Tag Archives: Attributes of God

The Servant Leader as a Reflection of the Excellency of Christ – Introduction

Articles September 11, 2022 Leave a comment

“God, through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, has redeemed their distorted and feeble attempts to portray His image. The effects of the fall are being reversed…”

Richard D. Allen

While I had the privilege of studying for my master’s degree in South Korea, I also had the privilege of meeting so many people who impacted my life tremendously. One of them, Dr. Sang Bok David Kim, who was one of my teachers. I remember that after two years of study, I became critically ill; however, I attended classes normally, although on several occasions, I felt very, very weak, that I could hardly concentrate. Suddenly, while I leaned back on my desk for a while, I felt a hand patting me, followed by words full of sweetness, like a father speaking to his sick daughter. That was Dr. Kim, who stopped teaching his class, to come to my place and lift my spirits, amid the pain I faced.

Dr. Kim, a recognized leader in South Korea and beyond. President Emeritus of Torch Trinity Graduate University, Pastor Emeritus of Hallelujah Community Church, Global Ambassador of Transform World Network, among other important leadership positions; but, above all, a servant leader who reflected the character of Christ, leaving his academic platform and bending down to lift the heart of a student weakened by illness. A leader with a father’s heart!

But before one develops today´s topic, as always, it is important to mention that the English version of this article has been translated from the Spanish version of Towards Excellence (https://hacialaexcelencia.org/2022/09/11/el-lider-siervo-como-reflejo-de-la-excelencia-de-cristo-introduccion/); not necessarily from the original texts and works of authors here cited.

Thus, after this extensive but very necessary journey, it has been discovered and verified that the Triune Creator God is certainly the God of excellence. His character and His creation evidence so.

Therefore, this extensive previous study has allowed us to lay the foundations for the following analysis and discussion, and which will focus on what concerns Christian leadership, whose actors are certainly bearers of the image and likeness of God, and consequently are challenged to be an example of excellence in their sphere of influence.

Starting from this premise, we now consider it appropriate to quote Genesis again:

Gen1-28_eng“Then God said, ´Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.´ So, God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, ´Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.´”

Erickson, taking the above passage as a reference, highlights that the human being has a unique place in creation; and not only that, but he has been placed above it; in fact, he has dominion over it. He also adds that our value as humans is great, because we are the highest of creatures except angels.[1]

On the other hand, Richard D. Allen, in his book “The Genesis Principle of Leadership: Claiming and Cultivating Your Created Capacity” states that each person possesses in equal proportion the attributes imparted by God in the incredible act of creation; and that leadership characteristics emerge from God-given attributes. Therefore, as each human being, men and women, is created in the image of God, this means that they possess equal capacity and full potential for effective leadership. Thus, when we human beings reflect the created attributes of God, then we are leading.[2]  And Allen further emphasizes:

“Your call to bear the image of God has a profound impact on the way you approach the task of leadership. As His image bearer, God commands him to be a leader. ´Rule!´ From the very creation of the world, you have been commanded to exercise dominion, to lead over all creation…You must lead God’s creation but only in a way that is consistent with His character – His attributes” . (Allen 2008)

And continuing with this interesting study of Allen, it is appropriate to highlight that God’s mandate, His commission since Genesis, has not changed at all. His mandate is in effect to fill the earth with His glory and rule over it. Now, there is a great obstacle that has appeared in the way, and that great obstacle is sin. It has wreaked havoc, impeding our ability to faithfully fulfill God’s command. It has perverted the pure and righteous attributes that God entrusted to humanity since creation. And it seems that everything reached a point of hopelessness. Fortunately, as Allen says, the biblical story does not end there, with the fall of man, condemned to a futile and hopeless struggle to be the bearer of the image of God, without any success. We see rather that a great door is opened, and God’s created attributes are redeemed![3]   So Allen specifies:

Man strive hand to a God

“God, through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, has redeemed their distorted and feeble attempts to portray His image. The effects of the fall are being reversed…Through Christ, you have been reinstated, newly commissioned to be God’s image-bearing leader…You are to fill creation with the glory of God reflecting His righteous government through leadership that you exert on your corner of creation.” (Allen 2008)

With this in mind, and understanding that as God’s creation, all human beings have received the call to rule over creation; consequently, to lead; it is important now that we focus on the study of Christian leadership, the focus of this research. Thus, stay tuned!

[1] Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2003), 512-513.

[2] Richard D. Allen, The Genesis Principle of Leadership: Claiming and Cultivating Your Created Capacity (Mustang, OK: Tate Publishing & Enterprises, LLC, 2008), 23-24.

[3] Richard D. Allen, The Genesis Principle of Leadership: Claiming and Cultivating Your Created Capacity (Mustang, OK: Tate Publishing & Enterprises, LLC, 2008), 44-45.

