CHAPTER II

THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD MOST HIGH, AS TAUGHT IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

THE Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament and the New declare that the Existence of God is evident from that of the universe which He has created, and that man's conscience and reason also bear witness to their Divine Creator (Ps. xix. 1-4; Acts xvii. 24-29). As the existence of the Necessarily Existent One (واجب الْوجود) is thus self-evident, Scripture states that the denial of God's existence is the outcome of wilful ignorance and wicked folly (Ps. xiv. 1; liii. 1; Rom. i. 19-23). The Bible tells us that God is One (Deut. iv. 35, 39; vi. 4; Isa. xliv. 8; xlv. 5; xlvi. 9; Mark xii. 29; John xvii. 3; 1 Cor. viii. 4; Eph. iv. 6); that He is a Spirit (John iv. 24) and invisible (John i. 18;

1 Tim. vi. 15, 16); that He is Infinite, Eternal, and Unchangeable (Ps. xc. 2; cii. 24-27; Jas. i. 17); Omnipresent and Omniscient (Ps. cxxxix. 1-12; Jer. xxiii. 23, 24; Acts xvii. 27, 28); Almighty and All-wise (Gen. xvii. 1; Job xii. 7-10, 13; Ps. civ. 24; Isa. xl. 12-18; 1 John iii. 20).

In like manner God is represented as Holy (Rev. xix. 2; xxi. 8; 1 Sam. ii. 2; Ps. xxii. 3; cxlv. 17; Isa. vi. 3; Rev. iv. 8), Just and Righteous (Num. xxiii. 19; Deut. xxxii. 4; Ps. xxxiii. 4, 5; Isa. xxvi. 7; xlv. 21; Rom. ii. 5-11; 1i John i. 9; Rev. xv. 3; xvi. 5-7), Compassionate, Merciful, Long-suffering (Exod. xxxiv.6; Ps. ix. 8-10; Lam. iii. 22, 23; Ezek. xxxiii. 11; Matt. v. 45; John iii. 16; 1 John iv. 16), the Creator and Preserver of all His creatures (Gen. i. 1; 1 Sam. ii. 7; Ps. xxxiii. 6; xxxvii. 23-25; civ; Matt. vi. 31, 32; x. 29-31; Rom. xi. 36; Rev. iv.11).

These are some of the many glorious Attributes which the Bible tells us belong to the One True God. All the rest are summed up in the statement that He is perfect in His Nature, His Knowledge, His Teaching, His Doings (Deut. xxxii. 4; 2 Sam. xxii. 31; Job xxxvi. 4; xxxvii. 16; Ps. xviii. 30; xix. 7; Matt. v. 48).

It cannot therefore be denied that all these statements which the Bible contains in reference to God Most High and to His Most Excellent Attributes are such as our reason and conscience confirm when they hear them, because they are worthy of the Most Merciful Creator. Nor can such knowledge in reference to God have been attained by men apart from Divine inspiration (إلهام) and guidance. For a perusal of the works of the wisest philosophers of old, even of those of Plato and Aristotle, will show us that not even these men ever taught any such lofty views as these about the Divine Nature. They did not clearly teach God's Unity, His Personality, His Holiness. Especially in this last matter, the doctrine of God's Holiness, the Bible differs from the teaching of all other faiths, ancient or modern.

When men who are really pious and desirous of knowing God and of doing His will prayerfully study the Bible, then the entrance of the Word of God (كلام الله) into their hearts gives them spiritual light (Ps. cxix. 105, 130), and enables them to find God (Deut. iv. 29; Jer. xxix. 13; John vii. 17), and to know His will. Fear and love of God are produced in their hearts by the power of God's Holy Spirit (Rom. iv. 5), and they receive grace to enable them to become obedient to their Maker. Their hearts are changed, they receive new spiritual birth (John i. 12, 13; iii. 5, 6), and through belief in Jesus Christ they become a new creation (2 Cor. v. 17). They learn to hate sin and to love righteousness, to flee from evil and cleave to goodness and godliness. For the Holy Scriptures teach us that God is Holy and Just, able to punish