Systematic Theology 5 - Communicable Attributes.ppt
- 1. Systematic Theology - 5 Communicable Attributes
- 2. List of Communicable Attributes Spirituality Visibility/Invisibility Knowledge Wisdom Truthfulness / Faithfulness Goodness Love Mercy (Grace, Patience) Holiness Peace (or Order) Righteousness (or Justice) Jealousy Wrath Will Freedom Omnipotence (Power) Perfection Blessedness Beauty Glory
- 3. God Is Spirit God is Spirit (John 4:21-24) Is not like any created thing (Exodus 20:4-6) Does not have a specific location (Ps 139:7-10) Does not have a physical body and is not made of matter We also have spirits: John 4:24, 1 Cor 14:14, Phil. 3:3, 1 Corinthians 6:17, Rom. 8:16, Lk. 23:46; Eccl 12:7, Heb 12:23; Philippians 1:23-24 God’s spirituality means that God exists as a being that is not made of any matter, has no parts or dimensions, is unable to be perceived by our bodily senses, and is more excellent that any other kind of existence.
- 4. Invisibility God’s invisibility means that God’s total essence, all of His spiritual being, will never be able to be seen by us, yet God still shows Himself to us through visible, created things. God cannot be seen: John 1:18, 6:46, 1 Tim. 1:17, 6:16; 1 John 4:12 Some outward manifestations of God can be seen: Exodus 33:11,20, 21-23 Theophanies – God manifestations in the OT Gen 18;1- 33, 32:28-30; Exodus13:21-22, 24:9-11; Judges 13:21- 22, Isaiah 6:1 Seen in Christ: John 14:9, Colossians 1;15 Hebrews 1:3 We shall see God in Heaven: Matthew 5:8, Revelation 1:7,
- 5. Knowledge God fully knows Himself and all things actual and possible in one simple and eternal act. God knows everything: Job 37:16, 1 John 3:20 Only God fully knows God: 1 Cor. 2:10-11 God is light and has perfect awareness – 1 Jn 1:5 God knows all things actual: Heb. 4:13, 2 Chron 16:9, Job 28:24, Matt. 10:29-30 God knows the future: Isa. 46:9-10, 42:8-9, Matt 6:8, 10:30 God knows in detail: Ps. 139:1-4, 16 God knows what is possible: 1 Samuel 23:11-13, Matthew 11:21-23; 2 Kings 13:19, Has perfect knowledge: Ps 139:6, 90:4, Is. 55:9; 2 Peter 3:8
- 6. Knowledge & Free Will God knows everything but He has given human beings reasonable self-determination. We have some degree of real decision-making power with real causes and effects. But our free will is “bounded” (I cannot change the laws of gravity). God ability to set the boundaries, times and conditions and to intervene supernaturally means that the overall course of history is pre-determined. God also knows our natures and what the possible outcomes of our choices will be. We can make all the moves we like but God will always win the game of chess!
- 7. Wisdom God’s wisdom means that God always chooses the best goals and the best means to those goals Biblical wisdom is always concerned with practical outcomes rather than philosophical abstraction God is Wise: Romans 16:27; Job 9:4, 12;13, Ps. 104:24 In Redemption: 1 Cor. 1;18-30, Romans 11;33, Eph 3:6-10 In His Plans: Rom 8:28-30, 2 Cor. 12:8-10 Received By Faith: James 1:5-8, Ps. 19:7 Depends of Fearing God: Ps. 111;10, Prov. 1:7, 9:10
- 8. Truthfulness & Faithfulness God’s truthfulness means that He is the true God, and that all His knowledge and words are both true and the final standard of truth. God creates Reality and acts in line with that which is real and true, substantial, abiding and permanent. True God: Jeremiah 10:10-11 John 17:3, 1 John 5:20 Faithful and True: Deut 32:4, Num 23:19, 2 Sam 7:28, Ps. 141:6, Revelation 3:14, 19:11, 21:5, 22:6 Is not false and does not lie: Titus 1:2, Heb 6:18, Ps. 12:6, Prov. 30:5 Word is Truth: John 17:17 We are to be truthful: Eph. 4:25, Ex. 20:16, Ps 15;2,
- 9. Goodness The goodness of God means that God is the final standard of good, and all that God is and does is worthy of approval. God is good: Luke 18:19, Ps. 100:5, 106:1, 107:1, 34:8 Good = worthy of approval, useful, fitting, works perfectly, brings about desirable outcomes The source of all good: James 1:17, Ps. 145:9, Acts 14:17, Matthew 7:11, We should respond in thankfulness: Ps. 106:1, 107:1 1 Thess. 5:18
- 10. Love God’s love means that God eternally gives of Himself to others Love – practical benevolence, appreciation, etc. Wanting the very best for another / self-sacrifice God is love: 1 John 4:8 Within the Trinity: John 3:35, 17:24, 14;31 Toward us: Romans 5:8, John 3:16, 1 John 4:10, Gal. 2:20 We are to love God and love others: Matthew 22:37- 38, 1 John 3:16-18, 1 Corinthians 13 Love involves obeying God’s commandments: 1 Jn 5:3
