Harmony of God's Attributes 07/12/2011
"All God's attributes are inseparably joined: they cannot be divided, no, not for a moment," said John Wesley, founder of Methodism. He taught that God's attributes will never contradict each other. Accordingly, we will never have to worry about God overreacting, or doing something contradictory to one of his attributes. God's attributes exist in harmony with each other. This emphasis on the unity of God's attributes is a strength of the Wesleyan-Arminian system. Other theological systems will probably affirm that they hold all the attributes of God in balance, but in reality, most of them emphasize one attribute at the expense of another. For instance, many Neo-Calvinists exalt the love and graciousness of God at the expense of God's holiness. If they did not, they would not make statements such as: "Once you are saved, it doesn't matter what you do as far as your eternal salvation is concerned. God only sees the blood of Jesus. He doesn't see your sin." That view is certainly emphasizing the love and grace of God at the expense of His holiness. At the same time, 5-point Calvinists emphasize the role of God as sovereign King more than God's role as loving Father. John Calvin, with his strict view of sovereignty, tended to say little of God's fatherly love. John Wesley, however, emphasized the role of God as loving Father. Though God is certainly seen as King and Judge, His justice is situated in a better balance with His love. As loving Father to all His creation (in one sense), God is not going to pass over most of his condemned human creatures and only provide a way of salvation for a select few, as the Calvinists believe. God's transcendence (His being utterly distinct from His creation) and God’s immanence (His being present in His creation) are also attributes that must be held in careful balance with each other. Overemphasizing transcendence may result in deism, a belief in a God unconcerned with human affairs. Overemphasing immanence may result in pantheism, a belief that everything is God. But both immanence and transcendence are true at the same time. The holy, transcendent God before whom we fall in worship is the same God we invite into our hearts to be our personal friend. God’s holiness, love, sovereignty, transcendence, immanence, and the rest of His attributes must all be seen in harmony and balance. For God’s attributes cannot be divided, “no, not for a moment.” CommentsJoshua Fox 12/07/2011 08:42
This blog was very interesting to read. I would definitely agree with you in that the emphasis on the unity of God's attributes is a strength of the Wesleyan-Arminian system. If one attribute is exaggerated over the other, then that is where we see division (as you gave some examples). It only makes sense for God to be in perfect harmony with all His attributes. Wouldn't that make Him less than God if one were above or less than the other? Thomas Oden writes in his book of Systematic Theology that even in the cross, we see two attributes portrayed equally: love and holiness. He writes, "For love without holiness would not be just in ignoring the offensiveness of sin, and holiness without love would not be able to effect the reconciliation." Nate Kennedy 12/12/2011 11:01
A. W. Tozer believed that "there is scarcely an error in doctrine or a failure in applying Christian ethics that cannot be traced finally to imperfect and ignoble thoughts about God." (The Knowledge of the Holy, Chapter 1) This statement is both simple and profound, for the basic meaning of it is easily understood but its implications are deep and sobering. Nate Kennedy 12/12/2011 11:06
Regarding my second "statement-question," God's omnipresence seems to imply that He is both transcendent and immanent. Therefore, if either quality is overemphasized at the expense of the other, God's omnipresence becomes void. Derrick Trent 12/15/2011 20:02
This is a great reminder that we have to keep God's attributes in balance. As you pointed out, it is by getting out of balance that we end up with erroneous ideas about God, and these erroneous ideas will most likely end in some type of wrong behavior. This is also the gist of Nate's quote from A.W. Tozer. We must have right thoughts about God or our doctrine and ethics will be out of order. Paul L 04/30/2012 07:42
Good points. I agree that it's important to emphasize the unity of God's attributes. I get uncomfortable when I hear people try to pit one of God's attributes against another, or suggest that one "wins out" over another. In reality, all of his attributes are fully satisfied and expressed, in perfect harmony with each other. Nate Kennedy 05/04/2012 17:47
"The holy, transcendent God before whom we fall in worship is the same God we invite into our hearts to be our personal friend." Leave a Reply |
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