The Attributes of God under the doctrine of God By Raymond McGough There is no more exciting or enthralling journey for

the disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ than to ta!e a loo! at "hom God really is as # am$ and countless others "ho ha%e surrendered their li%es to the Lordship of Jesus Christ$ This study is on his attributes "hat is characteristically God # "ill ma!e a start at loo!ing at the holiness of God his moral and ethical perfection$ Many scholars and theologians "ould call it his "holly otherness$ &hereas you and # had been born in sin imperfect God is not$ &e see his holiness been acted out against #srael his chosen people$ #srael had already sinned and rebelled against God no" because of his holy character he "as deciding "hat punishment to deli%er against them$ '(x$))*) + ,- .Go up to a land flo"ing "ith mil! and honey, for # "ill not go up in your midst lest # consume you on the "ay for you are a stiff nec!ed people$/ '+- 0or the Lord had said to Moses .1ay to the children of #srael .2ou are a stiff nec!ed people$ # could come up into your midst in one moment and consume you$ 3o" therefore ta!e off your je"ellery that # may !no" "hat to do to you$/ The holiness of God is not something to be trifled "ith$ 4e "ould pass sentence and execute judgment some time later on$ But they had been "arned earlier of the conse5uences of being disobedient against the holiness of God$ '(x$67*8 9 :$- '8And God spo!e all these "ords saying* '6- .# am the Lord your God "ho brought you out of the land of (gypt out of the house of sla%es$ ')- 2ou shall ha%e no other gods before me$ ':- 2ou shall not ma!e for yourself a car%ed image;any li!eness of anything that is in hea%en abo%e or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the "ater under the earth$/ There are no mista!es here God has "arned #srael of "hat he expects of his people his holy character demands it of them$ The holiness of God is stressed repeatedly in both the <ld Testament and the 3e" Testament but here "e loo! at it in the <ld Testament$ Because of their immorality "hile Moses "as on the mountain top "ith God they rebelled against him by ma!ing a golden calf by pro%iding the goldsmith "ith their gold rings bracelets and nec!laces$ They had made for themsel%es a false idol$ &hen Moses came bac! a second time to gi%e #srael the tablets God had "ritten his la"s upon God reminded them that he is a jealous God ' (x$):*8:$- .'0or you "ill "orship no other god for the Lord "hose name is Jealous is a jealous God$-/ 4e is still a jealous God$ The 3e" Testament does not replace the <ld Testament, it brings 5uite a number of its prophecies to fulfilment the most important one the coming of the Messiah our Lord Jesus Christ$ Therefore, he li!e his 0ather is a %ery jealous God "hen "e turn a"ay from him his anger "ill "ax hot against us$ 1till continuing "ith the holiness of God he ma!es %isible his glory in a pillar of cloud "hile tal!ing to Moses in the tent of meeting$ '(x$))*=;88$- The most noticeable characteristics of the passage despite the central action of God in con%ersation "ith Moses are the reactions of God>s people "hen they sa" it e%ery man "orshiped at the door of their tents$ 1uch "as the radiance of God>s holiness and glory from the pillar of cloud$ They stood in a"e of a holy and glorious God the only Lord God$ &hat a great shame that a lot of this a"e is missing from a huge proportion of Christ>s church to"ards him today$ Moses had tremendous courage in his relationship "ith God "hich at times %erged upon him being 5uite impertinent to"ards God seeing that he himself "as

