chapter 38 & 39

PPt prepared by Mark E. Hardgrove, Ph.D.

Systematic TheologySystematic TheologyChapter 38

“God’s Majesty, Beauty, and Ineffability”

Majesty, Beauty, and IneffabilityAccording to Geisler these three nonmoral attributes go together:His beauty is part of His majesty, and His majesty is constituted in part by his inexpressible beauty. Both, along with His infinity and transcendence, are the reason for His ineffability, meaning that He goes far beyond our finite ability to comprehend or express.

God’s Majesty

Definition of God’s Majesty:

Majesty is represented in Hebrews by a several words with a range of meaning. Two Greek words capture the meaning of majesty.

In short, God’s majesty consists of unsurpassed greatness, highest eminence, unparalleled exaltation, and unmatched glory. (Geisler)

Biblical Basis for God’s Majesty 1 Chron. 16:27; 29:11 Job 37:4; 37:22 Ps. 29:4; 45:3-4; 48:1; 93:1; 96:6; 104:1;

145:5, 12 Isa. 6:1-5; 26:10; 33:20-21 Micah 5:4 Luke 9:43 Heb. 1:3; 8:1 2 Peter 1:16 Jude 25 Rev. 4:11

God’s Beauty

Definition of God’s Beauty:

Several Hebrew and Greek words convey the idea of beauty. As applied to God, beauty is the essential attribute of goodness that produces in the beholder a sense of overwhelming pleasure and delight.

(Geisler)

Biblical Basis for God’s Beauty1 Chron. 16:292 Chron. 20:21Ps. 27:4; 29: 2; 96:9Job 40:10Isa. 33:17

God’s Ineffability

Definition of God’s Ineffability:

Literally, “ineffable” means “incapable of being expressed.” Theologically, ineffability refers to the transcendent characteristics of God that cannot be adequately expressed in human language. Though we can apprehend God, we cannot fully comprehend Him.

(Geisler)

Biblical Basis for God’s Ineffability

Deut. 29:29 Ps. 139:6 Job 11:7 Isa. 55:8 Rom. 11:33 1 Tim. 3:16

A Mystery versus a Problem

Familiarize yourself with Familiarize yourself with the distinction between the distinction between a problem and a mystery a problem and a mystery in Geisler, pp. 529-530.in Geisler, pp. 529-530.

Systematic TheologySystematic TheologyChapter 39

“God’s Life and Immortality”

God’s Life

Definition of Life:

Theologically, to speak of God as life is to say two basic things: God is alive, and He is the Source of all other life. He has life intrinsically; He is life, while all other things have life as a gift from Him. . . Whatever else it may include, life involves immanent self-activity. (Geisler)

Biblical Sources for God’s LifeFamiliarize yourself with the biblical Familiarize yourself with the biblical basis of God’s attribute of life. Geisler basis of God’s attribute of life. Geisler places these references under five places these references under five headings (pp. 531-533):headings (pp. 531-533):1.God’s As Living2.God As a Source of Life3.God As the Resurrector From the Dead4.God As the Giver of Living Bread and Water5.God As the Source of Living Words

God’s Immortality

Definition of God’s Immortality:

Theologically, immortality as applied to God means that He possesses life intrinsically and eternally. God is life; all else merely has life. As life itself, He is the Fountain of all other life.

(Geisler)

Biblical Basis for God’s ImmortalityGod is Immortal 1 Tim. 1:17; 6:16 Rom. 1:23God Gives Immortality to Some

Creatures Rom. 2:7 2 Tim. 1:10 1 Cor. 9:25; 15:53-54 1 Pet. 1:4; 1:23God is the Giver of Eternal Life John 3:16; 5:24; cf. John 3:36