that I should obey Him? - Future Israel Ministries

INTRODUCTION 9
GOD is a Spirit (John 4:24), eternal (Deut. 33:27), infinite (Rom. 1:17-20),
incomprehensible (Job 11:7), perfect, and unspeakably glorious in his being,
attributes, and works (Gen. 17, 51; Isa. 6:3; Exod. 33:20). ‘The eternal God.’ ‘Do
not I fill heaven and earth? Saith the Lord.’ (Jer. 23:24). ‘Neither is there any
creature that is not manifest in his sight.’ (Heb. 4:13; Prov. 15:11). In his attributes
of wisdom, power, justice, holiness, mercy, &c., he is also inconceivably perfect and
infinite, not to be comprehended by things in earth, or things in heaven; known in
the perfection of his being only to himself. The seraphims cannot behold him, but
through a veil; no man can see him in his perfection and live. His attributes, though
apart laid down in the Word of God, that we, being weak, might the better conceive
of his eternal power and godhead; yet in him they are without division; one glorious
and eternal being. Again, though sometimes this, as of wisdom, or that, as of justice
and mercy, is most manifest in his works and wonders before men; yet every such
work is begun and completed by the joint concurrence of all his attributes. No act of
justice is without his will, power, and wisdom; no act of mercy is against his justice,
holiness and purity. 8
C. WHAT EXACTLY DO WE MEAN BY THE “ATTRIBUTES” OF GOD?
1. A biblical definition.
8 Ibid., pp. 414-5.
a. I Peter 2:9 describes the characteristics of God as “excellencies” (ajrevth, aretē, cf.
singular use “excellence,” II Pet. 1:3), that is the “virtues,” especially from a
moral perspective, or “perfections” of God being various aspects of His essential
being. In context, we are to focus on those admirable, glorious qualities of God
that effectually call sinners out of darkness into His holy light. Also consider
God’s “invisible attributes [things, tav ajovrata, ta aorata]” in Romans 1:20 which
are defined as “His eternal power and divine nature.” Thus we conclude:
(1) These “excellencies” are comprehended in greater undistorted fullness by, “a
chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, . . . the people of God,” that
is genuine believer priests (I Pet. 2:9-10).
(a) The unbeliever has a finite, distorted and arid knowledge of God (Rom.
1:21-25). Hence, he should hear the undistorted truth about God. This
principle should regulate our evangelistic message and method.
(b) The believer has a finite, progressively corrected knowledge of God that
is basic at conversion and requires cultivation. To begin with this
foundational knowledge is gnw'si", gnōsis (Luke 1:77; I Cor. 1:4-5; II
Cor. 10:5; II Pet. 1:5-6). However, such basic knowledge becomes more
mature and full, that is, ejpignw'si",epignōsis (Rom. 3:20; Eph. 1:17;
4:13; Phil. 1:9; Col. 1:9-10; II Pet. 1:2, 8; 2:20), through a sustained
pursuit of an intimate knowledge of God. 9
9
Richard Chenevix Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament, pp. 285-6, citing Chrysostom, Bengel, and
Lightfoot for a distinction of meaning.