Balancing God's Attributes in Theological Description and Discourse

Theological discourse often involves balancing God's various attributes, which are understood to be essential characteristics of the Divine Being. These attributes are frequently described in Scripture and elaborated upon in systematic theology. The Hebrew words for God, such as 'El, 'Eloah, and 'Elohim, convey strength and divinity, while Jehovah (rendered "LORD" in many English translations) emphasizes God's self-existence and covenant relationship ^[1].

One fundamental aspect of God's nature is His incomprehensibility. As Zophar states in Job, God is an infinite and immense being whose nature and perfections cannot be fully grasped by finite human understanding ^[10]. This inherent limit on human comprehension means that any description of God's attributes will necessarily be partial and expressed in human terms, a concept known as anthropomorphism ^[6]. For example, God's delight in an offering is described as a "pleasing aroma," using a human sensory experience to convey divine satisfaction ^[6].

God's attributes are often presented in Scripture in ways that highlight His majesty and authority. Christ, for instance, is described as possessing the excellency and glory of God, being one with the Father, the Creator, and the ultimate Judge ^[3]. This includes His role as "Lord of lords" and "King" ^[3]. The concept of God's holiness is also central, with Scripture commanding believers to be holy as God is holy ^[4]. This holiness is a standard for human conduct and is necessary for worship and for seeing God ^[4].

The balance of attributes is evident in how God's justice and mercy are portrayed. The idea of being "weighed in the balances" appears in both Job and Daniel, signifying a divine judgment based on integrity and righteousness ^{[2, 9]}. Daniel 5:27 describes King Belshazzar as being "weighed in the balances, and art found wanting," indicating a divine assessment of his character and actions against God's standards of justice ^[9]. This suggests that God's justice is precise and exact, much like a goldsmith weighing precious metals ^[9].

The New Testament further develops the understanding of God's attributes, particularly through the person of Jesus Christ. The opening of the Epistle to the Hebrews emphasizes God's revelation through His Son, highlighting not just His essential divine nature but also the manifestation of His love for humanity through salvation ^[5]. Philippians 2:6 speaks of Christ "subsisting in the form of God," which refers to the external, self-manifesting characteristics of God, the divine essence shining forth ^[7]. This "form of God" is contrasted with the "form of a servant," indicating the dual nature of Christ ^[7]. The exaltation of Christ to the position where "every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" illustrates how God the Father is glorified through the Son's redemptive work, which illustrates many divine attributes and magnifies the divine law ^[8].

Theological reflection on God's attributes also touches upon the doctrine of the Trinity. While some early Christian thinkers, like Augustine, explored analogies of the Trinity within human faculties, John Calvin argued that a definition of the image of God should rest on a firmer basis than such "subtleties" ^[11]. This suggests a careful approach to describing God, ensuring that human analogies do not overshadow the revealed truth of His nature. The consistent portrayal of God's attributes across the biblical narrative, from the Old Testament's emphasis on His strength and holiness to the New Testament's revelation of His love and justice through Christ, underscores the multifaceted yet unified nature of the Divine Being.