mortal li!e "e all are$ 4e as!ed God if he could see his glory "ithout realising that if he loo!ed upon the face of God he "ould be completely consumed by his holy fire because of sin the curse that affects e%eryone today "ho does not !no" Jesus Christ as Lord$ #n reply to Moses re5uest God graciously turns him do"n but instead of turning him a"ay he ma!es %isible his other attributes to him but not his glory$ '(x$))*67$- But 4e said .2ou cannot see My face for no man shall see Me and li%e$/ The %ery same principle applies to those "ho do not !no" Jesus the Anointed <ne of God commonly !no"n in our bibles as the Lord Jesus Christ$ But as # ha%e said God manifested his other attributes by letting Moses see them those under the major attribute of holiness$ '(x$))*8?$- Then 4e said .# "ill ma!e all My goodness pass before you and # "ill proclaim the name of the Lord before you$ # "ill be gracious to "hom # "ill be gracious and # "ill ha%e compassion on "hom # "ill ha%e compassion$/ <b%iously Moses is the recipient of God>s grace and compassion in this instance the benefactor of God>s 5ualities characteristics "hich is his attributes$ An incredible scene of the highest drama unfolds to allo" God to do for Moses "hat he had promised him$ #t illustrates God>s holiness in his mercy graciousness longsuffering goodness truth forgi%ing ini5uity transgressions and sin and on the other side of his holiness the perfect morality of his impeachable character he "ill not clear the guilty %isiting the ini5uity upon the fathers and their children and the fathers of their children$ '(x$):* : 9 =$- ':- 1o he cut t"o tablets of stone li!e the first ones$ Then Moses rose early in the morning and "ent up Mount 1inai as the Lord had commanded him, and he too! in his hand the t"o tablets of stone$ '+- 3o" the Lord descended in the cloud and stood "ith him there and proclaimed the name of the Lord$ '@- And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed . The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious longsuffering and abounding in goodness and truth '=!eeping mercy for thousands forgi%ing ini5uity and transgressions and sin by no means clearing the guilty %isiting the ini5uity of the fathers upon the children and the children>s children to the third and fourth generation / but "hen this all happened God turned his bac! to face Moses so as not to consume him "ith his fiery fire$ '(x$))*6)$- 4is holiness illustrated in his mercy lo%e and compassion acti%ated to"ards his faithful ser%ant Moses$ There are se%en attributes that describes the central attribute of God>s holiness$ These are as follo"s* "rath "hich can be described as his anger righteousness his moral perfection his mighty po"er as one "ho is God his constancy meaning he is al"ays consistent "ith his character ne%er changes$ 1cholars and theologians describe it as his immutability$ As the e%er present God in his omnipresence he is e%ery"here self creating and self sustaining$ 4e is eternally God "ithout beginning and "ithout end his glory and "isdom$ These ha%e all to do "ith his holiness Those attributes that spea!s of the lo%e of God are in the follo"ing manner* mercy grace patience !indness faithfulness goodness !no"ledge The men and "omen "ho sla%ishly commit their %ery li%es li!e me to the Lord God "ill find themsel%es caught up "ithout !no"ing it in "orship of the one triune God in this instance the Lord God "hile studying his attributes$ The 4oliness of the Lord God To get a proper %ie" of the holiness of God "e turn to the prophet #saiah in his first meeting "ith God the Lord$ 4o"e%er, it should be said he is not the only one "ho has an encounter "ith the li%ing God spo!en of in the bible$ Before "e turn to

#saiah try and put yourself in his footsteps and en%isage the drama unfolding$ Animaginable, the Lord discloses himself to a mere mortal$ #saiah sees an incredible %ision pro%ided to him from a gracious act of the Lord full of mercy and compassion$ '#sa$@*8$- #n the year that Bing ACCiah died # sa" the Lord sitting on a throne high and lifted up and the train of 4is robe filled the temple$ Does #saiah really understand the significance of the Lord appearing in all of his holiness splendour and glory sitting on his throneE 3o one "ill really !no" but the %ision "ould stay "ith him "ith his faith and belief remaining constant "hich "ould lead to martyrdom$ &hile loo!ing at this extraordinary %ision unfolding before him he sa" the seraphim not just one all crying out to one another$ '@*)- And one cried to another and said* .4oly holy holy is the Lord of hosts, The "hole earth is full of his gloryF/ The same refrain on the holiness of God is ta!en up by the prophet John "hen he "as afforded