Harmony of God's Attributes

7/12/2011

"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.”

44 Comments

Joshua Fox

12/7/2011 12:42:55 am

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 03:01:30 am

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.

Regarding the transcendence and immanence of God, would it be possible for Him as an omnipresent being to be less in either area? If God is everywhere in some sense, how could He not be transcendent but immanent, and vice versa?

Again, an superb post, Dr. Bird!

Nate Kennedy

12/12/2011 03:06:45 am

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 12:02:33 pm

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

4/30/2012 12:42:39 am

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

5/4/2012 10:47:27 am

"The holy, transcendent God before whom we fall in worship is the same God we invite into our hearts to be our personal friend."

Dr. Bird, this is an amazing thought! A lot of times, I think of God as being far away and distant from me and my problems, but He is very near to me. He knows my thoughts before they enter my consciousness, and He understands them better than I do. Therefore, I can't keep anything from God even if I don't actually tell Him about it.

I've heard it somewhere that God is closer to us than our very thoughts are. Honestly I don't know if that's true or not, but if so, that's extremely close considering how intimate our thoughts are to us.

Anonymous

11/6/2012 11:30:14 am

Practical question: in the last paragraph it says, "God’s holiness, love, sovereignty, transcendence, immanence, and the rest of His attributes must all be seen in harmony and balance." While there are ditches of overemphasis and underemphasis on either side of the road, how does one apply this concept of 'balance' to everyday life? If I am being disciplined by God, how do I maintain a healthy balance of his role as judge and role of Father? My natural tendencies will be to focus on the 'judge role' to the neglect of Father for there is personal pain involved. Or vice-verse: When I am blessed, how do I maintain God's role of sovereign judge, ruler and warrior with so many good things happening in my life. This question is an attempt to understand the method of applying a 'must have' concept to everyday life. Experientially, I have found maintaining a balance hard to do! comments are warmly invited...

Brad Julien

1/17/2015 02:19:05 pm

This might be a silly answer to you because of how cliche it can be, but I know, by experience, that prayer can clear a lot of this up. I'm not talking a lackadaisical, on the fly, type of prayer. But the type of prayer that needed in order to rightly live our lives. Waiting on the Lord in answer to prayer, and searching for His answer in the midst of your question is probably the right way to go about it. I believe that prayer is the one thing that keeps us from sin, and faith. The more we spend time with God the less we'll need to focus on the balance, and just respond to Him rightly .

Brad Julien

1/17/2015 02:21:18 pm

I meant to say: I believe that prayer is the one thing that keeps us from sin, that and faith.

Jeemps Pierre

11/8/2012 01:10:07 pm

It's amazing to meditate on God's individual attributes, while doing it is very interesting to see how all of them are combined together. As I'm studying some attributes of God I realized that the more I meditate on His attributes the best I understand the harmony of His attributes, I completely agree with you Dr. Bird.

Kent S.

12/4/2012 12:37:28 am

I have loved studying the attributes of God this semester. It has strengthened my faith greatly. And in reading this article, I see that one of the greatest helps to our walk with God is in the total harmony of His attributes. We can rely on Him. We know He will not contradict the character of His attributes. That is an incredible thing to try and comprehend as a fallible human, but when we wrap our mind around it we can rejoice in the peace it brings.

Thomas

12/4/2012 09:07:26 pm

I love being reminded about the attributes of God because it brings a peace back with the memory. Growing up, I knew a lot of people in the church who over reacted and were inconsistent, however, thankfully, my relationship with God is not based in those people and their moods but rather as this blog posted the consistency of the nature of God.

Hillary

12/13/2012 03:37:59 am

I actually came across an article online today while I was researching about sin and "trampling the blood" that claimed that those who teach a universal atonement are trampling underfoot the blood of God. Somehow I doubt that's what the passage meant, lol.

Andrew Paul Hosier

12/13/2012 11:01:35 pm

I would have to say we have trouble viewing the holistic nature of God and his attributes because we can not do the things that he can. for example we have to love the sin and hate the sinner. while God hates the sinner at the same time as loving and showing grace to them.

Andrew Lamicela

1/19/2013 01:11:44 am

It is very important that we realize that God’s attributes are in perfect harmony with each other. God’s attributes are what God is, not just what He does. God cannot “forget” to do a certain attribute temporarily, because each attribute is part of His nature. None of His attributes are neglected in anything He does. If we do not grasp this properly, we are at risk of falling into doctrinal error.

Don L. Ferguson

1/31/2013 08:32:26 am

Very clear and well written for every teacher or scholar and student to grasp and understand.

