The Moral Attributes of God
By: Pastors Rodney & Adonica Howard-BrownePublish date: 06/20/2020
Foundation Scriptures:
For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth. 5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Psalm 33:4-5 KJV
1. The Moral Attributes of God.
a. We call certain attributes ‘moral,’ because they pertain to character and conduct.
b. They all speak of the Goodness of God.
2. Holiness.
a. The essence of Who God is, is Holiness.
b. In His presence, His Holiness inspires both awe and worship (Exodus 15:11; Revelation 15:3-4).
c. Isaiah 6:3 KJV—And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
d. HOLINESS: Belonging to or coming from God; ascribed to all those things which in any way pertain to God, or His worship; dedicated to God, holy, sacred; reserved for God and His service; pure, perfect, worthy of God, consecrated; spiritually perfect or pure; untainted by evil or sin; sinless, saintly; free from defilement of vice, idolatry, and other impure and profane things.
e. Whatever, or whoever, belongs wholly to God, is considered Holy; the tithe is called Holy; worship of idols and other gods is unholy.
f. Ephesians 1:4 KJV—According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.
g. God is a Holy God and He requires Holiness of His people (Leviticus 11:44-45; 1 Peter 1:15-16).
h. In the New Testament, Holiness (for us) means: inward purity of life and separation from the world.
i. Romans 6:19-22; 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 4:22-24; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 4:7; Hebrews 12:10,14; 2 Peter 3:11
3. Righteousness (Justice).
a. Genesis 18:25; Deuteronomy 32:4; Romans 3:25-26
b. God’s Righteousness is His Holiness in action, and His Justice is His Righteousness in rule and government.
c. RIGHTEOUS: just; rightness, straightness, rectitude; justice of a judge, of a king, of God; upright; conforming to the laws of God and man and living in accordance with them.
d. God’s Righteous Judgement is exhibited in punishing the wicked, AND in avenging, delivering, rewarding the righteous.
e. God is a Righteous God, because He acts, at all times, in complete conformity with His Holy nature and will.
f. As a Righteous God, He lays down just laws to govern the dealings of man with each other.
g. The first four of His ten commandments have to do with the worship and service of God.
h. The last six pertain to the people’s treatment toward one another.
i. Our God deals with us in Justice; we must deal with one another in Righteousness.
j. Psalm 31:1 KJV—In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
k. Our Righteous and Holy God will not act inconsistent with His Holiness, yet He is also a God of Mercy and Forbearance.
l. In His Righteousness He made a way to justify the sinner, by sending His Only Begotten Son to be, once for all, the perfect sacrifice for sin.
m. Romans 5:1,16
4. Love (Mercy, Goodness).
a. God is Love (1 John 4:8-11,16).
b. It could be said that all God’s moral attributes are encompassed in these two: His Holiness and His Love.
c. In His Holiness, He is unapproachable; in His Love, He approaches us (Deuteronomy 4:37).
d. For fallen man, these two apparently irreconcilable attributes are brought together in the finished atoning work of Christ, in which the demands of Holiness are satisfied, and the outpouring of Love is realized.
e. In Deuteronomy 7:6-8 God expresses His Love as the basis of His covenant with the nation Israel.
f. God’s Love (agape in the Greek) is defined as: To love, value, esteem, feel or manifest generous concern for, be faithful towards, to delight in, to set store upon; whence—love, generosity, kindly concern, devotedness.
g. The following are proofs of God’s Love for the believer:
h. Securing our salvation and eternal life (John 3:16).
i. Desiring and providing for us all needed things (Romans 8:32; James 1:17; Philippians 4:19)
j. Sending the Comforter, the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-16; 16:7).
k. Placing us in His Body (Ephesians 5:25-27).
l. Making us sons of God (1 John 3:1-2).
m. Providing means for bodily healing (James 5:14-16; Matthew 8:16-17).
n. Providing means for a victorious Christian life (Romans 8:35-39).
o. Under the category of Love, other virtues could be included, such as: mercy, longsuffering, goodness, forgiveness, compassion, etc.
5. Truth.
a. The Truth of God is part of His Holy nature.
b. Deuteronomy 32:4 AMPC—He is the Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are law and justice. A God of faithfulness without breach or deviation, just
and right is He.
c. God cannot (will not) lie (Titus 1:2; Numbers 23:19).
d. The Word was made flesh…full of Grace and Truth (John 1:14).
e. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
f. Let God be True, but every man a liar (Romans 3:4).
g. Because God is Truth, we can be assured of these three things:
h. Because God is Truth, His Word is True, and His promises can be depended upon (Psalm 119:89; John 17:17).
i. God is Truth because He is the only True God, Creator of all things, and the only true object of man’s worship (John 4:23-24) and all idolatry, therefore, is a
lie and deception.
j. Because God is Truth, He is Faithful to keep all His promises and covenants (Deuteronomy 7:9).
k. We know that all His promises will be fulfilled, because He would never promise what He did not intend to keep, and also because He is Omnipotent and able to fulfill what He promises.
l. Hebrews 10:23; 2 Corinthians 1:20; 1 Kings 8:56; 2 Peter 1:4
m. We must understand, however, that many promises are conditional upon certain obedience on our part.