Well might God have deprived His fallen creatures of every blessing, every comfort, every pleasure. KENNZEICHEN AWAY GOD INDEX. It is persons God is said to foreknow, not the actions of those persons. So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God Who has mercy, The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. and what His soul desireth, even that He doeth" (Job 23:13). The Attributes of God - A. W. Pink | Precept Austin - The Attributes of 1:14). Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Jehovah the Everlasting God. 11:2). Unto His servant the Lord said, I will smite them with the pestilence and disinherit them. Then it was that the mediator Moses, as a type of the Christ to come, pleaded, I beseech Thee, let the power of my Lord be great according as Thou hast spoken, saying, The Lord is longsuffering, etc. What controversies have been engendered by this subject in the past! 11. They rebelled against Jehovah, forsook His law, turned unto false gods, apostatized. His knowledge is perfect. 2 Kings (Ps 25:8), Praise the LORD! ATTRIBUT OF GOD INDEX. THE WRATH OF GOD John First, He suffered their manners for forty years in the wilderness (Acts 13:18). Again, as in Christ dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily (Col. 2:9), and as all the Divine perfections are illustriously displayed by Him (John 1:18), therefore do we read of the wrath of the Lamb (Rev. Parts of His ways we behold in creation, providence, redemption, but only a little part of His might is seen in them. 1. Who is able to count all the monuments of His power? 1 Chronicles Revelation, Search Wikipedia using spiritual discretion. In Ps. The prophet (in vision) beheld the mighty God scattering the hills and overturning the mountains, which one would think afforded an amazing demonstration of His power. When you are tempted to doubt the faithfulness of God, cry out, Get thee hence, Satan. Though you cannot now harmonize Gods mysterious dealings with the avowals of His love, wait on Him for more light. The sequel will yet demonstrate that God has neither forsaken nor deceived His child. Updated: Tue, 06/12/2018 - 15:48 By admin. An oath is for solemn confirmation (Heb. The First Question of the Catechism, Hes Got the Whole World in His Hands (Sovereignty), The Invisible Hand: Coming to Grips With God's Providence, His Eye Is On the Sparrow: The Doctrine of God's Omniscience, Here, There and Everywhere: The Doctrine of God's Omnipresence, Is Anything Too Hard For God? Of old the Lord complained, Thou thoughtest that I was altogether as thyself (Ps. But to the believer, the fact of Gods omniscience is a truth fraught with much comfort. We might have walked the fields without our ears being saluted by the music of the birds. 2 Thessalonians Thus, to affirm that the cause of His love lies in God Himself is only another way of saying, He loves whom He pleases. Justice Amos Zephaniah 3:32). We answer, Because He so requires it. 1 Kings Amen. But such a statement is radically wrong. 89:6). Now the word foreknowledge as it is used in the New Testament is less ambiguous than in its simple form to know. If every passage in which it occurs is carefully studied, it will be discovered that it is a moot point whether it ever has reference to the mere perception of events which are yet to take place. 12:5). In the Everlasting Covenant Jesus Christ was appointed their Head, took their responsibilities upon Himself, and wrought out a righteousness for them which is perfect, indefeasible, eternal. The Attribut to God - A. W. Pink. He is infinitely good; the creatures good is but a drop, but in God there is an infinite ocean or gathering together of good. He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished Ex 34:6 34:7. He never errs, never changes, never overlooks anything. Yet, they certainly are the objects of Gods free and sovereign grace. The whole earth is full of His glory." In proof of this we shall now quote each passage where this expression is found. 8:3). 3:20, 21), THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD What is meant by foreknowledge? In the immediate context of this verse Christ exhorts us to love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us. The Add of God - Part 1a. To any who would challenge this statement we will remind him of our Lords sovereign prerogative: Is it not lawful for Me to do what I will with Mine own? And woe be to the rebel that calls His sovereignty into question: Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker. What impossible situation or task are you facing today? The fact is that those who neglect the laws of health are carried away by disease, notwithstanding Gods mercy. There we read, Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. If careful attention is paid to the wording of this verse, it will be seen that the Apostle was not there speaking of Gods foreknowledge of the act of the crucifixion, but of the Person crucified: Him (Christ) being delivered by, etc. Of a Plurality on the Godhead; or, A Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Divine Essence. 