is the exercise of God\u2019s mercy (1 Tim. 1:13). God\u2019s mercy will be manifested in a special way in Israel\u2019s national restoration (Isa. 54:7).
\nThere are several additional Scriptures that deal with God\u2019s mercy as a facet of His goodness:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Deuteronomy 5:10, where God shows mercy unto thousands of them that love Him.
\n\u2022 1 Chronicles 16:34, where His lovingkindness endures for ever.
\n\u2022 Psalm 57:10, where His lovingkindness is great unto the heavens.
\n\u2022 Psalm 86:5, where God is abundant in lovingkindness unto all that call upon Him.
\n\u2022 Psalm 136:1\u201326, where it is repeated many times over, for His mercy endures for ever (NASB).
\n\u2022 Isaiah 55:7, where His mercy leads to pardon: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
\n\u2022 Luke 1:54, where God remembers mercy.
\n\u2022 Luke 1:72 where God shows mercy.
\n\u2022 Luke 1:78, where God has tender mercy.
\n\u2022 Romans 11:30\u201331, where both Jews and Gentiles have obtained mercy.
\n\u2022 Romans 15:9, where the Gentiles praise God for His mercy.
\n\u2022 Ephesians 2:4\u20135, where it is the basis of our salvation.
\n\u2022 James 5:11, where the Lord is full of pity, and merciful.
\n\u2022 1 Peter 1:3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua Messiah, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Yeshua Messiah from the dead.<\/p>\n
The key application from this facet of God\u2019s goodness is that we, too, need to be merciful.<\/p>\n
c. His Longsuffering<\/p>\n
God\u2019s longsuffering is another facet of His goodness, and it is this aspect that means He bears with evil and delays His judgment.
\nThis can be seen in several Scripture passages:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Exodus 34:6\u20137a: And Jehovah passed by before him, and proclaimed, Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth, keeping lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.
\n\u2022 Psalm 86:15, where it says that God is slow to anger.
\n\u2022 Romans 2:4, where His longsuffering stems from His goodness.
\n\u2022 Romans 9:22, where God endures with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction.
\n\u2022 1 Peter 3:20, where the longsuffering of God waits.
\n\u2022 2 Peter 3:15, where the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.<\/p>\n
The application of this third facet of God\u2019s goodness is that we are to bear with others in the same way and exercise patient endurance and longsuffering.<\/p>\n
d. His Love<\/p>\n
God\u2019s love is the fourth facet of His goodness. God is eternally moved to self-communication. He always seeks the highest good: that of displaying His own glory. Love is that which seeks good for the object loved. Good equals the will of God. True love, then, is evidenced by seeking the will of God for the object loved. Love also includes His voluntary affection, not mere emotional impulse. It is the very nature of God, the very structure of His being (1 Jn. 4:8 and 16). God, indeed, is love.
\nIn dealing with the objects of God\u2019s love, the Bible reveals four things:<\/p>\n
1. God the Father loves God the Son, the Messiah (Mt. 3:17; Jn. 17:24).
\n2. He loves the world (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 1 Jn. 3:16).
\n3. He loves Israel (Deut. 7:7\u20138; Jer. 31:3; Ez. 16:8; Hos. 11:1).
\n4. He loves the believer (Jn. 16:27; 17:23; 1 Jn. 4:19).<\/p>\n
Other Scriptures concerning the love of God would include Psalm 11:7, where He loves righteousness; Isaiah 61:8, where He loves justice; and 2 Corinthians 13:11, where He is the God of love.
\nThe application that comes from this facet of God\u2019s goodness includes the fact that nothing can separate us from His love (Rom. 8:35\u201339). For that reason, we should love the brethren (1 Jn. 3:16).<\/p>\n
e. His Grace<\/p>\n
According to Titus 3:3\u20137, grace, as a facet of God\u2019s goodness, is love exercised towards the unworthy. It is God\u2019s goodness manifested toward the undeserving. It is God\u2019s free actions on behalf of the meritless.
\nWhen the Bible talks about the grace of God, there are seven areas in which it operates:<\/p>\n
1. Human salvation is the product of God\u2019s grace (Acts 18:27; Eph. 2:7\u20139).
\n2. Election is the result of His grace (Eph. 1:4\u20136).
\n3. So is redemption (Eph. 1:7\u20138).
\n4. Sanctification is the fruit of His grace (Rom. 5:21).
\n5. So is His preservation (2 Cor. 12:9).
\n6. So is service (Heb. 12:28).
\n7. God\u2019s grace will also result in the final presentation of Yeshua the Messiah (1 Pet. 1:13).<\/p>\n
Because this aspect of God\u2019s goodness is so important to mankind, it needs to be investigated at greater depth.<\/p>\n
(1) The Words that Describe God\u2019s Grace<\/p>\n
There are two Hebrew words and one Greek word from which a definition of grace can be derived.<\/p>\n
(a) Chen<\/p>\n
The first Hebrew word is chen. In the Old Testament, it is used at least sixty-nine times. From the extensive use of this word, it is obvious that it reveals to us a number of different facets regarding the concept of the grace of God. Ten examples of its various usages can be mentioned.<\/p>\n
1. This word chen means \u201cpure, unmerited favor from a superior to an inferior.\u201d This usage is found in Exodus 33:19 and 34:6\u20139, where God, as the superior, is extending His unmerited favor to humans, who are inferior.
\n2. It means \u201cdivine favor\u201d (Jer. 31:2).
\n3. The source of this unmerited, divine grace is God Himself (Zech. 12:10).
\n4. Chen is used in the sense of grace to the poor and contains within it a sense of mercy (Ex. 22:27).
\n5. It is a grace that perseveres (Ps. 116:5).
\n6. It is a grace that provides (Ps. 111:4\u20135).
\n7. It is a grace that is merciful, although it might be provoked (Ex. 34:7).
\n8. It is a grace that hears a repentant sinner (2 Chr. 30:9; Joel 2:13).
\n9. It is a grace that is connected with spiritual redemption (Job 33:24; Ps. 26:11).
\n10. It is a grace that relates to physical redemption from enemies, from wars, and from sins (Ps. 4:1; 9:13; 25:16; 30:10; 31:9; 56:1; 57:1; 86:1\u20133; 119:132, 134; 123:3).<\/p>\n
The best way to summarize the use of the word chen is that it is the unmerited favor of a superior to an inferior. In this case, God, the superior, expresses grace to man, the inferior. His grace is usually expressed as temporal or occasionally as spiritual blessings; it can also be expressed as physical or spiritual redemption and deliverance.<\/p>\n
(b) Chesed<\/p>\n
The second Hebrew word from which the concept of the grace of God comes is chesed. It is used a total of two hundred fifty times in the Old Testament. The basic meaning of chesed is \u201cloyal love.\u201d It carries the idea of intensity in kindness and love, presupposing a relationship of those involved in acts of kindness.
\nThe word chesed also has several different facets in the Hebrew Old Testament. All together there are nine different ways that it is used, with all of them somehow related to the grace of God:<\/p>\n
1. This word emphasizes God\u2019s covenantal relationship with Israel (Deut. 7:12).
\n2. It means \u201ccommunion with God\u201d (Ps. 5:6\u20137).
\n3. It emphasizes grace in deliverance (Ps. 6:4).
\n4. It is a grace that produces praise (Ps. 13:5).
\n5. It is a grace that promises preservation (Ps. 23:6).
\n6. It is a grace that extends forgiveness (Ps. 51:1).
\n7. It means \u201cthe grace of enablement\u201d (Ps. 85:6\u20137).
\n8. It carries the concept of grace in enlightenment (Ps. 119:64, 124).
\n9. It is a grace that shows itself in hope or produces hope (Ps. 130:7).<\/p>\n
To summarize, the word chesed is that firm lovingkindness expressed by God toward people, particularly in the covenants that God has made with His people and that are firmly guaranteed by His promise. The basic meaning is \u201cloyal love,\u201d as especially expressed in those covenants. This word for \u201cgrace\u201d relates to the Mosaic Covenant (Ex. 20:6; 34:6\u20137; Deut. 5:10) and with the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7:15; 1 Chr. 17:13; 2 Chr. 1:8; 6:14, 42; Ps. 61:6\u20137; 89:33\u201334, 49).<\/p>\n
(c) Charis<\/p>\n
The third term which the Scriptures use for grace is the Greek word charis. It too is used in several different ways.<\/p>\n
1. It sometimes means \u201cthat which provides joy, pleasure, delight, charm, and loveliness.\u201d To have this grace means to have joy, pleasure, delight, charm, and loveliness. This is its meaning in classical Greek where it was not particularly related to God. Its classical meaning is found in Luke 4:22 and Ephesians 4:29.
\n2. It means, \u201cgood will,\u201d \u201clovingkindness,\u201d \u201cfavor,\u201d and \u201cgrace\u201d (Lk. 1:30; 2:52; Rom. 11:6; 2 Cor. 4:15; 6:1; 9:14).
\n3. This grace is also an expression of thanks (1 Cor. 10:30; 2 Tim. 1:3).
\n4. This particular word for \u201cgrace\u201d will sometimes emphasize the benefits of grace, such as the benefit of the entire spiritual condition (Rom. 5:2; 1 Pet. 5:12), grace giving (1 Cor. 16:3; 2 Cor. 8:6\u20137), earthly blessings (2 Cor. 9:8), or saving grace (Jn. 1:17; 1 Cor. 15:8\u201310; 2 Cor. 8:9; 1 Pet. 1:10, 13).
\n5. A slightly different form of charis has the same root and means \u201cto bestow grace upon.\u201d Believers can bestow grace upon someone else (Col. 4:6).
\n6. Charis is used to emphasize a grace gift. There are two types of grace gifts: the gift of salvation (Rom. 6:23) and the use of spiritual gifts. This can be seen in another form of this same Greek word, charisma. This form emphasizes the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12:3\u20138; 1 Cor. 7:7. 12:1\u201331; Eph. 4:8\u201311; 1 Pet. 4:10).<\/p>\n
These are the three original words which the Scriptures use to express the concept of grace. One needs to be aware of these various usages to come to a knowledge of all that is meant by this facet of God\u2019s goodness.<\/p>\n
(2) Grace in the Old and New Testaments<\/p>\n
Studying how grace appears over time in the Old Testament, one realizes that, over time, it was extended to particular people.
\nDuring the patriarchal period, the grace of God was extended to at least five persons: Noah (Gen. 6:8), Abraham (Gen. 18:3; 24:27), Lot (Gen. 19:19), Jacob (Gen. 32:10; 33:5), and Joseph (Gen. 39:21; 43:29).
\nAlthough theologians often distinguish between the dispensation of law and the dispensation of grace, the grace of God was extended even under the dispensation of law. For example, Moses was a recipient of the grace of God (Ex. 33:12\u201317) and so was the nation of Israel (Ex. 15:13).
\nFurthermore, in investigating the concept of grace in the Old Testament, one realizes that the covenants found there were received because of the grace of God. In fact, the second Hebrew word, chesed, particularly emphasizes His loyalty to His covenants. The Abrahamic Covenant was a product of the grace of God (Mic. 7:20), as were the Mosaic Covenant (Ex. 34:6\u20137) and the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7:14\u201315; Ps. 89:33\u201335; Is. 55:3; Jer. 31:3).
\nHowever, the greatest display of the grace of God is found in the pages of the New Testament.<\/p>\n
(a) In the Gospels<\/p>\n
In the Gospels, the word \u201cgrace\u201d is used a total of eleven times. Eight of these verses are found in the Gospel of Luke (1:30; 2:40, 52; 4:22; 6:32\u201336; 17:9) and three in the Gospel of John (1:14, 16\u201317). Matthew and Mark do not use the word at all.
\nFrom these eleven usages, three observations can be made. First, Yeshua Himself only used the word twice, in Luke 6:32\u201334 and 17:9. In both instances, the term carries the meaning of \u201cthanks.\u201d A second observation is that Luke uses the word more often than any other Gospel writer. His close association with the Apostle Paul is probably the reason for this. Paul was the great proponent and teacher of the grace of God. The third observation is that in the Gospel of John, it only appears in chapter 1. According to John, it is recognized that the Messiah was the full revelation of the grace of God.
\nIn the Gospels, the word \u201cgrace\u201d carries five different meanings:<\/p>\n
1. It carries the meaning of \u201cthanks\u201d (Lk. 6:32\u201334; 17:9).
\n2. It carries the meaning \u201cto grant a favor\u201d (Lk. 1:28; 7:21, 42\u201343).
\n3. It carries the meaning of \u201cwinsomeness,\u201d someone who is winsome (Lk. 2:40, 52).
\n4. It has the meaning of \u201cgracious words about grace\u201d (Lk. 4:22).
\n5. It carries the full theological meaning of grace only in John 1:14, 16\u201317.<\/p>\n
(b) In the Book of Acts<\/p>\n
In Acts, the word \u201cgrace\u201d is used in six different ways.<\/p>\n
1. It has the meaning of \u201cfavor\u201d (2:47).
\n2. It is used to describe God\u2019s works in the Old Testament (7:10, 46).
\n5. It is how the gospel is brought to men (15:11; 18:27).
\n6. The word \u201cgrace\u201d emphasizes God\u2019s gifts to believers after their salvation (4:33; 6:8; 11:23; 14:26; 15:40).<\/p>\n
(c) In the Letters of Paul<\/p>\n
Paul, the greatest and most extensive teacher on the grace of God, used the word \u201cgrace\u201d in both the opening and the closing of every one of his epistles. Since the book of Romans is his major work on theology, it is not unusual that he used the word a great number of times in this book (1:5, 7; 3:24; 4:4, 16; 5:2, 15, 17, 21; 6:1, 14\u201315; 11:5\u20136; 12:3, 6). From these references, it is obvious that Paul used the word \u201cgrace\u201d in at least five different ways:<\/p>\n
\u2022 The grace of apostleship
\n\u2022 The grace of justification
\n\u2022 The grace of sanctification
\n\u2022 The grace of election
\n\u2022 The grace of spiritual gifts<\/p>\n
In I Corinthians, Paul used the word in the introduction (1:3) and then in five different ways in the epistle: he used it to describe what God did for him on the Damascus road (15:10). He explained that it was what enables us for acceptable spiritual service (3:10). He used it in the sense of thanksgiving (10:30) and to emphasize the gift of the Holy Spirit, meaning the gift of salvation (1:4). Finally, Paul used the word to emphasize the gifts of the Holy Spirit (12:4, 9, 28, 30\u201331).
\nIn II Corinthians, Paul used the word \u201cgrace\u201d in the introduction (1:2) and then in five different ways in the epistle:<\/p>\n
\u2022 As saving grace (6:1)
\n\u2022 As enabling grace (4:15; 12:9)
\n\u2022 As a thanks (1:11)
\n\u2022 As a sphere of life in which a believer operates (1:12)
\n\u2022 In the giving of money, which is considered as the grace of God (8:1, 4, 6\u20137, 19; 9:8, 14)<\/p>\n
In Galatians, the word \u201cgrace\u201d is found seven times (1:3, 6, 15; 2:9, 21; 5:4; 6:18). Paul\u2019s emphasis in this book is to show that God had revealed to him the uniqueness of the doctrine of grace.
\nIn Ephesians, it is used as the opening (1:2), and then it is used three different ways:<\/p>\n
\u2022 To emphasize the grace of salvation (1:7; 2:5, 8)
\n\u2022 To emphasize the grace of service (3:2, 7\u20138; 4:7)
\n\u2022 To emphasize the grace of speech (4:29)<\/p>\n
In Philippians, the word \u201cgrace\u201d is used in the opening (1:2, 7).
\nIn Colossians, it is used as the opening (1:2) and then in two other ways: the grace of the gospel itself (1:5\u20136) and the grace of speech (3:16; 4:6).
\nIn I Thessalonians, it is used as part of the opening of the letter (1:1).
\nIn II Thessalonians, it is used also as part of the opening of the letter (1:2), and then it is mentioned again as the evidence of faith (1:12).
\nIn the pastoral epistles of I and II Timothy and Titus, Paul uses the word in the sense of \u201csaving grace\u201d in all cases but one. In 2 Timothy 2:1, he speaks of grace in terms of the believer\u2019s position in relation to God. As \u201csaving grace,\u201d he uses the word in 1 Timothy 1:2 and 14; 2 Timothy 1:2 and 9, and Titus 1:4; 2:11, and 3:7.
\nHaving surveyed how the apostle used the word \u201cgrace\u201d in his epistles, three points can be made. First, the origin of Paul\u2019s concept of the grace of God is his experience on the Damascus road. He frequently harked back to that experience when discussing where his ideas, concepts, and knowledge of the grace of God originated. Second, Paul always uses the word in reference to God\u2019s grace to man. He never uses it about a man\u2019s favor to another person. It is used this way elsewhere, but not in Paul\u2019s letters. Third, his concept of grace is multifaceted. God\u2019s grace is the grace of Yeshua the Messiah in His sacrifice (2 Cor. 8:9; Gal. 2:20\u201321). According to Paul, grace is absolutely free; man does not have to pay anything for it, but of course, it did cost God the life of His Son (Rom. 3:24; 5:15; Eph. 2:8). Furthermore, grace is the sin-conquering power in salvation and sanctification (Rom. 5:12\u201321; 6:1\u201323). Paul teaches that grace is freely offered to all men (Eph. 2:8\u20139). It is the sum of the believer\u2019s blessing (Eph. 1:7; 3:8). Lastly, the apostle makes it clear that we live in the dispensation of grace (Rom. 6:14).<\/p>\n
(d) In Hebrews<\/p>\n
In the book of Hebrews, the word \u201cgrace\u201d is used a total of seven times to emphasize four things:<\/p>\n
\u2022 The death of the Messiah (2:9)
\n\u2022 The believer\u2019s position in the grace of God (4:16, used twice)
\n\u2022 The Spirit of grace (10:29)
\n\u2022 Grace in the believer\u2019s life (12:15, 28; 13:9)<\/p>\n
(e) In the General Epistles<\/p>\n
The general epistles are James, I and II Peter, I, II, and III John, and Jude:<\/p>\n
\u2022 In James, the word \u201cgrace\u201d is found twice, both times in 4:6.
\n\u2022 In I Peter, it is used to teach four concepts:
\n1. That the prophetic content in the Old Testament was part of God\u2019s grace (1:10)
\n2. The eschatological hope of grace (1:13)
\n3. Grace as the concept of spiritual living (3:7; 5:5, 10, 12)
\n4. Peter, like Paul, used the word \u201cgrace\u201d to emphasize spiritual gifts (4:10).
\n\u2022 In II Peter, it is found in 1:2 and 3:18.
\n\u2022 In I John, it is not used at all.
\n\u2022 In II John, it is found once, in verse 3.
\n\u2022 In III John, it is not used at all.
\n\u2022 In the book of Jude, it is used only once, in verse 4.<\/p>\n
(f) In the Book of Revelation<\/p>\n
In the book of Revelation, the word \u201cgrace\u201d is found only twice: in the opening greeting (1:4) and the closing benediction (22:21).<\/p>\n
(3) Definition of Grace<\/p>\n
Having dealt with the original Greek and Hebrew words and having surveyed the use of the word \u201cgrace\u201d in the Old and New Testaments, a definition of the grace of God can be derived.
\nA very simple definition is: the grace of God is favor that is unmerited, that is totally unrelated to every question of human merit. This simple definition carries seven specific ramifications that should be noted:<\/p>\n
1. Grace is not withheld because of sin; otherwise, it would not be true grace.
\n2. Grace is not lessened because of sin.
\n3. Grace cannot incur a debt. Good works may follow the experience of God\u2019s grace, but not for the purpose of compensation. This is the point of Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:14, and 3:8. Grace is grace; it is unmerited. It is pure love given to man with its various benefits.
\n4. Grace is never exercised as a just payment of a debt (Rom. 4:4).
\n5. Grace is never the overpayment of a debt. Grace does not increase or decrease.
\n6. Grace does not appear in the immediate divine dealings with the sins of the unsaved. This means that God deals with any sin only on the basis of mercy, not leniency. Sin is not forgiven because God is big-hearted enough to remit the penalty or to waive His righteous judgments. Forgiveness is not an immediate act of grace; rather, it is a judicial pardon in view of the fact that the debt has already been paid by another, the Messiah. Grace is mediated through the cross.
\n7. Grace does not appear in the immediate divine dealings with the sins of the saved, because forgiveness is based on the cross of the Messiah. The means of receiving forgiveness for a believer who has sinned is by confession (1 Jn. 1:9).<\/p>\n
(4) What Grace Means for the Believer<\/p>\n
Two main passages emphasize that those who are believers are standing in a new position; they are standing in grace. The first passage is Romans 5:2:<\/p>\n
Through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.<\/p>\n
Here Paul writes that believers are standing in this grace, and they attained that standing by faith. Their standing in this grace provides the hope of the glory of God that someday the believer will be glorified, even as they have been justified and are now being sanctified.
\nThe second main passage which speaks about this standing in grace is 1 Peter 5:12:<\/p>\n
By Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I account him, I have written unto you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God: stand ye fast therein.<\/p>\n
As Peter concludes his first epistle, he points out that the reason he wrote it was to testify concerning the truth of the grace of God in which these believers were standing. They were standing in the grace of God, just as believers are today.
\nFurthermore, the principle of grace includes that God will keep the believer. Because of this, three things must be disposed of:<\/p>\n
1. There must be a disposal of every condemnation that divine righteousness could impose because of sin. According to John 3:18; 5:24, and Romans 8:1, there has indeed been such a disposal. The point of these passages is that believers are no longer standing in condemnation. They are standing in grace. It is the unbeliever who has the wrath of God abiding on him.
\n2. There must be a disposal of every human obligation. The giving of this standing in grace does not obligate anyone to repay God for this grace. There are obligations, of course, but these obligations are not for the purpose of repayment. This grace is an absolutely free gift which requires no repayment.
\n3. There must be disposal of every human merit, because human merit cannot achieve this grace of God.<\/p>\n
God\u2019s grace will reach into the coming age. In every revelation of this truth, the keeping power of God through grace is implied. This means that the grace believers have right now reaches into the coming ages for its total enjoyment (Jn. 6:37; Phil. 1:6).<\/p>\n
7. Truth<\/p>\n
Truth means veracity, which, in relation to God, means that His being and knowledge eternally conform to each other. Veracity is in agreement and consistent with all that is represented by God Himself. It is God\u2019s knowledge, declarations, and representations conforming to reality. It means that God is consistent within Himself, which results in the fact that He is true.
\nThere are four implications of this attribute.<\/p>\n
1. Truth is that which is opposed to fictitiousness or that which is imaginary and contrary to the true God.
\n2. What it purposes is that which completely comes up to its ideal.
\n3. It corresponds exactly to reality; God is what He declares Himself to be, and His declarations correspond to reality.
\n4. God can be depended upon because He is, after all, immutable and therefore true.<\/p>\n
There are three areas of God\u2019s truth.<\/p>\n
1. God\u2019s ways are true (Ps. 25:10; Rev. 15:3).
\n2. God\u2019s works are true (Ps. 33:4; 111:7\u20138; Dan. 4:37).