a re%elation from Jesus Christ in a %ision of "hich he "as part of recorded in the boo! of Re%elation$'Re%$:*G-$ The four li%ing creatures each ha%ing six "ings "ere full of eyes around and "ithin$ And they do not rest day or night saying .4oly holy holy Lord God Almighty &ho "as and is and is to comeF/ The time of his coming is dra"ing nearer$ Both of these great %isions afforded to #saiah and then John in the 3e" Testament illustrate the transcendent majestic glory and holiness of God fully deser%ing of our eternal praise sacrifice lo%e and self abnegation denying oneself handing oursel%es completely o%er to the Lord$ God>s holiness is li!e "ho he is inexhaustible immeasurable "ithout depth bottomless li!e an abyss$ The 5uestion often as!ed by his ser%ants is often "ho is li!e you GodE The only sensible ans"er is nobody$ Moses as!ed this %ery same 5uestion$ '(x$8+*88$- .&ho is li!e 2ou < Lord among the godsE &ho is li!e 2ou glorious in holiness 0earful in praises doing "ondersE/ 0rom his song of praise in heart felt "orship to"ards God$ #f only Christ>s body could sho" the same humility in "orship to"ards God$ The %ery same refrain in exaltation of the holiness of God is heard from 4annah in her song of praise to"ards God$ &e find the record of that in the first boo! of 1amuel$ ' 8$1am$6*6-$ . 3o one is holy li!e the Lord 0or there is none besides 2ou 3or is there any Roc! li!e our God$/ #t is at once totally unimaginable to mortal intelligence but ne%ertheless authentic and genuine the "orship of the Lord God "ho is absolutely other in majesty of holiness separate from us but "ith us e%en although separated from his creation in his otherness 4e "ho !no"s no beginning and no end eternal the %ery centre of di%ine holiness$ Men get do"n on your !nees and "orship "hile you breathe and can$ &e must ne%er see God in his holiness as being contradictory in his moral and ethical perfection or in his purity$ God is one and all of his attributes are contained in the oneness of his entity, they do not di%ide the unity of "ho he is$ # belie%e it "ould be profitable to loo! at the reaction of the prophet 4aba!!u! to"ards the Almighty Lord God$ '4ab$8*86 8)-$ .Are you not from e%erlasting < Lord my God my 4oly <neE &e shall not die$ < Lord 2ou ha%e appointed them for judgment, < Roc! 2ou ha%e mar!ed them for correction$ '8)- 2ou are of purer eyes than to behold e%il And cannot loo! on "ic!edness$/ &ithin his soul and spirit 4aba!!u! !no"s of God>s holy morality and his perfect ethical standards in his absolute holiness$ God made me but he does not sho" only tolerance to"ards me he lo%es me$ Because of his holy moral character and the fact of his lo%e to"ards me he had to send his 1on to die on a cross to enable his blood to cleanse and co%er my sins to appease his anger to"ards sin$ 3o" "hen he loo!s at me he sees no sin$ But "e all need to understand the meaning of his holiness in regard to his moral perfection

This can be seen in the boo! of 4osea "hen God spea!s to the prophet of ho" he lo%es his people$ God can be angry at rebellion but he is also lo%ing and merciful to those "ho lo%e and obey him$ '4os$88*G 9 ?- .4o" can # gi%e up (phraimE 4o" can # hand you o%er #sraelE 4o" can # ma!e you li!e AdmahE 4o" can # set you li!e HeboiimE My heart turns o%er "ithin Me, My sympathy is stirred$ '?- # "ill not execute the fierceness of My anger, # "ill not destroy again (phraim$ 0or # am God and not man the 4oly <ne in your midst, And # "ill not enter a city "ith terror$/ God is God in all of his attributes "hether to sho" anger in his holiness or lo%e depending on the circumstances of his people to"ards him$ # ha%e said that e%ery 5uality in God finds their unity in him as a singular person$ There are no different gods for different 5ualities$ All the 5ualities or attributes are found in the one person of God$ &e "ill no" loo! at his anger or di%ine "rath coming under his holiness$ The di%ine "rath or anger in the holiness of his majesty is directed against all that is e%il "hich opposes him$ The letter of the apostle Iaul to the saints in Rome is an excellent 3e" Testament %olume to turn to because it is a much systemiCed account of the Christian faith and gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ$ 4e pro%ides a thorough "or! on the subject of God>s "rath$ Iaul "riting to the saints in Rome "rites of the re%elation of God>s righteousness to"ards them in the gospel of his 1on Christ Jesus$ 'Rom$8*8@;8=- .0or # am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the po"er of God to sal%ation for e%ery one "ho belie%es for the Je" first and also for the Gree!