90:8! To acknowledge this means that we humble ourselves before Him, own that we fully deserve His correction, and instead of murmuring, thank Him for it. Lecture Series: The Doctrine of God Lecture 5: "The Attributes of God" THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD The attributes of God refer to the character of God. The Lord knoweth them that are His (2 Tim. In the previous verse promise was made that God would confirm unto the end His own people. THE LOVE OF GOD Such a hope is a viper, which if cherished in their bosoms will sting them to death. He saved us (Titus 3:5)the one standing in direct antithesis to the other. Longsuffering By this we mean, there was nothing whatever in the objects of His love to call it into exercise, nothing in the creature to attract or prompt it. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all about Him (Ps. Break In blessing oer your head.. Amos Secondly, GOD IS IMMUTABLE IN HIS ATTRIBUTES. Ex 3:14, "For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; Jn 5:26, "If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, & all it contains Ps 50:12. Our God Reigns, "Who is like Thee among the gods, O LORD? Abundant reason has he to say with the Psalmist, I will praise Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well (139:14). You may therefore trust Him for all your future needs. 11:5, we read of a remnant according to the election of grace. There it is, plain enough; election itself is of grace, and grace is unmerited favor, something for which we had no claim upon God whatsoever. When you are dealing with Him who is omnipotent, faithful, and true, the things that seem utterly impossible will be those most likely to happen. 20:21). Da 4:34, "The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and He drove out the enemy from before you, And said, 'Destroy!' Pinterest. Exodus Our faith is sorely tried, our eyes bedimmed with tears, and we can no longer trace the outworkings of His love. 110:3). Da 4:35-note, Nebuchadnezzar testifies to God's sovereignty: "Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride." Zephaniah Again, though it be true, blessedly and gloriously true, that Gods mercy endureth forever, yet we must observe carefully the objects to whom His mercy is shown. Nahum So it was with individuals:Pharaoh, Korah, Achan and a host of others are so many proofs. Esther He commanded & it stood fast. Herein is TERROR FOR THE WICKED. Justice The Lord, the ever-merciful, has appointed every moment of sorrow and every pang of suffering. Mercy, The Attributes of God - Part 2a Yet, the controversies which have been waged over them did not close the mouths of Gods faithful servants; why, then, should we avoid the vexed questions of Gods Foreknowledge, merely because there are some who will charge him with inciting strife? Colossians There will be no mercy extended to them beyond the grave: It is a people of no understanding: therefore He that made them will not have mercy on them, and He that formed them will show them no favour (Isa. How little real love there is for God. Look to see in God and from God what you never saw before. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you (1 Cor. ", Unwilling to share what is rightfully His, "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD Thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, Ex 20:5 (cf 3 uses in Deut), Nahum 1:2 A jealous and avenging God is the LORD; The LORD is avenging & wrathful. For one sin Moses was excluded from Canaan, Elishas servant smitten with leprosy, Ananias and Sapphira cut off out of the land of the living. 1:18). Faithfulness is one of the glorious perfections of His being. God is faithful in glorifying His people. Nothing we do, say, or even think, escapes the cognizance of Him with whom we have to do: The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good (Prov. Whether it be the birds of the air, the beasts of the forest, or the fish in the sea, abundant provision has been made to supply their every need. And again, God is angry with the wicked every day (Ps. Yes, God is immutable in His counsel. Daniel 11:32-note says that know their God will display strength & take action The Immeasurable Greatness of His Power Toward Us | Desiring God Here absolute sovereignty is also displayed. Ecclesiastes Faithful is He which calleth you, who also will do (1Thess. If I disobey God, then I deserve to be deceived and disappointed by my fellows. Ezekiel Today. And surely this is the least that can be asked for from those who have been recipients of such bounty. Leviticus God knew and foretold the crucifixion of His Son many hundreds of years before He became incarnate, and this, because in the Divine purpose, He was a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world: hence we read of His being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God (Acts 2:23). The Attributes of God - Resource List | Precept Austin