GOD’s GLORY
THE EXCELLENCE OF HIS BEING HIS ATTRIBUTES AND QUALITIES
What is God’s Glory? God’s Glory is the excellence of His Being. His attributes or qualities and the miracles or works He does.
Psalm 19:1
1 For the director of music. A psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
John 9:3
3 ….. said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
Before determining all God’s attributes or qualities I need to state there is no other God – Only the One True Lord God of the Holy Bible.
Isaiah 45:5
5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me,
The Holy Trinity is the God in Holy Scripture defined in:
Genesis 1:1
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Here “God” (Elohim – Plural noun) “created” (bara – Singular Verb). This is the first reference to Father, Son and Holy Spirit as defined in Scripture.
See also
Exodus 3:14
14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
Here God reveals His Name YAHWEH (LORD)
Again Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
All true born-again Bible believing Christians acknowledge our Triune God in the Creeds.
THE THREE ECUMENICAL OR UNIVERSAL CREEDS
1. The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
* catholic means “universal” and is not a reference to the Roman Catholic Church.
Biblical references for the Apostles’ Creed can be found online at the footnote below[1].
2. The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again
In accordance with the Scriptures;
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
3. The Athanasian Creed
Whosoever will be saved: before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith.
Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled: without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
And the Catholick Faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;
Neither confounding the Persons: nor dividing the Substance.
For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son: and another of the Holy Spirit.
But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is all one: the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.
Such as the Father is, such is the Son: and such is the Holy Spirit.
The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate: and the Holy Spirit uncreate.
The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible: and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible.
The Father eternal, the Son eternal: and the Holy Spirit eternal.
And yet they are not three eternals: but one eternal.
As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated: but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.
So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty: and the Holy Spirit Almighty.
And yet they are not three Almighties: but one Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God: and the Holy Spirit is God.
And yet they are not three Gods: but one God.
So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord: and the Holy Spirit Lord.
And yet not three Lords: but one Lord.
For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity: to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord;
So are we forbidden by the Catholick Religion: to say there be three Gods, or three Lords.
The Father is made of none: neither created, nor begotten.
The Son is of the Father alone: not made, nor created, but begotten.
The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son: neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.
So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons: one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits.
And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other: none is greater, or less than another;
But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together: and co-equal.
So that in all things, as is aforesaid: the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped.
He therefore that will be saved: must thus think of the Trinity.
Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation: that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For the right Faith is that we believe and confess: that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man;
God, of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds: and Man, of the Substance of his Mother, born in the world;
Perfect God, and Perfect Man: of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting;
Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead: and inferior to the Father, as touching his Manhood.
Who although he be God and Man: yet he is not two, but one Christ;
One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh: but by taking of the Manhood into God;
One altogether, not by confusion of Substance: but by unity of Person.
For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man: so God and Man is one Christ.
Who suffered for our salvation: descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead.
He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty: from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies: and shall give account for their own works.
And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting: and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.
This is the Catholick Faith: which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.
So returning to the question and truth of God’s Glory what are the classifications of His attributes?
[1] http://bookofconcord.org/creeds-apostle.php