\n3. God\u2019s words are true (2 Sam. 7:28; 1 Kings 17:24; Ps. 19:9; 138:2; Jn. 17:17; 2 Cor. 6:7; Eph. 1:13).<\/p>\n
There are several other Scriptures that deal with God\u2019s attribute of being true:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Numbers 23:19, which says that God cannot lie.
\n\u2022 Psalm 31:5, where He is the God of truth.
\n\u2022 Psalm 86:15, where He is abundant in truth.
\n\u2022 Jeremiah 10:10, where Jehovah is the true God.
\n\u2022 John 3:33: He that has received His witness has set His seal to this, that God is true.
\n\u2022 John 17:3, where He is the only true God.
\n\u2022 Romans 3:4, where He is found true.
\n\u2022 1 Thessalonians 1:9, where we are serving a living and true God.
\n\u2022 Titus 1:2 repeats that God cannot lie.
\n\u2022 Hebrews 6:18 adds that it is impossible for God to lie.
\n\u2022 Revelation 6:10, where He is the Master, the holy and true.<\/p>\n
The application we can derive from this particular attribute of God is that all truth is His truth. Everything that is truly true is the truth of God. Whatever the secular, unbelieving man may discover concerning truth, it is yet God\u2019s truth. If a medical doctor discovers that a certain medicine will cure a particular disease and it is true, then it is God\u2019s truth. Whatever the scientist uncovers as being really true is also God\u2019s truth. This makes God\u2019s truth the ground for man\u2019s truth. It is the basis for the truth that we discover, so that whatever truth we do discover is really God\u2019s truth.
\nBecause God is true, we can trust His promises. If God was known to lie, we couldn\u2019t trust Him. That God is true means that He is incapable of lying, and therefore we can trust what He has promised.
\nWe must be truthful and not lie (Prov. 6:16\u201317; Mt. 5:37). We should be characterized by truthfulness ourselves\u2014even with what we write on our income tax return!
\nWe can judge what is and is not truth (1 Jn. 4:6). We have the capacity to judge what is truth, and what is not.
\nHaving discussed the attributes of God, we have concluded the first main division of theology proper, which is theism. The next division deals with what we know about the Trinity.<\/p>\n
F. QUESTIONS AND STUDY SUGGESTIONS<\/p>\n
Question 1: How dependent is God\u2019s existence on the perceptions of mankind? Does His self-existence make our existence insignificant?<\/p>\n
Question 2: In your own words, what does it mean to worship God in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:24)?<\/p>\n
Question 3: Read Exodus 20:4\u20135. How can you reconcile the truth of God\u2019s attribute of freedom with the fact that He is a jealous God?<\/p>\n
Question 4: Time is part of God\u2019s act of creation. He Himself transcends it. Being spirit, God lives outside the realm of time. Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 are often quoted by those who want to combine the Genesis account with the theory of evolution. How can you reason with them?<\/p>\n
Question 5: How can God\u2019s immutability bring comfort in the times of sickness or death?<\/p>\n
Question 6: Does the attribute of being omnipresent bring you more comfort or discomfort? Why?<\/p>\n
Question 7: God\u2019s sovereignty poses some difficult questions for believers. Since God can do whatever He pleases (Ps. 115:3), why does He not do away with sin? Why does He allow terrorists to successfully commit atrocities in the world? On a personal level, you may be asking why your loved one had to die, why you lost your job, or why you still suffer from this and that if you prayed according to His will. Try to develop solid answers to tough questions like these.<\/p>\n
Question 8: What role does God\u2019s attribute of being omniscient play in your understanding of the creation account?<\/p>\n
Question 9: According to 2 Peter 1:3\u201311, how can the believer tap into God\u2019s power?<\/p>\n
Question 10: How are you faring in the light of the fact that God is just? Does Romans 3:23\u201326 help or discourage you in this context?<\/p>\n
Study Suggestion: Loving, merciful, gracious, true\u2014the attributes we just studied\u2014have enormous implications for our lives. List them on a separate piece of paper and try to sort them in order from what you feel is the least important to the most important. Revisit this paper in a few months to see if you still agree with the order you wrote down today. Could it be that, over time, our needs, our desires, and our situations change so much that different attributes become more\u2014or less\u2014important to us?<\/p>\n
Part Two<\/p>\n
Trinitarianism<\/p>\n
Chapter V<\/p>\n
Definition of Trinity<\/p>\n
Perhaps the best and simplest definition of the Trinity is that there is only one God, but in the unity of the Godhead, there are three eternal and co-equal persons, the same in substance or essence, but distinct in subsistence or existence.
\nAs simple and biblical as this definition is, trinitarianism, or the doctrine of the triune nature of the Godhead, has been a major area of conflict. Throughout the history of Israel and the history of the Church, there has been tremendous opposition to this concept of the Triunity of God. \u201cHow could God be one, and how could God be three at the same time?\u201d This seems to be a contradiction.<\/p>\n
A. FIVE FALSE TEACHINGS<\/p>\n
In church history, there have been five major errors concerning the doctrine of the Trinity. Some of these are ancient errors, but they all have modern counterparts.<\/p>\n
1. Arianism<\/p>\n
One of the first church heresies is called Arianism. It is attributed to Arius (AD 256\u2013336), a presbyter and priest who lived in Alexandria, Egypt. He taught that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit were not the same in essence. Only God the Father is eternal. The Son was created by God the Father before anything else; then everything else was created through the Son, who Himself was a created being. We do not talk about Arians any more, but they are still around in various cults, such as Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses and Mormonism, which also deny the eternal pre-existence of the Son by teaching that the Son was created by God the Father.<\/p>\n
2. Sabellianism<\/p>\n
A second error is known as Sabellianism. This false doctrine also appears under the name of Modalism or Modalistic Monarchianism. Sabellianism teaches that the Godhead only contains one personality and that this one personality would reveal Himself in three different ways or modes. Whenever He was presented in Scripture as the Creator and Lawgiver, He would reveal Himself as the Father. If the issue was redemption, He would reveal Himself as the Son. If the issue was regeneration or sanctification, this one person would reveal Himself as the Holy Spirit.
\nToday, movements in the Christian world that are called \u201cJesus only\u201d teach this error. They say only Yeshua is God and that He is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n
3. Socinianism<\/p>\n
A third heresy that has plagued the church is known as Socinianism, also called Dynamic Monarchianism. This false doctrine was named for Fausto Sozzini (1539\u20131604) and developed among the Polish brethren during the 16th and 17th centuries. It is known mostly for its non-Trinitarian Christology but contains a number of other unorthodox beliefs as well.
\nSocinianism devaluates the Trinity by declaring that not all three persons of the Godhead are co-equals. Rather, each person of the Trinity is less than the previous one. Only the Father is truly God. The Son is man, and the Holy Spirit is not a person at all, but a divine influence. This, too, is a common teaching among certain cultic groups.<\/p>\n
4. Unitarianism<\/p>\n
The fourth heresy is Unitarianism, which, very simply, denies the Trinity. It denies that the Godhead consists of three co-equal persons. It is a denial of the tri-personality and is very similar to Judaism in this regard.<\/p>\n
5. Tritheism<\/p>\n
The fifth heresy is called Tritheism. This doctrine is like polytheism, but it limits the number of gods to three. It denies the unity of the Godhead and sees three gods rather than three personalities of the one God. While Unitarianism denies three personalities and only affirms one God, Tritheism denies the unity of the three persons and sees them as three separate gods.
\nOf course, none of these five views adequately deals with the Scriptures that clearly teach the concept of a Triunity. The true biblical teaching about the Godhead must encompass three specific areas: first, the plurality of the Godhead; second, the unity of the Godhead; and third, the trinity of the Godhead.<\/p>\n
B. THE PLURALITY OF THE GODHEAD<\/p>\n
Both the Old and the New Testaments clearly teach the concept of plurality in the Godhead on more than one occasion.<\/p>\n
1. The Plurality in the Old Testament<\/p>\n
a. The Plural Noun Elohim<\/p>\n
The Hebrew word for God that is most often used is the term Elohim, which means \u201cGod,\u201d and is used of both the true God and the many false gods. Genesis 1:1 states: In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth. Here the word is used of the true God. It is also used of the false gods in places like Exodus 20:3 and Deuteronomy 13:2. For example, among the Ten Commandments there is one that says: You shall have no other gods [Elohim] before me. Here, the same word is used of the pagan, foreign, idolatrous gods as is used of the true God. The point is that the Hebrew word for God, Elohim, is a plural noun with the Hebrew masculine plural ending \u201c-im.\u201d Whenever it is used of the true God, it is always translated in the singular, but when it is used of false gods, it is always translated in the plural. The fact that the Hebrew word is plural when speaking of the only one true God opens the door to the concept of plurality. Of course, it is not a proof of plurality; however, it certainly opens the door to the discussion of the concept.<\/p>\n
b. The Plural Verbs Used with Elohim<\/p>\n
A second evidence in the Old Testament for the plurality of the Godhead is that sometimes plural verbs are used with Elohim. Normally, when Elohim is used of the one true God, the accompanying verb is in the singular. This goes contrary to normal Hebrew grammar because in Hebrew grammar, the verb must agree with the noun both in gender and number. Normally, one would expect that with the plural noun, Elohim, a plural verb form would be used. This is true when the word is used of false gods. However, most of the time, when the word Elohim is used of the true God, the verb used with it is in the singular form. This is to indicate that there is only one true God. But there are exceptions, and these exceptions again open the door for a discussion on the plurality in the Godhead. There are several examples of this:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Genesis 20:13a reads: and it came to pass, when God caused me to wander. The Hebrew word that is translated caused me to wander is plural. Literally, it reads, \u201cAnd it came to pass, when they [in reference to God] caused me to wander.\u201d
\n\u2022 Genesis 35:7, where Moses built an altar at El-beth-el because there God was revealed unto him. Here again, revealed unto him in Hebrew is a plural form, which literally reads, \u201cfor there God revealed themselves.\u201d
\n\u2022 2 Samuel 7:23, where it says God went to redeem. Again, the Hebrew word for went is plural and literally reads, \u201cGod they went to redeem.\u201d
\n\u2022 Psalm 58:11b, where it says that there is a God that judges in the earth. The term that judges is a plural verb in Hebrew, and it literally reads, \u201cthere is a God they judge.\u201d<\/p>\n
c. The Noun Elohim Applied to Two Persons<\/p>\n
The third line of evidence in the Old Testament for the plurality of the Godhead is that the word Elohim is often applied to two different personalities within the same passage. There are two examples. In Psalm 45:6\u20137, the writer states:<\/p>\n
6 Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever: A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of your kingdom. 7 You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness: Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.<\/p>\n
Notice that the word God is actually applied to two different persons within these two verses. David is addressing God, and, after addressing God, he says that another God had anointed the first God with the oil of gladness above your fellows. It should be noted that in this verse the first Elohim is being addressed. The second Elohim is the God of the first Elohim. It is God\u2019s God who has anointed Him with the oil of gladness.
