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THE DOCTRINE OF GOD Attributes and Works

THE DOCTRINE OF GOD Attributes and Works. KEY TERMINOLOGY. Attributes : to ascribe to the Lord those things that are his, Psalm 29:1,2, “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name” Perfections : the “things” ascribed to God by way of eminence, I Peter 2:9, “declare the praises of him”

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THE DOCTRINE OF GOD Attributes and Works

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  1. THE DOCTRINE OF GOD Attributes and Works

  2. KEY TERMINOLOGY • Attributes: to ascribe to the Lord those things that are his, Psalm 29:1,2, “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name” • Perfections: the “things” ascribed to God by way of eminence, I Peter 2:9, “declare the praises of him” • Properties: the things that are God’s, with reference to the persons of the Trinity • Predicates: God’s attributes in relation to Creation Doctrine of God 2

  3. THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD • To speak of God is to speak of his Attributes • His attributes are real, not merely descriptive: • God is more than loving; God IS LOVE • Attributes differ “neither realiter, nor nominaliter, but virtualiter” C. Hodge, ST, 1:373 • God is not a composite of Attributes, but is a “simple” being • The Attributes are coextensive with his being- “Substance and attributes are inseparable.” C. Hodge, ST, 1:371 Doctrine of God 2

  4. ABSOLUTE IMMANENT INCOMMUNICABLE NEGATIVE NATURAL METAPHYSICAL INTRANSITIVE RELATIVE TRANSIENT COMMUNICABLE POSITIVE MORAL ETHICAL TRANSITIVE THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD Doctrine of God 2

  5. ABSOLUTE Attributes considering the essence of God in itself Self-existence, immensity, eternity IMMANENT or INTRANSITIVE Those which do not “go forth,” such as Immensity, simplicity, eternity RELATIVE Attributes considering the essence of God in relation to creation Omnipresence, Omniscience TRANSIENT or TRANSITIVE Those which go forth and produce effects outside of God, such as Omnipotence, benevolence, justice THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD, Berkhof Can we have knowledge of God in himself? Doctrine of God 2

  6. NATURAL, NON-MORAL or METAPHYSICAL Attributes that belong to the constitutional nature of God, as distinguished from his will Self-existence, simplicity, infinity NEGATIVE Those in which something is denied Simplicity, infinity, eternity, immutability MORAL, ETHICAL Attributes which qualify God as a moral being Truth, goodness, mercy, justice, holiness POSITIVE Those in which something is affirmed Power, knowledge, holiness, justice, goodness and truth THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD, Berkhof Are not moral attributes natural to God? Doctrine of God 2

  7. INCOMMUNICABLE Attributes for which there is nothing analagous in the creation, such as Aseity, simplicity, immensity, eternity COMMUNICABLE Attributes to which the human spirit bears some analogy, such as Power, goodness, mercy, righteous- ness THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD, Berkhof Does this distinction withstand scrutiny? Grudem suggests “less shared or more shared” as distinction Doctrine of God 2

  8. God in relation to creation Spirituality Intellectual Knowledge Wisdom Veracity Moral Goodness Holiness Righteousness Sovereignty Will Power CATEGORIES OF ATTRIBUTES • God in himself • Self-Existence • Immutability • Infinity • Perfection • Eternity • Immensity • Unity • Oneness • Simplicity Doctrine of God 2

  9. THE ATTRIBUTES per Shorter Catechism, Q. 4 • God is • A Spirit, Infinite, Eternal, Unchangeable in his being • Wisdom • Power • Holiness • Justice • Goodness • Truth Doctrine of God 2

  10. THE WORKS OF GOD • The Decrees of God • Creation • Providence • Miracles Doctrine of God 2

  11. THE WORKS OF GOD Opera Ad Extra- God in relation to creation Opera Ad Intra- God in himself Ad Extra Emanent: Execution of Decrees Works of God Ad Intra Immanent: Decree Doctrine of God 2

  12. Definition: “The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby for his own glory he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.” S.C. Q. 7 The Final Cause of all is the Glory of God, Antecedent Will The means towards those ends are the Consequent Will of God The Decree is the determination to employ those ends THE DECREES OF GOD Doctrine of God 2

