The Communicable Attributes of God
We teach that God has communicable attributes, namely those attributes that human beings can have also. However, even though we teach that human beings can have these communicable attributes, we teach that God is the origin and source of these communicable attributes. We teach that only human beings that have been regenerated by God the Holy Spirit, repentance unto salvation and placed their faith in the substitutionary work of the Lord Jesus Christ can have these communicable attributes from God (cf. 2 Peter 1:3-4). The communicable attributes of God are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, righteousness, justice, holiness, jealousy, mercy, unity, veracity, and mission.
2.6.3.1 Love
We teach the love of God is the perfection of God that has to do with God’s eternal action of communicating self-giving, self-sacrifice and like-mindedness.
We teach that God’s very essence is love (cf. 1 John 4:8, 16).
We teach that God’s love is eternally and perfectly modeled between the three distinct Persons of the eternal Triune God (cf. John 3:35; 5:20; 10:17; 14:31; 15:9; 17:24, 26; Galatians 5:22).
We teach that the intra-Trinitarian love of God is the model of love that is manifested between the Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples, and this love is true and undying (cf. John 13:34; Ephesians 6:23-24; 1 Timothy 1:5).
We teach that no one can genuinely love unless they be born again by God the Holy Spirit and He gives them the fruit of the Spirit which is love (cf. Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:22).
We teach that God’s love is eternally and inseparably invested with all of God’s attributes (e.g. viz. “justice” and “righteousness” cf. Psalm 11:7; 33:5; 37:28; 45:7).
There is a Hebrew term for love that is found frequently in the OT – that is, אָהַב (aheb) and has the contextual sense to mean to love in covenant promise, provision and self-giving action. This Hebrew term is used to describe God’s love for His people (cf. Deuteronomy 4:37; 7:8-9, 13; 10:15; 23:5; 2 Chronicles 2:11; Isaiah 43:4; 48:14; 63:9; Jeremiah 31:3; Hosea 11:1, 4; 14:4; Zephaniah 3:17; Malachi 1:2).
There are several Greek terms for love. However, in the NT there are two Greek terms for love that have frequent occurrences in the NT. These two Greek terms are:
(1) ἀγαπάω (agapaó) cf. 1 John 4:10 and
(2) φιλέω (phileó) cf. John 16:27.
(1) We teach that the Greek term ἀγαπάω (agapaó) is defined in the biblical context as the love of self-sacrifice – for instance, the love of God is good news of God’s action because while maintaining His holiness and divine justice, the good news also affirms that God is love, and that in His love God has responded to man’s sin problem. Motivated by His love, God sent the Lord Jesus Christ to be the propitiation for the sins of everyone who would ever believe in Him for eternal life. This is how the Apostle John defined love, namely - “In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for the sins of us” (1 John 4:10).
We teach the Greek verb ἀγαπάω (agapaó) has the sense to mean “I love by sacrifice for someone.”
Agapaó is used over 100 x’s in the NT and no less than 37 x’s in the Gospel of John.
We teach that if someone agapaó’s someone then they are totally committed to that person in sacrificial love. Agapaó has the sense to love with the intent to sacrifice oneself for the one they love.
We teach that agapaó is an action of powerful love – it is the love that was manifest by God on the cross when Jesus died on the cross paying the penalty for the sins of the elect to save us from the wrath of God.
We teach that God’s love is self-sacrificial because it is demonstrated in the Lord Jesus Christ’s penal-substitutional sacrifice for sin redeeming individuals from Israel and redeeming those who make up His church (John 3:16; 14:23; 15:13; 16:27; 17:23; Romans 5:5:7-8; 8:37; 9:13; Galatians 2:20).
(2) We teach that the Greek term φιλέω (phileó) is defined in the biblical context as the love of like-mindedness in sound doctrine.
We teach φιλέω (phileó) means the love of friendship – it is from where we get the name Philadelphia – city of friendship. The Greek term φιλέω (phileó) is from the Greek word φίλος (philos) which is translated into English “friend” (e.g. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” John 15:13; e.g. “You are My friends if you do what I command you” John 15:14).
Phileo is used no less than 25x’s in the NT and no less than 13x’s in the Gospel of John.
We teach that φιλέω (phileó) is the love of friendship because of like-mindedness and affection for each other because of the same cause – that is, an affection for sound doctrine for the Word of God. Pointedly, φιλέω (phileó) was used twice in John 16:27 – “for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.” Therefore, God the Father loves a person as a likeminded friend if that person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We teach that God calls believers His friend because believers think God’s thoughts after Him.
Phileó love is a powerful thoughtful love because it is based on your common interest in the doctrine you believe with another who is likeminded with the doctrine you believe – and if one believes the truth then you phileo God the Son and God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
Phileo love is a powerful kind of love for it is a doctrinal issue and if one phileos the Lord Jesus Christ then that person has life eternal but if one does not phileo the Lord Jesus Christ then that person is cursed (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:22).
We teach that God the Holy Spirit manifests like-mindedness of sound doctrine among believers at genuine churches as believers preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (cf. Ephesians 4)
We teach Christians have this phileo love with each other (cf. Titus 3:15).
We teach ἀγαπάω (agapaó) and φιλέω (phileó) harmonize with each other yet also are distinct. Both terms for love are genuine love for God and the Christian.
Both NT Greek terms for love – that is, ἀγαπάω (agapaó) and φιλέω (phileó) were used by the Lord Jesus Christ in the public restoration of the Apostle Peter (cf. John 21:15-17).
We DO NOT teach the Marcion heresy that the God of the OT is a different God than the NT. Marcion (c. 2nd century AD) was a false teacher and one of the founders of Gnosticism who taught that the benevolent god of the NT was a different god and opposed to the malevolent Demiurge or creator god, identified with the Hebrew God of the Old Testament. Marcionism taught that the god of the OT was a god of holiness and wrath but not love, however, from the OT God is explicitly described as the God who loves people (cf. Deuteronomy 4:37; 7:8, 13; 23:5; 2 Chronicles 2:11; Jeremiah 31:3; Psalm 78:68; 146:8; Proverbs 3:12; Malachi 1:2).
We teach if anyone believes and teaches Marcion heresy then they are the seed of the serpent and spiritually dead (cf. Genesis 3:15; 2 Peter 2).
We teach the God of the OT and NT is One God eternally existing in three distinct Persons. God has one essence which wholly subsists in each of the three Persons without any confusing or mingling of the Persons. Each Person is fully God and there is one God. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are One in Being/Essence/Substance, co-eternal, co-equal yet three distinct Persons.
We teach that the God of the OT is the same unchanging incorruptible self-existent holy omnibenevolent and loving God of the NT.
We DO NOT isolate God’s attribute of love away from God’s other attributes either to the expense or neglect of God’s other attributes – Because to do so is to make a caricature of God that is not accurate of God.
We teach that the glory of God is the summation of all of His attributes and His attributes cannot be triaged or dichotomized.
We DO NOT teach the Greek term for erotic desire – namely, eros resolves conceptually into agapaó or phileó into one kind of love at root. For the term eros is not even found in the NT.
We DO NOT teach that agapaó or phileó love is fundamentally motivated by the pursuit of pleasure.
We DO NOT teach hedonism nor do we teach that the term “Christian” should ever be associated with the term “hedonism.”
We DO NOT teach that God is hedonistic in His love.
We DO NOT teach that the love of God and the only love of man that is pleasing to God are both at root erotic motivated by self-pleasure.[1]
We teach the traditional understanding of God’s love as revealed in God’s holy word – namely, God’s love is uninfluenced by anything or anyone outside of Himself. We teach that there is nothing in the creature to influence, manipulate or attract God’s love because God’s love is free and uncaused. God’s love is eternally invested in God’s own sovereign providential will (cf. Deuteronomy 7:7-8; 1 John 3:1; 4:10, 19).
We teach that God has loved His people from all eternity, therefore there can be nothing about His people in and of themselves that can be the cause of the love of God found in God from all eternity – because God loves from Himself according to His own eternal purpose (cf. Jeremiah 31:3; John 6:44; Romans 9:13; Ephesians 1:4-5; 3:11, 19; 2 Timothy 1:9).
We teach that nothing can separate God’s people from God’s love (cf. Romans 8:35-39).
We teach that love for God with all of one’s self and love for one’s neighbor is the fulfillment of the Law (cf. Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:37-40; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:25-37; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8). We teach that only the Lord Jesus Christ truly accomplished this perfectly (cf. Matthew 5:17; John 13:1; 19:30).