The word foreknowledge is not found in the Old Testament. It affirms that Christians are a people who have believed through grace (Acts 18:27). How is that raging element kept pent within those limits wherein He first lodged it, continuing its channel, without overflowing the earth and dashing in pieces the lower part of the creation? To God the Glory "In the stupendous matter of our salvation Christ shall be the Alpha and the Omega. Updated: Tue, 06/12/2018 - 15:48 By manager. What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter (John 13:7). No; Gods choice proceeds not from anything in us, or anything from us, but solely from His own sovereign pleasure. It must be so, for there is no blemish whatever, not the slightest defect in the character of God; yet there would be if wrath were absent from Himl Indifference to sin is a moral blemish, and he who hates it not is a moral leper. And who placed Christ upon that conditional footing? Of the Will of God, and the Sovereignty of It. 3:22). Through the ages, our God has had billions of people to deal with. Everything about God is infinite. The forerunner of Christ warned his hearers to flee from the wrath to come (Matt. We gladly own with the Psalmist, Thou "holdeth our soul in life" (Psa 66:9). By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth, Ps. (eg hold point over &/or click "OMNISCIENT") Corrupt souls mistake the constancy of Gods goodness for monotony, and come to think of His goodness as a natural human right. Why? There will be more than you need. " Paul was resting on the faithfulness of God when he said, I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day (2 Tim. 1:12). There never was a time when He was not; there never will come a time when He shall cease to be. Every stage of Israels history exemplifies that solemn fact. Christ was delivered by the (1) determinate counsel and (2) foreknowledge of God (Acts 2:23). 12 The Omnipotence Of God 8:3239. The very nature of God makes Hell as real a necessity, as imperatively and eternally requisite, as Heaven is. Numbers 23:19 is plain enough: "God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent." God said, Let there be and it was so (Gen. 1:7). He is the same in famine or in the joy of an abundant harvest. 3. So again in Rom. Philemon 139:24). God did not even give creatures being because it was right for Him to do so, i. e., because He was under any obligations to create; but it was right because He did so. You will find it exceedingly helpful and comforting to discover God in the unimportant things. Luke Malachi It is therefore a reversing of the order of Scripture, a putting of the cart before the horse, to affirm that God elects because He foreknows people. ", THE HOLINESS OF GOD To continue in sin and yet reckon upon Divine mercy remitting punishment is diabolical. 89:7). God will not deny Himself to gratify their lusts. Isa 6:3-note (See Torrey's Topic). 2 Kings He guides the grain of dust in the March wind and the planets in their immeasurable pathways. The truth is, He foreknows because He has elected. Can darkness dwell with Light? God placed His elect upon a different footing from Adam or Israel. Two things need to be pointed out in that connection. Who would put up a petition to an earthly prince that was so mutable as to grant a petition one day, and deny it another?" His mercy is great (1 Kings 3:6), plenteous (Ps. Well may we exclaim, Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is Thy hand, high is Thy right hand (Ps. Job ( Eph 1:18-note, Heb 12:2-note, Heb 2:18-Note) Play (and pray) Open the Eyes of My Heart Let us review our own lives. What right had Israel to borrow of the Egyptians jewels and raiment (Ex. In endeavoring to study the mercy of God as it is set forth in Scripture, a threefold distinction needs to be made, if the Word of Truth is to be rightly divided thereon. And, as cause stands to effect, so Gods purpose is the ground of His prescience. The faithfulness of God is a truth to be confessed by us not only when we are at ease, but also when we are smarting under the sharpest rebuke. He is perfectly acquainted with every detail in the life of every being in heaven, in earth, and in hell. 9:22). Simply because it is not His pleasure and purpose so to do. The wondrous and infinite perfections of such a Being call for fervent worship. The north and the south Thou hast created them (Ps. How dreadful would it be if the present order of things, when the children of God are obliged to live in the midst of the children of the Devil, should continue forever! Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes: Thy lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer My faithfulness to fail (Ps. Obadiah Our first reply is, Then do the Scriptures contradict themselves? As Christians, we should expect trials (4:12). 2:11). 36:6). Because God is holy we should desire to be conformed to Him. But seeing that He is dothed with omnipotence, no prayer is too hard for Him to answer, no need too great for Him to supply, no passion too strong for Him to subdue; no temptation too powerful for Him to deliver from, no misery too deep for Him to relieve. 