Exam 2 Flashcards
What is God’s Attribute of Love
-God’s “eternal giving or sharing of himself”
-God’s love is self-giving
-God’s love is multifaceted
How is God Love?
Love has always been present among the members of the Trinity even before there were any created beings.
Concrete examples of God’s love
Christ’s death on the cross
What is the Biblical Definition of Wrath?
God’s wrath is God’s right and necessary reaction to objective moral evil
Why is it good that God has wrath?
His wrath makes him a loving God. For God to be good, loving, and just, there must be consequences for one’s evil actions.
What would be the opposite of wrath?
Indifference or passivity to evil
Is wrath an essential attribute of God?
No, wrath is a reaction that God only exhibits when He encounters evil
Why does there need to be consequences/judgments for our actions?
Without consequences, there would be no stopping evil actions. Everything would be permissible.
What is God’s unity/simplicity?
God is not divided into parts.
God’s attributes are not in conflict with one another.
What do Calvinists and Arminians agree on about God’s Providence?
God is omnipotent, God is sovereign, God has a plan for history,
What are decrees?
God’s eternal decision to render things certain.
What is God’s sovereignty?
(King) God has ultimate authority and is able to accomplish his purposes.
What do Calvinists believe about God’s providence?
God is in control of and determines/foreordains all things including sin and evil.
Divine meticulous determinism
God’s decrees and foreordination are complete; everything that happens on earth is determined by God.
Different wills of God
God’s revealed will of command: do not sin.
God’s decreed will/secret will: may degree sin for a greater purpose.
Compatibilism
Humans have compatibilist free will (God determining everything).
What do Arminians believe about God’s providence?
Libertarian free will. Gof has limited control over human freedom.
Creation ex nihilo
God created the world out of nothing. (No pre-existent matter).
When God created the universe, nothing else existed besides Him.
Did God need to create the world?
No, God’s creation of the universe is a free act, a non-necessary act.
Materialism
Denies the existence of God; believes the material universe is all there is.
Pantheism
the idea that everything, the whole universe is God.
Deism
believes God created the universe but is not now directly involved in creation; He stands back and watches from a distance.
God’s Immanence
God is intimately involved in creation.
God’s Transcendence
God is distinct from creation; he is far greater and “above” creation and independent of it.
Goodness of Creation
And God saw that it was good
Gnostic hierarchical dualism
Divides creation in two- material vs spiritual. Spiritual is good, material is bad.