Maricka H

4/17/2013 09:57:52 am

I greatly appreciated this post. It reiterated some of the lessons that God has been teaching me about Himself recently, not only in my perspective on who He is, but also in my striving to become more like Him. Becoming more Christlike is not only possessing the particular character traits that He had (fruits of the Spirit, sense of justice, confronting evil, etc), but also to have them in the right proportion in your life. For instance, it is important to confront a fellow brother/sister about a wrong in their life, but if that is not done in love or if that is the only thing you ever communicate them and never build them up/encouraging them, then it is not much good. It is definitely a challenge, and can only be done, as anything else in the Christian life, through the enablement of the Holy Spirit

Jeffrey P link

11/7/2013 12:00:00 pm

I couldn't agree more with your viewpoint Dr. Bird! There were many great insights, but what I liked most was that you put all of God's attributes on an equal plane. Too often having the mindset of "equality" can be removed when one comes to grapple with the character traits of God. Indeed God is holy, and loving, and powerful, and sovereign, etc. and yet somehow equal in proportions. Personally, I think if a specific generation within a specific movement focuses on one specific attribute of God much more than all the rest, then the following generations will begin (eventually) to actually lean in the opposite direction theologically. Do you agree? ... Another question. You argue, there is a "balance" of these attributes, but I would ask that if God is all of these at the same time then why does scripture seem to support a few of God's character traits more than others (implicitly or explicitly)? Finally, how can I better understand the relationship between one equally good character trait and another one equally good but more important character trait?

Rachel Langstaff

1/7/2015 10:37:52 pm

As humans it can be difficult to understand how God can be holy and just and at the same time be forgiving and loving. To us some of God's attributes do not seem to be compatible, such as He is immanent but He is also transcendent. We cannot fully understand how all of His attributes can exist in harmony. However, if we ignore even one of God's attributes we will loose our view of who He really is. It is essential that we do not make God into our image with only attributes that make sense to us. We must believe that He is the God that the Bible says He is.

Brad Julien

1/17/2015 01:58:14 pm

Brad Julien

1/17/2015 02:10:16 pm

Don't know how that happened, but it did. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I posted a comment without commenting. This would be called a lack of paying attention. Anyway...

I really appreciate Dr. Bird showing that we have to have balance with all of God's attributes. Too many times we see an over emphasis in one of His attributes which in return gives an under emphasis in one or many of His other attributes. If this happens then we are not glorifying God all the way but creating a "god" or an idol out of one of His attributes. This should not be done, and I think Christians need to be careful of their respect for all of His attributes. We are not dealing with a person here. An example could be a professional hockey player. He could be very good in stick handling, passing, and defense, but could struggle in speed, shooting, and agility. But we cannot do this to the Living God's attributes. There is not one that is greater than the other, there is not one more valuable, nor is there one that is less than the others. This would make God imperfect.

Ken Bladen

5/5/2015 09:36:15 pm

Dr. Bird's blog is right on point. To have a right conception of God one must hold all of His reviled attributes in harmony. His love is as holy as it is just. You could probably go on and on, but balanced, His attributes show us we serve One who is absolutely awesome.

Ruth Katikala

12/6/2015 10:29:41 pm

I really appreciate this article. I like the Quote " that God's attributes will never contradict each other." This is amazing.. This is a good remainder that God's attributes helps us to know him better.

silas perkins

5/21/2016 06:53:31 am

I agree, I think its super important to pray to acknowledge the attributes of the Lord. I am often reminded of the scene that John saw in Revelation when John saw the throne of God. He saw the elders singing to God. In scripture it says, "And day and night they never cease to say, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come!"

Reggie Kemp link

9/24/2016 07:16:02 pm

I am in agreement with Mark Bird's conclusions regarding the harmony of God's attributes. However, I am disappointed that neither he, or any of the other commentators provided any Scriptural support for this conclusion. Where in Scripture are we told that God's attributes are perpetually in harmony?

I am in the process of a study of God's attributes and though the tenor of Scripture leads on to believe that God is sovereign, Self-existent, Self-sufficient, Eternal, Immutable, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Transcendent, Omnipresent, Faithful, Good, Just, Merciful. Gracious, Loving, Holy, Trustworthy and Patient. Neither A.W. Tozier, Russell G. Jones, or Arthur W. Pink provide proof tests to substantiate these conclusions.
Which of you scholars can fill in the blanks for me and identify the proof texts from Scripture for each of these attributes?

Jonathan Barthelemy

1/31/2017 05:02:19 am

I agree that we need proof from Scripture to reveal the attributes of God to us however, God can reveal anything about himself to his servants without the proof or the help of Scripture. God did not need the help of Scripture to reveal himself to Moses. How did Moses know to write about the creation if God did not reveal it to him? Unless we somehow could prove that God is self-existence then we can freely say that he is not.

Jonathan Barthelemy

1/31/2017 05:07:01 am

I really love this quote that says that "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.”

Reggie Kemp

5/17/2019 05:13:09 am

Jonathan, Thanks for your reply to my post of 2016. I have done a fuller study of God's attributes. I would be pleased to share it with you if you would provide me your email address.

