The Attributes That Are True of God and (in a limited way): The Will

The Will

God’s will is the cause of all things that come to pass.

There are various categories of God’s will. There is His decreed will (decee meaning fixed or established especially by order or command). God’s immutable decrees are evident from Scripture (see Deut. 29; Ps. 115:3; 135:6; Is. 45:9-10).

The Bible speaks of God's perceptive will this is His rule of conduct (or authority) which may be disobeyed (Deut. 29:29).There is an aspect of God's will which God desires but does not bring to pass. For example He desires that all men become saved but He does not bring this to pass (cf. 1Tim 2: 3-4; 2Pet. 3:9). Finally there is His permissive will, that which God allows.

Applications
We have been saved by the will of God (Eph. 1:!0-12), and we can know God’s will (Eph. 1:9).

Omnipotence: The Attributes That Are True of God and (in a limited way) Man

Omnipotence

Omnipotence means that God alone is all powerful. There is infinity in His Power. This attribute of God gives life and action to all His other attributes. The Bible refers to El Shaddai (God Almighty) 50 times and it is used only of God. It is the realization of all that He wills (i.e. He has the power to execute His will, Gen. 18:14; Ps. 62:11). This attribute operates through volition; God has not done all that He could do. God can do anything that is not inconsistent of His own character. God will not do anything contrary to His character, such as lying (Heb. 6:8), sin (James 1:13), looking upon iniquity with favor (Hab. 1:13), change (Mal. 3:6), denying Himself (2Tim. 2:13).

Omnipotence includes the power of self limitation. God can use this power to limit Himself as He has done in certain areas.

His omnipotence always operates in conformity with His wisdom, knowledge, holiness, and justice.

He has power over His own power.

His power is without effort (see Gen. 1; Ps. 33:9).

Scriptures
I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. (Job 42:2)


Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast. (Ps. 36:6)

O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard: Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved. (Ps.66:8-9)

Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. (Ps. 147:5)

Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee... (Jer. 32:17)

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (Matt. 19:26)

And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. (Rev. 19:6)

Applications
God’s power is available to believers (Is. 40:29; Jer. 33:3; Eph. 1:19; 3:20; Philip. 4:13).

No need to fear (Ps. 27:1).

We are to trust in God’s strength (Is. 26:4).

The gospel is God’s power to save (Rom. 1:16).

We have God’s power for evangelism (Acts 1:8).

We are can have His Power in Christian service (2Cor. 9:8).

We are kept by God’s power (2Tim. 1:12; 1Pet. 1:1-5).

This power is more than reforming power it's transforming power.

In His awsome presence,
brother John

Omniscience: Atributes That Are True of God and (in a limited way) Man

I will now shift gears and aim the spotlight on the Communicable; Moral; Eminent or Transitive; Relative; Constitutional; Positive; Active Attributes, these are the divine attributes that are true of God and in a limited way they are true of man too (for further explanation see What’s an Attribute.

Omniscience

Omniscience as many of you know means all knowing. Our God is all knowing, He is infinite in wisdom, and His omniscience is eternal and immutable, including His infinite understanding (Ps. 147:4-5).

He knows all there is to know about everything.

He has total knowledge of all things concerning Himself (Matt. 17:27; 1Cor. 2:11).

He has total knowledge of everything past, present, and future, to Him they are all the same. Everything follows it’s chronological sequence, yet God is not bound by it (Is. 46:10; Acts 15:18).

He has total knowledge of all things both possible and actual (1Sam. 23:11-12; Matt. 11:21-24).

He knows without the discovery of facts, He does not have to investigate, He knows it all (Is. 40:13-14; Rom. 11:34-36).

He has total knowledge of His own world. Duh!

He has total knowledge of His inanimate creation (Ps. 147:4).

He has total knowledge of His animal creation (Matt. 10:29).

He has total knowledge man, and man’s works (Ps. 33:13-15; Pr. 5:21).

He has total knowledge of man’s thoughts and hearts (Ps. 139:1-4).

He has total knowledge of man’s needs (Matt. 6:8).

He has total knowledge of man’s wants (Matt. 6:32).

He has total knowledge of man’s sorrows (Ex. 3:7).

He has detailed knowledge of the facts of life (Matt. 10:30).

