Lesson 6 - Attributes of God - II

Lesson 6 

Attributes of God - II 

Objective:   To be partakers of the divine nature by growing in God's wisdom.

Bible Portion: Rom 1: 18-32, Deut. 19:1-18.

Memory Verse: I Peter 1:14-16.

as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."

Introduction 

Have we learnt the natural attributes of God?  Now we will study about the moral attributes of God. God has certain moral qualities and men should experience them. Some of such characteristics are holiness, love, Justice, compassion and faithfulness. It will be helpful for us to love God more and reflect the holy characteristics of God. 

I. Holiness: 

Whenever one is unable to receive the revelation of holiness, he cannot see the unholy element around him and may not get a solution. Isaiah, the prophet, when he had confronted with the revelation of holiness, it changed him fully. 

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

The whole earth is full of His glory!”

4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 So I said:

“Woe is me, for I am [a]undone!

Because I am a man of unclean lips,

And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;

For my eyes have seen the King,

The Lord of hosts.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said:

“Behold, this has touched your lips;

Your iniquity is taken away,

And your sin [b]purged.”

8 Also, I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:

“Whom shall I send,

And who will go for Us?”

Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

God's holiness is beyond all our thoughts. Isaiah mentions about God as 'holy one of Israel' in 30 times.

1. The holiness of God is a reality

But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment,

And God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness. (Isaiah 5:16)

2. The meaning of holiness: The word 'holiness' is used in the Bible in the sense of separation. God himself is away from uncleanness. Washing with water (Lev.8:6), different parts of the tabernacle, the dedication of Levites and priests (Lev. 8), and the command of God is Israel that they do not come near the Senai mountain (Ex. 19.12) express the holiness of God. The children of God should lead a holy life and separate themselves from unholiness. 

3. How God's holiness has been revealed?

     a. God hates sin (Prov. 15:9, Deut. 25:16)

     b. God punishes the sinner (Ex. 14:7).

     c. Jesus bore the condemnation of sin in order to deliver the sinners from the punishment. Jesus had to become a sacrifice or ransom for many because God is holy and just. Yet is was the will of God to crush him (Isaiah. 53:10). The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us. (Isaiah. 53:6)

4. Being God is holy, what should we do?

  a. Go near to him with fear ( Heb. 12:28,29)

  b. We should receive the revelation of God's holiness, and also submit ourselves by confessing our sins. We should get cleansed by the holy sacrifice of Jesus Chris (I John. 1:7-9)

   c. We should maintain holiness in deeds, words and thoughts because God is holy and, he loves and saves us (I Pet. 1:14-16).

II. Love 

What is the meaning of the phrase 'God is love'? It is God's unchanging character. Men use the word 'Love' not in real sense. Love is real and it looks and acts for the goodness of the one whom we love. It does not have any selfish motives. This is called God's Love. The word used for God's Love in Greek is 'agape'. The love of men, many times, possesses selfishness. The root word for this is 'Eros'.

    1. The Love of God is a reality (John. 4:8-11)

God not only loves, he himself is love. The important thing behind all moral values is love. We understand the very love through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.

2. The Love of God has no limitation and boarder

God lives his son, Jesus Christ. Christ. is the subject of God's love always. God loves the world. God desires everyone to repent and have eternal life through Jesus Christ. He loves the sinners, ungodly, and the lost. God loves believers who come into a relationship with him. In order to understand the depth of the love of God, we must realize the love of Christ, which is beyond wisdom.

3. How the love of God has been revealed? 

It is very difficult to define love. I can be expressed through actions or deeds. God revealed and expressed his love to men through his dealings.

a. Jesus Christ came into this world and bore the death at the cross. It was because he had to save the world from the condemnation of sin, and also from the power and circumstances that Satan raises against the men. He wants us to become the children of God to call God Abba, Father. 

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4: 9 - 10 )

b.When a person acknowledges Christ's love at the cross and takes refuge in him, it will be delivered from all evils. He will be revealed the love of God and it makes him peaceful and happy and they will be satisfied spiritually and physically.

c. God has sent the Holy Spirit to us to dwell in us all the time. Thus, he revealed his love.

d. The love of God is also revealed in the punishment given to men for their purification. God punishes whom he loves. The punished will be blessed and they will bring the offering in the righteousness to the Lord.

e. God stays with his people and strengthens them at the time of suffering. Even if a mother forgets the baby. God will never forget his people.

III The righteousness of God

The righteousness is a quality that always connected to holiness, Righteousness refers to ' What is right?'

1. God's righteousness is a reality
    The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.

2. God reveals his righteousness through his actions.
   
     a. He loves righteousness and hates wickedness.

     b. God punishes the sinners for their wickedness

     c. He rewards everyone for their faithfulness

    d. He delivers the god-fearing ones from their suffering

    e. God fulfills his promises

The law of righteousness is that a sinner must be punished. So God sent his son to the world as a sin offering. He laid the condemnation of sin on Jesus. Those who believed in Jesus will be justified and delivered We can see the manifestation of God's righteousness on Calvary.