Perfection of God's Attributes

We all know some of the attributes of God. He is holy. He is merciful and gracious. He is love. He is sovereign. He is strong. He is true.

Some of those attributes I think we can grasp to some extent. While others are beyond our comprehension. I was thinking about Romans 3:26 a little bit and I'm sure I've heard this idea before and didn't come up with it myself (every "new" thought that I think I've had, I'm pretty sure came from somewhere else anyway - another new revelation for me). But, I was thinking about how God is not: Part holy, part merciful and gracious, part love, part sovereign, part strong, part true. He is not a part of each of His attributes, yet He is completely and perfectly all of those things.

God is perfectly, completely Holy
God is perfectly, completely Merciful
God is perfectly, completely Sovereign
God is perfectly, completely Wise...

God is not true in one place and then not true in another. He does not demonstrate wisdom in one stage and act unwisely elsewhere. He is not in control of one situation, and not all of them. But this Perfection of God's Attributes can cause contradiction in our minds.

For example: Since God is perfectly just, then all of mankind should be going to hell, for all have sinned. If God, in His mercy, just lets someone off of the hook, then He ceases to be just. That is, it is not just to let a criminal get off without consequences. He would be showing Himself merciful in that situation but not just. The opposite would also be true.

Thankfully, this particular difficulty is answered most plainly in the Bible - by Jesus Christ. That's what Romans 3:25-26 is saying. God executed justice for man in the propitiatory sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He continues to be just, while at the same time He demonstrated His graciousness in justifying those that have faith in Jesus' blood - that He might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus! Hallelujah!

There are other difficulties that the perfection of God's attributes can cause to man:

• God is perfectly Sovereign, yet He is also perfectly Holy - which to me says that He is completely in control, but yet He will not cause sin to happen or He would violate His holiness. (This is not to say that He won't use man's sins for His purposes at times.)


• God is perfectly Strong, yet He is perfectly Longsuffering - He could right now finish this world's battle with Satan (I like to emphasize here, that God is not at war with, or in a contest against Satan - there's no contest there! The world and Christians have a contest with him.) He could end the battle against sin right now, but He is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish. His perfect longsuffering and forbearance cause Him to hold back His perfect strength so that man would come to repentance (Rom 2:4; 2 Pet 3:9)

What a God!

Deuteronomy 32:3-4: "Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he."

To the praise of the glory of His grace! eph.one.six