Tuesday, January 14, 2014

God (noun): God

I mentioned yesterday on Facebook that the Oxford Primary School Dictionary rather unhelpfully defines the verb "Respect" as "to have respect for someone."

A friend commented that he had seen the following definition cited: "Horse (noun): Horse".

Of course, in a way, this is silly. But "God (noun): God" would not be so silly. God is God. He is unique. Yes, he can be described in certain limited ways.

For example, the first of the 39 Articles of The Church of England does this helpfully:

There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the Maker, and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible. And in the unity of this Godhead there be three Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

But ultimately God is incomperable and incomprehensible. He must be allowed to define himself. This is essential to a supreme being or that which defines God would be supreme over him. "God is God" is not a million miles away from the Divine Name revealed to Moses at the Burning Bush: God is Yahweh, "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus chapter 3). 

No comments: