Primitive Baptist Digital Library
Attributes of God
An attribute is a quality that is essential to the existence of a being. The attributes of God are those qualities that belong to and identify His Divine nature. Our concept of God must be derived from our knowledge of His attributes.
It is impossible to understand God apart from His attributes as revealed unto us through His Word.
His Divine holiness, power, supremacy, immutability, love, hate, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, mercy, judgment, wrath, goodness, faithfulness, grace, patience, etc., are all attributes of God set forth in the Bible that we may understand that He is the only true and living God.
This article does not address all the attributes of God, nor does it go into great depth on those addressed. The intent is to stir up your pure minds to view God as the Scriptures portray Him, and not as portrayed by the religions of the world.
The Sovereignty of God:In order to be eternal, self; existent, and self; sufficient, God must be sovereign. If He is accountable to anyone or anything, then He is not God nor is He sovereign. He is supreme in authority, power, rank, and ability, and completely independent, which identifies Him as a sovereign God.
In order for Him to function as God, He must exercise His attributes. If His attributes are not equal to His sovereignty, then He ceases to be God. Thus, to be sovereign, each attribute must be absolute. To be absolute demands perfection, which means that each attribute cannot vary in degree nor diminish in effectiveness.
When God administers an attribute, it must be in harmony with all other attributes�otherwise discord will follow.
God, being sovereign, exercises His supremacy by doing absolutely as He pleases, when He pleases, and where He pleases. If we can grasp such greatness, then the Scriptures will become much more meaningful to us, for it is primarily through this means that God reveals Himself to His people.
A review of the Scriptures may open our understanding to the majesty, supremacy, and sovereignty of the Most High God.
�He commanded, and it stood fast� The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.�
His pleasure is sovereign: Psalm 115:3-
�But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.�
Creation was sovereignly effected: Genesis 1:1-
�In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.� Psalm 33:6-
�By the word of the Lord were the heavens made�� John 1:1�3-
�All things were made by Him��
His power and will are sovereign: Daniel 4:35-
�None can stay his hand�� Isaiah 43:13-
�I will work, and who shall let it?� Matthew 28:18-
�All power is given unto me��
The Power of God:God�s power is absolute; it is not conditional nor partial, neither can it diminish. His power is the life and activity of all His attributes. His other attributes would be worthless without the power to implement them.
In creation His power is revealed: Jeremiah 32:17-
�There is nothing too hard for thee.� Revelation 4:11-
�Thou art worthy� for thou hast created all things��
In purpose and action His power is absolute: Job 23:13-
�What his soul desireth, even that he doeth.� Matthew 19:26-
�With God all things are possible.� Psalm 115:3-
�He hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.�
His power toward man is revealed: James 4:12-
�Who is able to save and to destroy�� Romans 9:13-
�Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.� Daniel 4:35-
�None can stay his hand��
God�s power toward His people: Psalm 110:3-
�Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power�� Ephesians 2:1-
�You hath he quickened�� 1 Peter 1:5-
�Kept by the power of God��
The Immutability of God:God�s immutability (constancy) is ignored by many today. They portray God as changing from day to day. But if God changes, He must change either to a better or worse state. Any change implies imperfection. Therefore, God cannot change and remain God.
Malachi 3:6-
�I am the Lord, I change not.� James 1:17-
�With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.� Numbers 23:19-
�God is not a man, that he should lie��
God identified Himself to Moses as immutable: Exodus 3:14-
�I AM THAT I AM.�
Deuteronomy 32:4-
�He is the Rock, his work is perfect�� Hebrews 13:8-
�Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.� Psalm 119:89-
�Thy word is settled in heaven.� Psalm 119:90-
�Thy faithfulness is unto all generations.� Jeremiah 31:3-
�I have loved thee with an everlasting love�� Psalm 100:5-
�His mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.� Hebrews 6:17-
�The immutability of his counsel�� Isaiah 14:24-
�As I have purposed, so shall it stand.�
Humanity is mutable, unstable, and opposed to God by nature. Jude 1:13 describes us as �wandering stars.� Stability comes only from God�s immutable nature and the quickening of the Spirit.
The Love and Hate of God:God�s love is absolute and perfect, and His hate is the same. These attributes reflect inherent abilities of God. None can question why He loves or hates.
Each attribute of God manifests His divine nature. To limit His love or His hate reduces His nature to something less than God. To deny His ability to hate forces God to love sin. God forbid.
Romans 9:11�14 shows that God�s love and hate existed before creation and were not based on works but on sovereign election.
Those embraced in His eternal love are given to His Son to save; those He hates are left to judgment. Jeremiah 31:3 again affirms His everlasting love.
Ephesians 1:4�6 shows His eternal purpose toward those He loves. 1 John 4:10 shows the means of salvation. Romans 5:8�10 shows the fulfillment of His saving love. Romans 8:35�39 shows the permanence of His love. 1 John 3:1 shows the glory of divine love bestowed.
The attributes of God declare Him to be living, self; existent, self; sufficient, eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. It is inconsistent to believe in God and deny His attributes.
Attributes and not rejoice in His promises.
Conclusion:Each attribute of God is like a facet of a diamond. When the glorious light of truth shines upon a facet, and that facet together with all the other facets sparkle with the brilliancy of divine revelation, then and only then do we begin to see the perfection and glory of the entire Diamond.
The attributes of God as set forth in the Scriptures declare Him to be a living, self; existent, self; sufficient, eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient God. It would be inconsistent to believe that His attributes could not support Him. It would be inconsistent to believe that God is perfect and His attributes imperfect. It would be inconsistent to believe in God and not believe in His attributes. It would be inconsistent to believe in God and His attributes and deny their perfection and harmony.
Therefore, let us embrace the glorious truth that our God is perfect in all His ways, unchanging in His nature, sovereign in His rule, infinite in His wisdom, boundless in His love, terrible in His wrath, and faithful in all His promises. To know His attributes is to know Him more fully; to know Him more fully is to love Him more deeply; and to love Him more deeply is to worship Him in spirit and in truth.