- 11. Mercy, Grace, Patience Exodus 34:6,7 Mercy – a) lifting of punishment b) doing good Grace – unmerited favor, God’s riches at Christ’s expense Patience – God giving us time to learn, repent, and grow. Mercy: 2 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Samuel 24:14, Matthew 5:7 God will treat us as we treat others so we should also be merciful, gracious and patient. Grace: 1 Peter 5:10, 1 Cor. 15:10, Romans 4:16, Patient / Slow to Anger: Ex. 34:6, James 1:19,
- 12. Holiness Separated from sin, untainted, undefiled, consecrated Perfect in every moral quality Beautiful, precious, to be honored above all things God is holy: Isaiah 6:3, Psalms: 71;22, 78:41, 89:18 We should be holy: Lev. 19:2, 1 Peter 1:16, Ex. 19:4-6 Holiness is essential to eternity: Heb. 12:10,14 We are to be separated to God: 2 Cor. 6:14-18 We are to work at being holy: 2 Cor 7:1, Rom 12:1
- 13. Peace / Order Shalom – a divine order that causes stability and blessedness and which results in the ability to be fruitful, multiply, to have dominion and to dwell in love. God of peace: Romans 15:33, 16:20, Philippians 4:9 Opposed to chaos, conflict and disorder: Genesis chapter1, Isaiah 54:11-12, 1 Corinthians 14:33 A fruit of the Spirit: Galatians 5:22-23 Romans 14:17 The result of wisdom in life: Proverbs 3:17
- 14. Righteousness / Justice From the Hebrew words for “straight” The opposite of crooked, perverse or oppressive Just and right is He (Deut 32:4, Genesis 18:25) Rewards good and punishes iniquity The appropriate response for every action / circumstance God’s justice includes mercy for those who repent and place faith in Jesus Christ (Rom 3:25-16, 1 Jn 1:9)
- 15. Jealousy / Zeal God values and protects His relationship with us God is angry when we love idols or the world – these are regarded as spiritual adultery God is strongly invested in His people and His honor Opposite of uncaring, apathetic, uninterested in relationship, distant or aloof. Exodus 20:5, 34:14, Deut. 4:24, 5:9, Isaiah 48:11 1 Corinthians 10: 20-22, James 4:4
- 16. Wrath God’s wrath means that He intensely hates all sin. Exodus 32:9,10; Deut. 9:7-8, 29;23 2 Kings 22:13 Both an emotion and an outward action Is constrained by God’s patience, forbearance and mercy Ps 103:8-9, Romans 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9,10 It is revealed against ungodliness and wickedness; Romans 1:18, 2:5-8, 5:9, 9:22, Colossians 3:6, 1 Thess 1;10 Christians do not know the wrath of God: Eph 2:4-7, John 5:24,25; 1 Thess. 1;10, Romans 5;10 But we do know the discipline of God: Hebrews 12:5-14 Culminates in the End Time plagues : Revelation chapter 16
- 17. Will, Freedom and Omnipotence God wills everything into being for His freely determined purposes and has the power to bring all these purposes to pass. Ephesians 1:1-14, 3:9, 4:10 Colossians 1:16-17, Romans 11:36, 1 Cor 8:6, 15:27- 28 Not the despotic will of “fate” but a loving and righteous and gracious will that respects His covenant relationships God’s will by decree / Providence “as the Lord wills” God’s will revealed by and included in covenant God’s moral will as communicated for us to perform
- 18. Three Illustrations Bar of Silver: electrons roam freely, voltage is determined Two Trains: destination is pre-determined (Heaven or Hell) but you can choose which train to ride. All who are in Christ are predestined to Heaven (that’s where Christ takes you) , all who follow the Anti-Christ are predestined to Hell (that is where he is going). Degrees of Determination: a few individuals are specially chosen for certain destinies (Pharaoh, Moses, Samson, Cyrus, Judas, John the Baptist, Paul) but even then they can compromise their destiny (Moses, Samson) or fulfill it (Paul, John the Baptist), we are not robots but God can set our general life paths even from before birth.
- 19. Perfection, Blessedness, Beauty God is perfect in all aspects, is totally fulfilled and blessed and is the sum of all beauty and desirability and joy. God’s perfection means that he can in now ay be tainted or compromised by evil. God’s perfection means that His love is complete: Matthew 5:48, Ps. 18:30, Deut. 32:4 God is blessed: 1 Timothy 1:11, 6:15 God is beautiful: Ps. 27:4 and desirable Ps. 73:25
- 20. Glory Hebrew: kabod – heavy, weighty, dignified, honorable, of excellent reputation, worthy. Ps. 24:7-10, 29:1-11, 104:1,2 Jesus as God’s glory: Hebrews 1:3, Matthew 17;2, The brightness that surrounds God’s revelation of Himself Ex. 24:15-18, Ezekiel 1:28, Luke 2:9, Revelation 21:23 The glory of God is closely related to the nature of God Exodus 34:1-7 We are glorified as we share God’s image 2 Cor. 3:17,18