Among the rest of humanity, we teach that only those who have been born again have the ability to love God as well as their neighbor (cf. Galatians 5:22).
We teach that God loves through His providential care over His creation.
We teach that God loves through adoption (cf. John 1:12-13; Romans 8:14-23; 9:4; 2 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 3:26; 4:5-7; Ephesians 1:4-5; 2:19; 1 Peter 1:4; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 21:7).
We teach that God loves His people through the communication of disciple when they are disobedient. God’s people are those who have been adopted into His family through the redemption that is Christ Jesus and God disciplines those whom God loves (cf. Exodus 20:6; Psalm 103; John 15:9; 1 Corinthians 11:31-32; Hebrews 12:4-14; Jude 21).
We teach that those who have genuinely repented of their sin and believed in Jesus Christ, His perfect life, atoning death on the cross, physical burial and physical bodily resurrection from the dead for their justification can be assured of God’s love for them – because, Jesus said,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” – (John 5:24);
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” – (John 1:12);
“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are” – (1 John 3:1).
We teach that those who have repented of their sin unto salvation and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, continue to repent and continue to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.
We teach that the Christian loves God (cf. Romans 8:28; James 1:12) and has full assurance that God loves the Christian (cf. John 16:27), because God has adopted the Christian in His family through Jesus Christ (cf. Romans 8:29).
In the very definition of biblical love there is found other attributes of God like patience, kindness, righteousness and veracity. This gives us another example of how all of God’s attributes are eternally invested with one another (cf. 1 Corinthians 13).
In conclusion, we teach that God is the God of love, God’s very essence is love, and it is God’s very nature to love (cf. 2 Corinthians 13:11; 1 John 4:8, 16).
“Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you” – 2 Corinthians 13:11.
2.6.3.2 Joy
We teach that joy is a communicable attribute of God and is a state of being that expresses sincere everlasting excitement for God’s plan of redemption in the Person and finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Matthew 2:10; 13:44; 25:21, 23; 28:8; Luke 2:10-11; 15:3-10; 24:41, 52; John 3:29; 16:16-22).
OT Hebrew terms for joy are גִּיל giyl (cf. Psalm 43:4); חֶדְוָה chedwah (cf. 1 Chronicles 16:27; Nehemiah 8:10); מָשׂוֹשׂ masos (cf. Psalm 48:2); צָוַח tsawach (cf. Isaiah 42:11); רוּעַ rua (cf. Job 38:7; רָנַן ranan (cf. 1 Chronicles 16:33); שִׂמְחָה simchah (cf. Psalm 16:11); שָׂשׂוֹן sason (cf. Esther 8:16); תְּרוּעָה teruah (Psalm 27:6; 33:3).
The NT Greek term for joy is Χαρά (chara) and it found frequently in the NT. There are a few occurrences of the Greek term ἀγαλλίασις (agalliasis) found in the NT which carry the sense to mean an exuberant joy leaped, shouted or proclaim like the sense of many of the OT terms for joy (cf. Luke 1:44; Jude 1:24).
We teach that joy is a fruit of the Spirit that transcends temporal circumstances of trials, difficulty, persecution, physical pain, emotional pain, disappointment, heart ache, abandonment, disaster and misery (cf. Acts 13:52; Romans 14:17; 15:13; Galatians 5:22; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; James 1:2).
We DO NOT teach that joy is mere happiness or mere pleasure.
We teach that joy is distinct and transcends happiness and pleasure.
We teach that happiness has to do with when one’s temporal circumstances are pleasant and advantageous for the one who has had one’s physical needs provided. However, joy has to do with the full assurance of salvation in Christ Jesus that He has saved one from the wrath of God in spite of temporal circumstances because one knows that when all temporal circumstances are over, then the one who has been redeemed by the Person and finished work of Christ will spend all of eternity with Christ in glory (cf. John 15:11; 16:20-24; 17:13; 2 Corinthians 7:4; 8:2; Philippians 4:10-13; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; Hebrews 10:32-39; 12:11; 1 Peter 1:8).
We teach Joy has to do with salvation and therefore joy is a soteriological issue. To this effect, the Apostle Paul wrote in the book of Hebrews the following:
“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” – Hebrews 12:2.
Jesus had joy because He knew that His perfect life and the sacrifice of Himself would result in the salvation from the wrath of God for everyone who would ever believe in Him for eternal life (cf. John 16:16-20; 17:13; Philippians 2:3-11).
We teach that joy is genuinely manifested when a person looks to Christ no matter of their current circumstance and that person celebrates the Lord Jesus Christ’s eternal victory of completely fulfilling God’s eternal plan of redemption for them.
We teach that joy is connected to the illumination from God the Holy Spirit, when God the Father and God the Son send Him to enlighten the hearts of believers to see, understand and believe the work of God (cf. Luke 10:17, 20, 21; 23-24; Ephesians 1:17-18; see. 2.5.3 Sentence 6).
We teach that the elect angels in heaven have joy when a person repents unto salvation (cf. Luke 15:3-10).
We teach that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have joy when they hear about or personally witness the repentance and faith of others (cf. Acts 15:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20; 3:6-10).
We teach that joy is the work of God and is manifested when believers work together with the efforts of the church and support each other united as one mind on sound doctrine (cf. Romans 15:32; 2 Corinthians 1:24; 2:3; 7:13; 8:1-6; Philippians 1:27; 2:2, 29; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:3-7; Philemon 1:7; Hebrews 13:17; 1 John 1:4; 2 John 1:4; 3 John 1:4).
God’s attributes called joy, peace and patience are closely associated with one another (cf. Philippians 4:4-9; Colossians 1:11).
2.6.3.3 Peace
We teach that peace is an eternal attribute of God. Peace is a communicable attribute of God because peace is an everlasting fruit of the Spirit that God shares with those who belong to God through regeneration by God the Holy Spirit and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Romans 15:13; Galatians 5:22-25; 2 Thessalonians 1:2).
We teach that God is the God of peace (cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:16).
We teach God is by nature peaceful and has not left Himself without a witness to testify to the gospel of peace – namely, God’s terms of reconciliation and peace through the Person, perfect life, finished cross-work and bodily resurrection from the dead of the Lord Jesus Christ. We teach that those from the human race who surrender to God’s terms of peace in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, leave their former evil participation in the war that the human race has against God, are therefore saved from the wrath of God and have eternal peace (cf. 1 Kings 2:31-33; Ecclesiastes 3:8; Isaiah 53:5; 54:10; 57:1-2; Matthew 24:14; John 14:27; 20:19; Acts 14:17; 17:30-31; 2 Corinthians 5:11-21; Ephesians 6:15).
We teach that the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the gospel of peace that brings reconciliation and peace (cf. Romans 5:1; Ephesians 6:15).
We teach the peace of God was manifested in the agency of creation and redemption – therefore, before all war, there was peace, and after all war there is peace (cf. Revelation 21:4) – for peace comes from the LORD (cf. 1 Kings 2:33). Concerning the impact of the peace of God in the Person and finished penal-substitutionary work of Christ, the Apostle Paul wrote,
For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:15-20)
We teach that war is the absence of peace.[2] As the sovereign, omnipotent, holy and righteous God who created the universe, God has declared His terms of reconciliation in His peace treaty – that is, the terms that those who are at war with him must surrender unto and accept in the sense of repentance. For those who do not accept God’s terms of peace in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ they will suffer the wrath of God. On the other hand, those that do accept God’s terms of peace will be blessed yet they will have the same enemies that God has as God allows His enemies to continue in the various theaters of war until all God’s enemies are place under His feet and evil is ultimately vanquished forever (cf. Genesis 3:15; Psalm 110:1; Matthew 10:34-36; Romans 16:20).
We teach that those who God has unconditionally chosen and caused to be born again are to be partakers of the divine nature and as such escape the corruption that is in the world by lust, a world that is at war with God (cf. Ephesians 2:1-3; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-16). God’s children have a changed life that is evidenced by preaching the gospel of peace, making peace, and as far as it depends on them being at peace with all men, thus accurately representing their claim of familial relationship with God and justifying their profession as Christians (cf. Matthew 5:9; Romans 12:16, 18; Romans 14:19; Hebrews 12:14; James 2:14-17; 3:17-18; 2 Peter 1:4).