\nA second example is in Hosea 1:7: But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by Jehovah their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen. In this passage, the speaker is Elohim or God, who says He will have mercy on the house of Judah, and will save them by [the instrumentality of] Jehovah their God [Elohim]. In other words, Elohim or God number one will save Israel by means of Elohim or God number two.<\/p>\n
d. The Name YHVH Applied to Two Persons<\/p>\n
The fourth line of evidence in the Old Testament for the plurality of the Godhead is the fact that the personal name of God is applied to two different persons in one passage. As we have seen before, God\u2019s personal name is comprised of four Hebrew letters which correspond to our English letters YHVH, usually translated as LORD and sometimes translated as \u201cJehovah.\u201d
\nThe first example is found in Genesis 19:24: Then Jehovah rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah out of heaven. In this verse, Jehovah number one rained fire and brimstone from a second Jehovah out of heaven. The first Jehovah is on earth; He is the One who had been speaking previously to Abraham. Jehovah had appeared to him at the Oaks of Mamre and had warned him about the coming destruction of Sodom. That Jehovah who was on the earth, Jehovah number one, was now raining fire and brimstone from Jehovah number two, who was in heaven. The term Jehovah, God\u2019s personal name, is used here of two different persons.
\nA second example is Zechariah 2:8\u20139:<\/p>\n
8 For thus says Jehovah of hosts: After glory has he sent me unto the nations which plundered you; for he that touches you touches the apple of his eye. 9 For, behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall be a spoil to those that served them; and ye shall know that Jehovah of hosts has sent me.<\/p>\n
This verse says that Jehovah number one is the speaker: For thus says Jehovah of hosts. As He speaks, He says that He is being sent to accomplish a task by Jehovah number two. Again, there is one Jehovah sending another Jehovah to perform a specific task.
\nNot only is the word Elohim applied to two different persons in one passage, but God\u2019s personal name is also applied to two different persons in one passage.<\/p>\n
e. The Plural Noun Adonai<\/p>\n
A fifth line of evidence in the Old Testament for the plurality of the Godhead is the Hebrew word Adonai, which means \u201cLord.\u201d It is a plural noun for God, and this, too, is evidence for plurality in the Godhead.<\/p>\n
f. The Plural Pronouns<\/p>\n
A sixth line of evidence in the Old Testament concerning the plurality of the Godhead is the fact that plural pronouns are used of God. There are several examples of this:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Genesis 1:26a, where it says, And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Notice the words us, our, and our. These are plural pronouns referring to God. God could hardly be including angels in the terms us, our, our, because man was not to be created in the image of angels, but in the image of God.
\n\u2022 Genesis 3:22a, where God says, Behold, the man is become as one of us. The plural pronoun us is used in reference to God.
\n\u2022 Genesis 11:7a, where God says, Come, let us go down, and there confound their language. The plural pronoun us again refers to God.
\n\u2022 Isaiah 6:8a, where God poses the question, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Notice, it starts out with a singular pronoun, but then changes to a plural: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? The singular shows that God is one, and the plural shows plurality in the Godhead.<\/p>\n
These plural pronouns clearly show that God is seen in terms of plurality\u2014and this caused major problems for the rabbis. When they realized that Jewish believers were using them as evidence for the Messiahship of Yeshua, they had to find an answer. So, the Midrash Rabbah, which is an ancient rabbinic commentary on Genesis, has this to say:<\/p>\n
Rabbi Samuel bar Nahman in the name of Rabbi Jonathan said, that at the time when Moses wrote the Torah, writing a portion of it daily, when he came to this verse which says, \u201cAnd Elohim said let us make man in our image after our likeness,\u201d Moses said, Master of the Universe why do you give herewith an excuse to the sectarians (who believe in the triunity of God). God answered Moses, You write and whoever wants to err let him err.<\/p>\n
The rabbinic way of getting around the implication of the plural pronouns does not match God\u2019s intention to show plurality though, and the Jewish believers are not in error.<\/p>\n
g. The Plural Adjectives<\/p>\n
A seventh line of evidence, which shows the plurality of the Godhead from the Old Testament, comes from the fact that God is also described in terms of plural adjectives. In English translations, these appear as nouns, but in the Hebrew text, these words are Hebrew adjectives. They are also in the plural form. There are several examples that prove this point:<\/p>\n
\u2022 In English translations, Joshua 24:19 reads, holy God. However, the adjective holy is a plural form, kedoshim, and God is the plural Elohim. It literally reads, \u201cholies Gods.\u201d
\n\u2022 In some English translations, Psalm 149:2 reads, in his Maker. The adjective that is translated Maker is plural in Hebrew, so it literally reads, \u201cLet Israel rejoice in his Makers.\u201d
\n\u2022 Ecclesiastes 12:1 reads, your Creator. Again, the word \u201cCreator\u201d is a plural adjective in Hebrew, and it literally reads, \u201cyour Creators.\u201d
\n\u2022 Isaiah 54:5 contains two examples. In English, the verse reads, your Maker is your husband. However, in the Hebrew text, both terms, Maker and husband, are in the plural. They refer to God, and it literally says, \u201cyour Makers, your husbands.\u201d This, too, emphasizes the concept of a plurality.<\/p>\n
h. The Angel of Jehovah<\/p>\n
The eighth line of evidence in the Old Testament which shows the plurality of the Godhead is the teaching concerning the \u201cAngel of Jehovah\u201d or the \u201cAngel of the LORD.\u201d Throughout the Old Testament, this figure appears here and there. In some translations, He is called the angel of Jehovah; in others, He is identified by the expression the angel of the LORD. What is interesting is the fact that in every passage where He appears, in one part of the context, He is called the angel of Jehovah, and in another part of the same context, He is called Jehovah Himself. What is clear is that the Angel of Jehovah is not a common, ordinary angel, but is a unique being, a visible manifestation of God Himself. The context always makes this evident.<\/p>\n
(1) Examples of Uniqueness<\/p>\n
The first example is Genesis 16:7\u201314. He is called the angel of the Jehovah in verses 7, 9, 10 and 11; then He is called Jehovah Himself in verse 13.
\nA second example is Genesis 22:9\u201316. He is called the angel of Jehovah in verses 11 and 15; but He is called God in verse 12 and Jehovah in verse 16.
\nThe third example is Genesis 31:11\u201313. In verse 11, He is called the angel of God; but in verse 13, He says: I am the God of Beth-el.
\nThe fourth example is Genesis 32:24\u201330. In verse 24, He is called a man, because that is how He appeared. Verse 28 says, you have striven with God. Verse 30 adds, I have seen God face to face. The One who appeared as a man was really the Angel of Jehovah; but when Jacob is said to have wrestled with the Angel, he is also said to have wrestled with God.
\nThe fifth example is Exodus 3:1\u20135. He is called the angel of Jehovah in verse 2, but He is called both Jehovah and God in verse 4.
\nThe sixth example is Judges 2:1. The angel of Jehovah was responsible for the Exodus; but Exodus 19:4 states that it was God who was responsible.
\nThe seventh example is Judges 6:11\u201324. He is called the angel of Jehovah in verses 11, 12, and 21; the angel of God in verse 20; but Jehovah in verses 14, 16, 22 and 23.
\nThe eighth example is Judges 13:2\u201324. He is called the angel of Jehovah in verses 3, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, and 21 and the angel of God in verse 9. Then in verse 18, His name is wonderful. The Hebrew word for \u201cwonderful\u201d is pele, an expression only used of God, as in Isaiah 9:6. Verse 22 of Judges 13 states that what they saw was God\u2019s face.
\nThe final example is in the book of Zechariah, chapters 1\u20136, where He is frequently called the Angel of Jehovah Himself.<\/p>\n
(2) Scriptural Evidence of Uniqueness<\/p>\n
The fact that this Angel is not a common, ordinary angel is clear from three Old Testament passages. The first passage is Isaiah 42:8, where God said, I am Jehovah, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another. The glory that is encased within the personal name Jehovah\u2014YHVH\u2014is something that belongs to God alone, and it is not given to any other person and certainly no creature.
\nThe second passage, Exodus 23:20\u201323, states certain things about this Angel of Jehovah. In verse 20, it is this Angel who will lead the Exodus. In verse 21, it is this Angel who must be obeyed and never provoked. The reason is that He will not forgive their sin or rebellion, because my name is in him. This Angel has God\u2019s personal name, so His name is also Jehovah. Isaiah 42:8 says, I am Jehovah, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another. Unless this Angel is also part of the Godhead, then He has no right to have this name. So Jehovah number one says that this Angel has the name of Jehovah. In verse 22, there are blessings for obedience and, in verse 23, He is again declared to be the Angel of the Exodus. The fact that God\u2019s name is in Him and that this Angel has the power to forgive or not to forgive sin once again clearly indicate that He is not a common angel, but God Himself.
\nThe third passage on this point is Hosea 12:3\u20135, where the prophet reemphasizes that this Angel has God\u2019s personal name. For the Angel to have God\u2019s personal name, He must be God Himself.<\/p>\n
i. The Son of God<\/p>\n
The ninth line of evidence in the Old Testament for the plurality of the Godhead is the concept of the Son of God. This is found in two passages.<\/p>\n
(1) Psalm 2<\/p>\n
The first passage is Psalm 2, where that concept is found in two places. Psalm 2:7 states: I will tell of the decree: Jehovah said unto me, You are my Son; This day have I begotten you. This is a clear declaration of sonship: God has a Son. Someone is decreed to be that Son. In verses 8 and 9, it states that this Son is destined to rule the world.
\nConcerning this Son, in verses 10\u201312, the entire world is instructed to obey Him. Then verse 12 states: Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way, For his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all they that take refuge in him. The world is instructed to obey the Son. To kiss the Son means to pay homage to Him. Then He instructs all to take refuge in him; and those who will take refuge in the Son of God are the ones who will be saved by God.
\nPsalm 2 clearly teaches that there is a Son of God.<\/p>\n
(2) Proverbs 30:4<\/p>\n
The second passage that teaches the same point is Proverbs 30:4. The writer asks a series of six questions. The first four are rhetorical questions in that the answer is obvious. The first four questions are: Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? All four questions ask who is responsible for creating and forming the universe. Obviously, in each case, the answer is God; God is responsible for all four of these things.
\nThen comes the fifth question, What is his name? His name throughout the Old Testament is the four Hebrew letters that correspond to the English letters YHVH, often translated as \u201cJehovah\u201d or \u201cLORD.\u201d
\nThen comes the sixth question: and what is his son\u2019s name, if you know? This is the tricky part of this verse. It does teach that God has a Son; but at that point in history, His name had not yet been revealed. The various names of the Messiah are revealed later, in the Prophets, which is beyond the time when the book of Proverbs was written.<\/p>\n
j. The God-Man Concept<\/p>\n
The tenth line of evidence in the Old Testament for the plurality of the Godhead is the fact that the Old Testament also teaches the concept of a God-Man. This is seen in various examples.<\/p>\n
(1) Genesis 4:1<\/p>\n
And the man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bore Cain, and said, I have gotten a man with the help of Jehovah.<\/p>\n
In the first example, Eve called her son Cain because, I have gotten a man with the help of Jehovah. Actually, the phrase with the help of is not in the Hebrew text. Literally, the last line of Genesis 4:1 reads, \u201cI have gotten a man: Jehovah.\u201d In other words, Eve thought that the son whom she had just borne was God Himself. It shows how Eve understood Genesis 3:15, where God promised the Messiah for the first time: And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed: he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
\nThis is the first messianic prophecy, which spelled out that the Messiah would be born of the seed of the woman. What that clearly taught was that the Messiah was to be human. He was to come from humanity: from the seed of the woman. At the same time, Eve also understood that for this man to be the Redeemer, for this man to be able to save her from her sins, He would have to be God as well. When she gave birth to her first son, Cain, she thought he was the fulfillment of Genesis 3:15; so she said, \u201cI have gotten a man: Jehovah.\u201d Her theology was absolutely correct: the Messiah was going to be both God and man. She was not in error in her theology. Her error was in the application of it: she thought that Cain was the fulfillment of that promise in Genesis 3:15. It should be noted that with the first human birth there was already the understanding that the Messiah would be both God and man; thus, the God-Man concept comes as early as Genesis 4:1.<\/p>\n
(2) Isaiah 9:6\u20137<\/p>\n
Another example is the famous passage in Isaiah 9:6\u20137. The first part of verse 6 speaks of a Jewish child born into the Jewish world: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.
