Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20010506.htm

SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY: (ORGANIZED BIBLE KNOWLEDGE)
Part II: Theology Proper (Doctrines About God Himself)
B. The Divine Attributes (The Structure Of God Himself)
  1. Introduction
    1. If we point out errors of theistic views such as pantheism or atheism, we need to show the correct stands.
    2. Scripture offers basic facts about our God Who is a Spirit, and we schedule God's attributes accordingly. In the process, we learn invaluable lessons on applying this basic theology for practical living as follows:
  2. The Divine Attributes (The Structure Of God Himself)
    1. God has personality by definition, having will (James 4:15), intellect (Isa. 55:9) and emotion (Eph. 4:30).
    2. As a personal God, the basic "ingredients" of God, His essence, is described in Scripture as follows:
      1. God alone has aseity, the capacity to be self-existing as to cause and sustainment, Ex. 3:14.
      2. God is uncomplicated, or simple in essence. All that God is He is in a very straightforward, unvarying manner. 1 John 1:5 states that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all!
      3. God is immense in filling all of His essence. Isaiah 40:21-22 pictures God's having to stretch out the stellar universe in order to inhabit it!
    3. Adhering within this divine essence are qualities of God as to ability and character that are true before, during and after the creation of time and the universe. These features are His attributes as follows:
      1. God is omniscient, or all-knowing in every possible way, Psalm 139:1-6.
      2. God is omnipresent, or existing in all places at all times in the universe, Psalm 139:7-10. This is not to say pantheistically that all that exists is God Himself, but to say God is where everything exists!
      3. God is omnipotent, or all-powerful in every possible way, Hebrews 1:3.
      4. God is truth, meaning all about Him is completely true, Psalm 138:2.
      5. God is righteous, or adheres absolutely to His true standard of uprightness, Deuteronomy 32:4.
      6. God is good, or infinitely wholesome in every possible way, James 1:17.
      7. God is love, having the capacity to take infinite selfless concern for others outside of Himself, 1 John 4:8b with 1 John 3:17-18.
    4. When the essence and attributes of God combine, they produced the universe; the way God relates to this universe reveals His nature as follows:
      1. God is free, meaning He is not bound in any way by any element(s) in creation, Romans 11:34-35.
      2. God is sovereign, totally ruling over all entities in the created universe, 1 Sam. 2:6-8; 1 Chr. 29:11-12.
      3. God is infinite, meaning He excels in every way the dimensions in every way of creation, Ps. 145:3.
      4. God is eternal contrasted to the temporality of the universe, Psalm 102:12-14; 90:2.
      5. God is immutable, meaning He is not capable of changing or being changed in any way by the universe and its functions, Ps. 102:24-27; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8.
      6. God is holy, meaning He is separate from sin and its effects in every way, Isaiah 6:1-3.
    5. Summing up God's essence and attributes, and combining such essence and attributes to view His nature that is revealed in His relating to creation, we conclude that God is a unity in purpose, function and being, cf. John 10:30; Deuteronomy 6:4. In this sense, He is ONE God.
Lesson: Our Biblical God is a unified Spirit with PERSONALITY Who has attributes (omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, truth, righteousness, goodness and love). These attributes combined with His essence (aseity, simplicity and immensity) have produced the universe and its functions, and He is related to that universe as the Free, Sovereign, Eternal, Infinite, Immutable, Holy, Almighty God!

Application: (1) Theologically, we can use this information to counter false views of God's identity offered by man who has erred in accord with the description of Romans 1:18ff. (2) In a practical way, we can RELY upon one or more of the qualities of God's essence, attributes or nature to meet specific needs or concerns we face in everyday living. For example, a party with a low value of himself due to a difficult background can rely upon the fact of God's INFINITE LOVE for him, and GOODNESS (wholesomeness) to see that his LIFE is VALUABLE to GOD as a creature of His, and avoid suicide!