The OT Hebrew term for peace is שָׁלוֹם (shalom) and is has many occurrences in the OT. Shalom has the sense to mean completeness and soundness – because when one is likeminded with sound doctrine in their belief and behavior reflecting the wisdom from above, then one thinks God’s thoughts after Him and has peace (cf. Proverbs 3:1-35 emphasis on vv. 1-2, 5-7, 17).
The Greek term in the NT used for peace is εἰρήνη (eiréné) and is found frequently (e.g. Romans 5:1).
We teach there is only one mediator between God and man establishing reconciliation and peace between God and man (cf. 1 Timothy 2:5); and there is only one mediator between redeemed men and unredeemed men. The Lord Jesus Christ and His ministry of reconciliation is the only way to bring about peace between men (cf. Isaiah 27:5; 2 Corinthians 5:11-21; 1 Timothy 2:1-4, 6-8). We teach that only the ministry of reconciliation can establish peace between men because men need to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ alone in order to have salvific peace with one another (cf. Ephesians 2:11-17).
We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ is the prince of peace (cf. Isaiah 9:6-7).
We teach that peace is a communicable attribute that God gives to believers in His church to be ambassadors for Christ (cf. Isaiah 33:7; 52:7; 2 Corinthians 5:11, 18-20). We teach that the ambassador for Christ lays down his arms in fear of God and in hope that God might allow opportunities of the public armistice between God and those who are hostile to God in order to persuade men to accept God’s terms of peace in the Person and finished redemptive work of Christ. For this reconciliation between God and men ambassadors of Christ make entreaties and prayers together without wrath and dissension on behalf of all men. These requests to God are not made merely for a cessation of hostilities in the mission field, but rather requests made for opportunities to negotiate lasting peace through preaching the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and witnessing conversions miraculously grated by God in Christ. We teach that only when men are reconciled to God on behalf of Christ by His great exchange of the cross for them do they have a lasting peace. (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:11-21; 1 Timothy 2:1-8; James 3:18).
We teach and know that in scripture, the peace of God is described as being closely associated with knowledge and the mind. We teach that peace is the fruit of the Spirit that produces an inward pacified disposition of unmoved tranquility that results from unwavering confidence in one’s salvific relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. To this effect, we teach that peace has the sense of a binding together in union with Christ Jesus. Therefore, with all things considered, peace is a doctrinal issue. Moreover, Peace as an attribute is a state of being and a state of mind and like God’s attribute of joy – peace transcends one’s temporal circumstances (cf. Isaiah 26:1-4; 55:1-13, emphasis on vv. 6-9, 12; John 14:27; Romans 8:29; Philippians 4:6-7, 9).
We teach that anxiety is the enemy of peace (cf. Philippians 4:6-7). We teach that unbelievers have no peace regardless of their various claims to have peace. (cf. Isaiah 48:22; 57:19; Jeremiah 6:14).
2.6.3.4 Patience
We teach that the patience of God is an eternal attribute of God and has the sense to mean God’s longsuffering (cf. Romans 15:5; 1 Peter 3:20).
The OT Hebrew construction for patience is אֶֽרֶךְ־אַפַּ֥יִם (’e-reḵ- ’ap-pa-yim) and has the sense to literally mean “long of face.” (cf. Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 103:8). This Hebrew construction is translated in most English bibles as “slow to anger.” We teach that God is slow to anger (cf. Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 103:8; 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2 Nahum 1:3).
The NT Greek term for patience is μακροθυμία (makrothumia) it is a compound word in Greek comprised of the Greek term μακρός (makros) which means “long” and θυμός (thumos) which means “wrath,” or “anger,” or “temper.” Therefore, the Greek NT term for patience – namely, μακροθυμία (makrothumia) has the sense to mean “long-tempered” (cf. Romans 2:4; 9:22; 2 Corinthians 6:6; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 1:11, 3:12; 1 Timothy 1:16; 2 Timothy 3:10; 4:2; Hebrews 6:12; James 5:10; 1 Peter 3:20).
God’s patience is not manipulated or controlled by anyone or anything outside Himself but instead is the control that God has in and of Himself as He sufferingly endures the sin of people in their divinely appointed stay of divine discipline, punishment or execution. In other words, God is patient with sinners who deserve divine punishment (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 86:5, 15; 103:8; 145:8; Jeremiah 15:15; Joel 2:13; Romans 9:22; Acts 13:18; 17:30; 1 Peter 3:20).
We teach that God has been patient with His people through the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Romans 2:1-4; 1 Timothy 1:15-16; 2 Peter 3:8-15).
We teach God patiently endures the sin of believers, yet God patiently disciplines His people (cf. Psalm 103:8-14; 1 Corinthians 11:29-31; Hebrews 12:1-11).
We teach that God’s patience transcends time even when His children pray and cry out to Him to avenge them (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:4-7; Revelation 6:9-11). We teach that God has patiently appointed a time for everything (cf. Ecclesiastes 3:1-11; 2 Peter 3:8-9).
We teach that as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we frequently study the word of God to meditate on the patience of God for the purpose to cry out to God that God would conform us to His patience (Colossians 3:12).
We teach that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ manifest the fruit of the Spirit called patience because of the work of God the Holy Spirit in the regeneration of a person and the work of sanctification throughout their lives (cf. 2 Corinthians 6:6; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 1:11; 3:12; 2 Timothy 3:10; 2 Timothy 4:2; Hebrews 6:12; James 5:10).
We teach that God’s communicable attribute called patience is closely related and eternally invested with all of God’s attributes (e.g. “grace and mercy” Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Psalms 86:15).
We teach when believers become apathetic, bored and cold with each other, or when believers seek to be revenged on some one who has wronged them, they forget God’s infinite patience and longsuffering with themselves.
2.6.3.5 Kindness
We teach that the kindness of God is an eternal attribute of God and has the sense to mean God’s benevolent morally excellent character in which God manifests a pleasant gentleness and integrity to others by making their circumstances pleasant and easy (cf. Matthew 11:30; Romans 2:4; 1 Peter 2:3; Romans 11:22; Ephesians 2:7; Titus 3:4).
By pleasant and easy we teach that kindness is the opposite of burdensome (cf. Matthew 11:28-30; 23:4; Acts 20:29; 25:7; 1 John 5:3). We teach that complaining is the enemy of kindness (cf.
We teach that God’s kindness is meant to lead people to repentance (cf. Romans 2:4).
In the NT the Greek term for “kind” is χρηστός (chréstos) and has the sense to mean useful, gently serviceable, manageable and pleasant. In the NT the Greek term for “kindness” is χρηστότης (chréstotés) and has the sense to mean pleasantly serviceable and gently useful.
We teach that God’s attribute called kindness is a communicable attribute because it is a fruit of the Spirit and therefore believers can manifest kindness (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:33; 2 Corinthians 6:6; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:12).
We teach that God is by nature kind and only God sovereignly determines circumstances and providential outcomes.
We teach that believers practice kindness to one another and others by being pleasantly useful to make one another and other’s lives easier in their circumstances.
We teach that believers do not practice making other people’s lives difficult as if to manipulate behavior modification.
We teach that believers do not practice making other people’s lives difficult as to sentence people to difficult circumstances through manipulation, legalism or antinomianism.
We teach that believers do not practice making other people’s lives difficult through revenge, partiality, personal preferences or annoyance.
We teach that unregenerate people are naturally unkind (cf. Romans 3:12 – literally v.12c-2 “there is none who does kindness, there is not even one”).
We teach that kindness does not have the sense to mean nice. The term nice has its etymology as an English term from the Latin term nescius which means ignorant and unaware. Modern English speakers tend to use the word “nice” as synonym for “goodness” but the term “nice” is more of an antonym for good because the qualities of a “nice person” are merely quietness.
We teach that believers are not quiet, ignorant or unaware to the difficulty in other’ lives and therefore manifest kindness to help others in their difficulties.
We teach that God’s attributes of kindness and goodness are eternally invested with another.
We teach that the word “kind” is a synonym for “goodness.”
2.6.3.6 Goodness
We teach that the goodness of God is an eternal attribute of God according to which God is the perfect absolute standard and summation of goodness providentially because God is good intrinsically (see above. i.e. section 2.6.2.20 – Omnibenevolence). Goodness has the sense to mean a personal quality that stresses kindness in giving. (cf. 1 Chronicles 16:34; 2 Chronicles 5:13; Psalm 34:8; 106:1; 107; 118:1; 136:1; Jeremiah 33:11; James 1:17; 3:17).
