Sermon Tone Analysis

Attributes are qualities or characteristics of a person or thing.

Since we are talking about the attributes of God, in relation to God, A. W. Tozer says,

An attribute of God is whatever God has in any way revealed as being true of Himself.

Although general revelation is able to give us a glimpse of God’s attributes (surely the Creator of the universe is omnipotent), it is not until we have come to God in salvation and to God’s Word that we are able to more fully understand the character of God as He has revealed it to us.

However, if we, as Christians, were honest, we would admit that, at times, it is difficult for us reconcile, in our minds, what we see in the world and what we know to be true about God.

First of all we need to understand...

Because we are finite, it is difficult for us to fully comprehend God’s character, which is infinite!

Because we are finite, as long as we are in this sin-cursed, we will never be able to fully comprehend the character of God.

Ryrie’s Basic Theology I.

The Possibility of the Knowledge of God

Unquestionably the knowledge of God is desirable; the religious yearnings of mankind testify to that.

But is it possible?

The Scriptures attest to two facts: the incomprehensibility of God and the knowability of God.

To say that He is incomprehensible is to assert that the mind cannot grasp the knowledge of Him.

To say that He is knowable is to claim that He can be known.

Both are true, though neither in an absolute sense.

To say that God is incomprehensible is to assert that man cannot know everything about Him.

To say that He is knowable is not to assert that man can know everything about Him.

When we have listed all the attributes we can glean from revelation, we have not fully described God.

This stems from His incomprehensibility.

Even if we could say we had a complete list of all God’s perfections, we could not fathom their meaning, for finite man cannot comprehend the infinite God.

I again want to offer this caution: Do not view our study about Bible Doctrines - in these messages specifically relating to the attributes of God - to become simply an academic exercise.

The study of the attributes of God, far from being dull and heavy, may for the enlightened Christian be a sweet and absorbing spiritual exercise.

To the soul that is athirst for God, nothing could be more delightful.

With all of that being said, let’s go ahead and jump into the deep end!

God’s natural attributes

For the purpose of study, God’s attributes can be separated into two groups: His natural attributes and His moral attributes.

Natural attributes are the very nature of God’s Being.

They are unique to Him and cannot be the characteristics of man either now or in the future.

To a degree, it is possible for us to be like Jesus in His moral attributes.

We can never become like Him in His natural attributes.

So, what are God’s natural attributes?

God is transcendent.

God is above His creation.

When we speak of God as transcendent we mean of course that He is exalted far above the created universe, so far above that human though cannot imagine it.

To think accurately about this, however, we must keep in mind that “far above” does not here refer to physical distance from the earth but to quality of being.

Wherever God appeared to men in Bible times the results were the same - an overwhelming sense of terror and dismay, a wrenching sensation of sinfulness and guilt.

Turn to and read Daniel 10:7-9

These experiences show that a vision of the divine transcendence soon ends all controversy between the man and his God.

Turn to and read Job 38:1-3; 42:1-6.

The fight goes out of the man and he is ready with the conquered Saul to ask meekly, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”

Turn to and read Isaiah 6:1-8.

As we begin to grasp the transcendence of God, it will...

Cause us to fear God more and people less.

Cause us to speak less and listen more.

Break us of pride and humble us before the throne of God.

How shall polluted mortals dare to sing Thy glory or Thy grace?

Beneath Thy feet we lie afar, and see but shadows of Thy face.

God is immanent.

Lord of all being, throned afar, they glory flames from sun and star; center and soul of every sphere, yet to each loving heart how near!

Lord of all life, below, above, Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love, before Thy ever-blazing throne we ask no luster of our own.

Although God is above all - He is transcendent - He has seen fit to be actively involved within His creation.

The pinnacle of God’s immanence was His coming to earth as a Baby, living for 33 years on earth, and dying on a cross for man’ sins.

However, we should not simply view God’s immanence merely in terms of His death, burial, and resurrection.

We should also view God’s immanence in terms of His life in us and His life through us!

I wish I could adequately put into words what this matter of God’s immanence should mean to us, not just merely for salvation but also for revival and simply daily living the Christian life.

If the average Christian went into a library and saw many books with a wide variety of titles on Christian topics and one among them marked just Jesus, it would the the one book they would pass by in their search for victory and revival.

And yet only in that One - and He in us - was to be found the fullness of the Godhead, revival and everything else!