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Character (Attributes) of Jesus Christ.
Pre-existence and Eternality
In Isaiah 9:6-7, God’s deliverer—Emmanuel—would not only be just a child, but God. Matthew’s
quotation of Isaiah 7:14 as the fulfillment of Jesus’ birth shows that the child was God. Jesus was and is
from eternity to eternity, God. Other passages suggest that the child who was to be born in Bethlehem
was an eternal being (Mic. 5:2). Jesus descended from heaven implying that He was there before (John
3:13) becoming incarnate. Paul says that if Jesus Christ created all things, He logically must predate
them (Col 1:16-17). Jesus Christ is the “beginning and end;” He “was,” and “is,” and “is to come” (Rev.
1:8).
Immutability
Scriptures state that both God the Father and Jesus Christ are unchangeable (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8). Jesus
laid the foundations of the earth and the heavens which will perish; but Jesus will remain the same and
His years will never end (Heb. 1:10-12). Chafer defined immutability as “the state of quality of being that
which is not capable or susceptible of change, either by increase or by decrease, by development or by
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self-evolution.” J. I. Packer says that “God is immutable. . .he is totally consistent. . . , he expresses his
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perfect character with perfect consistency.” So, God’s being does not change (Ps 102:26-27; Mal 3:6;
Heb. 1:10-12); His purpose does not change (Num. 23:19; Ps 33:11; Prov. 19:21; Isa. 14:24; 46:9-10); His
will does not change (Matt. 5:17-18; Acts 2:22-24; 17:31; Eph. 1:4-14); and His ethical norms do not
change (Jonah 3).
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Omnipresence (All-Present)
The word “trinity” is not found in the Bible; neither is “omnipresence” or “rapture.” However, the truths
about of them are taught in the Bible. Merrill C. Tenney observes; “Neither the noun ‘omnipresence’ nor
the adjective ‘omnipresent’ occurs anywhere in Scripture, but the idea is a Scriptural necessity.”
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Grudem says that “Just as God is unlimited or infinite with respect to time, so God is unlimited with
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respect to space.” Omnipresent is a compound word. Omni is a Latin prefix which means “all.”
Written in the Moody Handbook of Theology on omnipresence are the following words; “That attribute
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of deity that means God is everywhere present in His totality at the same time.”
Omnipresence in the Scriptures
Moses gave some commands to the children of Israel concerning their progressive
obedience to God. Moses said, “But from there you will seek the Lord your God and
you will find Him” so long you do so with undivided heart and soul (Deut. 4:29). So,
the LORD their God was present both in Horeb and Canaan.
In Jeremiah, God expressed His negative concerns toward the uncaring and
unconcerned shepherds (Jer. 23:1-3). Secondly, God described the ungodly priests as lying prophets
from Samaria and Jerusalem (Jer. 23:10-14). God informed them that He was not far off and that no one
can hid from Him (Jer. 23:23-24; cf. Ps. 139:7-12).
Omniscience (All-Knowing).
The word “omnipresence” is also not in the Scriptures. Grudem defines it as “God fully knows himself
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and all things actual and possible in one simple and eternal act.” Further, he adds that omniscience
connotes “all-knowing.” J. I. Packer notes that “Omniscience is a word that means knowing
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everything.”
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