We teach the goodness of God as an incommunicable perfection means that God is the ultimate and final standard of good and everything God does is good (cf. Matthew 5:48; Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19)
We teach the goodness of God as a communicable attribute has the sense to mean kindness in giving that stresses the excellent intrinsic virtuous quality and kindly nature that God produces in the lives of believers who manifest this kindness.
We teach that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ manifest the fruit of the Spirit called goodness (cf. Acts 9:36; Romans 15:14; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:11).
In the NT the Greek term for goodness is ἀγαθωσύνη (agathosune) and we teach the term ἀγαθωσύνη (agathosune) has the sense to mean to do good because of the intrinsic goodness, especially as a personal quality, with stress on the kindly (rather than the righteous) side of goodness. We teach that term ἀγαθωσύνη (agathosune) has the sense of the spiritual moral excellence that God produces in the life and actions of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Romans 15:14; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:11).
In the NT the Greek term for good is ἀγαθός (agathos) and is found over 100x’s in the NT (e.g. James 1:17; 3:17). We teach ἀγαθός has the sense to mean intrinsically good in nature and describes what originates from God and is empowered by God in the life of the Christian, through faith and as such is pleasing to God [cf. Hebrews 11:6 – “pleasing” from the Greek term εὐάρεστος (euarestos) acceptable because of the moral agreement on account of the moral excellent quality – cf. Hebrews 11:5, 6; 13:16; also see that which is acceptable to God e.g. Genesis 4:3-7; cf. Hebrews 11:4; Romans 12:1-2 where ἀγαθός (agathos) and εὐάρεστος (euarestos) are found in apposition]. And pleasing has the sense to mean acceptable because of acknowledgement of the good quality – not pleasure in the sense of the passions of lustful desires called eros or hedonism (cf. James 4:1-4).[3]
2.6.3.7 Faithfulness
We teach the faithfulness of God is an eternal attribute of God according to which God has perfect confidence in Himself (cf. Psalm 89:8). Faithfulness is a communicable attribute because God gives faith as a gift to those God has regenerated (cf. Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5). The person who God has caused to be born again manifests faithfulness – first, by believing in Christ for salvation and as a consequence living a changed life by trusting God and His word resulting in the practice of faithfulness in obedience to God and His word.
We teach that God is faithful (cf. Deuteronomy 7:9). We teach that God always remembers His promise in the protoevangelium and has from all eternity acted upon that promise by providing redemption through the Lord Jesus Christ’s penal- substitutionary atonement to save the believing sinner from the wrath of God as well as rescue from the temptation of unbelief (cf. 1 John 1:9; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 10:13; 2 Corinthians 1:18-20; 1 Thessalonians 5:24; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Hebrews 10:23; 11:11; 1 Peter 4:19; Revelation 1:5; 3:14; 19:11).
We teach that God is faithful because God perfectly keeps His word (cf. Numbers 23:19; Psalm 119:138; 138:2).
We teach that God’s faithfulness is great and eternally invested with the mercy of God (cf. Lamentations 3:22-23). We teach that God faithfully disciplines His children and does not abandon them (cf. Psalm 89:32-33; 119:75).
We teach that faithfulness like all of God’s perfections are essential to His being. We teach that God cannot deny Himself (cf. 2 Timothy 2:13). We teach that God never changes in His faithfulness.
We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ is faithful and lived perfect faithfulness to all the Father sent Him to accomplish (cf. Isaiah 11:5).
Πίστις (pistis) is the Greek noun for faith, belief, trust and faithfulness and occurs in the NT over 200x’s (cf. Galatians 5:22).
Πιστός (pistos) is the Greek adjective for faithful, trustworthy, reliable, believing and occurs in the NT no less than 67x’s.
We teach that faithfulness is a fruit of God the Spirit that is manifested in the life of the believer in Christ. Consequently, the believer in Christ manifests faithfulness because the believer in Christ is saved. We teach that God’s children do not try to work to be faithful to be saved, but they work to be faithful because they are saved (cf. James 2:14-26).
We teach that the child of God has genuine confidence in God and trusts in God and trusts God’s word from the heart.
We teach that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ manifest that they are faithful through faith in believing and obeying God’s word with active faithful stewardship with what God has entrusted to them in what-ever dispensation they were historically born in and served God (cf. Matthew 24:45; 25:21-23; Luke 12:42; 16:10; 19:17; John 20:27; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:2; Hebrews 3:5; Revelation 17:14).
2.6.3.8 Gentleness
We teach the gentleness of God is an eternal attribute of God in which God has the greatest mildness (cf. 2 Samuel 22:36; Psalm 18:35; 23:1-6; Isaiah 40:11; 42:2-3; Matthew 11:29; 21:5; 2 Corinthians 10:1).
We teach that gentleness is not something inherent in man, that is not something biological but instead gentleness is supernatural, namely the supernatural fruit of God the Holy Spirit (cf. Galatians 5:23).
We teach that God is the origin of any meekness because it comes from the gentle strength of God (cf. Psalm 18:35; 1 Corinthians 4:21).
We teach that God’s perfection called gentleness does not contradict God’s perfection called omnipotence.
We teach that God’s perfection called goodness is closely associated with God’s perfection called gentleness (cf. James 3:13, 17).
We teach that God’s perfection called gentleness is closely associated with God’s perfection called self-control (cf. Galatians 5:23).
The Greek term used in the NT that is translated into the English term “gentleness” is the Greek noun πρᾳΰτης (prautés) and as a noun is found no less than 12 times and has the sense to mean great mildness, expressions of power with self-control, having reservations, and avoiding unnecessary harshness (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:21; 2 Corinthians 10:1; Galatians 5:23; 6:1; Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:12; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:25; Titus 3:2; James 1:21; 3:13; 1 Peter 3:15). As an adjective, the Greek term translated into the English word “gentle” is the Greek term πραΰς (praus) and has the sense to mean humble and mild in the sense of demonstrating power without being harsh, abrasive or cruel (cf. Matthew 5:5; 11:29; 21:5; 1 Peter 3:4).
We teach that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have the ability given to them from God to practice gentleness and treat others in their care as one who gently and carefully treats an infant child (cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:7).
We teach that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have the ability given to them from God to practice gentleness by having an attitude that is patient and cooperatively submissive when they are offended by others (cf. Matthew 5:38-48). We teach that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ do not take revenge on others when offended but instead let offenses go (cf. Leviticus 19:18; Proverbs 17:9; 19:11; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13).
We teach that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are not abrasive with their words but are instead gently humble in their speech (cf. Proverbs 15:1; Matthew 5:5; Colossians 3:8; Ephesians 4:29; 2 Timothy 2:25; 1 Peter 3:4).
We teach that gentleness has the sense to mean the adjectival virtue known as humility (Matthew 5:5; 1 Peter 3:4).
We teach gentleness is an inseparable feature of the perfect and eternal wisdom of God (cf. James 3:13-18).
2.6.3.9 Self-Control
We teach the self-control of God is an eternal attribute of God in which God cannot be mastered by anyone or anything outside of Himself. We teach that God is not controlled by outbursts of anger, fits of rage or passions. We teach the perfection of God called self-control is closely associated with God’s perfections called self-sufficiency (cf. 2.6.2.2), immutability (cf. 2.6.2.7) and impassibility (cf. 2.6.2.8).
The pagan false gods of the pagan cultures of men present the moods of their false deities as expressions of uncontrollable outbursts of anger, fits of rage and inability to control their appetites and passions. These imaginations are simply a projection of man’s lack of self-control personified in idolatry which summons the just judgment and wrath of God (Psalm 50:21-22; Acts 17:16, 22-23, 30-31).
We teach God eternally expresses all His attributes always in the perfect way (cf. Isaiah 45:5-7).
We teach that self-control is a communicable attribute of God that is given to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ as God performs true mastery from within his children so that they can have mastery over their appetites and temper (cf. Acts 24:25; 1 Corinthians 9:25; Galatians 5:23; 2 Peter 1:6).
In the NT the Greek noun ἐγκράτεια (egkrateia) that has been translated into English “self-control” has the sense of having true mastery from within (cf. Acts 24:25; 1 Corinthians 9:25; Galatians 5:23; 2 Peter 1:6). In the NT the Greek adjective ἐγκρατής (egkratés) translated in English “self-controlled” is found in Titus 1:8 and as an adjective is found in the enumeration of the qualifications for the overseer. The etymology of the Greek term ἐγκράτεια (egkrateia) reveals that is a compound word comprised of the preposition ἐν (en) which means “in” together with the Greek term κράτος which has the sense to mean “dominion, strength, power or might.” Therefore, the etymology of the Greek term for “self-control” literally has the sense to mean to be “in-power” or “in-control.” Those that have self-control have power over themselves. We teach that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ control themselves restraining their passions and appetites.