Scriptures
For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. (Is. 66:18)

For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes. (Jer. 16:17)

And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them. (Ez. 11:5)

Application
We will be justified (Job 23:10). Our wants are known to Him (Matt. 6:31-32). It is incentive for a Christian walk (Col. 1:10). It is the source of our wisdom (James 1:3).

There are some things that even God does not know.

Six things God does not know

1 He does not know a sin He doesn’t hate.

2 He does not know a sinner He doesn't love.

3 He does not know a better place than Heaven.

4. He does not know a more horrifying place than Hell.

5. He does not know any other way to be saved than faith alone in Christ alone.

6. He does not know a better time to get saved than now.

Stay salty,
Brother John

Sovereignty: The Attributes that Are True of God Alone

Sovereignty
Sovereignty means God is the Supreme Ruler; He is King of Heaven and Earth, having all power and authority, not necessarily being all controlling.

Specifics of God’s sovereignty

His sovereignty is universal.

His sovereignty is absolute.

His sovereignty is immutable.

Examples of God’s exercise of His sovereignty include

The establishment of the physical laws of the universe.

His determining power in nature (i.e. differing orders, and assignment of each in it's appropriate place).

His determining power in people (i.e. appointing of each individual, in position and lot).

His distribution of favors.

Scripture
The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the world upon them. (1Sam. 2:6-8)

Thine, O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. (1Chro. 29:11-12)

[Jehoshaphat]... said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name... (Chro. 20:6-8)

How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth! (Ps. 47:2 NIV)

But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. (Ps. 115:3)

And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? (Dan. 4:35)

Application
Nothing that ever happens to us is outside of God’s own directive. It is His sovereignty that produces salvation (Eph. 1:4-6), and the means by which our salvation is worked out (Phil. 2:13), for this reason we should be greatful and give Him praise and thanks. No trouble can come upon us except that which God permits, because of this we can be couragous in the face of our fears (cf. Job 1).

In His fellowship,
Brother John

Immensity: The Attributes That Are Only True of God

Immensity
Immensity is infinity in relationship to space. God is not restricted by space. God fills all things, and God surpasses all creation, and extends without end. God is the cause of space. God is not in space; instead space is actually in God.

Scripture
Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. (Deut. 4:39)

But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? (1Kings 8:27)

Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? (Is. 66:1)

Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD. (Jer. 23:24)

...the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Eph. 1:23)

Application
We can trust in the greatness of God. Great things can be done by ordinary people who place their lives in the hands of our immense God.

In His glorious fellowship,
Brother John

Omnipresence: The Attributes That Are Only True of God

Omnipresence
Omnipresence means God is present everywhere at the same time. This relates God to the universe where other beings are present. Related to the doctrine of God’s omnipresence are:

Immanence
Immanence means God is within the world, and acting within and through His creation.

Transcendence
Transcendence means God is separate from His creation.

Here are some errors to be avoided:

False: God is diffused through space; so that only parts of Him are present everywhere.

True: God is one and cannot be divided, and He is wholly present in every place.
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False: God presence is everywhere in the same sense.

True: God’s special dwelling is in Heaven. His presence is different with believers than with unbelievers.
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False: God’s presence is in bodily or material form.

True: God is a Spirit, and God is invisible.
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False: Pantheism, God is everything and everything is God.

True: God is distinct from His creation. Pantheism is confusion of the Creator with the created.
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Scripture
And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? (Gen. 16:13)

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. (Ps. 139:7-12)

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. (Prov. 15:3)

Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD. (Jer. 23:23-24)

Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down… (Amos 9:2)

That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us… (Acts 17:27)

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Heb. 4:13)

Application
There are four areas of application.

Comfort, for God is always near us (Ex. 33:14).

Prayer, we pray to someone who is very near. We can pray for others who are far away, and know that God touches them there.

Incentive to dedicated Christian service, knowing that we can go nowhere that God is not near (Josh. 1:9; Job 34:21-22).

Protection, we are under God’s protection. He always sees us every place we may be (Gen. 28:15; Ps. 121:3-4; Heb. 13:5).

The blessing of knowing that God is always near me gives me great comfort I hope it is a comfort to you too.

Stay salty,
Brother John