\nA child is to be born into the Jewish world, and it is His humanity that is being stressed. But, in the second part of verse 6, He is given four names, three of which can apply only to God. He is first called Wonderful Counselor. The word \u201cwonderful\u201d in English is used of both God and man. We talk about God being wonderful, and we talk about our spouse being wonderful. But in the Hebrew Bible, there are certain words which are used only of God. As we have seen before, the Hebrew word for Wonderful is pele, and it is one of those words used exclusively of God. While in English the name Wonderful Counselor does not demand deity, in Hebrew it definitely does. The second name of the child is Mighty God. This is clearly a title of divinity and deity. The third name is Everlasting Father or more literally, \u201cthe Father of eternity\u201d or \u201cthe One who controls eternity.\u201d This, too, emphasizes His deity, for only God can control eternity. His fourth name is Prince of Peace. This is the only one of the four names which can be used both of God and man. Three of His four names are names which are true of God only. The first part of the verse emphasizes His humanity; the second part emphasizes His deity; and again, the concept is that of the God-Man.<\/p>\n
(3) Jeremiah 23:5\u20136<\/p>\n
A third example of the God-Man concept is found in Jeremiah 23:5\u20136. Verse 5 speaks of a descendant of David sitting upon the throne of David; here, His humanity is stressed. But then, in verse 6, His name is Jehovah our righteousness. The human being of verse 5 who sits on David\u2019s throne has God\u2019s personal name in verse 6; again, God\u2019s name shows His deity. So verse 5 emphasizes His humanity, and verse 6 emphasizes His deity; once again, we see the God-Man concept.<\/p>\n
k. The Holy Spirit<\/p>\n
The eleventh line of evidence concerning the plurality of the Godhead in the Old Testament is the frequent appearance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is sometimes seen as God, and sometimes He is seen as one person within the Godhead. His many appearances in the Old Testament are also evidence of the plurality of the Godhead. One example is Genesis 1:2, where we see the Spirit of God brooding or hovering like a mother hen over the darkness of the deep. So, the Holy Spirit was involved in creation, and creation is a work of God. In Exodus 31:3, the Holy Spirit is called God. In Job 26:13, it says that the Holy Spirit is involved in creation. In Psalm 51:11, He is given the name holy Spirit. Psalm 139:7 teaches that the Holy Spirit is omnipresent. And in Isaiah 11:2, the Spirit is called the Spirit of Jehovah.<\/p>\n
2. The Plurality of the Godhead in the New Testament<\/p>\n
The plurality of the Godhead is also taught in the New Testament in that more than one person is called God. For example, the Father is called God (Jn. 6:27; Gal. 1:1, 3). The Son is called God (Jn. 1:1; Rom. 9:5; Tit. 2:13; 1 Jn. 5:20). The Holy Spirit is also called God in Acts 5:3\u20139, where lying to the Holy Spirit is the same as lying to God, and in 2 Corinthians 3:17.<\/p>\n
3. Summary<\/p>\n
The Scriptures clearly teach that there is plurality in the Godhead; the Godhead consists of more than one person.<\/p>\n
C. THE UNITY OF THE GODHEAD<\/p>\n
On the one hand, the Bible teaches plurality in the Godhead. However, it never teaches a plurality of gods as in polytheism, only a plurality of persons. There is one God, and this plurality is a unity of only one God.<\/p>\n
1. The Unity of the Godhead in the Old Testament<\/p>\n
In dealing with the Old Testament, there are five specific evidences for the unity of the Godhead.<\/p>\n
a. The Same Image and Likeness<\/p>\n
Genesis 1:26 states, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. This passage was cited earlier to show that there is a plurality in the Godhead. This same verse also shows a unity in the Godhead, because the speaker and the one spoken to have the same image and likeness: in our image, after our likeness. The plural pronouns us and our emphasize plurality. The fact that both the speaker and the one spoken to are of the same image and likeness emphasizes their unity.<\/p>\n
b. The Use of Singular Verbs with Plural Nouns<\/p>\n
The word \u201cGod\u201d in Hebrew is the plural noun Elohim. As noted before, it is almost always used with a singular verb, which is contrary to normal Hebrew grammar. The rules of Hebrew grammar require that the verb must agree with the noun in both gender and number. When the plural noun Elohim is used of the true God, it sometimes has a plural verb, which is according to Hebrew grammar. Several examples of this were cited earlier as evidence of the plurality of the Godhead. But the fact that, in the vast majority of cases, the plural Elohim is used with a singular verb emphasizes unity. An example is Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God [Elohim, a plural noun] created [a singular Hebrew verb]. The verb \u201ccreated\u201d does not agree in number with the noun, Elohim, thus violating the rules of normal Hebrew grammar. This violation of Hebrew grammar shows unity in the Godhead.<\/p>\n
c. The Use of Singular and Plural Forms Together<\/p>\n
The unity of the Godhead is also seen in the compound name El Elohim. El is the singular form of God, and Elohim is the plural form; but both are used together in one verse of the same God.
\nOne example is Genesis 33:20: And he erected there an altar, and called it El-Elohe-Israel. El is singular, but Elohe is the construct state of Elohim, which is a plural form. So literally it reads, \u201cGod, the Gods of Israel.\u201d The fact that the singular is followed by the plural and that both words refer to the one true God emphasizes unity.
\nA second example where both the singular and the plural are used together is Joshua 22:22: The Mighty One, God, Jehovah, the Mighty One, God, Jehovah, he knows; and Israel he shall know: if it be in rebellion, or if in trespass against Jehovah (save you us not this day).
\nThe Hebrew word translated as The Mighty One is the word El, which is the singular word for \u201cGod.\u201d The word translated God is Elohim, and, as stated earlier, it is a plural noun which means \u201cGod\u201d or \u201cgods.\u201d The word translated Jehovah is God\u2019s personal name, YHVH. So here God is called El, Elohim, Jehovah\u2014God, Gods, Jehovah. Again, Jehovah is God\u2019s personal name; Elohim emphasizes His plurality; but the singular El emphasizes His unity. So, unity can be seen in the use of El Elohim, the singular and plural used together of one and the same God.<\/p>\n
d. The Use of the Compound One<\/p>\n
Deuteronomy 6:4 is a very famous verse for Jewish people. It is called the Shema, and it is considered the essence of all forms of Judaism. The verse reads: Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah. This verse, more than any other, emphasizes the concept of unity. It is often used by Jewish people to teach against the plurality of the Godhead. But if this verse is studied very carefully, it is evident that it is not teaching an absolute unity, but a compound unity. Rather than arguing against a plurality of the Godhead, Deuteronomy 6:4 actually supports the concept of plurality in the Godhead. To begin with, it should be pointed out that where it reads Jehovah our God, the Hebrew word for God is plural and literally reads \u201cour Gods.\u201d But the key word to focus attention on is the word one.<\/p>\n
(1) Echad<\/p>\n
The Hebrew word for one is echad. By comparing the usage of echad elsewhere in the Old Testament, it is clear that this word often refers to a compound one. For example, Genesis 1:5 states: And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. The combination of evening and morning comprised the unity of one [echad] day.
\nAnother key passage is Genesis 2:24: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. A man and a woman who come together in marriage are said to become one [echad] flesh. There are two personalities, a man and a woman, coming together in marriage, and the two become one. Obviously, they do not become an absolute one, for they retain their separate personalities; however, there is definitely a unity.
\nAnother example is Ezra 3:1, where the whole assembly of Israel was as one [echad]. Although it was comprised of numerous individuals, they were all looked upon as one\u2014obviously a united one.
\nAnother example is Ezekiel 37:17. The prophet Ezekiel is told to put two sticks together, and they become one [echad] stick in his hand.
\nThese examples of the usage of the word echad in the Hebrew text, which is the very same word used in Deuteronomy 6:4, show that it speaks of a compound unity, not an absolute one.<\/p>\n
(2) Yachid<\/p>\n
There is another Hebrew word which does mean an absolute one: yachid. It is used in Genesis 22:2, where it emphasizes Isaac as Abraham\u2019s only, unique son. If Moses had wanted to emphasize the absolute oneness of God, he would have used the term yachid; but he did not. Deuteronomy 6:4 is, therefore, an argument in favor of the plurality of the Godhead, and at the same time, it teaches the unity of this plurality of the one God.<\/p>\n
e. Jehovah Declared to Be One<\/p>\n
The fifth line of evidence of the unity of the Godhead from the Old Testament is that Jehovah is declared to be one [echad] in Zechariah 14:9.<\/p>\n
2. The Unity of the Godhead in the New Testament<\/p>\n
In the New Testament, the unity of the Godhead is taught in Ephesians 4:4\u20136; 1 Timothy 2:5, and James 2:19.<\/p>\n
D. THE TRINITY OF THE GODHEAD<\/p>\n
Thus far, it has been shown that the Bible teaches that there is plurality in the Godhead and that this plurality is a unity of only one God. Now, it is necessary to show that this plurality is limited to a trinity in that there are no less and no more than three persons.<\/p>\n
1. The Trinity of the Godhead in the Old Testament<\/p>\n
From the Old Testament, the evidence that God is indeed a trinity is found in the fact that only three persons are ever called God, and no more than three persons are ever seen together.<\/p>\n
a. Isaiah 42:1<\/p>\n
Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights: I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.<\/p>\n
Notice the three persons in this first example. The first person is the speaker, who is seen by the pronoun I. The second person is the speaker\u2019s servant, the Servant of Jehovah. And the third person is the Spirit of God. Here is a passage where there are three and only three persons, no more or no less than three.<\/p>\n
b. Isaiah 61:1<\/p>\n
The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah has anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; \u2026<\/p>\n
This second example mentions only three individuals: the Lord Jehovah, the Spirit of Jehovah, and the pronoun me in reference to the speaker: The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me. Again, there are three persons and no more.<\/p>\n
c. Isaiah 63:7\u201314<\/p>\n
The trinity of the Godhead is also found in Isaiah 63:7\u201314, which deals with a summary of the Exodus. Within the context of this passage, three and no more than three persons are mentioned. In verse 7, the first person is Jehovah:<\/p>\n
I will make mention of the lovingkindnesses of Jehovah, and the praises of Jehovah, according to all that Jehovah has bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he has bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.<\/p>\n
The reference in this verse is to the person called Jehovah. In this case, Jehovah is God the Father.
\nA second personality is mentioned in verse 9: In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bore them, and carried them all the days of old. The angel of his presence is the same as the Angel of Jehovah, who has the name of Jehovah Himself. Notice in verse 9 that it was this angel who was responsible for saving them and for redeeming them.
\nA third personality, the Holy Spirit, is mentioned three different times. Verse 10 reads: But they rebelled, and grieved his Holy Spirit. In verse 11, the question is raised: where is he that put his Holy Spirit in the midst of them. Finally, in verse 14, the third person of the Trinity is mentioned as the one who caused them to rest.
\nIn this passage, the three personalities are clearly in view. There are not less than three, and there are not more than three.<\/p>\n
d. Isaiah 48:12\u201316<\/p>\n
The best passage on the trinity of the Godhead in the Old Testament is in the context of Isaiah 48:12\u201316. Verses 12\u201314a state:<\/p>\n
12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. 13 Yea, my hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has spread out the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together. 14 Assemble yourselves, all ye, and hear; who among them has declared these things? He whom Jehovah loves shall perform his pleasure.<\/p>\n
In these verses, it is clear that the speaker is God Himself because He refers to Himself as the One who is responsible for the creation of the heavens and the earth. Since God is responsible for creating the heavens and the earth, the speaker must be God Himself. Then verse 16 states: Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; from the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord Jehovah has sent me, and his Spirit.
