Greatness

Theology
Theology
The Attributes of God
The Attributes of God
Attribute of the Goodness of God
Attribute of the Goodness of God
God is Love
God is Love
The Integrity of God
The Integrity of God
The Transcendence of God
The Transcendence of God
The Immanence of God
The Immanence of God
Unity/Simplicity of God
  • God's is not divided into each of His attribute. Instead His attribute is part of His whole being
  • God IS love, mercy, just, true...
God is Spirit
  • Spirit (John 4:24)
    • Unique existence
    • God has no size, dimension or matter
    • Therefore, we worship God in Spirit
  • Invisible
    • God is not seen but can still show Himself through visible things
    • When the bible speak of God having hands and feet, it is anthropomorphic language
    • John 1:18, 1 Tim 1:17, 6:15-16
    • Theophanies
      • Genesis 18:1-33
      • Exodus 13:21-22
      • Jesus Christ
God is Life/Self Sufficiency
  • God is Self Sufficient
  • God is the source of life (Acts 17:25), and He does not need us. We are made out of Love.
    • Human purpose was to give glory to God
Independence
  • Acts 17:24-25
  • Job 41:11
  • psalm 50:10-12
Wisdom

God knows the best goal and best means to accomplish them. (Romans 8:28)

Therefore, we can have comfort and peace knowing that God is all wise.

Infinity

Omnipresence
  • All Present
    • To Bless
      • Psalm 16:11
      • [[The Ark of the Covenant]]
    • Sustain
      • Col 1:17; Heb 1:3
    • Punish
      • Hell
      • Amos 9:1-4
    • Not divided, but every where fully
  • ! God sees us, and is with us.
Eternal
  • God is above time, and sees time all at once
  • Psalm 90:1-2; Revelation 1:8, 21:6; Job 36:26
Omniscience

God Himself knows self fully, knows all things actual, and all things possible, in one simple act.

Therefore, God is not surprised as if something new came up. And He always knows what is best.

Omnipotent

God is all powerful to do what He pleases. Anything that corresponds to His character, logically possible. [[God's Sovereignty]]

God can not not be Himself, can not undo the past. Can't fail what He promised to do. Cannot sin or lie.

Therefore, God is free to do His will. He will be faithful to His word. And His promises are freely given and not by compulsion.

  • Acts 17:24-26
  • Psalm 115:3
  • Gen 17:1; 1:14
  • Revelation 19:6
  • Jeremiah 32:15-17
God's Will
  • Suffering
  • Necessary
  • Free
    • Redemption
    • Creation
  • Secret/Revealed
    • Deut 29:29
    • Will of Decree
The Impassibility of God

God's emotion is not under the influence of external factors. But He choose to relate to us by reaction to our actions through emotion.

Acts 14:15, Isaiah 62:5, Psalm 78:40; Exodus 32:10; Isaiah 54:8

God's day is not ruined if we sinned.

God's Personhood
  • God can communicate, feel, know, and has a will to choose.
  • He made us to fellowship with Him
Constancy/Immutability

God is Unchanging in His being, purpose and promises.

Psalm 102:25-27; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17

God is faithful and dependable.

Cases When God Seems to Have Changed His Mind

  • Exodus 32:1-14; Jonah; Genesis 6:5-7; 1 Samuel 15:11

  • Anthropomorphism (form) and Anthropopatheism (feeling)

    • Attributing Human form to non-human being (God)
    • Attributing human feelings to a non-human being (God)
    • Expressing truth about God using human language and perspectives

  • New Stage in God's Plan of Redemption

    • From focusing on the Jews, to the Gentiles

  • ! Human changed, not God

    • Jonah, the Ninevehvites repented. And so God's wrath was no longer toward them.

  • [[Process Theology]] (Charles Hartshorne)

    • God is alwas changing

  • [[Open Theism]]

    • God changes in response to human action
    • When the bible says that God 'repented' God actually repented
    • God is open to change, and not determinate
Moral Purity of God
Moral Purity of God
Blessedness

God is always happy and joyful.