God’s Mark of Excellence – His Image

Articles June 15, 2022 Leave a comment

The soul is precisely the one that was sealed with the mark of excellence of our Triune Creator God, because it was made in His image:

“And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female created He them” (Genesis 1:27).

Wernher von Braun, in fact, recognized the human soul as God’s masterpiece. And it is in the human soul that God has impregnated the image of Him:

“Scientists now believe that in nature, matter is never destroyed. Not even the smallest particle can disappear without a trace. Nature knows no extinction, only transformation. Would God have less respect for His masterpiece of creation, the human soul? Every person receives the gift of life on this earth…The knowledge that man can choose between good, and evil should bring him closer to his Creator…” (Federer 2016)

As true as Von Braun’s analysis is, great theologians and scholars throughout history have seriously and deeply studied what concerns the “image of God.” And the Word itself gives us some portions in both the Old and New Testaments.

We have previously quoted Genesis 1: 26-27, which fundamentally have to do with God’s intention to create the human being and, in fact, with His concrete action.

Also, in Genesis 9 we find another verse where the “image of God” is alluded to, thus:

“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God is man made.” (Genesis 9:6)

Erickson comments that in Genesis 9 murder is prohibited on the grounds that the human being was created in the image of God. Although this passage does not mention that humans still bear the image of God, it is clear that what God has done before is still in effect, even after the fall.[1]

TongueLet us now quote a passage from the New Testament where the subject in question is also referred to; and through which the Scriptures evidence that the human being is created in the image of God, even after the fall.

“[The tongue] with it we bless the God and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God.” (James 3:9)

Erickson in his book “Christian Theology” presents some views about the nature of the image of God. However, he concludes by indicating that, since there are various interpretations, this is an indication that there is no direct statement in the Scriptures on the subject. Therefore, reasonable inferences must be drawn from what little the Bible says on this subject. And here we share the most relevant, according to Erickson’s analysis:[2]

  • The image of God is universal within the human race. If the passages Genesis 9:6 and James 3:9-10 are analyzed; we observe bans on killing and cursing, respectively. And these prohibitions apply without limitation to all mankind, on the basis that mankind was created in the image of God.
  • The image of God has not been lost as a result of sin or specifically the fall. Thus, returning to the analysis of the prohibitions on murder and the curse, they apply to both sinners and pious believers. Thus, the presence of the image and likeness in non-believers is assumed. If this is the case, it means that the image of God is something that is inseparably connected with humanity.
  • There are no indications that the image is present in one person to a greater degree than in another. Superior natural endowments such as a high level of intelligence; it is not evidence of the presence or of a certain degree of the image.
  • The image refers to the elements in the human composition that allow the fulfillment of human destiny. It is about the powers of the personality that somehow make humans like God, that is, beings capable of interacting with other people, of thinking, reflecting and having a will. God’s creation had a definite purpose: Humans were destined to know, love, and obey God, and to live in harmony with other human beings. And Erickson emphasizes that humans are most fully human when they are active in these relationships, fulfilling God’s purpose. He mentions here also that the attributes of God which are sometimes referred to as the communicable attributes constitute the image of God. And he points out:

“Humanity as humanity has a nature that encompasses everything that constitutes the personality or the self: intelligence, will, emotions. This is the image in which humans were created, allowing them to have the divinely intended relationship with God and with other humans, and exercise dominion. (Erickson 2003)

  • It is interesting that Erickson also mentions the thought of Karl Barth, who says that the image is present in the human as long as it is human. And he looks at the image of God not only consisting of the vertical relationship between the human and God, but also horizontally between human beings. The image is related to the fact that God created a being who, like Himself, can be a partner.
Mischievous boy covered with paints

As this boy is dirty, covered with paints; so does sin in us, the image of God. 

It is good to highlight here a synthesis of the study by Miguel Núñez, who states that the image of God has not been lost. Yes upset, disfigured, trampled, distorted; but it definitely has not been lost. By definition, he says, the image of God cannot be lost because God exists permanently. What distorted it is sin. As human beings we have a mind with which we think, just like God; emotions we feel; one intelligence, one spirit, existence, all this just like God. And in terms of soul destruction, we are not going to die, just like God. The human being will go to hell or to the presence of God, depending on whether he is a believer or not; but he will continue to exist, just like God. So, what distorts the image of God is the sin that entered man. The sinful nature affected as long as the mind was darkened, it distorts the perception of the reality of what the human being sees. Likewise, the feelings were affected, the human being has become egocentric, tries to satisfy his own needs selfishly. Before the fall, we would have lived in the presence of God, and we would not have had the deviations that we now have.