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: God — (A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew 'El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of 'Eloah_, plural _'Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by "LORD," printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argume”
Job “Job 31:6 (LITV) — let me be weighed in a just balance so that God may know my integrity.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Excellency and Glory of Christ, The — As God -- Joh 1:1-5; Php 2:6,9,10. As the Son of God -- Mt 3:17; Heb 1:6,8. As one with the Father -- Joh 10:30,38. As the First-born -- Col 1:15,18. As the First-begotten -- Heb 1:6. As Lord of lords, &c -- Re 17:14. As the image of God -- Col 1:15; Heb 1:3. As creator -- Joh 1:3; Col 1:16; Heb 1:2. As the Blessed of God -- Ps 45:2. As Mediator -- 1Ti 2:5; Heb 8:6. As Prophet -- De 18:15,16; Ac 3:22. As Priest -- Ps 110:4; Heb 4:15. As King -- Isa 6:1-5; Joh 12:41. As Judge -- Mt 16:27; 25:31,33. As Shepherd -- Isa 40:10,11; Joh”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Holiness — Commanded -- Le 11:45; 20:7; Eph 5:8; Col 3:12; Ro 12:1. Christ Desires for his people. -- Joh 17:17. Effects, in his people. -- Eph 5:25-27. An example of. -- Heb 7:26; 1Pe 2:21,22. The character of God, the standard of -- Le 19:2; 1Pe 1:15,16; Eph 5:1. The character of Christ, the standard of -- Ro 8:29; 1Jo 2:6; Php 2:5. The gospel the way of -- Isa 35:8. Necessary to God's worship -- Ps 24:3,4. None shall see God without -- Eph 5:5; Heb 12:14. Saints Elected to. -- Ro 8:29; Eph 1:4. Called to. -- 1Th 4:7; 2Ti 1:9. New created in. -- Eph 4:24. Possess. ”
Hebrews (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Hebrews 1:1: God, who at sundry times and in divers manners - We can scarcely conceive any thing more dignified than the opening of this epistle; the sentiments are exceedingly elevated, and the language, harmony itself! The infinite God is at once produced to view, not in any of those attributes which are essential to the Divine nature, but in the manifestations of his love to the world, by giving a revelation of his will relative to the salvation of mankind, and thus preparing the way, through a long train of years, for the introduction of that most glorious Being, his own Son”
Exodus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Exodus 29:18: 29:18 pleasing aroma: Such language is anthropomorphism, describing God with human terms and experiences. God’s delight in an appropriately offered sacrifice is like a human’s enjoyment of a pleasing smell.”
Philippians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Philippians 2:6: Translate, "Who subsisting (or existing, namely, originally: the Greek is not the simple substantive verb, 'to be') in the form of God (the divine essence is not meant: but the external self-manifesting characteristics of God, the form shining forth from His glorious essence). The divine nature had infinite BEAUTY in itself, even without any creature contemplating that beauty: that beauty was 'the form of God'; as 'the form of a servant' (Phi 2:7), which is in contrasted opposition to it, takes for granted the existence of His human nature, so 'the”
Philippians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Philippians 2:11: And that every tongue should confess - That all those before mentioned should acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, or absolute governor, and thus glorify God the Father, who has exalted this human nature to this state of ineffable glory, in virtue of its passion, death, resurrection, and the atonement which it has made, by which so many attributes of the Divine nature have become illustrated, the Divine law magnified and made honorable, and an eternal glory provided for man. Others by things in heaven understand the holy angels; by things on earth, human bein”
Daniel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Daniel 5:27: TEKEL,.... As for the meaning of this word, and what it points at, it is this: thou art weighed in the balances: of justice and truth, in the holy righteous law of God; as gold, and jewels, and precious stones, are weighed in the scales by the goldsmith and jeweller with great exactness, to know the worth of them: and art found wanting; found to be adulterated gold, reprobate silver, bad coin, a false stone; found to be a worthless man, a wicked prince, wanting the necessary qualifications of wisdom, goodness, mercy, truth, and justice. The Scriptures of truth, th”
Job (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Job 11:7: Zophar here speaks very good things concerning God and his greatness and glory, concerning man and his vanity and folly: these two compared together, and duly considered, will have a powerful influence upon our submission to all the dispensations of the divine Providence. I. See here what God is, and let him be adored. 1. He is an incomprehensible Being, infinite and immense, whose nature and perfections our finite understandings cannot possibly form any adequate conceptions of, and whose counsels and actings we cannot therefore, without the greatest presumption, pas”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 5.31: and fourteenth books on the Trinity, also the eleventh book of the “City of God.” I acknowledge, indeed, that there is something in man which refers to the Father and the Son, and the Spirit: and I have no difficulty in admitting the above distinction of the faculties of the soul: although the simpler division into two parts, which is more used in Scripture, is better adapted to the sound doctrine of piety; but a definition of the image of God ought to rest on a firmer basis than such subtleties. As for myself, before I define the”

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