This is a response to a comment on my post “the happiness of God.” I felt it important to post on this because so many of us seems to glibly make statements about God’s nature without truly thinking it through.  I don’t suggest this was done by my commenter, but it does stir up in me the desire to state emphatically how important it is for us to think!  And especially to think right about God!  Even though he is infinite and all-sufficient, He HAS declared a lot about Himself in the scriptures and we need not be afraid of either Paradox or mystery when discovering our Great God!

I start with the Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter 2.1,2)… One of the most succinct statements about God, yet pregnant with the truth of scripture (at least in my opinion).

There is but one only, living, and true God, who is infinite in being and perfections, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions;  immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable, and most righteous will, for his own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth,  forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek him;  and withal, most just, and terrible in his judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.

2.  God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself; and is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them.  He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things;  and hath most sovereign dominion over them to do by them for them, or upon them whatsoever himself pleaseth.  In his sight all things are open and manifest,  his knowledge is infinte, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to him contingent, or uncertain. He is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands. To him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience he is pleased to require of them.

There!  Just ponder on some of the above again.   My next post will present some thoughts to press us in our quest for understanding God….