Incommunicable Attributes of God Flashcards
What does God’s Incommunicable Attributes mean?
Definition: Incommunicable attributes of God are those attributes of his character that God does not share or are less “communicated” or shared, with or to, others. (those least familiar to our existence)
What are the five incommunicable attributes of God?
A – Aseity – God’s independence (or self existence); the quality or state of being self-derived or self-originated; specif : the absolute self-sufficiency, independence, and autonomy of God. Origin of ASEITY
ML aseitas, fr. L a se from oneself (fr. a, ab from + se oneself) + -itas -ity
E – Eternity – God’s eternity (or timelessness)
I – Immutability – God’s immutability (or unchangeableness)
O – Omnipresence – God’s omnipresence
U – Unity – God’s unity (or simplicity)
Define God’s Incommunicable attribute of Aseity (or Independence). Provide two scriptures to support this attribute. Explain the importance of this attribute and what it matters.
ASEITY – God’s Independence or self existence: God does not need us or the rest of creation for anything, yet we and the rest of creation can glorify him and bring him joy.
Significance: God alone is sufficient.
Exodus 3:14 – “ I AM WHO I AM” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.”
Act 17:24-25 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; (25) nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;”
Job 41:11 “Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine.”
Isa 43:7 Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”
Psalms 50:10-12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world and all that is in it is mine.
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Versus that speak to me on this topic:
Acts 17:24-25
Psalm 90:2
Cannot find good keywords to search to find multiple scriptures. Hard to find on keywords Independence and nothing on aseity.
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Summary written on Test:
God’s Independence is one of the 5 Incommunicable Attributes. It’s also known as his Aseity (from himself). His Aseity, or independence and autonomy, help us understand that everything that exists came ‘from God’ and not from anything else that already exists.
Acts 17:24-25 – “as though he needed anything” Paul explains that God doesn’t need anything from us as humans to be who He is.
Psalm 90:2 – before anything was made God existed. This shows his independence as a result of him existing before ANYTHING ELSE.
God’s Aseity matters because it helps us as believers understand that He is far separated from us. He doesn’t need us. He is not dependent on us. This should humble us and help us to understand our need for Him and that we don’t exist without Him. It also helps us understand our trust for Him because he is the one independent variable in existence. Our faith is improved because of His independence.
Define God’s Incommunicable attribute of Eternity. Provide two scriptures to support this attribute. Explain the importance of this attribute and what it matters.
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From our Cohort Review
ETERNITY – God’s eternity or timelessness: God has no beginning, end, or succession of moments in his own being, and he sees all time equally vividly, yet God sees events in time and acts in time. (God’s infinity in time)
Significance: God has been, is, and will be.
Psa 90:2 “Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”
Rev 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Psa 90:4 “For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it passes by, Or as a watch in the night”
2 Pe 3:8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
Gal 4:4-5 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, (5) so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
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Lookup “Alpha” and “Everlasting” as Keywords to find scripture.
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Summary written on Test
The Eternity of God is the absence of time attributed to his existence. He has no beginning, no middle, and no end.
Psalm 90:2 – God existed before anything was made. He was here before anything. Similar to the description of God’s Aseity, this provides us with trust in our faith of Him who is before all existence.
Revelation 1:8 – identifies that God is the beginning and the end (“Alpha and Omega”). This helps us understand that He is the measurement of time and that all exists within His beginning and end, which are not defined. This, coupled with Psalm 90:2 that talks about “who is and who was and who is to come” clearly states that He is eternal.