  13. ELECTION Soteriological Absolute and Unconditional Applies to all acts/ events re salvation Basis of human act of faith PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION • PREDESTINATION • Cosmic • Absolute and Unconditional • Extends to all events in detail • Basis of all human action Doctrine of God 2

  14. Psalm 139:16, “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” Psalm 33:11, “the plans of the Lord stand firm forever” Isaiah 14:24, “the Lord Almighty has sworn, Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand” Ephesians 1:5,11 “he predestined us . . . In accordance with his pleasure and will . . . . having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” BIBLICAL DATA: DECREE OF GOD Doctrine of God 2

  15. THE DECREES OF GOD • Includes even the minute details, Matthew 10:29,30, “not one of them [sparrows] will fall . . . apart from the will of your Father” • Includes the wicked acts of men • Luke 22:22, “the Son of Man will go as it has been decreed” • Acts 2:23, “this man was handed to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge” • Acts 4:27-28, “They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen” • Are Immutable, Isaiah 14:24,27, “I have purposed, so it will stand” (Cf. 46:9-10) Doctrine of God 2

  16. THE DECREES OF GOD • Human responsibility: WCF 3.1 “God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.” Doctrine of God 2

  17. CALVINISM-HYPER-CALVINISMCONTINUUM 100% The sovereignty of God Doctrine of God 2

  18. PELAGIANISM-ARMINIANISMCONTINUUM 100% HumanFreedom Doctrine of God 2

  19. COVENANTAL CALVINISM 100% HumanFreedom 200% Solution The sovereignty of God 100% Doctrine of God 2

  20. WORKS OF GOD: CREATION • The Father creates, Hebrews 1:2 • The Son creates, John 1:3 • The Holy Spirit creates, Genesis 1:2 • The biblical concept of creation is an action of God alone in which he brings into existence that which had no existence prior to his creative word. Doctrine of God 2

  21. THEORIES OF CREATION • Old Earth • Day-Age- Each day is a period of indeterminate time • Literary Framework- There is a literary process at work • Paralleling days 1-4, 2-5, 3-6 • God accommodating himself to our ability • Young Earth • Mature Creation- Appearance of Age • Flood Geology- Catastrophism explains the geological phenomena Doctrine of God 2

  22. IRREDUCIBLE MINIMUMIN CREATION • All that is came from the hand of God • All life forms came, ultimately, from the the creative power of God • Adam and Eve were created by the direct act of God Doctrine of God 2

  23. WORKS OF GOD:PROVIDENCE • “God’s works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.” S.C. Q 11 Doctrine of God 2

  24. PROVIDENCE • Creation anticipates Providence • All Christians profess belief in providence; Calvinists extend it to every detail of life • Providence means that God enters into his creation and upholds it- preservation and government • Providence is universal and all-inclusive • Ordinary Providence, Jonah 1:3, the boat • Extraordinary Providence, Jonah 1:4, great wind • Supernatural Providence, Jonah 1:17, the fish Doctrine of God 2

  25. MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE • Agency and Responsibility (second causes) are established by God’s providence • Biblical Examples: • Genesis 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” • Isaiah 10:5ff, “Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger . . . I send him against a godless nation . . . But this is not what he intends, this is not what he has in mind” • Acts 27:22-25, “keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost . . . it will happen just as he (God) told me” Doctrine of God 2

  26. MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE • The Moral (Revealed/Preceptive) Will of God- tells us what pleases God • The Decretive (Secret) Will of God- this is what God has decreed to come to pass • Choices ordained by God are nonetheless real choices- herein lies the paradox! • Necessity versus Compulsion, ICR 2.3.5, “Therefore if the fact that he [God] must do good does not hinder God’s free will in doing good; if the devil, who can do only evil, yet sins with his will- who shall say that man therefore sins less willingly because he is subject to the necessity of sinning?” Doctrine of God 2

  27. MIRACLES Doctrine of God 2

  28. MIRACLES • Definition: “a less common kind of God’s activity in which he arouses people’s awe and wonder and bears witness to himself” • Purpose- always related to redemption; signs of authentication • Appearance- at times of revelatory activity (Exodus, prophets, incarnation, apostolic period) • Miracles appear as exceptions to the normal providential activity of God (God’s acts by “fiat” rather than by precedence) Doctrine of God 2

  29. THE DOCTRINE OF GOD Attributes and Works

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