$ '8=- 0or in it the righteousness of God is re%ealed from faith to faith, as it is "ritten .The just shall li%e by faith$/ But from that the apostle immediately turns to the unrighteousness and ungodliness of men of "hich because God>s di%ine "rath is !indled against them$ 'Rom$8*8G- .0or the "rath of God is re%ealed from hea%en against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men "ho hold do"n the truth in unrighteousness$/ God>s righteous "rath from the 3e" Testament Gree! "ord orge is found no less than thirty six times in the 3e" Testament and of those thirty six times it is mentioned t"enty one of them are "ritten of in the Apostle Iaul>s letters$ T"el%e of them are mentioned by Iaul in his letter to the saints in Rome$ &e must notice that in the passage of Romans # ha%e just mentioned both God>s "rath and grace are re%ealed against the ungodliness of men$ 4is grace is in the gospel of his 1on Jesus Christ the means "hereby he pro%ides an ans"er to man!ind against his holy "rath because of his righteous and moral character he directs against them because of their total ungodliness$ The free gift of grace is for all by the same measure his "rath is directed against all$ &hen Iaul uses the "ord re%ealed it is a continuous %erb in the present tense meaning it continuous to be acti%e to"ards e%eryone, such is the mercy of God our 0ather$ God>s holy anger "hich is being directed against us is in proportion the reason "hy he has pro%ided us "ith the gospel$ All of us need the sal%ation God pro%ides to us through his 1on our Lord Jesus Christ because of our sin against "hich God directs his holy anger and impending judgment against our sin 4o"e%er, it is in the cross of the gospel of Christ "e see the measure of sin against God "hich has stirred his "rath against the sins of all$ The cross illustrates the holy anger of the Lord God against sin the %ery sheer %olume of it that acti%ated the e%ent of the cross on "hich the Lord of glory Jesus Christ died$ &ithout the gospel of Jesus Christ there "ould be no re%elation of God>s anger or of his grace$ God>s forgi%eness cost him his 1on Jesus Christ his %ery life "hen he "as put to death upon the cross$ There is no such thing of grace being gi%en on the cheap$ The price is huge "hich is the di%ine life of Jesus Christ sacrificed upon the cross to enable those "ho accept Jesus Christ as the risen glorified Lord to sa%e them from

God the 0ather>s "rath "hich is to come$ 2ou cannot ha%e sal%ation unless you are going to be sa%ed from something and that something is the "rath of God to come and your spirit from being cut off fore%er$ #f you study closely the last text God>s "rath is already being re%ealed against those "ho ha%e failed to accept the calling of the Lord Jesus Christ upon their li%es by accepting him as Lord$ #t is happening no" in a present and future historical context$ '8*8G- .0or the "rath of God is re%ealed from hea%en against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men "ho suppress the truth in unrighteousness$/ Iaul continuing in his letter to the saints in Rome "rites of the anger of God "hich is to be re%ealed on that final day "hen the hea%ens and the earth are ended in the "ay "e !no" of it today "hich comes under the doctrine of (schatology better !no"n as the end times$ 4e "arns of the impending judgment of God "hich "ill be concluded on the final day$ '6*)-$ .And do you thin! this < man you "ho judge those practicing such things and doing the same that you "ill escape the judgment of God$/ The absolute stony unbelief of man has led to the hardening of the hearts of men do"n though the centuries that no" in many 5uarters the mention of the gospel of Jesus Christ brings