The Attributes of God
As taught in the Reformed / Presbyterian tradition
Studying the incommunicable and communicable attributes that reveal God's character and holiness.
The study of Theology Proper—the doctrine of God Himself—begins with the fundamental question that distinguishes the biblical worldview from all forms of paganism, pantheism, and modern secularism: Who is the God who has revealed Himself in Scripture, and what are the essential qualities that define His being? Within the Reformed tradition, this inquiry is not merely an academic exercise in categorisation but a vital pursuit of the "knowledge of God" which John Calvin famously identified as the first half of all true wisdom. The subtopic of the Attributes of God seeks to bridge the infinite gap between the Creator and the creature by examining the perfections of the Divine Nature. In the Reformed understanding, God is not a "bigger" version of man, nor is He a composite being made up of various parts.
By the end of this lesson
- **Identify** the distinction between incommunicable and communicable attributes and explain why this distinction is crucial for maintaining the Creator-creature boundary.
- **Distinguish** between the Reformed doctrine of Divine Simplicity and modern "Social Trinitarian" or process views that suggest God is composed of parts or subject to change.
- **Explain** how the attribute of Aseity (God’s self-existence) grounds His absolute sovereignty over all creation, providence, and salvation.
- **Articulate** the relationship between God’s holiness and His justice, specifically how these attributes necessitate the penal substitutionary atonement of Christ.
- **Trace** the historical development of the Doctrine of God from the early church creeds through the Belgic Confession to modern Reformed teachers like R.C. Sproul.
- **Defend** the immutability of God against contemporary "Open Theism" arguments, using the Reformed understanding of God’s decree and omniscience.
- **Apply** the knowledge of God’s attributes to the life of prayer, showing how His omniscience and goodness provide the foundation for Christian petition and trust.
- **Compare** the Reformed reading of the "Name of the LORD" in Exodus 34 with mainstream evangelical interpretations that may downplay the gravity of His retributive justice.
Scripture
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