A Lesson from the Divine Attributes
“To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal And compare Me, that we should be alike?” (Isa. 46:5)
We learn from the Bible that God is the All-Seeing, All-Knowing, All-Powerful Being, whose wisdom, knowledge and power have no limit. We call this aspect of knowing God’s attributes, the doctrine of God’s Omni’s.
The Bible supports what our internal being was created to know, “… what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead …” (Rom. 1:19-20)
“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Tim. 1:17)
“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.” (Prov. 15:3)
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.” (Rev. 11:17)
“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! “For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?” 35 “Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?” For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.” (Rom. 11:33-36)
There are of course many verses which teach the omni’s of God. We sometimes refer to the omni’s as incommunicable attributes of God. They cannot be in any measure given or shared by creatures. These are Divine attributes alone. Now there is some aspect of knowledge, wisdom and power that are known by God’s created beings. We call these attributes, God’s communicable attributes. However, the “omni” aspect of these attributes is not and cannot be shared. We learn here a lesson and find how practical theology can be.
For instance, sometimes men forget this truth and begin to act or assume as if they had omni-attributes themselves, such as a divine eye, mind, or arm. I have run across some in the church whom I trust are well-meaning brothers, yet, they make the sophomoric mistake of assuming that if they don’t see a work being done, or done as they would do it, that it is not being done at all and belittle or even attempt to mandate that others must follow them (Luke 9:49). There are others who seem to have all wisdom, and say, if a work in the church is not done by their standard of wisdom it must not be done, or at least done right. Still others will tell us that if we simply applied principles of human excellence, the power of God would be sure to follow (Paul has quite a bit to say about this in 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5).
As men we can too often forget that we are just men at best. I find personal comfort in Job’s application of this truth to his otherwise well-meaning friends, “Then Job answered and said: “No doubt you are the people, And wisdom will die with you! But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Indeed, who does not know such things as these? “I am one mocked by his friends, Who called on God, and He answered him, The just and blameless who is ridiculed.” (Job 12:1-4)
Who knew just how practical the Divine Attributes might be?