Dr. Núñez refers to two biblical passages that were also mentioned earlier in this chapter, Genesis 9:6 and James 3:9. Both passages, he says, occur after the fall. And God continues to affirm through them about the existence of the image of God in man. The image of God remains in us, and the seriousness of a crime, domestic violence or abortion basically lies in the fact that human beings are bearers of the image of God; if it were not in us, we could die just like the animals and nothing would have any consequence, he concludes.[3]

[1] Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2003), 519.

[2] Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2003), 519-533.

[3] Miguel Núñez, “¿Es el hombre pecador aun la imagen de Dios?” Edificando,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaKE_9n-G_M

THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD – Incommunicable Attributes

Uncategorized March 6, 2022 Leave a comment

“Making God the same as the universe is simply talking about Pantheism…”

Gerald Nyenhuis

Based on the articles previously shared in this Blog and established then that the Triune God is the Creator God of the universe as exposed by the Bible; let us now know in depth His character, a character that by the way is revealed from the very creation of the universe.

But, first of all, it is important to mention that the English version of this article has been translated from the Spanish version of Towards Excellence (https://hacialaexcelencia.org/2022/03/06/los-atributos-de-dios-atributos-incomunicables/); not necessarily from the original texts and works of authors here cited. The Bible verses used are mentioned below.

In fact, the universe itself speaks, as we have already analyzed it earlier (see previous articles), of the existence of an intelligent being behind it. As Francis A. Schaeffer puts it, the universe openly exposes what God is; and not only that, but it does so in four areas.[1]

The four areas that Schaeffer mentions from the perspective of the universe are: (1) The universe speaks of the existence of Being. The universe is there, existence is there, God is there. (2) The universe has order. It is not chaos. This is evidenced in Genesis 1, as it relates that God made all things to produce after its own kind. Nothing is chaotic or random. (3) The universe speaks of the character of God. Likewise, and as described in Genesis 1, everything that God made is good. Therefore, God is good. (4) The universe speaks of God as a person. In Genesis 1:27, God creates the human being in His own image. Here it is evident that the Triune God who communicates and loves has created the human being, who reflects His personality, His communication and His love.[2]

Thus, and to enter properly into the study of the attributes of God’s character, it should be noted that scholars have classified them into two large groups: the communicable and the incommunicable.

TE-God does not changeThis classification allows us to denote that God is immanent and transcendent. As it was before explained (see previous articles), this means that God is present and active in His creation (immanent); and, on the other hand, God is superior and independent of His creation (transcendent).

Making God the same as the universe is simply talking about Pantheism, emphasizes Gerald Nyenhuis. And, furthermore, he asserts that through an attribute the nature of God is revealed to us. An attribute of God is everything that God has revealed in His Word as a true characteristic of Him. He also points out that incommunicable attributes speak of God’s transcendence; and on the other hand, the communicable ones speak of His immanence.[3]

On his part, Dr. Miguel Núñez points out that, in the study of theology, regarding the study of the Triune God, it is important to know that the incommunicable attributes are those that belong only to God.[4] And, on the other hand, the communicable attributes are those that God is somehow going to form in us, human beings.[5]

And as Millard J. Erickson expresses it well, when we speak of attributes we refer properly to the qualities of God, which constitute what He is. Attributes are permanent and intrinsic qualities, which cannot be lost or gained. They are inherent and essential dimensions of His very nature, he emphasizes.[6]

With this in mind, we will analyze each of the attributes, both communicable and incommunicable, step by step. In this article we will focus first on the “incommunicable attributes”.

Incommunicable Attributes

As Nyenhuis says, these attributes are those that highlight the transcendent greatness and absolute differentiation of God.[7]

And although not all theologians or scholars agree on the number of attributes; for this study we are going to take Gerald Nyenjuis’s analysis as the main reference, thus we will talk about four incommunicable attributes.

  1. Independence of God

When one speaks of the “independence of God,” one simply speaks of the fact that God exists by the necessity of His own being and that for His existence He does not depend on any external thing.[8]

“Aseity,” from the Latin word aseiti which means “of oneself”, is another term with which this attribute is also known, and which simply means that God is independent, self-existent and has no needs of any type, says Dr. Miguel Núñez.[9]

TE-Acts17For this purpose, it is important to share two biblical quotes that support what has been said, insofar as God has life in Himself; and, on the other hand, that He is not served by human hands, that is to say that He has no needs, nor does He depend on anything or anyone; on the contrary, all of His creation is the one who depends on Him.