2.6.3.10 Righteousness
We teach that the Righteousness of God is one of His perfections in which God is the perfect standard of what is right and correct (cf. Psalm 11:7; Daniel 9:14).
We teach the Righteousness of God is eternally invested with all His perfections.
We teach the righteousness of God is closely associated with God’s holiness, justice, and God’s saving activity (cf. 2 Chronicles 12:6-7; Psalm 7:11-12; 89:14; Isaiah 5:16; Revelation 16:5).
We teach the righteousness of God means that everything God does is right (Revelation 16:5).
We teach that God is the righteous judge (cf. 2 Timothy 4:8).
The Hebrew term that was later translated into English as “righteousness” is the Hebrew term צָדַק (tsadeq or tsadoq) and as a Hebrew word its occurrence is found frequently in the OT.
The Greek word that was later translated into English as “righteousness” is the Greek term δίκαιος (adjective) or δικαιοσύνη (noun) and as a Greek word its occurrence is found frequently in the NT.
We teach the righteousness of God is a communicable attribute in the sense of God’s saving activity and the result of God’s saving activity (cf. Isaiah 45:21; Ezra 9:15; Revelation 19:8).
In the sense of God’s saving activity:
We teach the righteousness of God is the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ that God imputes to the account of the believing sinner (cf. Romans 3:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 2:20-21).[4]
We teach that righteousness is meeting the holy and righteous standards of God
We teach that God’s perfect Law demands perfect righteousness but the Law cannot provide righteousness to the account of the sinner (cf. Psalm 143:2; Acts 13:39; James 2:10; Galatians 2:16; 3:10-11, 24; Romans 3:20, 22-23; 4:6-8; 9:30).
We teach that when a person trusts by faith in the perfect life of the Lord Jesus Christ and His vicarious penal-substitutionary crucifixion and bodily resurrection from the dead, God then takes the perfect righteous standard of His Son and imputes the righteousness of Christ to that person who believes. Then God declares that person right in His sight who believes in Christ Jesus (cf. Romans 4:3, 5, 21-25).
Justification is the act of God in declaring His righteousness to the account of the believing sinner.
The basis of righteousness is the work of God, namely God sending His Son the Lord Jesus Christ to be the propitiation for the sins of the believing sinner (cf. Romans 3:25-26; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).
We teach that propitiation means to satisfy the wrath of God and in this satisfaction God’s holy and righteous demands have been satisfied. The Law demands righteousness and cannot provide it, but God provided righteousness apart from the Law in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ who fulfilled the Law and all righteousness (cf. Matthew 3:15; 5:17; Romans 3:21; Galatians 4:4-5).
In the sense of the result of God’s saving activity:
We teach that God gives the ability to His children to discern the things that are right and make the right decisions (cf. Matthew 7:1-5; John 7:24; Romans 12:1-2; see Romans 8:4).
We teach when we think God’s thoughts after Him we think right, we teach when we obey God’s righteousness imperative commands we do what is right (cf. James 4:13-17).
We teach that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ do not practice righteousness before men to be noticed by them, but instead do the right thing not to be noticed by men because doing the right thing is right in the site of God (cf. Matthew 6:1-4).
2.6.3.11 Justice
We teach that justice is the divine perfection of God according to which God is absolute justice in Himself and perfectly vindicates and has eternally accomplished justice against every violation of what is right (cf. Revelation 19:11).
We teach that the justice of God is closely associated with the righteousness of God because of God’s perfectly right rectitude as the Lawgiver (cf. Deuteronomy 4:8; Psalm 9:4; 99:4; 119:7, 62, 75; Isaiah 33:22; Romans 7:12; James 4:12).
We teach that God is the perfect judge – namely, a judge who shows no partiality (cf. 2 Chronicles 19:7; Luke 18:7; Romans 2:11; James 4:12; 1 Peter 1:17).
We teach that justice is making a judicial decision based on verdict in identifying what is right and the only objective standard to accomplish right judgement is the standard of God’s word (cf. Luke 1:6).
We teach that justice is a judicial decision through the objective righteous standard of the word of God declaring someone or something approved or disapproved– namely, a right judgment (cf. Proverbs 17:15).
The Hebrew term translated into the English word “justice” is the Hebrew term מִשְׁפָט mishpat (cf. Psalm 89:14). The Hebrew term מִשְׁפָט mishpat is from the Hebrew term שָׁפַט shaphat which has the sense to mean to judge. Both Hebrews terms have frequently occurrences in the OT.
The Greek term translated into the English word “justice” or “just” is the Greek term δίκη (dike) as has the sense to mean a judicial decision of justice and its enforcement (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Jude 1:7).
We teach there is the distributive justice of God in the sense of God distributing reward (i.e. remunerative justice) and punishment or punitive justice (i.e. retributive justice) (cf. Genesis 18:25; Psalm 7:11-12; Isaiah 3:10-11; 11:4; 16:5; Romans 2:6-8; 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Peter 1:17).
In the sense of remunerative justice:
We teach God distributes rewards for believers who by faith obey God and pursue the justice of God (cf. Deuteronomy 7:9-13; Psalm 58:11; Matthew 25:21, 34; Luke 17:10; Romans 2:7; 1 Corinthians 4:7; Hebrews 11:24-26).
In the sense of punitive justice (i.e. retributive justice):
We teach that God distributes punishment toward His creatures for violating the prohibitions He has given them and for disobeying His Law (cf. Genesis 2:17; Exodus 34:7; 2 Chronicles 12:6; Ezra 9:15; Nehemiah 9:23; Psalm 129:4; Isaiah 5:15-16; Jeremiah 11:20; Ezekiel 18:4; 28:22; 36:23; 38:16, 23; 39:27; 43:8; Daniel 9:14; Hosea 10:12; Zephaniah 3:5; Romans 1:32; 2:8; 2:9; 12:19; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; Revelation 15:4; 16:5, 7; 19:2, 11.
We teach that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and therefore deserve the punitive justice of God (cf. Romans 3:1-20, 23).
The justice of God demands the punishment of the sinner, but the justice of God also accepts the vicarious penal-substitutionary sacrifice of one who has never sinned, as in the case of the Lord Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice for sinners (cf. Acts 17:31; 1 Peter 3:18).
We teach that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have the ability to and are commanded to be just and pursue justice (cf. Deuteronomy 16:20; Psalm 119:106; Proverbs 21:3; Isaiah 1:17; 56:1; Micah 6:8; Zechariah 7:9).
We teach the opposite of justice is partiality. We teach that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ do not show partiality (cf. Exodus 23:2, 6; Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 1:17; 16:19; Proverbs 17:15; 18:5; 24:23; 28:21; 1 Timothy 5:21; James 2:1-12; 3:17[5]).
2.6.3.12 Holiness
We teach that the holiness of God is the divine perfection of God according to which God is absolutely holy in Himself and this means God’s nature is perfectly separate in His essence from everyone and everything and above everyone and everything outside Himself. We teach that God is holy and that means that God is absolutely sperate from sin (cf. Isaiah 59:2; 1 John 1:5; 3:5; see 1 Peter 1:19). We teach that God is holy and because God is holy, God hates all sin (cf. Psalm 5:4-6; Isaiah 59:2; Habakkuk 1:13).
The Hebrew term in the OT translated as the English term “holy” is קָדוֹשׁ qadosh and has the sense to mean the sacred holiness and as a Hebrew term it has many occurrences in the OT (cf. Isaiah 6:3).
The Greek term in the NT translated as the English term “holy” is ὅσιος hosios and hagios and has the sense to mean sacred separation in the incommunicable sense (cf. Revelation 15:4; 16:5).
We teach that God is by nature absolute perfection and purity without any sin and darkness (cf. 1 John 1:5). We teach that God is completely holy – namely, God’s holiness cannot be ever changed or overpowered by the moral blemish or defilement of the darkness (cf. John 1:1-5). We teach that nothing but perfection can be attributed to God.
We teach that God’s holiness is eternally invested with God’s attribute called goodness because everything God does is holy – that is, there is no work that God could have done that is imperfect or unholy (cf. Genesis 1:31; Romans 7:12).
