Articles of Faith

3.120 The Doctrine of the Godhead

We affirm in the knowable God the Father who is: perfect in holiness, completely loving, infinite in wisdom, measureless in power, and everywhere present.

We rejoice that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men;  that He hears and answers prayer; and that he saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ being sealed by the Spirit.

(Psalms 19:1-6; John 1:14; 3:16; 6:11; James 1:17)

Further, we affirm that God has revealed Himself to us through General Revelation through Creation (Psalms 19:1-6; Romans 1:18-20) and Conscience (Romans 2:14-15), also through Specific Revelation which is revealed in His Person (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; John 1:14) and in His Word (Psalm 19:7-14; John 5:39; Luke 24:44-45).

This God has declared Himself to be one (Deuteronomy 6:4) who is spirit (John 4:24; Exodus 3:14) existing in 3 distinct persons, The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit which we call the Trinity (Genesis 1:1-2, 26; 3:22; Isaiah 6:8; 48:16). This Godhead is co-equal, co-eternal, and co-substantial God (Isaiah 48:16-17; Matthew 29:19-20; John 1:1; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 5:7).  He has shared knowledge of Himself with us through His proclaimed attributes being our Creator. He has attributes which are neither shared nor fully comprehended by His creation (Isaiah 40:28; 55:8-9; Psalms 145:3).

We call these His Incommunicable Attributes, and they are:

• Eternality (Genesis 21:33; Psalms 90:2; 1 Timothy 1:17);
• Self-existence (Exodus 3:14; Acts 17:24-25);
• Immutability (Psalms 102:25-27; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17);
• Infinite (Psalms 40:5; 147:5);
• Perfection (Psalms 18:30; Matthew 5:48);
• Omnipresence (Psalms 139:7-12; Jeremiah 23:24);
• Omniscience (Psalms 139:1-6; 1 John 3:20);
• Omnipotence (Genesis 17:1; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 19:26);  and
• Unity (Exodus 20:3; Isaiah 46:9; 1 Timothy 2:5).

We affirm that He also shares attributes with His creation although to a limited degree for He alone is infinite and perfect, and we are broken and fallen.

We call these His Communicable Attributes:

• Truth (Jeremiah 10:10; John 14:6; Romans 3:4);
• Holy (Isaiah 6:1-5; 1 Peter 1:14-16);
• Love (1 John 4:7-8; John 3:16);
• Righteous (Psalms 58:11; Acts 17:31; Philippians 3:9);
• Faithful (Psalms 40:10; 2 Timothy 2:13);
• Merciful (Psalms 86:15; 116:5);
• Just (Psalms 37:28; 89:14; 1 John 1:9 );  and
• Gracious (Psalms 86:15; Ephesians 2:7-8).

We affirm that God is the Sovereign Ruler (1 Chronicles 29:11; Psalm 50) over of all of His creation which He created in 6 literal 24 hour days resting on the seventh day (Genesis 1-3; Exodus 20:10-11), sustaining  it by the power of His Word (Psalms 3:5; Colossians 1:16-17), saving it from its sin (John 3:16; Ephesians 1:3-6), and directing it  through His sovereign will to accomplish His purposed plan “to the praise of His Glory” (Psalms 135:6-7; Isaiah 46:9-11; Ephesians 1:6, 11-12).