The Attributes of God
Dear Children of God! how are you? How have you been during this season of fasting? We hope you are holding strong and well, diligently fasting throughout this Great Fast also known as “The Great Lent” that our Lord and Savor Jesus Christ fasted for forty days. Children, you shall know as well, all above the age of seven must fast the seven chronological fasts which we have thought you previously.
Children! it is also necessary to go to Church and attend the Divine Liturgy with your parents on Sabbath (the last two days of the week which are locally known as “Kedamea and Ehud”) and take part of The Eucharist/Holy Communion/ (eat the Holy Flesh and Holy Blood of the Holy Son: Lord and Savior Jesus Christ). Good!
Dear Children of God! you remember our last lesson on “The Existence of God” right? Good! Now, we will see its consequent (following) lesson about “The Attributes/Characters/of God, so be with us!
Though it is impossible for human’s mind to know about the attributes of the creator of all, the Lord, we have been able to comprehend (understand) His character from His creations, Histories in Holy Scriptures and Hagiographies (Stories of Saints).
Our Egyptian Patristics Fathers teach us saying, “Our contemplations on God’s attributes consist of two types: the attributes concerning His relationship to us and the attributes concerning Him only as a God such as the Eternal, the Unlimited, the Creator, the Almighty, the Everlasting. They are all a field for deep contemplation (thought).” Let us now see what these words mean one by one.
God revealed to us concerning Himself that He is invisible spirit. (John 4:24). That is why we are not able to see Him. Though He is invisible, but for the love of us, He has revealed Himself or appeared to righteous (good and saint) people in their dreams or else in front of the form images, or reflections of Himself.
Children, the other reason we cannot see our Lord God, is because we will not live after that. God said to Moses, “there shall no man see Me, and live” (Exodus 33:20). As He is fire and light just as we saw on our last lesson, we would not able to endure the heat that comes out of Him. “For God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). We are not even able to face the light and warmth of the sun let alone His. The light of the sun might blind us with its brilliance.
God is Eternal
The word “Eternal” refers to “existing forever.” Everything or anything in this world has a beginning and an ending. Humans, animals and plants are born, grow, get old and die at last. A material of any kind is produced/made/ might be renewed but eventually be broken, damaged or destroyed at the end. All is temporary on this earth.
However, God existed before the creation of the world, He exists now and will exist forever. This is what it means when we say “God is eternal.” He has no beginning or ending. He always was and always shall be. God is outside time. God always is. (Psalm 89:3, Exodus 40:28)
God is Unchanging (James 1:17, Malachi 3:6)
The world is full of things or matters that are inconstant. Everything changes, grows, ages and breaks. We humans also are not constant but changeable. Our body’s height, weight and skin changes during growth. Some of our characters are interchangeable as well, whilst we mature. Our possession on the household, the things we use in our schools and work place are changeable and replaceable since they are artificial and handmade.
Children, only God is constant and unchanging. Neither His attributes and words change. There is no change in Him. He does not grow or age. “Just as He always was, so He is now, and so He shall remain forever. God is always the same.”
God is omnipotent (Genesis 17:1, Luke 1:37)
The word “omnipotent” signifies the power of God. It means “the unlimited power of Him.” So no other power, authority or sovereignty exceeds Him. God created the world without any hand or support of other. He just said, “Let there be” and the world was created.
He Who has made the world and creatures beautiful, is marvelous (wonderful). He Who has created all the Angels and gave extraordinary nature and power, is Alpha and Omega. He Who is winner, is Almighty. So, we say “God is “omnipotent.”
Humans struggle to make something. We also need materials and help of others to build our house, furniture or any other possessions. Be it our family, relatives, friends or neighbors, we must have the support of others to construct something earthly. There might even be somethings that we would not be able to do or build. However, for God, everything is possible to make, only by His power and words.
God is omnipresent (Psalm138:7-12)
Omnipresent means “to be present everywhere.” Only God be present in the whole place of the world. He has this magnificent (superb) power. No creature can hide from Him as He can be everywhere. Thus, we shall not say we can do something that He disgraces (hates) without being seeing by Him.
God is omniscient (1 John 3:20, Hebrew 4:13)
When we say “God is omniscient,”, we mean “He knows everything. It means He know what was, what is and what will be. He only has this ability but no other. We humans have limited ability of knowledge. We become aware of many things by learning. For that reason, we can only have the knowledge of our minds ability. But, God knows everything as He is the One Who gives wisdom (knowledge). We are also limited in our vision and hearing. We are not able to see in the dark (night time) but only during the day (light). But, God sees and hears everything in day and night.
God is all-Good (Matthew 19:17)
We might not always be good but God is. He has absolute and unconditional love for His Creatures and children, but man does not. Although, we are told to love our neighbors just as we love ourselves, we have limitations and boundaries when it comes to loving in absolution. (Mark 12:31) Only God loves all of us perfectly. That is why He provided all the significant for the first creation of Mankind, Adam in the heavens, all the heavenly grace, heavenly food, honor and even authority on all the creatures under the heavens and above earth, to be their King, because He loves Him dearly. It was man who was not able to prove his love for his creator by obeying the Law, which was not to eat the forbidden fruit.
It was the Lord our God Who gave His life for humans to save us from enemy Satan and hell by being crucified upon the cross because of His unconditional love. He gave us all the good present in life because God is good. He gave us air to breath, food to eat, drink for our thirst, clothing for protecting our bodies from cold, rain and scarcity. He embraced us with families as father, mother, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, nephews and nieces for the loving and enjoyable time in our lives. This is all because God is all-Good.
God is all-righteous (Psalm 7:12, Psalm 10:7)
Righteousness is the manner of doing good deed throughout our spiritual lives. The Biblical definition of it according to The King James Bible states, “Purity of heart and decency of life; conformity of heart and life to the Divine law.”
We humans lead more to fail in being good all the time. We become unable to be right and do harm. For instance, we tell lies instead telling the truth, disobey our God and our elderlies rather than living under the right Law. We prefer comfort and live in failure of righteousness than being just and endure physical misery for the salvation of our soul.
However, God is perfectly just. He is righteous and judges people justly. He only punishes sinners when they disobey and defy His law failing to be righteous. No man goes unpunished for any evil deed if he or she refuse to repent.
God is all-sufficient (Acts 17:25).
The Kingdom of God is sufficient for God is all-sufficient. There is nothing He cannot fulfill and merits. His graceful with Divine Wealth Who can bestow (given) His creatures any time justly. Men might have not be satisfied all the time and is always in need of other things. God alone has everything and do not need anything from others for He has everything to give His creatures.
God is all-blessed (1 Timothy. 6:15)
Blessing is the virtue we are given from God. He bestows us this virtue of Him because He is all- blessed. Blessing is pronouncing a wish of happiness to someone else. It is to be good and full of grace in God’s power, righteousness, just and almightiness.
God’s name, work and deed is all blessed and He blesses us with all His work of salvation, redemption and virtue. For this, we, His children become also blessed.
Dear Children, we shall be children of God and be blessed in having Holy life to inherit The Kingdom of Heaven. This means we need to be good by obeying our parents helping them in house chorus, respecting our religious fathers in obeying the command of God and living by the Liturgy of the Church.
Farewell children! We have finished for today and wish you a good time until we meet!
May God be with you, Amen!