out a hostile reaction from the rebellious but God>s righteous "rath a"aits them upon the final day$ '6*+- .But in accordance "ith your hardness and your unrepentant heart you are storing up for yourself "rath in the day of "rath and re%elation of the righteous judgment of God$/ 0urthermore God "ill re5uire by the hand of each person their indi%idual guilt of sin on a personal basis to "hich he "ill judge and execute his sentence upon$ (ach man and "oman "ho refuses to ac!no"ledge his 1on Jesus Christ as Lord "ill be held personally responsible$ '6*+ 9 @- .But in accordance "ith your hardness and your unrepentant heart you are storing up for yourself "rath in the day of "rath and re%elation of the righteous judgment of God '@- "ho "ill render to each one according to his deeds$/ The proof and e%idence for the doctrine of di%ine "rath is clearly taught in the Apostle Iaul>s letter to the saints in Rome$ 4o"e%er the doctrine of God>s "rath can be seen throughout the "hole of 4oly 1cripture$ But for you and me to see clearly the meaning of God>s "rath and his righteousness it can only be obtained by the light that the cross of Christ shines upon it$ #t is in the gospel of Christ Iaul "riting to the saints in Rome 'Rom$8*8@ 9 8G- "e see %isibly the anger or "rath of God in his judgment of sin and his righteousness that pro%ides sal%ation$ 0or further corroboration collaborating "ith "hat the Apostle Iaul is "riting of here "e can turn to the gospel of John and read "hat our risen glorified Lord had to say upon the issue$ ')*8: 9 8=- '8:- .And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the "ilderness e%en so must the 1on of Man be lifted up '8+- that "hoe%er belie%es in 4im should ha%e eternal life$ '8@- 0or God so lo%ed the "orld that 4e ga%e 4is only begotten 1on that "hoe%er belie%es in 4im should not perish but ha%e e%erlasting life$ '8=- 0or God did not send 4is 1on into the "orld to condemn the "orld but that the "orld through 4im might be sa%ed$/ Jesus used a "ell !no"n historical account to %isualise judgment and sal%ation from the boo! of 3umbers '3um$68* :;?- &hen the men "ho had been bitten by poisonous sna!es loo!ed upon the bronCe serpent lifted up on a pole they "ould be sa%ed from a poisonous death$ By the same to!en "hen the 1on of Man "ho is the 1on of God "ould be lifted up upon the cross for all of our sins God>s judgment for us "ould fall upon him and "hen "e loo!ed up to him in belief "e "ould be sa%ed by God>s pro%ision of sal%ation through the means of Christ>s crucifixion and resurrection on and from the cross$ Glory glory hallelujah all of man!ind should praise God$ #t is a sad day and age "hen "e do not properly understand the righteousness of God another attribute of his holy character$ 4e deals "ith our unrighteousness

because he is a holy righteous God$ But it is by his holy righteousness that he deals "ith unrighteousness by sho"ing mercy lo%e and compassion to those "ho sincerely see! his forgi%eness$ 4o"e%er to conclude the paragraph God in his holy righteous character is able to deal "ith unrighteousness$ Because God is holy and righteous he alone brings punishment and judgment upon the "ic!ed$ 4e shall be seen in his righteous acts and hallo"ed in them$ '#sa$+* 8@- But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment And God "ho is holy shall be hallo"ed in righteousness$ &e "ho !no" God li!e his people #srael but unli!e them ha%ing been born of the 1pirit of God are expected to be righteous just as he is righteous in !eeping his righteous la"s "ith the help of the 4oly 1pirit$ But that is in a 3e" Testament context Because God is righteous morally and ethically but full of mercy and lo%e Abraham intercedes before him for the righteous caught up in the midst of the e%il population in the city of 1odom$ 'Gen$8G*6+- .0ar be it from 2ou to do such a thing as this to slay the righteous "ith the "ic!ed so that the righteous should be as the "ic!ed, far be it from youF 1hall not the judge of all the earth do rightE/ The Lord of Glory "hile on earth "ho "as Jesus Christ in his earthly habitat "hen preaching from his 1ermon on the Mount commanded that his disciples should