Dogmatic Theology Vol 1 - Shedd - XXIV - Chapter 5 The divine attributes continued

Required reading

Dogmatic Theology Vol 1 by William G.T. Shedd (Available from Amazon or free here) - Conclude Chapter 5 Divine attributes by reading up to the paragraph beginning, 'Justice is that phase of God's holiness which is seen in his treatment of the obedient and the disobedient subjects of his government' (page 365 of my edition).

My summary

Today we continue learning about the attributes of God.

Shedd discusses the attributes of:

(i) knowledge;

(ii) wisdom;

(iii) omnipotence;

(iv) holiness (justice as a phase of God's holiness will be examined next week).

What grabbed me

I enjoyed Shedd's comments about God and temptation: 'Again, God cannot do anything inconsistent with the perfection of the Divine nature. Under this category, fall the instances mentioned in Heb. 6:18, "It is impossible for God to lie ; " and 2 Tim. 2 :13, "He cannot deny himself ; " and James 1:13, "God cannot be tempted." God cannot sin: (a) Because sin is imperfection, and it is contradictory to say that a necessarily perfect Being may be imperfect, (b) God cannot sin, because he cannot be tempted to sin, and sinning without temptation or motive to sin, is impossible. God cannot be tempted, because temptation implies a desire for some good that is supposed to be greater than what is already possessed. But God cannot see anything more desirable than what he already has; and his understanding is infallible, so that he cannot mistake an apparent for a real good. All such cases, when analyzed, will be fonnd to imply something contradictory to the idea and definition of God. If it could be supposed that God is capable to be tempted and to sin, it would prove that he is not infinite.'

Temptation poses no threat for God as he is completely satisfied within himself!

Next week's reading

Conclude Chapter 5 Divine attributes.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.