Bulletin Insert: "God is Great... God is Good" (8/30/2020)

 

“GOD IS GREAT… GOD IS GOOD.”

Pastor Terry Reese, Valley GBC, 8/30/2020

 

Classifying the Attributes of God can be arbitrary—but nonetheless, helpful—in seeking to understand His defining characteristics. The classification system followed here: God is both Great and Good.

 

I. God is GREAT.

In referring to God’s attributes of Greatness, we speak of those qualities which are incommunicable (i.e., they cannot be shared with any creature) and unique unto God.

 

Also, the Attributes associated with Divine Greatness deal with the concept of Being (as opposed to morals & ethics).

 

In His Greatness, God is:

1. Self-Existent          6. Omnipotent

2. Eternal                   7. Perfect

3. Unchangeable       8. Infinite

4. Omnipresent         9. Incomprehensible

5. Omniscient

 

II. God is GOOD.

Here, our concern is with the moral & ethical aspects of the Divine nature.

 

In referring to God’s attributes of Goodness, we also speak of those qualities which are Communicable (i.e., they can be imparted unto us).They can be communicated through creatures, who can reflect something of the character & nature of God (e.g., God loves—and so can we; 1 John 4:7-11).

 

In terms of His Goodness, God is…

A. …in Himself, without reference to His relationship unto

others (i.e., Absolute, or Immanent attributes)...

1. Holy     2. True    3. Love

 

B. …in relation to other beings (i.e., Relative). These

attributes involve the outward expression of His character (or Absolute Attributes)…

4. Righteous    5. Faithful    6. Merciful

C. The relationship between God’s Absolute & Relative Attributes.

God’s Relative attributes involve the application of His Immanent, or Absolute characteristics. Thus, because God is intrinsically Holy, He is therefore Righteous in dealing with His creatures. Thus, the following comparison may be made:

     i. In Himself, God is HOLY, and thus imparts RIGHTEOUSNESS in relation to others.

 ii. In Himself, God is TRUE, and thus imparts FAITHFULNESS in relation to others.

 iii. In Himself, God is LOVE, and thus imparts MERCY in relation to others.

 

Conclusion.

We all have our crises where we question whether or not God’s plan for us is in accordance with wisdom, justice, or mercy. As believers we don’t curse or repudiate God—but often we DO question and object.

• Job wrestled with God and lodged his complaint, speaking of God as an adversary and demanding his day in court with Him (Job. 31)…
•  Elijah resigned and asked God to kill him (I Kings 19)…
•  Jeremiah complained of his predicament in obeying God and speaking the Word that he must speak because God has overpowered him—yet suffering abuse and seeming failure (Jer. 20:7-9)…

All of us need this reminder: God is infinitely great, and infinitely good, and thus, so must His plan be—and we, like Job, are ultimately left with nothing to say.

 Job 40:4-5: "Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth. Once I have spoken, and I will not answer; Even twice, and I will add nothing more."

 We can speak in this wise, however: we can seek God in repentance, acknowledging His rightness in all things by virtue His goodness & greatness, and ask Him to give us acceptance of His ways.