Therefore, delight in what delights God

God's Perfection

God has no lack and is all excellent

Beauty

God is the sum of all desirable qualities

Therefore, seek to be like God. And delight in fellowship with Him.

God's Glory

Referring to the manifestation of light, that projects his honour and excellence.

Therefore, we're to reflect God's glory

Summary Attributes

Knowability of God
Knowability of God
Existence of God
Existence of God
The Trinity
The Trinity
Distinction
  • Function
    • Redemption
    • Creation
  • In relation to each other and creation
  • But same in deity and attributes
Essentials
  • Incomprehensible
  • Unity of God
  • Functional Suboridination
  • Eternal
  • Apparant Contradiction
Importance
  1. Non-necessity of creation
  2. to accomplish work of redemption
  3. Deity of Christ
    1. Atonement, and justification by faith in Christ
  4. Diversity & Unity in the Church and the Family
Scripture Proof
Three in oneness of God
  • 1 John 5:7 (?)

We have allusions and hints of the three in oneness of God in Scripture that are [[Progressive Revelation|progressively revealed]]

  • Elohim, plural form for God
  • Psalm 45:6-7; Gen. 1:26 'let us',; Isaiah 6:8 'for us'; Psalm 110:1; Isaiah 48:16
  • John's Gospel, John 16:13-15; 20:21-22; 1:1-3,14; 17:21
  • Matthew 28:19; Matthew 3:16-17, Cor 13:14
Deity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
  • 1 Corinthian 8:6; 1 Peter 1:2
  • Acts 5:3, Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14
  • Philippians 2:5-11, Substance of Deity
  • Jesus claimed to be God
    • John 10:30-33; John 20:28; John 1:1, 14
  • Diety of Christ
    • Thomas worshipping Christ
    • Isaiah 9:6, John the Baptist
  • Diety of the Holy Spirit
    • Matthew 28:19
    • 1 Corinthians 3:16
Unity of GOd

  • Deut 6:4

  • James 2:19

  • ! God alone is to be worshipped

Church History

Subordination -> Adoption
  • The son was eternal, but he was inferior. A man until the baptism.

Heresies

Economic Trinity
  • In the 3rd century. By Hippolytus and Tertullian
  • Uses the root, shoot, and fruit analogy
Tritheism

Three Gods, divided and confused the Trinity.

Dynamic Monarchaianism

Jesus is not God. God was working in Christ but not presence in Christ. God's working in Christ starts at Christ's baptism.

The Holy Spirit is considered an impersonal attribute of GOd

One God, One Person, One Nature.

Modalistic Monarchianism (Sabellianism)
  • Popular in the 3rd century, Praxeas
  • Denies the Oneness of God

Believes that the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit is one Person but manifested in 3 modes. Each mode is given different name and roles. The analogy would be "water-ice-vapor"

How can all three be present at Jesus' baptism? Luke 3:21-22.

  • Why does Jesus pray to God the Father if they are the same person
  • How does atonement work? Jesus died, God the Father died for us?
Pre-Nicean Church (A.D. 33-150)
Apologist and Polemicists (A.D. 150-325)
  • Justin Martyr: Christ is distinct in function from the Father
  • Athenagorus: Christ was without begining
  • Theophilus: Holy Spirit Distinct from the Logos
  • Origin: Holy Spirit Coeternal with the Father and the Son
  • Tertullian: 3 person, but 1 in substance
The Council of Nicea (A.D. 325)

  • On the Arian Heresy

    • Monarchianism, denies the diety fo Christ. Belives that Christ is a created being with the Holy Spirit

  • The conclusion from the council

    • Jesus was begotten, and not made
    • God is 3 Person, 1 in substance

  • Filioque Clause

    • Split of the Roman Catholic and Estern Orthodox
    • John 15:26
    • The Holy Spirit proceed from the Father ... and the Son
Council of COnstantinople (A.D. 381)
  • On the Arian heresy and the Madedonianism heresy
    • Whether the Holy Spirit is divine or not