“For as the Father has life in himself…” (John 5:26a  – NIV)

“Nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” (Acts 17:25 – ESV)

  1. The Immutability of God

The truth of this attribute is evidenced in some biblical passages; for the case, we will refer to Psalm 102, thus:

“But you are the same, and your years will not end. (Psalm 102:27 – ESV)

Likewise, similar references to the immutability of God are found in Malachi 3:6; Psalms 33:11; James 1:17 and Hebrews 13:8.

Just as God is independent, so to the same degree, God is immutable, Nyenhuis analyzes. If He depended on any created thing for sure He would be subject to change.[10]

This “divine constancy,” as Erickson calls it, involves a couple of aspects: (1) There are no quantitative changes. He cannot grow because He is already perfection. He cannot decrease, because if He did, he would cease to be God. (2) There are no qualitative changes. His nature is not subject to change. God does not change His mind, plans, or actions, no matter what happens.[11]

  1. The Infinity of God

The infinity of God, according to Mark Jones, means that there is no limit to God’s perfections. This qualifies the other attributes and qualifies them as intensely and qualitatively infinite. The infinity of God is the highest sense of perfection.[12]

In fact, according to Nyenhuis, this attribute shows several aspects, as follows: (1) Absolute perfection, as we have already said, qualifies the other attributes. God is infinite in His knowledge, goodness, justice, power, in all that He is. (2) His eternity, that is, in relation to time. God transcends time and owns the totality of what we call time or history. God is not limited by the categories of past, present, or future. (3) His immensity, this in terms of His relationship with space. An important aspect with His eternity is His omnipresence. That is to say, God is present in every place and every space; but it does not mean that He is distributed, but rather that He is totally present everywhere. So declares His Word, in Psalm 139: 7-10.[13]

  1. The Simplicity of God

God is absolute, which means that there are no distinctions within His being.[14]

The simplicity of God or unity as it is also known means that God is not divided into parts. What God is, says Miguel Núñez, is all the time and in all His being. And he provides an interesting example:

“God is not divided into parts, as if He were 10% love, 10% power, 10% faithfulness, etc. Instead, God is 100% love, 100% infinite, 100% faithful, 100% just, etc. His attributes are distributed throughout His whole being.” (Núñez, What are the incommunicable attributes of God? 2018)

Nyenhuis says, some theologians use the expression of the “unity of God”, that is to say that God cannot be divided among many beings, or otherwise, it is not possible for several beings to share His nature. And he cites a good example of this concept throughout Deuteronomy:[15]

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4 – NKV)

In other words, Nyenhuis stresses, God’s simplicity implies uniqueness.

Coming soon – “The Communicable Attributes”!

[1] Gerald Nyenhuis and Dr. R.C. Sproul, El Dios que adoramos (Miami, FL: Logoi, Inc., 1990), 244.

[2] Gerald Nyenhuis and Dr. R.C. Sproul, El Dios que adoramos (Miami, FL: Logoi, Inc., 1990), 244.

[3] Gerald Nyenhuis and Dr. R.C. Sproul, El Dios que adoramos (Miami, FL: Logoi, Inc., 1990), 70, 71, 91.

[4] Miguel Núñez, “Los atributos comunicables de Dios,” Coalición por el Evangelio, https://www.coalicionporelevangelio.org/articulo/los-atributos-comunicables-dios/

[5] Miguel Núñez, “¿Qué son los atributos incomunicables de Dios?” Coalición por el Evangelio, https://www.coalicionporelevangelio.org/articulo/los-atributos-incomunicables-dios/

[6] Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2003), 291-292.

[7] Gerald Nyenhuis and Dr. R.C. Sproul, El Dios que adoramos (Miami, FL: Logoi, Inc., 1990), 91.

[8] Gerald Nyenhuis and Dr. R.C. Sproul, El Dios que adoramos (Miami, FL: Logoi, Inc., 1990), 91.

[9] Miguel Núñez, “¿Qué son los atributos incomunicables de Dios?” Coalición por el Evangelio, https://www.coalicionporelevangelio.org/articulo/los-atributos-incomunicables-dios/

[10] Gerald Nyenhuis and Dr. R.C. Sproul, El Dios que adoramos (Miami, FL: Logoi, Inc., 1990), 91.

[11] Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2003), 304.

[12] Mark Jones, “10 Things You should Know about God´s Attributes,” Crossway, https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-things-you-should-know-about-gods-attributes/

[13] Gerald Nyenhuis and Dr. R.C. Sproul, El Dios que adoramos (Miami, FL: Logoi, Inc., 1990), 92.

[14] Mark Jones, “10 Things You should Know about God´s Attributes,” Crossway, https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-things-you-should-know-about-gods-attributes/

[15] Gerald Nyenhuis and Dr. R.C. Sproul, El Dios que adoramos (Miami, FL: Logoi, Inc., 1990), 93.