do all that they could for the Bingdom of God and his righteousness then all that they "ould need on earth "ould be pro%ided for$ &e find the incident spo!en of here has been recorded by one of our Lord>s disciple>s Matthe" in his narrati%e of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ$ 'Mtt$@*))- .But see! first the Bingdom of God and 4is righteousness and all these things shall be added to you / &ithin the ne" !ingdom set up by God the 0ather through his 1on our Lord Jesus Christ "ho reigns "ithin us God>s purpose is to ma!e his righteousness shine through each redeemed indi%idual "ho is committed to him in an attracti%e manner$ To be morally upright in all of your dealings "ith men letting the holy righteousness of God shine through thereby attracting them to him$ # belie%e there is al"ays a social element to the gospel of God in "hich he is clearly interested in people he ob%iously "ants to sho" his righteousness through those "ho belong to him and his 1on our Lord Jesus Christ by sho"ing his compassion for his justice but at one and the same time being %ocal about the Good 3e"s concerning his gracious offer of sal%ation from sin by accepting by faith the mercy and forgi%eness the Lord Jesus Christ is pro%iding "hich "ill gi%e the g greatest priCe of all eternal life$ &hat is truly astonishing is that God lo%es us so much that he "ants to ma!e us li!e him "ithout us being totally li!e him and then he "ould not be God$ Just as he is righteous he "ants his righteousness to shine through us "ho are his people$ But truly amaCing according to 4oly 1cripture is the fact that God through his 1on Jesus Christ pro%ides to those "ho belie%e by faith ha%e had his righteousness imputed to them as free gift from 4im and his 1on our Lord Jesus Christ$ 1ee the Apostle Iaul>s comments on this %ery crucial subject$ 'Rom$)*68;6@- My 5uestion as addressing me is ho" do # respond to such an a"esome and holy God co%ered in glory resplendent in righteousnessE # respond by being Christ>s disciple lo%ing only him and God the 0ather by obeying his instructions$ My justification is through my belief and faith in Christ Jesus "ho being a free gift from God his 0ather # am made righteous by my risen glorified Lord>s righteousness "ith that being the case it his the righteousness of Christ # am imputed "ith and not my o"n$ 'Rom$)*66 6)- .(%en the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all "ho belie%e$ 0or there is no difference, '6)- for all ha%e sinned and fall short of the glory of God$/

The God and 0ather of our Lord Jesus Christ is a righteous God but he is also a merciful and compassionate God "ho is al"ays ready to sho" his lo%ing !indness to the inhabitants of the earth "hich is commonly !no"n as his unmerited fa%our$ But the fa%our of God high lighted here are those "ho ac!no"ledge through faith in Christ his atoning death recei%e from God as a free gift his righteousness continuing to trust his 1on our Lord Jesus Christ$ &e therefore can say ha%ing had the illumination of God the 4oly 1pirit enlightening our understanding on Iauline theology "hich is enshrined in his letter to the saints in Rome "hich is encased in the 3e" Testament and accepted by the 3icene Creed of the Apostolic 0athers as the %ery di%ine authority of God spo!en only by him through his ser%ants the 3e" Testament authors especially the apostle Iaul>s contribution specifically his letter to the saints in Rome$ That the God and 0ather of our Lord Jesus Christ is a righteous God but is also %ery gracious to his creatures man!ind$ Righteousness being one of his central principles as an attribute of his$ 0urthermore he is acti%e in his righteousness sa%ing man!ind from sin through the cross of Christ and adding on to that "hat God has already achie%ed and continuing to achie%e as he pro%ides to us his righteousness through his 1on Jesus Christ and 4im crucified to enable God through him "ho "as once scorned and ridiculed suffering the ignominy of a criminal>s death is no" resurrected and glorified through faith in him "e recei%e the righteousness of God the Lord of Glory Jesus Christ$ Let us shout hallelujah and praise his "onderful name$