We teach that God’s holiness is eternally invested with God’s attributes called goodness, righteousness, aseity (independence), immutability (i.e. God cannot change), impeccability (i.e. God is perfect – God cannot sin), and infinity (i.e. God is infinity holy). We teach that God’s holiness is eternally invested with all of God’s perfections (cf. Psalm 145)
We teach that God’s perfection called holiness in inseparably constrained to God’s perfection called veracity (i.e. absolute truth) because God said in Psalm 89:35, “Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David.”
In the incommunicable sense we teach the holiness of God is a majestic holiness and is closely associated with God’s incommunicable attribute called transcendence in the sense that God’s perfection called holiness makes God distinct from everyone and everything created (cf. Exodus 15:11; 1 Samuel 2:2; 2 Chronicles 30:27; Psalm 5:7; 22:3; 27:4; 48:1; 71:22; 89:18; 97:12; 98:1; 99:3-9; 103:1; 105:3; 145:21; Proverbs 30:3; Isaiah 5-6; 10:20; 29:23; 43:14-15; 49:7; 54:5; 57:15; Jeremiah 51:5; Ezekiel 39:21-29; Hosea 11:9; Habakkuk 1:12-13; Mark 1:24; Luke 1:49; 4:34; John 17:11; Revelation 4:8; 6:10; 15:4).
We teach that the communicable aspect of holiness is a righteously virtuous holiness in which God has communicated holiness to elect angels and redeemed men and women. In this sense, holiness is a behavioral and ethical feature. Holiness as a communicable attribute of God is separation with a purpose as God has positionally set apart believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and taken them out of darkness and brought them into God’s marvelous light to be separate from the world (cf. Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 John 2:15-17; 5:4). God is holy and therefore those who are God’s elect angels as well as those who are God’s chosen people from the human race are called by God to be holy (cf. Leviticus 11:44; 19:2; 20:26; 22:32; Deuteronomy 7:6-11; Joshua 24:19; Psalm 110:3; Isaiah 1:12-20; Ezekiel 39:7; Amos 2:7; 5:21-23; Zechariah 8:17; 1 Timothy 5:20-21; 1 Peter 1:16).
We teach that God’s Law is righteous and holy and good (cf. Romans 7:12).
We teach that God’s perfection called holiness is inseparably constrained to God’s perfection called wrath (cf. Genesis 19:24-28).
We teach that God’s holiness demands that God punishes sin (cf. Proverbs 3:32; 15:26; 17:15; Romans 6:23)
We teach that God’s holiness demands perfect obedience to His Law (cf. James 2:10).
We teach God’s holiness was eternally on display at the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. The physical death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross eternally demonstrated God’s infinite holiness and hatred of sin. On the cross the innocent spotless sinless Lord Jesus Christ (namely, God the Son in human flesh cf. John 1:1-5, 14; Colossians 2:9; 1 John 1:1-4; 4:2) was treated by God the Father as if the Lord Jesus Christ committed the sins of everyone who would ever believe upon Him to be saved from the wrath of God (cf. 1 John 4:10). We teach God the Father charged or imputed the sins of the elect to the account of the Lord Jesus Christ when the Lord Jesus Christ died in penal-substitution on the cross for everyone who would ever believed in Jesus Christ to be saved from the wrath of God. The guilty sinner who trusts by faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ’s perfect life under the Law of God, the Lord Jesus Christ’s vicarious propitiatory penal-substitutionary physical death on the cross and the Lord Jesus Christ’s physical bodily resurrection from the dead – we teach that the believing sinner is treated by God the Father as if they have lived the lawful perfect righteous life of the Lord Jesus Christ even though the believing sinner is guilty of breaking the Law of God. We teach that God the Father charges or imputes the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ to the account of the believing sinner. We teach the believing sinner is justified by faith alone in Christ alone and set apart as holy unto God. We teach this is the work of God to save the believing sinner from the wrath of God in which the believing sinner deserves in and of themselves (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21; see Romans chapters 4-5).
We teach this finished work of the great exchange of the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ (i.e. vicarious propitiatory penal-substitution and double imputation) does not in any way contradict the holiness of God – but instead the great exchange of the cross has eternally displayed the holiness and righteousness of God. We teach that God’s eternal wrath has been eternally satisfied by the perfect and finished merits of the Lord Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection from the dead (cf. Romans 3:21-26; 1 John 2:2; Romans 4:21-25; 1 Corinthians 15:4). Therefore, because of the finished merits of the Lord Jesus Christ, God has eternally forgiven the sins of those who genuinely trust in Christ Jesus alone to be saved from the wrath of God and the penalty that the believing sinner eternally owes God has been eternally expiated (i.e. eternally removed cf. Hebrews 9:11-14; 10:1-4; 11-18; 1 John 1:7).
We teach that God disciplines His people so that we may share His holiness (cf. Hebrews 12:10).
We teach that the church does not replace Israel – that is, the nation of Israel is distinct from the church and not replaced by the church (cf. Romans 11).
We DO NOT teach replacement theology (e.g. supercessionism – federal theology – covenant theology all terms and systems that are used interchangeably for the purpose to teach that the church replaces the nation of Israel).
We DO NOT teach that there are multiple ways to be saved from the wrath of God.
We teach that salvation from the wrath of God is by God’s grace alone, through faith alone in the Person, merits and finished redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ alone – for no man can save himself by his own merits (cf. Acts 4:12; Ephesians 2:1-10; Titus 3:5; see Isaiah 64:6).
We teach that God’s judgment and restoration of Israel is part of God’s eternal plan for salvation and eternally maintains and manifests God’s holiness (cf. Ezekiel 39:21-29; Romans 9:1-11:36).
For the LORD God has promised the restoration of the nation of Israel – “Therefore, thus says the LORD God, ‘Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name” Ezekiel 39:25.
2.6.3.13 Jealousy
We teach that the jealousy of God is the divine perfection of God according to which God is eternally zealous to promote, proclaim, protect, preserve and vindicate all of His divine perfections. We teach that God is a God of vengeance and will absolutely avenge all lawless criminality against God’s name, honor, glory, God’s exclusionary right to be the only One to be worshiped and obeyed, and God’s property (namely, God’s redeemed people, holy land and holy city).
We teach that the earth is the LORD’s and all it contains the world and those who dwell in it (cf. Psalm 24:1). Therefore, God possesses and owns everything created. We teach that God has the right to be protective of anyone and anything that God sovereignly chooses.
We teach that God is Jealous for His name and Jealous is His name because God said, “for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Exodus 34:14; cf. Ezekiel 39:25).
The OT Hebrew term translated into English “jealous” is the Hebrew term קַנָּא qanna and as an adjective has the sense to mean describing God as punishing those who hate Him as well as demanding exclusive worship from His people (cf. Exodus 20:5; 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24; 5:9; 6:15; see also קַנּוֹא qanno Joshua 24:19; Nahum 1:2).
We teach that God is jealous for His honor, glory and sole right to be the only object of worship because God is the most valuable being that exists and God’s being is self-existent (cf. 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:13-16). We teach that God will avenge His honor upon those who do not worship God and value God above all. We teach that people need to realize that to not worship God and value God above all is to hate God which has generational consequences (cf. Deuteronomy 4:24; 5:9; 6:15; 29:20; 32:16, 21; 1 Kings 14:22; Psalm 78:58-59; Psalm 79:1-7; 1 Corinthians 10:22; James 4:4).
We teach that God’s perfection called jealousy is eternally invested and inseparably constrained to God’s perfection called holiness (cf. Joshua 24:19; James 4:5)
We teach that God is jealous to be worshiped. We teach that God hates idolatry.
We teach that God is jealous to discipline His people (Psalm 79; Ezekiel 16:42; 23:35; 1 Corinthians 10; 11:27-34; Hebrews 12:4-11; Revelation 3:19).
We teach God is jealous to protect His Law (cf. James 2:9-13).
We teach that God is jealous to be treated as holy among His people and we teach that God is jealous to protect His ordinances (cf. Leviticus 10:1-3; 1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22-36; 4:10-22; Numbers 19:20; Deuteronomy 12:32; Matthew 3:5-12; Acts 5:1-11; 1 Corinthians 11:27-34).
We teach that God is jealous to protect His Gospel (cf. Galatians 1:6-10).
We teach that God is jealous to protect His word (cf. Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18-19).
We teach that God is jealous for the land that He promised to Abraham in the Abrahamic Covenant (cf. Genesis 15:18-21; Ezekiel 36:5-6; Joel 1:18; Zechariah 1:14). We teach that God in His jealousy will establish and fulfill the Messiah’s future Davidic Kingdom reign (cf. 2 Samuel 7; Isaiah 9:6-7; 2 Timothy 2:8-13; Revelation 20:1-6).