Lal Levi

12/3/2018 09:41:41 pm

I agree both Calvinists emphasize the role of God as sovereign King and John Wesley emphasize the role of God as loving Father. It is because, we see the scriputer God as the sovereign King, He does whatever pleases Him in heaven and on earth (Ps. 115:3, 135:6). He sovereignly elected Abaraham to be the father of all nations (Gen. 12-22) and He sovereignly elected Israelite for His glory. And we also see the role of God as loving Father in the scriputer (John 3:1, 3:16, Eph. 2:4-5)

Matthew

12/29/2018 08:33:30 pm

I find this conversation to be very important with most christians from all walks of life and denominations. I know some that over and wrongly emphasize Gods sovereignty to the point it takes away the freedom of our choice, those who emphasize the love of God to the point that it doesn't even matter if you believe in Him or what He says to be saved, you can not leave one attribute to illuminate the other or you lose the true vision of God.

Reggie Kemp

12/30/2018 03:21:05 am

Matthew is correct regarding the emphasis of placing one of God's attributes over another. However, he also writes of the "true vision of God". I would have preferred that he wrote of the reality of God. This one and only true God is a reality with which each man must deal. He is pure, unadulterated love while still being absolutely sovereign, eternal, merciful, just, etc., etc.,
If He is not perpetually existing in all of His attributes, He is in some way flawed. Unless all of His attributes are in perpetual harmony, He is a conflicted God. That is something He cannot be.

Chris

5/7/2019 05:24:37 pm

This blog post was very interesting I really liked the the closing statement,"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.'."

Nathan Blackwell

5/16/2019 06:35:20 pm

The attention that Calvinists give to God's sovereignty and Arminians give to God's love reflect the tension we as mankind have trying to make sense of God. But His ways are not our ways, and thankfully there is no tension within God.

Reggie Kemp

5/17/2019 05:17:10 am

Nathan, Thank you for your reply to my posts regarding the attributes of God. Absolutely, there are no tensions within God! I have done a more thorough study of His attributes and would be pleased to share it with you if you would provide your email address.

Mark Stieby

12/7/2019 11:18:15 pm

I really like the stressing of Gods attitudes. I always enjoy learning about other religions.

Dylan C.

5/2/2020 09:10:19 am

I am a member of a Southern Baptist Church, so I am well-acquainted with the teachings of Calvinism. At my church, we emphasize both God's love and His coming judgment. So, not all Calvinists overemphasize God's sovereignty. Ultimately, there are two extremes: Legalism and Antinomianism. Legalists tend to overemphasize God's wrath and the need for law-keeping. Antinomians, on the other hand, tend to overemphasize God's Love and the insignificance of keeping the law. We must find the middle ground - God is both loving and just.

Joseph mang

5/9/2020 06:36:21 am

This website is very helpful and it's gives us a lot's of information about Theology topic. The topic that this website cover is very interesting and also, it's help us to have deeper understanding on each topic with biblical information.

Kansas Asian Massage link

2/11/2021 02:30:43 am

Thanks, great blog post

Curtis Gordon

12/11/2021 11:34:19 am

I am so thankful for the harmony of God's attributes. Understanding this helps me reconcile the love of God with the wrath and judgment of God. Knowing that God isn't at war with himself. His acts are governed by all of His attributes not just one or two and certainly not in conflict to oothers.

Josiah England

5/15/2024 02:48:23 pm

What a great post! These comments summarize my fundamental problem with Calvinism -- it distorts the character of God. Whether the 5-point Calvinist or the antinomian, the God of the Bible becomes something He is not. On the other hand, Wesley's portrayal of God seems to strike the balance between holiness and love (not that the two are opposed or that God is anything less than completely both). I find it affirming to this point that one of John Wesley's ways to describe entire sanctification -- heart holiness -- is "perfect love." True holiness in God is true love; likewise true holiness in us is also true love. God remains balanced, and we as His images on earth show His character well when this theology is founded and acted upon.

Dolores Settle

12/2/2024 04:23:03 pm

Thank you for alllowing me to receive more of God blessings from your blogs.

Dolores S.

4/16/2025 09:40:08 am

very nice

Jennifer Self link

4/21/2025 04:57:39 pm

I love Wesley's quote and the commitment Arminianism has to the unity of God's attributes. I know Calvinism stresses God's sovereignty over His omniscience. It is necessary to hold these in balance. And that is just one example.

Michael Wingrove

5/2/2025 06:54:05 am

To help us from over-emphasizing one of God's attributes over another I think we must spend time daily meditating on one of them and so in a course of a year we will have spent time reflecting on all who God is that has been revealed to us in Scripture. I think the reason that John Wesley was so balanced is because He spent considerable time in God's Word and in prayer with His Word.

Harmony of God's Attributes

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