\nNotice carefully the three persons: the Speaker, the Spirit, and the Lord Jehovah. In verse 16, the Speaker is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and He refers to Himself by the pronouns I and me. This Speaker distinguishes Himself from two other persons. One is the Lord Jehovah. The second person is the Spirit of God. Here, in Isaiah 48:12\u201316, the Triunity is as clearly presented as the Old Testament Scriptures have chosen to make it.
\nTo summarize, in the Old Testament only three persons are ever called God, and no more than three persons are ever seen together.<\/p>\n
2. The Trinity of the Godhead in the New Testament<\/p>\n
In the New Testament, there are three major lines of evidence for the trinity of the Godhead.<\/p>\n
a. Only Three Persons are Called God<\/p>\n
The first line of evidence shows that only three persons are ever called God in the New Testament, and no more than three persons are ever seen together.<\/p>\n
(1) Matthew 3:16\u201317<\/p>\n
16 And Yeshua, when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him; 17 and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.<\/p>\n
Notice: no more than three persons are found in the context of the baptism of Yeshua. The Son is seen in the Person of Yeshua; the Spirit is seen because He comes down in the bodily form of a dove; and the Father is made present by the audible voice that comes out of the heavens, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.<\/p>\n
(2) Matthew 28:19<\/p>\n
Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: \u2026<\/p>\n
Only three persons are mentioned specifically\u2014no less than three, but no more either. They are now given the titles of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Notice the seeming contradiction insofar as the grammar is concerned. The command is to go and baptize in the name of, and the word name is singular. From the grammatical point of view, it would have been more correct to say, \u201cin the names of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.\u201d But rather, it is in the name of. The word name is singular, emphasizing the unity of the Godhead. But then, this one name belongs to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, emphasizing the trinity of the Godhead.<\/p>\n
(3) John 14:16\u201317<\/p>\n
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, 17 even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholds him not, neither knows him: ye know him; for he abides with you, and shall be in you.<\/p>\n
Notice again the three persons mentioned in this context. One person is the speaker, Yeshua, who is identified by the pronoun I. The second person is the Father, to whom He will pray. The third person is the [Holy] Spirit, who is going to be sent.<\/p>\n
(4) 1 Corinthians 12:4\u20136<\/p>\n
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all.<\/p>\n
Once again three persons are mentioned, but no more. Verse four mentions the Spirit, who is the Holy Spirit. Verse five mentions the Lord, who is the Son. And verse six mentions God, who in this case, is God the Father.<\/p>\n
(5) 2 Corinthians 13:14<\/p>\n
The grace of the Lord Yeshua Messiah, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.<\/p>\n
Notice the three persons: The grace of the Lord Yeshua Messiah [the Son], the love of God [the Father], and the communion of the Holy Spirit [the Holy Spirit]. Again, three persons are mentioned, no more and no less.<\/p>\n
(6) 1 Peter 1:2<\/p>\n
According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Yeshua Messiah: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.<\/p>\n
Verse two again mentions three persons: God the Father, who is responsible for the foreknowledge; the Spirit, who is responsible for sanctification; and the Son, Yeshua Messiah, who is responsible for the sprinkling [shedding] of His blood for the sins of the world.
\nFrom these New Testament passages, it is clear that only three persons are ever called \u201cGod,\u201d and no more than three persons are ever seen together. In keeping with the teaching of the Old Testament, the New Testament clearly recognizes that there are three persons in the Godhead. But while the Old Testament clearly taught a triunity, it did not actually name the members; this comes only with New Testament revelation. The First Person is called God the Father. The Second Person is called God the Son. It is the New Testament that answers the question of Proverbs 30:4: What is his son\u2019s name? His Son\u2019s name is Yeshua. In accordance with the Old Testament, He was sent by God to be the Messiah, but this time as a man instead of an angel. Furthermore, He was sent for a specific purpose: to die for our sins. In essence, what happened was that God became a man in order to accomplish the work of atonement. The Third Person of the Godhead is called God the Holy Spirit. Throughout the New Testament, He is related to the work of the Second Person in keeping with the teaching of the Old Testament.<\/p>\n
b. Only Three Persons Have the Attributes of God<\/p>\n
The second major line of evidence concerning the trinity of the Godhead in the New Testament is that only three persons have the attributes of God. There are four particular, divine attributes, which only three persons possess.<\/p>\n
(1) Eternality<\/p>\n
Only three persons are said to be eternal in that only three persons have always existed and will always continue to exist.
\nPsalm 90:2 says the Father is eternal; He is from everlasting to everlasting.
\nThe Son also has the attribute of eternality. Micah 5:2, which is quoted in Matthew 2:5\u20136, states that, in His humanity, He would be born in Bethlehem, but the Old Testament verse also states that, as to His deity, He has been of old, from everlasting. The Hebrew words that Micah uses are the strongest possible terms concerning the concept of eternity past. The Son\u2019s eternality is also taught in John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. According to this verse, the Son existed in the beginning with God the Father. In other words, as long as God has existed, so also the Son has existed. Since God the Father has existed from all eternity, therefore, the Son must have existed for all eternity as well. John 1:1 is clear evidence that some of the cultic teachings which claim that the Son was created by God the Father are wrong. The point of John 1:1 is that the Son has existed as long as the Father has existed, which has been for all eternity. The eternality of the Son is also found in John 1:15 and 8:58.
\nAccording to Hebrews 9:14, the Holy Spirit also has the attribute of being eternal.<\/p>\n
(2) Omnipotence<\/p>\n
Being omnipotent means \u201cbeing all-powerful.\u201d Only three persons have this attribute. God the Father is said to be omnipotent in 1 Peter 1:5. The Son is omnipotent according to Hebrews 1:3. The Holy Spirit is omnipotent according to Romans 15:19.<\/p>\n
(3) Omniscience<\/p>\n
The attribute of omniscience means to be all-knowing. The Father is said to be omniscient in Jeremiah 17:10. The Son is omniscient according to John 16:30; 21:17, and Revelation 2:23. The Holy Spirit is omniscient according to 1 Corinthians 2:10\u201311.<\/p>\n
(4) Omnipresence<\/p>\n
The fourth attribute, which only three persons have, is that of omnipresence, meaning God is everywhere. The Father is omnipresent according to Jeremiah 23:24. The Son is omnipresent according to Matthew 18:20 and 28:20. The Holy Spirit is omnipresent according to Psalm 139:7\u201310.
\nThe second line of evidence that the plurality of the Godhead is limited to a trinity is the fact that only three persons have the attributes of God. This is especially true for these uniquely divine attributes; only God is eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.<\/p>\n
c. Only Three Persons Perform the Works of God<\/p>\n
There is a third line of evidence for the trinity of the Godhead in the New Testament: only three persons do the works of God. There are three specific examples in this area.
\nThe first example is the creation of the universe. The thrust of the entire Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is that God is the Creator of the universe. The creation of the universe is a specific work of God, and yet, in the Scriptures, there are three different persons who are responsible for the creation. The Father is said to be responsible for the creation of the universe in Psalm 102:25. The Son is said to be responsible for the creation of the universe in John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16. The Holy Spirit is responsible for the creation of the universe according to Genesis 1:2; Job 26:13, and Psalm 104:30. In dealing with the creation of the universe, which is a work of God, these three persons are said to be responsible.
\nA second specific work of God is the creation of man. Again, the thrust of Scripture is that God created man in His own image. Once again, the Scriptures teach that three different persons are credited with the creation of man. The Father is responsible for the creation of man according to Genesis 2:7. The Son is responsible for the creation of man according to Colossians 1:16. The Holy Spirit is responsible for the creation of man, as it says in Job 33:4. As it was true with the creation of the universe, so it is also true with the creation of man: three persons are credited with this work of God.
\nThe third example is the work of inspiration. The thrust of Scripture is that God does the work of inspiration; God is the revealer of Himself. But again, three different persons are said to be responsible for the work of inspiration. God the Father does the work of inspiration according to 2 Timothy 3:16. We read that God the Son is responsible for the work of inspiration in 1 Peter 1:10\u201311. The Holy Spirit is responsible for the work of inspiration, according to 2 Peter 1:21. This, too, is a work of God, and yet three persons are responsible.<\/p>\n
E. CONCLUSION<\/p>\n
Concerning the Godhead, the Bible teaches three great truths:<\/p>\n
1. The plurality of the Godhead: there exists a plurality of personalities within the Godhead.
\n2. The unity of the Godhead: the plurality is not a plurality of gods as in polytheism, for there is only one God.
\n3. The trinity of the Godhead: the plurality of the personalities of the one God is limited to three: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, no more and no less.<\/p>\n
F. QUESTIONS AND STUDY SUGGESTIONS<\/p>\n
Question 1: If the Trinity were removed from our faith, what difference would it make practically?<\/p>\n
Question 2: Considering the fact that all three persons of the Godhead were involved in the creation account, what does this mean for us? What difference does it make to our relationship with God? (To answer these questions also consider page 101.)<\/p>\n
Question 3: Read Romans 11:33\u201336. The Bible clearly teaches the triunity of God, but according to these verses, it is very hard for man to truly fathom who God really is. What happens to the doctrine of the Trinity of God when we put human reason above the Word of God?<\/p>\n
Question 4: The Bible clearly teaches the unity of the Godhead. Why does the doctrine of the Trinity not just amount to Tritheism (the doctrine of three separate gods)?<\/p>\n
Question 5: In Matthew 3:16\u201317, the whole Trinity is present. God the Father appears in the voice from heaven (in Hebrew, this is called the bat kol), the Son is present in the form of a man, and the Spirit is present in the form of a dove. Why does the Gospel collapse if we see these three persons as separate gods?<\/p>\n
Question 6: Having studied the Trinity, what impact does this teaching have on your daily walk with Messiah?<\/p>\n
Question 7: Does this chapter prepare you to defend your faith? Does it provide answers for conversations you might have with atheists, Jews, and Muslims? How about members of cults like Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses?<\/p>\n
Question 8: When we ask our neighbors, friends, and relatives if they believe in God, we will most likely receive a positive answer. What if you changed the question to, \u201cWhich God do you serve?\u201d<\/p>\n
Study Suggestion: Take the online test for this section of the study of Theology Proper found on http:\/\/ariel.org\/come-and-see.htm under \u201cThe Trinity (050).\u201d<\/p>\n
Chapter VI<\/p>\n
Relationships within the Trinity<\/p>\n
What is the relationship between the Father and the Son, between the Father and the Holy Spirit, and between the Son and the Holy Spirit?
\nThere are four basic things that need to be understood. First, there is a unity of essence. The essence of the Godhead is the same for all three members of the Trinity. They all have exactly the same essence. Second, there is a distinction of persons. As we have seen, the Bible teaches a three-fold distinction of persons. They are one in essence, but they are distinct in subsistence, existence, and personhood. Third, there is essential equality. All three members are co-equal. Fourth, while there is essential equality among all three members of the Trinity, there is a functional subordination. That subordination is not an issue of superiority and inferiority, but of function. It is subordination that is the mode of subsistence or operation. The differences between the three members of the Trinity are not in their essence, but rather in their subordination to each other.
