the question came up whether it is permissible to speak of one of God's attributes as pre-eminent above his others. The one most often given as pre-eminent is God's holiness. So, is this type of reasoning valid?
From Berkhof's Systematic Theology
Quote
It does not seem proper to speak of one attribute of God as being more central and fundamental than another; but if this were permissible, the Scriptural emphasis on the holiness of God would seem to justify its selection.
I remember hearing Sinclair Ferguson speak on the subject, and though I do not remember exactly the words he said, the gist of it was that God's holiness was the one attribute that undergirded, pervaded, and unified all the others. Remember that the angels sang, "Holy, Holy, Holy"-- not "Love, Love, Love", even though the Scripture tells us that God is Love.
J.I. Packer writes: "the aspect of God's character on which God laid most stress in the Old Testament was his holiness. The angels' song which Isaiah heard in the temple with its emphatic repetitions -- "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty" (Is 6:3) -- could be used as a motto-text to sum up the theme of the whole Old Testament. The basic idea which the word holy expresses is that of seperation, or seperateness. When God is declared to be holy, the thought is of all that separates him and sets him apart and makes him different from his creatures; his greatness ("the Majesty in heaven" --Heb. 1:3; 8:1) and his purity ("Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong" --Hab 1:13)."
However, in the New Testament believers focus on his love which is summed up nicely by Packer in three words; adoption through propitiation. "Adoption shows us the greatness of God's love. The New Testament gives us two yardstickes for measuring God's love. The first is the cross (see Rom. 5:8; I Jn. 4:8-10); the second is the gift of sonship. "Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called sons of God!" (I Jn. 3:1 RV). Of all the gifts of grace, adoption is the highest."
Wes
When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died, my richest gain I count but loss and pour contempt on all my pride. - Isaac Watts
Is any one of God’s attributes pre-eminent (Superior in excellence)
The best answer I know of at this present time are in two quotes by G.H. KERSTEN. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
“. . . there is in God but one attribute: He is God”
“Only according to our comprehension do we speak of God’s attributes”
Of late I have been taking delight in knowing that God is in control of all things in my life even things that are seemingly bad. Praise the Lord.
Job 22:21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
Jeremiah 9:23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
It does not seem proper to speak of one attribute of God as being more central and fundamental than another; but if this were permissible...
I agree that we should not separate one attribute of God from another but can someone please explain to me why it is not permissible to speak of some attribute of God as more fundamental then another?
The Bible states that "God is Love" but would that be even possible if God was not Holy? Therefore, the fact that God is holy, gives foundation for God to be love. (Being holy gives him the ultimate authority, thus why did he need to die for us. Because there exists no reason of need -- only because he is holy -- the reason can only be because he did it out of love). Thus, I understand God's love in that He is holy; God's holiness is fundamental for His love.
When God is declared to be holy, the thought is of all that separates him and sets him apart and makes him different from his creatures...
I wish to know if I can add something to this...
God as holy does not only mean that He is separate from His creatures, but that He is separate from everything, including all causes.
If it is true, and God is ineed separate from all causes then we are presented w/ another refutation agains Armenianism... 1. If God is holy (separate from causes) then all His attributes are also holy (separate from causes). 2. God is omni-scient, thus He knows everything. 3. Knowing everything, God knows whether I will be saved or not. 4. If God would not know if I would be saved or not, He would not be omni-scient. 5. God knows whether I will be saved or not, because he looked down upon the threds of time into the future upon my faith; He, sees that I will be faithfull, for-knows my salvation. 6. Thus by looking at my future (cause) He knew my salvation (effect). 7. Thus God's omniscience is caused by my faith. 8. arg. #7 contradicts arg. #1 9. thus God is either not holy or your faith cannot be the cause of God's omni-science.
There is a very simple illustration I might offer to demonstrate that God's holiness permeates and determines the quality of all of His attributes, including love:
I don't recall a banner being hung on the transom of Noah's ark which read, [color:"red"]Smile! God loves you.[/color] <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
NO WAY!? NOAH DID NOT HAVE THAT BANNER?! DRATS!!! AND ALL THIS TIME I THOUGH HE HAD IT!!
...although the fact that the Arc DID exist and that God did alow atleast 8 ppl (still sinners) to be preserved does tell us something of His love. Once again... love through holiness.
jadeitedrake0 said: ...although the fact that the Arc DID exist and that God did alow atleast 8 ppl (still sinners) to be preserved does tell us something of His love. Once again... love through holiness.
And..... that love was very selective, specific and kinetic... it wasn't just some wishy-washy expression of emotion. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> The reason we know that God's love expressed to Noah and his family, is that it rescued them from the deluge (judgment against sin) and delivered them so that they might worship and serve Him in holiness, which was a "type" (loosely used) of the salvation accomplished by Christ.
I might agree that as we read in the various theophanies in scripture, the first and most striking attribute that man is met with, as Moses with the burning bush in Exodus 3 and then Isaiah 6, is the holiness of God. We see Moses is completely humbled by his sense of God's holiness. Isaiah, is totally undone. He says, "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Holiness is the dominant attribute which opens their eyes to their own lack of holiness. However, it occurs to me that as it is God who presents himself to man through his name, "I am who I am" I Am has sent you. His giving of His name to man, God sets forth His preeminence as His preeminent attribute. So this is how He wants His people to know Him. Exodus 3:3 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” [1] And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” This of course, is not to say that God's other attributes do not, as was said above, "Ferguson said: That all the attributes of God inform all the others attributes."
I think that it does a person's soul good to contemplate the nature of God and that including His attributes.
In my own experiance, I have had conversations with people who elevate the love of God over ALL other attributes. So then holiness, rightousness, and especially justice being almost unheard of. I believe it's dangerous ground to ignore some attributes of God, because it leads to a wrong impression.
2Pe 1:2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
I agree! I think the love of God is the most misunderstood attribute of God today. Along with a misunderstanding of grace, it can become downright dangerous when you have people thinking God won't judge sin and that just because you are a benefactor of God's common grace somehow means you are saved. We face this a whole lot when we go out as a church to do evangelism in our neighborhood.
True godliness is a sincere feeling which loves God as Father as much as it fears and reverences Him as Lord, embraces His righteousness, and dreads offending Him worse than death~ Calvin
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