Lesson 11
Review:
4. Examine the Absolute Attributes of God
a.
God is Self-existent
b. God is Infinite
c. God is Eternal
Definition:
He is not limited by time.
-
We are limited by time and space, God is not.
Scriptures: Ps 90:2,4; 93:2; 102:25-27; Gen. 21:33;
1 Tim
- idea is deathlessness - is there an illustration from man of deathlessness? No, only God!
What the prophets often did was to use the perfect
tense form of the verb which expressed completed action for something that is
yet to happen, still in the future.
Look at Isa.53:6
God is eternal, what does
that mean?
He is not limited by time. In reality there is no future with God only
now! Why? Because He is timeless!!
He knows no limits of time. He takes the
past, the present and the future and looks at them all at the same time.
- Since
God knows no limits of time, What He announces to
be, IS!
- God's perspective of time, His view of
time is seen in 2 Pet 3:8 "as"
wj = like/as but not exact;
d. Immensity -- this shows God's
relationship to space.
Definition:
God is not limited by space, you can't contain Him. He is too great to be
contained.
Scripture:
1 Kg 8:27; Ps 137:7 (we cannot go where God is not)
Jer. 23:24
Note: If we have a wrong concept of God,
a wrong idea about who God is, then in our minds we are conceiving a God who
doesn't exist, is not real.
You do know what the name for that is? --
Idolatry!
e. Immutability
- Definition:
Immutability means that God is not subject to change, that He is
invariable."
In His nature and character, God is
absolutely without change.
Immutability "is that perfection of God by
which He is devoid of all change, not only in His Being, but also in His
perfections, and in His purposes and promises ... and is free from all
accession or diminution and from all growth or decay in His Being or perfection"
(Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, Eerdmans, p. 58).
Immutability, however, is not
immobility. It does not mean that God
cannot change His actions, or way of dealing with men in different situations
and in different times.
It
simply means His character and attributes do not ever .
What does Immutability tell us?
- He is Unchangeable in His character:
- This is only true of God, for what He
was yesterday, He is today; and what He is today, He will be tomorrow.
- Heb
13:8 states this of Jesus Christ.
- Mal
3:6 makes a statement of YHWH.
"For I
the Lord do not change!"
- He is Unchangeable in His purpose, what
He planned from the beginning has never changed.
- Acts
- Even if we are unfaithful and
undependable this in no way affects God.
- Num.
- Pro.
- Ps
102:25-27
God causes the universe to change, but
He is always "the same."
- 2
Tim
The immutability of God raises an important
question.
If God is immutable, what is meant by
such statements found in the Bible that speak of God repenting or changing His
mind?
Problem passages: Jonah 3:10; Gen. 6:5-6
These passages are not suggesting there
was a change in the character of God, only in His actions toward man based on
the actions of men.
It is man who changes and due to the
changeless character of God, He must change His actions or dealings with man.