\nThe relationships within the subordination are distinct. While the relationship of the Father to the Son, and vice versa, is one of eternal generation, the relationship of the Holy Spirit to the Father and the Son is that of procession or spiration. What this means will be discussed in the following paragraphs.<\/p>\n
A. ETERNAL GENERATION<\/p>\n
The issue of eternal generation describes the relationship of the Father to the Son or the Son to the Father. The theologian Louis Berkhof defines the meaning of eternal generation as follows:<\/p>\n
Eternal generation is that eternal and necessary act of the first person in the Trinity, whereby He, within the divine Being, is the ground of a second personal subsistence like His own, and puts this second person in possession of the whole divine essence, without division, alienation, or change.<\/p>\n
When we talk about eternal generation, we are focusing on the issue of personal subsistence, not essence. Eternal generation can probably be described by another term: filiation. This means that the Son is eternally begotten of the Father. He was not begotten at some point in history, but He is eternally begotten of the Father. That is what eternal generation means.
\nThe first time the idea of filiation is mentioned in the Scriptures is in Psalm 2:7, which says, I will tell of the decree: Jehovah said unto me, You Are my son; This day have I begotten you. This is a declarative revelation of the eternal divine sonship.
\nThe Bible uses the expression \u201cthe only-begotten Son,\u201d known in Greek as monogenes. This only-begottenness emphasizes the Son\u2019s uniqueness. It is used of Yeshua in John 1:14 and 18; 3:16 and 18, and 1 John 4:9.
\nYeshua is also referred to as \u201cthe firstborn,\u201d in Greek prototokos. Two examples of where this word is used are Romans 8:29 and Hebrews 1:6.
\nBoth these terms \u201cfirstborn\u201d and \u201conly-begotten\u201d emphasize the uniqueness of Yeshua. They do not in any way imply that the Son had a beginning at some point in history or at some point in eternity past. The relationship is one of eternal generation. He is eternally begotten of the Father. Referring to Him as the only-begotten and the firstborn emphasizes His uniqueness. It sets Him apart from all other sons of God, such as angels and believers, who do have a definite beginning.
\nThe means by which His Sonship became a reality in history was the incarnation and the virgin birth. This point is made in Luke 1:35; Acts 13:32\u201333, and Galatians 4:4. Although this is how it came about as a historical reality, it was eternally true.
\nThe relationship is also given in John 5:18\u201326:<\/p>\n
18 For this cause therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Yeshua therefore answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing: for what things soever he does, these the Son also does in like manner. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that himself does: and greater works than these will he show him, that ye may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he will. 22 For neither does the Father judge any man, but he has given all judgment unto the Son; 23 that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son honors not the Father that sent him. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears my word, and believes him that sent me, has eternal life, and comes not into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour comes, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself:<\/p>\n
Again, the relationship between the Father and the Son is one of eternal generation, as Yeshua is the eternally begotten of the Father.<\/p>\n
B. PROCESSION OR SPIRATION<\/p>\n
Procession or spiration tries to describe the relationship of the Holy Spirit to both the Father and the Son. Berkhof defines procession or spiration as:<\/p>\n
That eternal and necessary act of the First and Second Persons of the Trinity whereby They, within the divine Being, become the ground of the personal subsistence of the Holy Spirit, and put that Third Person in possession of the whole divine essence, without any division, alienation, or change.<\/p>\n
Procession, then, is the work of the Father and the Son. The fact that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both is the teaching of Scripture.
\nIt should be pointed out that this topic caused a major rift between the Western and the Eastern Church in early church history. The Western Church claimed that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son, whereas the Eastern Church said that the Holy Spirit proceeds only from the Father. However, Scriptures prove that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both. In John 15:26 and Galatians 4:6, He proceeds from the Father:<\/p>\n
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, he shall bear witness of me:
\n\u2013John 15:26<\/p>\n
And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
\n\u2013Galatians 4:6<\/p>\n
In John 16:7, He proceeds from the Son: Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send him unto you.
\nJohn 14:26 and Romans 8:9 state that He proceeds from both the Father and the Son:<\/p>\n
But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you.
\n\u2013John 14:26<\/p>\n
But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man has not the Spirit of Messiah, he is none of his.
\n\u2013Romans 8:9<\/p>\n
The Son takes part in the spiration or procession of the Holy Spirit because of eternal generation. This is eternally true and did not have its beginning at some point in history.<\/p>\n
C. QUESTIONS AND STUDY SUGGESTIONS<\/p>\n
Question 1: The doctrine of eternal generation is not easy to grasp. God the Father eternally and by necessity generates or begets God the Son. He does this in such a way that the divine essence of the Godhead is not divided. Does this thought imply a creation? Did the Father create the Son? In trying to answer these questions in your own words, pay special attention to the terms \u201ceternally\u201d and \u201cby necessity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Study Suggestion 1: Read the following verses and try to internalize the teaching that the relationship of the Father and the Son is one of eternality and equality: John 1:1, 1:14, 1:18; 3:16; 5:26; 14:11; 17:21, and Hebrews 1:3.<\/p>\n
Study Suggestion 2: In chapter IV, pages 41 and 42, we looked at how the Westminster Confession of Faith defines God and His attributes. Try to formulate a creed like the Westminster Confession of Faith and include in it the idea of eternal generation.<\/p>\n
Question 2: We have looked at the fact that God possesses personality. He has emotion, intelligence, and will. This is true for all three persons of the Triune God. Read Ephesians 1:13. Taking this verse into consideration, what does the knowledge that the Holy Spirit possesses the same personality as God the Father and God the Son mean to your daily walk?<\/p>\n
Chapter VII<\/p>\n
Statement of Doctrine<\/p>\n
Having investigated the plurality of the Godhead, the unity of the Godhead, and the trinity of the Godhead, we are in a position to make a clear statement of doctrine. Eight key points can be derived from the study.
\nFirst, there are three subsistences that are mutually distinct and called persons. The Trinity is not three modes or manifestations of subsistence. Rather, it is three personalities, each possessing intellect, emotion, and will.
\nSecond, the three persons, or subsistences, have a divine nature, each one possessing all the attributes of deity. Thus, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each have a divine nature because they have the same essence, and each possesses all of the attributes of deity.
\nThird, the three persons do not have separate essences, but only the one and the same divine essence or divine nature. There is only one God. There can therefore be only one divine nature and divine essence existing in each one. The whole undivided essence belongs equally to each of the three persons. They do not have separate essences, but all have one and the same divine nature.
\nFourth, the subsistence of the three persons in the divine being is marked by a certain definite order leading from God the Father to God the Son to God the Holy Spirit.
\nFifth, the three persons who partake of the same essence stand in a definite relationship to each other. The Second Person has a relationship of eternal generation to the First Person. The Third Person has a relationship of procession or spiration to the First and Second Persons.
\nSixth, the subordination within the members of the Trinity manifests itself in the manner of personal subsistence, but not in the possession of the divine essence. There is subordination in the trinity of the Godhead, but it is not based on one member having a greater divine essence than the other two members. Rather, all persons of the Godhead have the same essence, and their subordination, therefore, is in the manner of personal subsistence, not in the possession of the divine essence.
\nSeventh, there are certain personal attributes by which the three persons are distinguished. For example, there are operations which are not performed by the three persons jointly and which are incommunicable. The Father does the work of generation. The Son does the work of filiation. The Holy Spirit does the work of procession. Furthermore, they each have primary functions without total exclusions. For example, the Father is primarily involved in creation, though this does not exclude the Son and the Spirit. The Son does the primary work in redemption, but the Father and the Spirit also have a role. The Spirit is primarily involved in sanctification, but both the Father and the Son also have a role.
\nEighth, the Trinity is a mystery beyond our full comprehension. There are still a lot of loose ends we do not understand, and this is natural, because there is a certain point beyond which the finite mind cannot go in trying to understand the infinite God.<\/p>\n
Chapter VIII<\/p>\n
God the Father<\/p>\n
So far, the study of the Trinity has unveiled that there are three specific persons in the Godhead. Most biblical studies focus their attention on God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. As a result, believers often have a somewhat fuzzy idea of exactly who God the Father is and what He does and for what He is responsible.<\/p>\n
A. THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD<\/p>\n
There are six different aspects of the fatherhood of God. He is the Father of the Messiah, the Father of creation, the Father of angels, the Father of all men, the Father of Israel, and the Father of believers.<\/p>\n
1. The Father of the Messiah<\/p>\n
a. Begotten of the Father<\/p>\n
God the Father is the Father of the Messiah, Yeshua, the Son. In Psalm 2:7, a verse we already studied in chapters V and VI, He declares: I will tell of the decree: Jehovah said unto me, You Are my son; This day have I begotten you.
\nIn the New Testament, this is taught in John 1:14: And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.
\nJohn 1:18 reads: No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.
\nIt is found once again in John 3:16\u201317:<\/p>\n
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.<\/p>\n
Another example is 1 John 4:9: Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God has sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him.
\nAs we already saw in chapter V, the fact that the Messiah was begotten of the Father has often been misinterpreted. Some groups, mainly those among the cults that teach that Yeshua is not eternal, interpret the term \u201cbegotten of the Father\u201d to mean that He was created by God the Father. Actually, the term begotten emphasizes uniqueness in that He is the unique Son of God, not His creation. While the fatherhood of God has several aspects, there is uniqueness in the relationship with the Son. So, the term \u201cbegotten of the Father\u201d does not mean that God the Father created Yeshua, but that the fatherhood-sonship relationship is unique. This is simply not true of other relationships. God\u2019s fatherhood of the Messiah is seen in that the Messiah is begotten of the Father, meaning He is the unique Son of God; He has a unique relationship not true of other father-son relationships.<\/p>\n
b. Acknowledged by the Father<\/p>\n
God the Father acknowledged Yeshua to be His Son. One example is Matthew 3:17b, where God the Father, speaking out of heaven, states, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. God the Father acknowledges Yeshua to be the Son.<\/p>\n
c. Acknowledged by Yeshua Himself<\/p>\n
The Son acknowledges God the Father as being His Father in Matthew 11:27: All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knows the Son, save the Father; neither does any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son wills to reveal him.
\nHe repeats the acknowledgement in John 8:54: Yeshua answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing: it is my Father that glorifies me; of whom ye say, that he is your God.
\nIn John 14:12\u201313, He adds:<\/p>\n
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.<\/p>\n
d. Acknowledged by Other Men<\/p>\n
The fatherhood of God is also seen in that other men acknowledged Yeshua to be the Son of His Father and that God the Father was the Father of the Messiah. One example is Matthew 16:16, where Peter made his great confession and literally said, \u201cYou are the Messiah, the Son of the God, the Living One.\u201d He acknowledged Yeshua to be the Son of God.
\nOther examples of this are found in Mark 15:39 and Romans 8:32. The first verse reads: And when the centurion, who stood by over against him, saw that he so gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
\nRomans 8:32 states: He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?
\nYeshua was acknowledged to be the Son of God by men, and this emphasizes again that God the Father is the Father of the Messiah.<\/p>\n
e. Acknowledged by Demons<\/p>\n
Demons, too, acknowledged that Yeshua is the Son of God. One example is Matthew 8:28\u201329:<\/p>\n
28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, there met him two possessed with demons, coming forth out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man could pass by that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with you, you Son of God? Are you come hither to torment us before the time?<\/p>\n
In these verses, demons were speaking and acknowledged that Yeshua was the Son of God. This automatically means that God is His Father.<\/p>\n
2. The Father of Creation<\/p>\n
The second aspect of the fatherhood of God is that He is the Father of creation. One example of this truth is found in 1 Corinthians 8:6: yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Yeshua Messiah, through whom are all things, and we through him. In this passage, God is addressed as the Father and connected with creation in that He is the Father of all creation.