119:75). His understanding is inscrutable. Had God loved us in return for ours, then it would not be spontaneous on His part; but because He loved us when we were loveless, it is clear that His love was uninfluenced. PDF The Attributes of God To one who had lain in the grave four days He cried, Lazarus, come forth, and the dead came forth. 145:17). Why study the Attributes of God? Perhaps some are ready to object that we ought to read the following: "And it repented the LORD that He had made man" (Gen 6:6). Ye have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you (Deut. His love is pure, unmixed with any maudlin sentimentality. Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee (Jer. The heaven is not so far above the earth as the goodness of God is beyond the most raised conceptions which we are able to form of it. Creaturehood and mutability are correlative terms. The mightiest of men cannot add so much as a shadow of increased power to the Omnipotent One. Well may all tremble before such a Godl To treat with impudence One who can crush us more easily than we can a moth, is a suicidal policy. 4. The Preeminence Of Christ (Colossians 1:15-19) | Bible.org However unstable I may be, however fickle my friends may prove, God changes not. God swears by His holiness because that is a fuller expression of Himself than anything else. It is a fountain from which flows all necessary good to all those who are interested in it (John Brine, 1743). That an infant can live at all, and for so many months, in such cramped and filthy quarters, and that without breathing, is unaccountable without the power of God. So too, God sovereignly placed Adam in the garden of Eden upon a conditional footing. As well might men reason thus: I do not believe that if filth be allowed to accumulate and sewage become stagnant and people deprive themselves of fresh air, that a merciful God will let them fall a prey to a deadly fever. Omniscient From their side, it is an act of equity, when they are made to suffer the due reward of their iniquities. 1:4,5: According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him. When God had turned His smiling face from Him, and thrust His sharp knife into His heart, which forced that terrible cry from Him, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me? He adores this perfectionThou art holy, v. 3(Stephen Charnock). Revelation, Search Wikipedia using spiritual discretion, Names of God - Reflect Various Attributes, Why Are We Here? The comfort your heart wants is treasured in the sweet assurance of our text. Gods longsuffering is mentioned in conjunction with His grace and mercy again and again, as may be seen by consulting Ex. 2 Peter For He spoke & it was done. 23 The Open Secret, The Sovereignty of God in Salvation - (Romans 9:1-24), The Nearness of God (Exodus 33:1-16; 34:8-10; Deuteronomy 4:1-7), The Invisibility of God (Genesis 32:22-30; Exodus 24:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:17). 6 The self-sufficiency Of God Omnipotent Jonah He sovereignly chose to place each of His creatures on that particular footing which seemed good in His sight. 2:22). Because.Jesus Christ is the same yesterday & today & forever. They share the same nature and essence, and they are all the same God, but each individual Person of the Trinity is distinct and unique. Proverbs He loves everything which is in conformity to His law, and loathes everything which is contrary to it. Because God is holy He hates all sin. For who in the heavens can be compared unto the Lord? Why does not the righteous wrath of Heaven make an end of such abominations? I cannot suggest a theme to make you more courageous. The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries & He reserves wrath for His enemies." The Doctrine of God's Omnipotence. When speaking of Himself, God frequently accommodates His language to our limited capacities. In them too are scores more foretelling the earthly career of Christ, and they too were accomplished literally and perfectly. 15:11). There are three things told us in Scripture concerning the nature of God. Where then is a house you could build for Me? Therefore He instructs sinners in the way. Proverbs God gives a full demonstration of the constancy of His everlasting goodness toward His elect by effectually calling them out of darkness into His marvelous light, and this should fully assure them of the certain continuance of it. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. The worm Jacob supplies a forceful example of this: Jacob have I loved, declared Jehovah, and despite all his unbelief and waywardness, He never ceased to love him. Impartial 65:24). Spurgeon: "When you are in distress, take a promise and see if it is true. Deuteronomy His wisdom is illimitable, for He knows everything of the past, present, and future. He leads the north star God is the dictator of destinies. Hebrews His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness & without injustice, Righteous & upright is He. Suppose Gods love were regulated by anything else than His will: in such a case He would love by rule, and loving by rule He would be under a law of love, and then so far from being free, God would Himself be ruled by law. This also is self-evident. He is to be served with fear (Ps. Be like the old saint who put T and P beside the promises. The goodness of God endureth continually (Ps. Hosea The Attributes of God - Chart | Precept Austin - Pinterest Heaven would at once cease to be heaven if the ears of the saints still heard the blasphemous and filthy language of the reprobate. Incomprehensible Now God did not place Adam upon a footing of conditional, creature responsibility, because it was right He should so place him. BIBLE COMMENTARIES on August 8, 2013. Jonah 12:29). Many have most foolishly said that it is quite impossible to show where Divine sovereignty ends and creature accountability begins. Feb 12, 2019 - The Attributes of God - Chart | Precept Austin. The Attributes of Worships - Part 1a Philemon Among the speakers were Charles Colson and R. C. Sproul. Galatians 12:35)? Despises thou the riches of His goodness? (Rom. Instead, He ushered in a regime of a mixed nature, of mercy and judgment. We praise the Lord truly when we give him thanks for what we have received from his goodness. from A. W. Pink -The Attributes of God. 1 Why We Must Think Rightly About God 116:5); but the exercise of His mercy is regulated by His sovereign will. Can the rush grow up without mire? Ps 62:12, Spurgeon on God's mercy: "This tender attribute sweetens the grand thought of His power: the divine strength will not crush us, but will be used for our good.". First, there is a general mercy of God, which is extended not only to all men, believers and unbelievers alike, but also to the entire creation: His tender mercies are over all His works (Ps. Just as higher critics are repudiating the Divine inspiration of the Scriptures; evolutionists, the work of God in creation; so some pseudo Bible teachers are perverting His foreknowledge in order to set aside His unconditional election unto eternal life. ", You shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, Whose name is Jealous (Qanna'), is a jealous God Ex 34:14, See also Dt 32:16,21 1Ki 14:22 Ps 78:58 Ezek 8:3 16:38,42 23:25 36:5 38:19, "Jealous" does not refer to the shallow human emotion, but speaks of God's intolerance to divided loyalty by those who are in Covenant with Him. Titus It is sovereign. 9:23). No human being is to be depended on. 19:13). (Not a stocked item. The infinite knowledge of God ought to fill us with holy awe. Gods knowledge of the future is as complete as is His knowledge of the past and the present, and that, because the future depends entirely upon Himself. It is gracious. So many people assume they already know the signification of a certain word used in Scripture, and then they are too lazy to test their assumptions by means of a concordance. Updated: Tue, 06/12/2018 - 15:48 By office. No, it was right because God did it. ATTRIBUTES OF GOD INDEX. 107:8). Ps 145:9 (Spurgeon note). Before the mountains were born or Thou gave birth to the earth & the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou are God. This quality is essential to His being, without it He would not be God. When He smites, none can resist Him: see Ezek. He does according to His will, not only in heaven but among the inhabitants of this lower world. from A. W. Pink -The Attributes of God. In love having predestinated us. What praise should this evoke from each of His children! Hallelujah. The Divine law is trampled under foot and God Himself openly despised. 7:11). 34:7). Mark There must always be about the glorious Lord that is incomprehensible, and it is not for us to doubt because we cannot understand, but rather humbly to bow before His awesome presence in Whose verb hand is our breath. It is God upon His throne whom we trust. God hath spoken once: nothing more is necessary! Seniper ideni (always the same) is written across every one of them. Weigh well the pronoun that is used here. He that rolls a world along, molds a tear and marks its track when it trickles from your eye. Each of us needs to be most prayerfully on his guard against devising an image of God in our thoughts which is patterned after our own evil inclinations. Now what has just been said on flesh, the world, immortality, applies with equal force to the terms know and foreknow. Instead of imagining that these words signify no more than a simple cognition, the different passages in which they occur require to be carefully weighed. 119:138). 1 Chronicles Therefore do we read of "the immutability of His counsel" (Heb 6:17). God and power are so inseparable that they are reciprocated. Sovereign Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have ransomed me, O LORD, God of truth. 5:21), making Christ their head (Col. 2:10).