Relationship Between Primary and Secondary Attributes of God's Character

The attributes of God are often categorized into primary and secondary, or incommunicable and communicable, to distinguish between those characteristics unique to God's divine nature and those that can be reflected in humanity. This distinction helps in understanding God's transcendence and immanence ^[11].

Incommunicable Attributes (Primary)

Incommunicable attributes are those qualities that belong to God alone and cannot be shared or replicated by created beings. These attributes emphasize God's distinctness and absolute nature.

Self-Existence (Aseity): God is not dependent on anything for His existence but is the source of all being. This is implied in the biblical understanding of God as the ultimate Creator ^[2]. The Hebrew name for God, Elohim, and Jehovah, both denote the Divine Being, whose existence is taken for granted in Scripture ^[2].
Immutability: God does not change in His character, will, or promises. His nature is constant and unwavering.
Infinity: God is without limits in space, time, and power. He is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent.
Eternity: God exists outside of time, having no beginning or end. He is eternally present.
Simplicity: This attribute, particularly emphasized in scholastic theology, posits that God is not composed of parts. His attributes are not distinct components but are identical with His essence ^[6]. Aquinas, for instance, discusses how relations in God are really distinguished from each other, yet this distinction does not imply composition in the divine essence itself ^[6].
Omnipresence: God is present everywhere at all times.
Omniscience: God knows all things, past, present, and future, actual and possible.
Omnipotence: God is all-powerful and can do anything consistent with His nature.

Communicable Attributes (Secondary)

Communicable attributes are those divine qualities that God shares, to varying degrees, with His creation, particularly with humanity, who are made in His image ^[11]. These attributes are reflected in human character and morality, though always imperfectly and dependently.

Holiness: God is utterly separate from sin and evil, and perfectly pure. Humanity is commanded to be holy, reflecting God's character ^[4]. Leviticus 11:45 and 1 Peter 1:15-16 explicitly state, "Be holy, for I am holy" ^[4]. Christ's holiness is the ultimate standard for believers ^[4].
Love: God's love is a foundational aspect of His character, expressed in His relationship with humanity and His redemptive plan. This love is to be mirrored in human relationships.
Justice/Righteousness: God is perfectly just and righteous in all His dealings. He upholds moral order and judges righteously. Believers are called to pursue justice and righteousness.
Goodness: God is inherently good and the source of all good. This goodness is seen in creation and in His benevolent actions towards humanity.
Truthfulness/Faithfulness: God is true and faithful to His word and promises. He cannot lie. Believers are called to be truthful and faithful.
Wisdom: God possesses perfect wisdom, understanding all things and knowing the best means to achieve His purposes. Humans are encouraged to seek wisdom.

Relationship and Interplay

The distinction between primary and secondary attributes is not meant to divide God's essence, but rather to help human understanding of His complex nature. All attributes are perfectly integrated within the one divine being. For example, God's love is a holy love, His justice is a loving justice, and His power is exercised with wisdom.

Theological Perspectives on the Relationship

Different theological traditions emphasize various aspects of this relationship:

Patristic and Scholastic Views: Early Church Fathers and medieval scholastics, such as Augustine and Aquinas, affirmed God's absolute simplicity, meaning that God's attributes are not distinct parts but are identical with His essence ^{[6, 11]}. Augustine, in his City of God and On the Trinity, explored the divine nature, influencing later discussions on God's attributes ^[11]. Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica, articulated that while we speak of different attributes, they are not really distinct from God's being ^[6].
Reformed Theology: Reformed theologians, including Calvin, also uphold the incommunicable attributes, emphasizing God's sovereignty and transcendence. Calvin, in his Commentary on Genesis, discusses the image of God in humanity, which relates to the communicable attributes, but he cautions against overly subtle distinctions that might obscure sound doctrine ^[11]. Charles Hodge, a prominent Old Princeton theologian, discusses the union of the divine and human in Christ, which touches on how divine attributes are expressed in a human nature without confusion ^[8].
Methodist/Wesleyan Theology: This tradition often highlights the communicable attributes, particularly holiness and love, as central to God's character and as the goal for human transformation. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, emphasizes obedience and faith in response to God's grace, reflecting a focus on how humans participate in God's character ^[7]. The concept of holiness is seen as both commanded by God and desired by Christ for His people ^[4].
Eastern Orthodox Theology: Eastern Orthodox theology often speaks of God's essence (which is unknowable) and His energies (through which He interacts with creation and reveals Himself). This distinction allows for God's transcendence (essence) while affirming His immanence and participation in human life (energies). While not directly using "primary" and "secondary" attributes in the same way, the essence-energies distinction serves a similar purpose in differentiating between what is utterly unique to God and what is shared or experienced.