We teach that God in His jealousy saves His people (cf. 2 Kings 19:31; Isaiah 37:32; 63:15-16).
We teach that believers are partakers of the divine nature because of the Lord Jesus Christ and believers are zealous for God the Father’s honor (cf. Numbers 25:7-13; Revelation 2:12-17; 3:19-22).
We teach there is the communicable sense of the Divine attribute called Jealousy:
The NT Greek term translated into English “jealousy” is the Greek term Epipotheo from epi (Gk preposition – “upon”) and potheo (to yearn – to have a burning intensity to protect one’s possession). Cf. James 4:5. Occurrences in NT (cf. Romans 1:11; 2 Corinthians 5:2; 2 Corinthians 9:14; Philippians 1:8; Philippians 2:26; 1 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Timothy 1:4; 1 Peter 2:2).
We teach that God is the source of holiness and jealousy and sanctifies the man of God to be holy and jealous for God’s glory – this can only be understood in the sense that man is a tripartite constitution as God is jealous to “sanctify us wholly, and our whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23; see 1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
We teach the jealousy of God is closely related to the wrath of God (cf. Ezekiel 36:5-6; 1 Corinthians 10:14-22).
We teach that Christians do not practice idolatry because idolatry provokes the Lord to jealousy and those that love the Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible manifest such love to the degree that they are unwilling to live their lives in such a way to offend the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:14-22; James 4:1-10; 1 John 2:15-17; 5:21; Revelation 2:12-17).
2.6.3.14 Mercy
We teach that God possesses the divine perfection called Mercy (cf. Exodus 34:6-7; Numbers 14:18; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Micah 7:18; Nahum 1:3; Psalms 86:15; 103:8; 145:8; Nehemiah 9:17; 2 Corinthians 1:3). We teach that the mercy of God is the perfection of God in which God does not deal out retribution to destroy people when people deserve to be destroyed.
The Hebrew term used in the OT that was later translated as the English term mercy is the Hebrew term רַחוּם rachamim and has the sense of the compassionate action of God extended to save people who are in misery, distress, suffering, wretchedness, hardship, difficulty, affliction, anguish, anxiety, torment, agony, adversity, trouble, pain and sorrow – and forgive their iniquities even though they do not deserve or merit help (cf. Exodus 34:6; Deuteronomy 4:31; 2 Chronicles 30:9; Nehemiah 9:17, 31; Psalm 78:38; 86:15; 103:8; 111:4; 112:4; 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2).
The Greek term used in the NT that was later translated as the English term mercy are the Greek terms ἔλεος eleos (cf. Matthew 9:13; 12:7; 23:23; Luke 1:50, 54, 58, 72, 78; 10:37; Romans 9:23; 11:31; 15:9; Galatians 6:16; Ephesians 2:4; 1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2, 16, 18; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 4:16; James 2:13; James 3:17; 1 Peter 1:3; 2 John 1:3; Jude 1:2, 21) and οἰκτιρμός oiktirmos (cf. Romans 12:1; 2 Corinthians 1:3; Philippians 2:1; Colossians 3:12; Hebrews 10:28). Both terms has the sense to mean the compassionate act of saving or forgiving someone in misery, distress, suffering, wretchedness, hardship, difficulty, affliction, anguish, anxiety, torment, agony, adversity, trouble, pain and sorrow even though they do not merit or deserve any help in their miserable condition.
We teach that God’s mercy never fails (cf. Lamentations 3:22).
We teach that the Christian receives all the benefits of God’s mercy because of the first advent, finished atoning work, session and second advent of the Lord Jesus Christ
(1) The Mercy of God in the First Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ
We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ perfectly manifested mercy during His first advent because the Lord Jesus Christ is God in human flesh (cf. Matthew 9:36; 14:14; 20:34; Luke 1:50).
(2) The Mercy of God in the Finished Atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ
In the eternal sense, we teach that all men everywhere deserve to pay God back in eternal torment in the lake of fire for the sin nature the human race has inherited from the first Adam as well as the sins men have committed against God (cf. Romans 2:5-6; 3:9-18; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3; Revelation 20:11-15). However, God in His divine mercy has extended mercy in the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ to men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. Therefore, because God is merciful not every person who has ever lived will receive what they deserve. The believing sinner deserves eternal judgment but the Lord Jesus Christ has eternally taken the believing sinner’s punishment upon Himself through His atoning death on the cross on the believing sinner’s behalf. Therefore, the mercy of God has been eternally extended to those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved from the wrath of God (cf. Ephesians 2:4). Those who refuse to repent and refuse to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ do not receive the salvific mercy of God.
We teach that God has not extended mercy in the finished atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ to every single human person who has or who will ever be physically born in the history of mankind (cf. Romans 9:22).
We teach that God has extended mercy in the finished atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ to everyone who would ever believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved from the wrath of God (cf. Romans 9:23; 1 Peter 1:3).
(3) The Mercy of God in the Session of the Lord Jesus Christ
We teach that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ receive mercy every single day of their lives because the Lord Jesus Christ is our great high priest interceding for us at the right hand of God the Father at the throne of God in Heaven and therefore the Christian receives mercy in every sense in the Christian life (cf. Hebrews 2:17; 4:16; Romans 9:23; 11:30; 12:1; 1 Corinthians 7:25; 2 Corinthians 4:1; Ephesians 2:4; Philippians 2:27; 1 Timothy 1:2, 13-16; 2 Timothy 1:2, 16; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 2:10; 2 John 1:3; Jude 1:2).
(4) The Mercy of God in the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ
We teach that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ will receive the eternal mercy of God in final salvation at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ at His second advent (cf. 2 Timothy 1:18; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Jude 1:21).
In the communicable sense we teach that God gives believers in the Lord Jesus Christ the supernatural attribute of mercy as a gift to extend mercy to each other and other men (cf. Romans 12:5-8; James 3:17).
We teach that for the one who does not show mercy (i.e. merciless) that person evidence that they are not in Christ but still under the wrath of God (cf. James 2:13; Matthew 18:21-35).
We teach that mercy is inseparable with forgiveness (cf. Matthew 18:21-35).
2.6.3.15 Unity
We teach that God is not a robot or machine that can be taken apart and isolated into sections. We teach that God is a unity not a unit. Because of God’s attribute of unity there is no dichotomy in God between His attributes. Therefore, there is unity in God between all His attributes. The unity of God means that there is one God and that the divine nature is complete, unbroken, undivided, and indivisible. The unity of God refers to His Being, One and Only, inseparably constrained to all His attributes and in that sense is incommunicable (cf. Deuteronomy 6:4; John 10:30; 1 Corinthians 8:6). The sense of unity being communicable has to do with believers in the Lord Jesus Christ thinking God’s thoughts after Him from the word of God and being unified with one heart, one mind and one purpose from the word of God (cf. John 17:20-23; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Ephesians 4:3-16; Philippians 1:27).
We DO NOT teach that you can triage God’s attributes.
We DO NOT teach doctrinal triage.
We DO NOT teach any form of pseudo unity like theological triage that employs military, medical and business pragmatism.
We teach that theological triage attacks the unity of God. Therefore, theological triage is man’s quest to eisegete into the word of God principles of the wisdom of man. Therefore, theological triage must be rejected.
2.6.3.16 Veracity (Truth)
We teach that God possesses the divine perfection called veracity. Veracity means absolute truth. We teach that God always is truthful and truth telling.
We teach that God has never lied.
We teach that God does not lie (cf. Numbers 23:19).
We teach that God will never lie (cf. Hebrews 6:18).
We teach that God cannot lie (cf. Titus 1:2).
We teach that God’s word – namely, the inerrant original autographs of the Scriptures is absolute truth.[6]
We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ is full of grace and truth and therefore the only perfectly reliable source of truth. He must be listened to and obey on every single word because Jesus Christ is God in human flesh (cf. John 1:14, 17-18; 1 John 4:2).
We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ extended His ministry of absolute truth in the apostolic writings of the apostles (e.g. 1 Timothy 2:5-7; 2 Peter 3:15-16).
We teach that God’s knowledge, decrees and actions are absolute truth.
We teach that God’s truth is perfectly trustworthy and the only objective account of reality.
We teach that God’s divine perfection called veracity is genuine and real (cf. Jeremiah 10:10; John 3:33; Romans 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 6:10; 19:11, 13; 22:6).
