Comentarios, Conclusiones y Recomendaciones 1 Comentarios de auditoría financiera

The attributes of God tell us what God is like in the New Testament.

Attributes of God are qualities that constitute what he is. There are characteristics of his nature; his permanent qualities, objective characteristics, and part of his very nature, his being and essence. Basing on the attributes the Westminster Catechism, eternal and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth”.

Attributes throw light on the many facets of the character of God.

The New Testament presents God in the following ideas:

1) The wisdom of God 2) The glory of God 3) The Holiness of God 4) The love and grace of God 5) The goodness of God

6) The uniqueness of God 7) The unity of God Self-Assessment Exercise 7

We have not mentioned all the attributes of God such as God of love.

Mention others that we have not mentioned.

It will be important to discuss a few attributes of God that appear prominent in the New Testament.

Love

God is love means God is eternally sharing and giving himself. God exercised love even before the creation. The persons in the Trinity love themselves (John 14:31; Matt. 3:17). Love is seen in other attributes such as benevolence, grace, mercy and persistence. In benevolence God takes care of his people’s ultimate welfare (John 3:16); God cares and provides for his people. The love of God includes his grace and mercy.

In Grace, he deals with people not basing on their merits or worthiness.

Grace is dependent on his goodness and generosity. He requires nothing from us (Eph 1:5-8; 2:7-9; Titus 2:11; 3:3). God’s mercy is his tenderhearted, caring compassion. It is the pitying concern of God (Matt. 9:35-36; Mark 6:34). God’s love is persistence, his patience is without limit. Look at the live of the Israelites (Rom. 2:4; 9:22; 1 Pet.

3:20).

Self-Assessment Exercise 8

What are the other aspects of God’s love?

Holiness

The word Holy means to be separated. God is absolutely distinct from all his creatures and is exalted above them in infinite majesty. In virtue of his holiness he has no communion with sin. This, he also demonstrates in his moral creatures. We are also called upon to be holy, to be separated, to cut off, or to withdraw from common ordinary use.

Read 2 Corinthians 6:14 – 17. Scholars think that this is the best description of holiness in the Bible.

Self-Assessment Exercise 9

2 Corinthian 6:14-17 is very important for the understanding of Holiness. Read it carefully and outline what a holy person is expected to do.

Immutability

This means that God is devoid of change. He is changeless in his being, perfection, purpose and promises. His words, knowledge and plans, moral principles remain forever the same. Improvement and deterioration are not found in God (Heb. 1:11, 12; Jam. 1:17). This should not make God an actionless God (immobility). God has entered into a relationship with human beings. Their actions sometime changes what is around but his being remains the same. It does not also mean that what we do here does not affect God or he does not feel it. God grieves when we sin, he is really affected by what we do. Immutability does not mean God will not correct his people. It is comforting for Christians to know that God is going to remain faithful to his promises and his steadfast love endures forever.

Self-Assessment Exercise 10

In what ways do our actions affect God?

4.0 CONCLUSION

The study of God is called theology proper. It is about God and his relation to the created world especially crown of creation, man. All of God’s activities have man at the centre. His titles, names and attributes can be explained in relations to nature of man and Gods desire of what man is expected to attain. On the New Testament manifested himself in Christ and also works through Christ. Christ himself taught he is God, sent by God and is working for him according to his directives. The aim of disclosing the very nature of God to humanity is to help man to know how to approach God. God is unlike anything we know and experience in this world. He is to be approached differently according to his nature.

This doctrine is opposed to deism – which states that God created but has withdrawn from it. The world only operates by the laws of nature.

5.0 SUMMARY

This unit exposes you to the activities of God in this world generally.

The unit first establishes that God is the creator of the universe and thus his own it, every thing in it as the Psalms testify. The earth is the Lord and the fullness thereof. The good God also takes care of everything he has created but he has special care for believers.

This God who has created the world and takes care of it, is a spiritual being who saves his people from sins. He has power over all things and he is fully in control. This unit closes with the attributes of God which

reveal the characteristics of his nature.

6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment

1) Under the Theological titles of God, discuss Alpha and Omega and Saviour

2) After explaining the term attribute, discuss any two attributes of God.

7.0 References/Further Readings

Ladd, George Eldon. (1974). A Theology of the New Testament. Grand Rapid: William Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Guthriel, Donald. (1981). New Testament Theology. Leicester: Inter Varsity Press.

Erickson, Millard. (1983). Christian Theology. Fifth Edition. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House

UNIT 2: CHRISTOLOGY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT