What is God?
God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection; all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere present, almighty, knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.
Last time it was noted that it is important to organize our minds with a few important concepts as a guide or shorthand for memory’s sake. What follows can be generally understood under (4) headings: God’s Infinity, His Immutability, His Independence and His Unity.
The answer provided above is a long string of attributes. Attributes, which for the most part are unique unto God. There are other attributes which also apply to us, human beings, but the contrast between the beings is important to note.
We refer to these categories which apply only to God as incommunicable attributes. Consequently, those attributes that apply both to God and mankind are referred to as communicable.
Communicability or the ability to communicate or transfer or convey is an important idea. This is precisely what God does in creation. He, by His powerful Word, speaks things into existence and they conform to His wishes. Mankind is created by God to be a collection of reasonable souls which have attributes that correspond to the most perfect attributes in God.
“The swift and versatile movements of the soul in glancing from heaven to earth, connecting the future with the past, retaining the remembrance of former years, nay, forming creations of its own—its skill, moreover, in making astonishing discoveries, and inventing so many wonderful arts, are sure indications of the agency of God in man.”
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, chapter 5
Let’s consider one communicable attribute as an example. John 4:24 says, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Man also has spirit (breath of God) but man in contrast also has a body. We see this as a very important contrast between God and Man. God is Spirit with no body and man is spirit with body. This is not the right time to delve into this topic deeply but in the weeks to come, it will be considered. It is a hugely important concept, framing much of our thinking concerning the redemptive work of Christ.
The next important passage to consider which establishes this idea of God’s Spiritual attribute is what God tells Moses, Exodus 3:14: “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM’; and He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”” This “I AM” name that God chooses to give Himself directs our attention to all of the previously mentioned categories of thought, namely: God’s Infinity, His Immutability, His Independence and His Unity.
I AM: One. I AM: Infinite. I AM: Immutable. I AM: Independent (or Sovereign). When we refer to God as “I AM” we should think in these terms.
There can only be ONE Infinity. Consider if there were two. One would have to start (or end) for the other to exist and be distinguished from the other.
There can only be ONE immutable being for the same reason; if there were two, one would have to start (or end) and that would amount to change, which is impossible since immutability means “no change”.
This brings us to the final attribute of Independence. The One Being of GOD is not caused by another. God is Self existent. I AM.
This brings us full circle to the reason behind the name God gave Himself. I AM and not becoming (future tense). I AM, not “was” (past tense).
God IS “I AM” the name indicating He IS the perfect ALWAYS EXISTING ONE.
This helps us to understand Job’s contemplation, Job 11:7–9: “7 Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty? 8 They are high as the heavens, what can you do? Deeper than Sheol, what can you know? 9 Its measure is longer than the earth, And broader than the sea.” Indeed as Matthew records the words of Jesus, Matthew 5:48, “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
That is a tall order. We fall short. Very short!
It is this comparison of our beings, God and man, which consistently pays out wonderful dividends. We find, like Abram, that we are not God but that God demands from us that we live up to the plans and purposes He has for us as His creation. Genesis 17:1: “Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless.’” We are consistently brought to realize we are not able to live up to this standard for something terrible has happened to us. We rebelled, but the standard of perfection changed not.
How will this disconnect be remedied?
It seems we need a really powerful and gracious God to solve this problem.
I’m glad we have such a God.
Malachi 3:6: “For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, the sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” The immutability of God is the key to our problem. God was not surprised at mankind’s fall. God’s one, infinite, immutable, sovereign plan of creation included redemption and both stand despite man’s rebellion.
We arrive at this wonderful truth, James 1:17: “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”
We have a wonderful God who is the “I AM”. His purposes can not be thwarted and for that we can stand confident – if He is for us who can stand against us.
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