Lecture Notes: The Communicable Attributes of God

Introduction

• Discussion on communicable attributes of God.
• Comparison to communicable and incommunicable diseases.
• Attributes God can share with his creatures, enabling them to be like him.
• Focus on moral characteristics and knowledge according to theologians.

Key Communicable Attributes

Personality

• God is personal, capable of self-consciousness, will, feeling, and reciprocal relationships.
• God's personality is shown through his personal name and scriptural depictions.
• Humans, as personal beings, share this attribute.

Holiness

• Holiness: uniqueness and moral purity of God.
• God's distinctness and moral perfection.
• Humans are called to be holy, set apart, and morally good.
• Israel's laws as an example of holiness in practice.
• Sanctification process in Christianity.

Righteousness and Justice

• Righteousness and justice as applications of God's holiness.
• Not separate attributes but related concepts.
• Righteousness linked to God's law and fairness.
• Justice often associated with God's wrath toward sin.
• Euthyphro dilemma discusses if righteousness is inherent or decreed by God.
• Christian view: righteousness is grounded in God's nature.
• Call for humans to reflect God's righteousness and justice.

Truthfulness and Faithfulness

• God as the one true God, reliable and unchanging.
• Biblical examples of God's faithfulness despite human unfaithfulness.
• Humans called to reflect truthfulness and faithfulness.

Love

• God is fundamentally love; eternal sharing of himself.
• God's love within the Trinity and toward creation.
• Manifestation of love in grace, mercy, and patience.
• The cross as a demonstration of God's love and justice.
• Call for humans to reflect God's love by being unselfish and patient.

Omniscience and Wisdom

• God is omniscient, knowing all past, present, and future.
• God’s wisdom entails knowing all wise courses of action.

Conclusion

• Wrap-up of the communicable attributes.
• Preview of the next topic: the doctrine of creation.