\nA second example is in James 1:17: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning. In this verse, He is addressed as the Father of lights, a title that connects Him with creation itself.<\/p>\n
3. The Father of Angels<\/p>\n
God is also the Father of all angels. For that reason, angels are referred to as the sons of God.
\nThere are four Scriptures that teach this truth. The first passage is Genesis 6:1\u20132, which mentions the sons of God:<\/p>\n
1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born unto them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all that they chose.<\/p>\n
Some interpret the term sons of God in the book of Genesis to refer to the descendants of Seth as opposed to descendants of Cain. However, the other three passages, which are found in the book of Job, clearly show that the term sons of God must refer to angels. Job 1:6 says: Now it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan also came among them.
\nJob 2:1 describes a similar scene: Again it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Jehovah.
\nIn Job 38:7, God asks Job where he was when the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
\nAll of these Scriptures use the term sons of God, and no one doubts that, in those contexts, they refer to angels. Consistency should be maintained, so Genesis 6:2 must also refer to angels.<\/p>\n
4. The Father of All Men<\/p>\n
Another aspect of God\u2019s fatherhood is that He is the Father of all men. An example of this is Acts 17:29: Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man. This verse states that all men are the offspring of God. In one sense, there is the universal fatherhood of God of all men; He is the Father of all men in that He is man\u2019s Creator. This is in the same way as He is the Father of all angels. This does not mean that salvation is universal and that all people will be saved. The Bible does not teach that all people are going to be saved. God is the Father of all men insofar as He is the Creator of all men.
\nAnother example where He is said to be the Father of all men is in Ephesians 3:14\u201315:<\/p>\n
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,<\/p>\n
In this passage, the concepts of family and the fatherhood of God are brought together. This, too, emphasizes the universality of this concept. God is the Father of all men by virtue of being the Creator of all men.
\nA third example is Hebrews 12:9: Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? God the Father is spoken of as being the Father of spirits without distinction. Again, He is the Father of all men, not in a salvation-relationship, but in a creation-relationship. There is a universa-lity of the fatherhood of God because He is the Creator of all men.<\/p>\n
5. The Father of Israel<\/p>\n
God is also the Father of Israel. This is brought out a number of times throughout the Old Testament. One example is found in Exodus 4:22: And you shall say unto Pharaoh, Thus says Jehovah, Israel is my son, my first-born. God refers to Israel as \u201cJehovah\u2019s son.\u201d As a nation, Israel is the national son of God. No nation is ever called the son of God except one, and that is Israel.
\nA second example is found in Deuteronomy 32:6: Do ye thus requite Jehovah, O foolish people and unwise? Is not he your father that has bought you? He has made you, and established you. In this passage, Moses points out very clearly that God the Father is also the Father of Israel; Israel, as a nation, is God\u2019s son.
\nA third example is Isaiah 64:8, in which Israel is said to be the son of God: But now, O Jehovah, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you our potter; and we all are the work of your hand.
\nA fourth example is in Jeremiah 3:4: Will you not from this time cry unto me, My Father, you are the guide of my youth?
\nA fifth example is found in Hosea 11:1: When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my Son out of Egypt.
\nFinally, Malachi 1:6 also emphasizes this unique relationship of Israel as the son of God:<\/p>\n
A son honors his father, and a servant his master: if then I am a father, where is mine honor? and if I am a master, where is my fear? says Jehovah of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised your name?<\/p>\n
In addressing Israel, God reminds His people that He is their Father, and Israel is His son.<\/p>\n
6. The Father of Believers<\/p>\n
The Bible also clearly presents God as the Father of believers. John 1:12 states: But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name. This is His unique relationship in the salvation sense. Speaking of God as being the Father of all men emphasizes Him as the Creator of all men, the One from whom they receive their life. But it has to be emphasized again that this fact does not guarantee the salvation of all men, because every individual must exercise the personal act of faith. God the Father is uniquely the Father of believers by virtue of the new birth, by virtue of regeneration. It is this relationship of God the Father to believers that reflects the salvation aspect.
\nOther passages that refer to this truth include Matthew 5:45; 6:6\u201315; Romans 8:14\u201316, and 1 John 3:1.<\/p>\n
B. THE WORKS OF GOD THE FATHER<\/p>\n
As far as personality is concerned, the aspect of fatherhood distinguishes God the Father from the other two persons of the Trinity. His works distinguish Him from the Son and the Holy Spirit in His function.
\nFive works of God the Father need to be mentioned.<\/p>\n
1. God the Father generates the Son for all eternity (Jn. 5:17\u201326) and by necessity.
\n2. It is God the Father who is the author of the decree that brings to pass all that He wills (Ps. 2:7\u20138).
\n3. The work of election is said to be the work of God the Father (Eph. 1:3\u20136).
\n4. It is God the Father who sent the Son to do the work of redemption (Jn. 5:36).
\n5. It is God the Father who disciplines His children. Because He is the Father of believers, He has the right to divinely discipline them (Heb. 12:9).<\/p>\n
C. QUESTIONS AND STUDY SUGGESTIONS<\/p>\n
Study Suggestion 1: Before working through the following questions, write down how you perceive God the Father. Try to be as thorough as possible. Later on in the study, you will be prompted to repeat the exercise and compare the new list with the one you are jotting down now.<\/p>\n
Question 1: The demons understand that Yeshua is the Son of God. Nevertheless, this knowledge does not save them. What is it that man must believe to be saved? (If this question is difficult to answer, we recommend Dr. Fruchtenbaum\u2019s book Faith Alone: The Condition of our Salvation.)<\/p>\n
Question 2: Compare James 1:17 with 1 Peter 2:9; Acts 26:18, and 1 John 1:5\u201310. Now read 2 Corinthians 13:5. How do you live up to the challenge posed in this verse?<\/p>\n
Question 3: What role does Israel play in God\u2019s plan of the ages?<\/p>\n
Question 4: Depending upon the kind of relationship you have with your earthly father, you might either enjoy the idea that God is the Father of all believers or you might cringe at the thought. Looking at the ideal picture of a father, what are the elements of God\u2019s fatherhood you are mostly longing for?<\/p>\n
Question 5: Read Philippians 2:13. How does this verse describe God\u2019s work in your life?<\/p>\n
Study Suggestion 2: Write down your perception of God the Father and compare the new list with the one you wrote down at the beginning of the study (Study Suggestion 1).<\/p>\n
Study Suggestion 3: Take the online test for this section of the study of Theology Proper found on http:\/\/ariel.org\/come-and-see.htm under \u201cGod the Father (051).\u201d<\/p>\n
Chapter IX<\/p>\n
Conclusion<\/p>\n
The concept of the Triune God is certainly one of the biggest stumbling blocks for orthodox or even liberal Jews. Having memorized the Shema\u2014the Lord our God, the Lord is one\u2014during childhood years, the idea of a God who presents Himself in three different persons is foreign and seems outright blasphemous. And of course, the term \u201cTrinity\u201d is not a biblical word. Neither will one find the terms \u201ctrinitarianism,\u201d \u201cTriunity,\u201d \u201csubsistence,\u201d or \u201cessence,\u201d and so one of the arguments against the plurality of the Godhead is that the concept is only implied in the Scriptures. Yet, as we were able to show, it is a doctrine that grows out of the Word of God, and, thus, it is very biblical.
\nIn fact, the teaching of the Hebrew Scriptures is that there is a plurality of the Godhead. The First Person is consistently called YHVH, or Jehovah, while the Second Person is given the names \u201cAngel of Jehovah\u201d and \u201cthe Servant of Jehovah.\u201d Consistently and without fail, the Second Person is sent by the First Person. The Third Person is referred to as \u201cthe Spirit of Jehovah,\u201d \u201cthe Spirit of God,\u201d or \u201cthe Holy Spirit.\u201d He, too, is sent by the First Person but is continually related to the ministry of the Second Person. In other words, if the concept of the Triunity of God is not Jewish, then neither are the Hebrew Scriptures. Jewish believers cannot be accused of having slipped into paganism when they hold to the fact that Yeshua is the divine Son of God. He is the same One of whom Moses wrote when the Lord said in Exodus 23:20\u201323:<\/p>\n
20 Behold, I send an angel before you, to keep you by the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21 Take ye heed before him, and hearken unto his voice; provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgression: for my name is in him. 22 But if you shall indeed hearken unto his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto your enemies, and an adversary unto your adversaries. 23 For my angel shall go before you, and bring you in unto the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: and I will cut them off.<\/p>\n
So, although it is commonly stated that any concept of plurality in the Godhead is totally alien to Judaism, there is at least one place in Jewish literature where this is not the case. The author of the Zohar sensed plurality in the Tetragrammaton and wrote:<\/p>\n
\u201cCome and see the mystery of the word YHVH: there are three steps, each existing by itself: nevertheless they are One, and so united that one cannot be separated from the other. The Ancient Holy One is revealed with three heads, which are united into one, and that head is three exalted. The Ancient One is described as being three: because the other lights emanating from him are included in the three. But how can three names be one? How three can be one can only be known through the revelation of the Holy Spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of greater importance, however, is the teaching of the Hebrew Scriptures themselves. The Old Testament verses studied in this book clearly teach that Messiah is indeed the Son of God. Equally clear is the emphasis on the unity of the Godhead, which culminates in the Shema\u2014the Lord is one God.
\nWhile the doctrine of the Trinity causes many to stumble and others to be utterly confused, some theologians get excited about it. The British theologian Mike Reeves, for example, speaks about the Triune God as being a \u201cdelightfully different God,\u201d and Dr. Charles C. Ryrie considers the doctrine so rich that it \u201coverflows into several areas of theology.\u201d For example, since all three persons of the Trinity are involved in the work of redemption, the Trinity is an intrinsic part of Soteriology, or the doctrine of salvation.
\nBut there are also very practical ramifications of this doctrine which affect man\u2019s everyday life. For example, as the believer seeks fellowship with his Messiah, he mimics a fellowship and love that is found within the Godhead. This fellowship is only possible if one allows for a Trinitarian view of the Godhead. This is exemplified in John 14:17, where it says: even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholds him not, neither knows him: ye know him; for he abides with you, and shall be in you.
\nAnother area of the believer\u2019s life which is impacted by a proper understanding of the Trinity is marriage. Just as there is priority without inferiority in the Godhead, so it can be between man and woman. This is seen in 1 Corinthians 11:3: But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Messiah; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Messiah is God. Thus, the Trinity provides husbands with a model through which they can understand that their wives are fully equal to them in their value as human beings; they were also created in God\u2019s image. Yet, both husband and wife have a distinct role, function, and relationship within the family, and all three of these distinctions are ideally worked out in an authority-submission structure, as God designed it, and which mirrors the Trinity.
\nThe area of communication is another example of how valuable the doctrine of the Trinity really is for the believer\u2019s practical life. Both God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are involved in revealing God\u2019s truth, as it says in John 1:18: No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.
\nJohn 16:13 makes this equally clear:<\/p>\n
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come.<\/p>\n
All three persons of the Trinity are deeply involved in the communication that takes place between God and man, and without this communication, man would not be able to understand anything that pertains to his Creator.
\nIn view of these wonderful truths, this study will be closed with the words of the Apostle Paul, who said in 2 Corinthians 13:14:<\/p>\n
The grace of the Lord Yeshua Messiah, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.<\/p>\n
title What We Know about God: Theology Proper<\/p>\n
author Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Introduction What is Come and See? Come and See is a multi-volume collection of messianic Bible studies transcribed from Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum\u2019s original radio broadcasts. For the book series, the manuscripts made from these transcripts were expanded and text was added. Each study is a solid foundation upon which you can stand, a whiteboard from … <\/p>\n