by jimwalton » Sun Nov 17, 2013 8:02 pm
If God is only great, constant, and eternal, he might possibly also be immoral (or amoral), exercising his power and knowledge in capricious and cruel ways. But because the Bible speaks of God was being good as well as great, then he can also be trusted and loved. If were not good, he could not be trusted, and a love relationship with him would be impossible. Here are some things the Bible says God is:
1. Creator of all that exists
2. Eternal, in all directions
3. Great, above all things
4. Constant (unchanging)
5. Holy (separate from all creation)
6. Absolutely pure and good
7. Just and fair
8. Truthful
9. Faithful
There are many other things. It's actually quite a long list. Actually, though, if God is not good, we have to scratch from the list everything from #3 on. Actually, we'd probably have to discount "creator" also, since he would have made something vile, and so full of mistakes that it would have self-destructed long ago.
As you can see, goodness is so integral to God's character, that for him to be without it would be to negate his deity. If he's not good, then he's not God. But it's not that his goodness is more important than anything else about him. All of these attributes of his are eternal and co-dependent.
If God is only great, constant, and eternal, he might possibly also be immoral (or amoral), exercising his power and knowledge in capricious and cruel ways. But because the Bible speaks of God was being good as well as great, then he can also be trusted and loved. If were not good, he could not be trusted, and a love relationship with him would be impossible. Here are some things the Bible says God is:
1. Creator of all that exists
2. Eternal, in all directions
3. Great, above all things
4. Constant (unchanging)
5. Holy (separate from all creation)
6. Absolutely pure and good
7. Just and fair
8. Truthful
9. Faithful
There are many other things. It's actually quite a long list. Actually, though, if God is not good, we have to scratch from the list everything from #3 on. Actually, we'd probably have to discount "creator" also, since he would have made something vile, and so full of mistakes that it would have self-destructed long ago.
As you can see, goodness is so integral to God's character, that for him to be without it would be to negate his deity. If he's not good, then he's not God. But it's not that his goodness is more important than anything else about him. All of these attributes of his are eternal and co-dependent.