Page 67 - Bible Writers Theology Original

everything that is possible to do. Omnipotence includes the power of self- limitation. He has limited Himself, to some extent, by giving free willto His rational creatures. That is why He did not keep sin out of the universe by a display of His power and did not force salvation universally upon mankind. (See Psalm 49:20; Genesis 3:22; Romans 2:14; I John 3:19-22; Psalm 32:9.)
D Immutability
God Himself declares, "For I am the LORD, I change not" (Malachi 3:6). God is unchanging in His essence, attributes, consciousness, and will. Any change in an object or being is denoted by either a positive or negative adjustment. Godcannotchangetothebetter,sinceHeisabsolutelyperfect
(Deuteronomy 32:4; II Samuel 22:31; Ecclesiastes 3:14; Matthew 5:48). (See James 1:17; Psalm 102:26-28; Revelation 4:2; Hebrews 13:8; Psalm 33:11; Isaiah 46:10; I Kings 8:56; II Corinthians 1:20; Psalm 103:17; Genesis 18:25.) Although God's character and attributes forever remain the same, it should be noted that His course of action may deviate in response to man's actions
(Numbers 23:19; Genesis 6:6; Exodus 32:14; Jeremiah 18:7-11; Joel 2:13; Jonah 3:10; Ezekiel 18:25-32.)
E Transcendence
God's essence is transcendental to human experience. God's essence, thought, emotions, and attributes are far beyond our comprehension and experience. Yet through the Bible, God has revealed to us many things about His nature, attributes, and will for man (Isaiah 55:8; I Corinthians 2:6-10/ John 1:14-18; Job 26:14; Ephesians 3:18; Colossians 2:2). God declares in Isaiah 55:8-9 that "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the
earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts", showing his transcendental attributes. (See also Job 11:7-10.)
• "But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared" (Titus 3:4), God sent his Word and made it flesh "and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." Oohn 1:14).
• "NomanhathseenGodatanytime;theonlybegottenSon,which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him." (John 1:10)-
• The church now has access "unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, an oftheFather,andofChrist;inwhomarehidallthetreasuresofwiS"
domandknowledge" (Colossians2:2,3).
The Oneness of God ♦ 51