Our God is
an interactive God who actively cares for us and wants the best for us. He is
for us and with us in every way.
August’s Awakening, Day 28
Today we begin our discussion of the
attributes of God as He relates to moral beings. There are fifteen attributes
that we will look at over the next few days—impassibility, justice
and righteousness, holiness, truth, sovereignty, spirituality/simplicity,
faithfulness, genuineness, freedom, life, grace,
mercy and goodness, love and benevolence, veracity, and persistence.
These are the characteristics and nature of God through which He will primarily
interact with us.
Impassibility.
God is incapable of suffering pain or harm and is not moved emotionally by
any external stimulus. The characteristics that we as humans describe as
emotions (such as love) are not emotions for God—they are inherent attributes.
God is not swayed by such emotions, but simply acts and interacts according to
the perfect harmony and balance of His attributes. Love is not a feeling or
emotion for God, it is an innate attribute of His essence.
Who
can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counselor? Whom
did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who
was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding? Do
you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator
of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his
understanding no one can fathom. Isaiah 40:13–14, 28 NIV
Oh,
the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable
his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the
Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God
should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:35–36 NIV
Justice
and Righteousness. The justice of God is moral equity; He does not show
favoritism, but always acts according to what is true and right. The
righteousness of God is His holiness applied to all relationships. God’s Word,
Law, and all His actions are exactly and precisely correct.
Then
Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show
favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is
right. Acts 10:34–35 NIV
For
God does not show favoritism. Romans 2:11 NIV
The
law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are
trustworthy, making
wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the
Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and
all of them are righteous. Psalm
19:7–9 NIV
but
let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to
know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness
on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah
9:24 NIV
Holiness.
God is righteous, perfect in every way, set apart and separated from all
sin, evil, and darkness. There is no wrong within Him, nor the possibility of
any wrongdoing or moral mistake.
But
just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written:
“Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15–16 NIV
The
Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them:
‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. Leviticus
19:1–2 NIV
We will continue tomorrow with our
study of the attributes of God as He relates to moral beings. This is the
personal God that you should come to know very well.
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