We teach that the God of the Bible (cf. Genesis – Revelation)[7] is the only true God (cf. John 17:3).
We teach that God of the Bible is the only real God (cf. Deuteronomy 32:21; John 14:6; 17:3; 1 John 5:20).
We teach that concerning all of God’s promises, covenants, dependability, reliability, salvation, faithfulness and love – God communicates these features in absolute truth (cf. Exodus 34:6; Numbers 23:15; Deuteronomy 4:31; 7:9; 2 Samuel 2:6; 15:20; Psalms 19:9; 25:10; 33:4; 36:5; 40:11; 111:7; 119:86, 142, 151; Daniel 4:37; 9:4; Nehemiah 1:5; John 17:17; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 10:13; 2 Corinthians 1:18-20; Ephesians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:24; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Hebrews 10:23; 11:11; 1 John 1:9).
We teach that the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ knows God in Christ Jesus who is true (cf. 1 John 5:20).
We teach that the God-man the Lord Jesus Christ never lied but always spoke and lived the truth.
We teach that all other men are liars in and of themselves (cf. Romans 3:4).
However, we teach that the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ lives a changed life by the power of God and practices walking in the light by telling the truth but does not practices lying (cf. 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:22).
We teach that the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ lives their life by practicing speaking the truth in love (cf. Ephesians 4:15).
2.6.3.17 Mission
We teach that mission is one of the attributes of God that is communicable. God’s mission began in Genesis and continued through the OT. The bible is primarily about the redemption of man. The moment man sinned in Genesis 3 he died spiritually and was in need of a Savior. God’s mission was that He promised that Savior as early as Genesis 3:15. The OT is the history of the nation of Israel – the nation from which the Messiah would come. Also, God gave the nation of Israel His righteous standard, namely the Law. God commissioned Israel to enter the land He promised Abraham in the Abrahamic Covenant. Giving the covenants to Israel presupposes God’s mission. In the OT God gave the nation of Israel a mission because the text reads:
For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. “Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them; He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face. Therefore, you shall keep the commandment and the statutes and the judgments which I am commanding you today, to do them (Deuteronomy 7:6-11).
Deuteronomy 7:6-11 is explicit evidence that shows God’s attribute of mission is inseparably constrained with His attributes called immutability, veracity and love.
We teach that the nation of Israel was given the mission to witness to the surrounding nations about the greatness and goodness of God and the only way to be saved from His wrath, namely God’s only substitutionary sacrifice for the forgiveness sins (cf. Isaiah 53). To this effect, Israel was to be a witness in going forth with the message of redemption for the nations, however, the nation rejected the Messiah, the church was established and the Gospel was taken to the gentiles. In the end of human history, God will regenerate, forgive and redeem the nation of Israel (cf. Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:24-28). The nation of Israel will believe the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and God will have them testify to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Isaiah 66:19; Romans 11, emphasis on vv. 25-27; Revelation chapters 7, 11, 14).
We teach that the Nation of Israel is the nation from whom the Messiah has come, namely the Lord Jesus Christ and fulfilled His mission by fulfilling the Law, dying in penal-substitution on the cross for everyone who would every trust in Him to be saved from the wrath of God and He was bodily raised from the dead for the justification of the believing sinner (cf. Isaiah 42:1, 6-7; 49:6; chapter 53; Matthew; Mark; Luke; John; Acts 2:22-24; Romans 4:24-25).
In the NT, the Lord Jesus Christ after His bodily resurrection from the dead commissioned His disciples when He said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20). During the Apostolic age just before His ascension, the Lord Jesus Christ sent His apostles on the mission to testify to His bodily resurrection from the dead when He said, “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Lord Jesus Christ commissioned the thirteenth apostle, namely the Apostle Paul to testify to this same mission when He said to Paul in Jerusalem, “Take courage, for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause, at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also” (Acts 23:11). The Greek term translated into English as “solemnly witnessed” is the Greek term διαμαρτύρομαι and has the sense to mean to thoroughly give an earnest testimony, the etymology of the word is from where we get the term martyr. The Lord Jesus Christ is referred to in Scripture as the faithful martyr (cf. Revelation 1:5). Those who Christ Jesus has given His life for in Penal-Substitutionary Atonement join His cause and are willing to lay down their own lives to be faithful witnesses to the Lord Jesus Christ’s perfect life, substitutionary death and bodily resurrection from the dead. This is how mission is one of the communicable attributes of God.
2.6.4 Conclusion
We teach the glory of God is the summation of all His attributes and all God’s attributes testify to His greatness and goodness.
We teach a person has right thoughts about God when that person’s thoughts of God agree with what the word of God teaches about Him –that is, when we think of His being and attributes as the word of God teaches, thus thinking God’s thoughts after Him. Thinking about God rightly is to think about all of who God is concerning the unity and summation of all of God’s perfections. Therefore, all doctrines from the Word of God are eternally invested with one another and are equally true and important (cf. Ps 89:2; 119:89, 160; Is 40:8; Matt 24:35; 1 Pet1:25).
We teach that God has put His divine perfections on display and they are evident in natural revelation and therefore man knows about God’s invisible attributes (i.e. God’s eternal power and divine nature) but because of man’s sin man suppresses the truth about God and His perfections and therefore man is under the wrath of God (cf. Romans 1:18-32). In man’s unbelief, for unbelief is the essence of sin, unregenerate man refuses to accept the genuine testimony of natural revelation.
We teach that the only way properly have knowledge of the divine perfections of God is from a regenerated heart by the power of God and as a result illumination to have the consideration of special revelation, that is studying God self-revelation in Scripture and believing the truth about the nature and perfections of God.
We acknowledge that man’s attempts are finite at systematically enumerating God’s attributes, but this document is an opportunity for us to affirm and defend the attributes of God that are revealed from holy Scripture. What is more, some have categorized God’s attributes designating a twofold designation of non-moral and moral categories, but we teach all of God’s attributes have a moral quality due to His attributes of holiness, righteousness and goodness being eternally invested with all His attributes.
We teach when it comes to acknowledging God’s perfections correctly, the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ must exegete God’s word from a spirit that is submissive to the indwelling of the Person of God the Holy Spirit who dwells in the believer. This is theocentric –that is, theology with its origin from God. Reasoning from God’s perspective, namely thinking His thoughts after Him, is possible because of regeneration. The believer can understand God’s Word clearly because God has clearly revealed His word and the believer is a recipient of the ministry of the illumination of God the Holy Spirit (cf. Eph 1:18).
[1] We take exception to John Piper who conflated both agapaó and eros together to coin his concept of the love of God by defining it as – “holy, divine eros.” John Piper, Desiring God Meditations of a Christian Hedonist (Colorado Springs: Multnomah Books, 2011), 124.
[2] We DO NOT dichotomize the peace of God like Baruch Spinoza who wrote, “Peace is not the absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition of benevolence, confidence, justice.” We teach that war is the absence of peace as well as peace being a virtue.
[3] The Greek term for pleasure in the sense of sensuous pleasure, a strong desire or passion in the negative sinful sense is ἡδονή (hédoné) from where the term hedonism is derived. It each occurrence of ἡδονή (hédoné) in the NT it is in the context of sinful passions – namely, lust or the negative connotation of living merely to have one’s appetite satisfied and bodily desires satiated by putting self over service (cf. Luke 8:14; Titus 3:3; James 4:1; 4:3; 2 Peter 2:13). Therefore, hedonism and Christianity are diametrically opposed to one another.
[4] We teach the term impute means to charge (credit) to one’s account; or put to one’s account (cf. Mark 15:28; Luke 22:37; Romans 2:26; 4:3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 24, 2 Corinthians 5:19; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23).
[5] The Greek term translated into English “impartial” is ἀδιάκριτος (adiakritos). The Greek term ἀδιάκριτος (adiakritos) is a compound word with the alpha privative prefix (which negates the term that follows it) together with the Greek term διακρίνω (diakrinó) itself a compound word that has the sense to waver through and to go back-and-forth in one’s judgment and to doubt not being able to discern one thing from another and then siding with your own understanding. Therefore, with the alpha prefix inseparably attached to διακρίνω (diakrinó) – the Greek term ἀδιάκριτος (adiakritos) has the sense to judge objectively without partiality.
[6] See section 1 – The Doctrine of the Word of God (Bibliology), specifically section 1.4 The Doctrine of the Inerrancy of the Word of God.
[7] See the enumeration of canonical books at the beginning of this document as well as section 1.1.1 – Canonicity - The Doctrine of the Canon of Scripture.