Christ as the Image of God

The person of Jesus Christ is central to understanding the relationship between God's attributes. Christ is described as the "image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15) and the "exact likeness and perfect Representative" of God ^[9]. In Christ, both the incommunicable and communicable attributes of God are perfectly displayed. He is "the Lord from heaven" (1 Corinthians 15:47), possessing divine excellency and glory as God, the Son of God, and one with the Father ^{[1, 3, 5]}. Yet, He also perfectly embodies holiness, love, justice, and wisdom in His human nature ^[4]. The incarnation is a profound mystery, where the divine and human natures are united without confusion, allowing humanity to see God's attributes in a tangible way ^[10].

The distinction between primary and secondary attributes helps to articulate the theological truth that God is both utterly unique and transcendent, yet also immanent and relatable, having created humanity in His image to reflect His character ^[11].

Sources

1 Corinthians “The first man is of the earth, made of dust. The second man is the Lord from heaven. -- 1 Corinthians 15:47”
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”
I Corinthians “I Corinthians 15:47 (LITV) — The first man was out of earth, earthy. The second Man was the Lord out of Heaven. Gen. 2:7”
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. ”
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”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), The Divine Relations, Art. 3: Article: Whether the relations in God are really distinguished from each other? I answer that, The attributing of anything to another involves the attribution likewise of whatever is contained in it. So when "man" is attributed to anyone, a rational nature is likewise attributed to him. The idea of relation, however, necessarily means regard of one to another, according as one is relatively opposed to another. So as in God there is a real relation (Article [1]), there must also be a real opposition. The very natu”
Luke (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Luke 1:38: Behold the handmaid of the Lord - I fully credit what thou sayest, and am perfectly ready to obey thy commands, and to accomplish all the purposes of thy grace concerning me. It appears that at the instant of this act of faith, and purposed obedience, the conception of the immaculate humanity of Jesus took place; and it was Done unto her according to his word. See Luk 1:35.”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 85: is also any successive communication ( Hineinbildung ) of one to the other; it is an identical living, activity, sensibility, and development, because it is one Ego, one divine human personality ( unio, communio, communicatio, naturarum ).” 365 365 Thomasius, ut supra, pp. 201, 202. As to the manner in which this complete identification of the human and divine in the person of Christ is effected, there are, as above intimated, two opinions. According to Dorner there is a human soul to begin with, to which the Eternal Logos, without subjec”
Colossians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Colossians 1:15: They who have experienced in themselves "redemption" (Col 1:14), know Christ in the glorious character here described, as above the highest angels to whom the false teachers (Col 2:18) taught worship was to be paid. Paul describes Him: (1) in relation to God and creation (Col 1:15-17); (2) in relation to the Church (Col 1:18-20). As the former regards Him as the Creator (Col 1:15-16) and the Sustainer (Col 1:17) of the natural world; so the latter, as the source and stay of the new moral creation. image--exact likeness and perfect Representative.”
Matthew (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Matthew 1:18: The mystery of Christ's incarnation is to be adored, not pried into. If we know not the way of the Spirit in the formation of common persons, nor how the bones are formed in the womb of any one that is with child (Ecc 11:5), much less do we know how the blessed Jesus was formed in the womb of the blessed virgin. When David admires how he himself was made in secret, and curiously wrought (Psa 139:13-16), perhaps he speaks in the spirit of Christ's incarnation. Some circumstances attending the birth of Christ we find here which are not in Luke, though it is more la”
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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