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Using Extrabiblical Examples to Understand God's Nature: Potential Pitfalls

Understanding God's nature through extrabiblical examples presents potential pitfalls because human understanding is inherently limited and prone to misrepresentation of divine attributes. The Bible itself emphasizes the incomprehensibility of God, stating, "Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?" (Job 11:7 BSB) [2]. Similarly, the apostle Paul exclaims, "O the depth of the abundant wisdom and knowledge of God: how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out" (Romans 11:33 Tyndale) [8]. This inherent limitation means that any attempt to define God solely through human constructs or analogies risks distorting His true character.

One significant pitfall is the tendency to project human characteristics onto God, leading to anthropomorphic or anthropopathic understandings that diminish His divine perfection. For instance, while the Bible uses human language to describe God's actions and emotions, these are often accommodations to human understanding rather than literal descriptions of His being. God's anger, for example, is not a "spontaneous emotional outburst" but "the holy God’s necessary response to sin" [12]. Similarly, God cannot be tempted by evil (James 1:13), nor does temptation originate from Him; rather, it arises from human lusts and the influence of the devil [3]. Attributing human weaknesses or motivations like selfishness to God would contradict biblical teaching, which explicitly states that selfishness is "contrary to the law of God" and that "God hates" it [6].

Another danger lies in creating false gods or engaging in idolatry by attempting to represent God in ways not revealed by Him. Idolatry is broadly defined as worshipping or bowing down to images, sacrificing to other gods, or even worshipping the true God by an image [4]. This includes "walking after other gods," "serving other gods," or "fearing other gods" [4]. When extrabiblical examples are used to define God, there is a risk of constructing a deity that aligns with human desires or cultural norms rather than the God revealed in Scripture. The Psalmist warns against forgetting God's name or "spread[ing] out our hands to a strange god" (Psalms 44:20) [9]. Proverbs also cautions against becoming full and saying, "Who is the Lord?" or becoming poor and stealing, "using the name of my God wrongly" (Proverbs 30:9 BBE) [10].

Furthermore, relying on extrabiblical examples can lead to a misunderstanding of God's attributes, such as His foreknowledge. While God's knowledge is infinite and absolute (1 Samuel 23:9-13; Jeremiah 38:17-23; Matthew 11:21, 23; Acts 15:18), its full import cannot be comprehended by humans [1]. Extrabiblical frameworks might attempt to explain divine foreknowledge in terms that limit God's sovereignty or reduce His knowledge to a mere prediction of future events, rather than an inherent aspect of His eternal being. John Gill, in his commentary on Romans 1:19, notes that while some things about God can be known through natural revelation, aspects like the Trinity, God in Christ as Mediator, and specific Gospel doctrines cannot be known without divine revelation [13].

The use of extrabiblical examples can also lead to a focus on human actions or philosophical concepts as pathways to understanding God, rather than His self-revelation in Scripture and through Christ. Josephus, in Antiquities of the Jews, suggests that legislators should consider the Divine nature and imitate God's operations as much as possible [11]. While this emphasizes moral imitation, it does not fully address the theological pitfalls of defining God outside of His revealed word. The Bible consistently points to Christ as the ultimate example for humanity (1 Peter 2:21; John 13:15) and for leaders to their flocks (Philippians 3:17; 1 Timothy 4:12; 1 Peter 5:3) [5]. Zeal, for instance, should be exhibited in spirit and well-doing, for the glory of God, and in contending for the faith, with Christ as the ultimate example (Psalm 69:9; John 2:17) [7]. However, even zeal can be wrongly directed if not aligned with God's revealed will [7].

Sources

  1. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Foreknowledge of God — Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29; 11:2; 1 Pet. 1:2), one of those high attributes essentially appertaining to him the full import of which we cannot comprehend. In the most absolute sense his knowledge is infinite (1 Sam. 23:9-13; Jer. 38:17-23; 42:9-22, Matt. 11:21, 23; Acts 15:18).”
  2. Job “Job 11:7 (BSB) — Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Temptation — God cannot be the subject of -- Jas 1:13. Does not come from God -- Jas 1:13. Comes from Lusts. -- Jas 1:14. Covetousness. -- Pr 28:20; 1Ti 6:9,10. The devil is the author of -- 1Ch 21:1; Mt 4:1; Joh 13:2; 1Th 3:5. Evil associates, the instruments of -- Pr 1:10; 7:6; 16:29. Often arises through Poverty. -- Pr 30:9; Mt 4:2,3. Prosperity. -- Pr 30:9; Mt 4:8. Worldly glory. -- Nu 22:17; Da 4:30; 5:2; Mt 4:8. To distrust of God's providence -- Mt 4:3. To presumption -- Mt 4:6. To worshipping the god of this world -- Mt 4:9. Often strengthened by the perversi”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Idolatry — Forbidden -- Ex 20:2,3; De 5:7. Consists in Bowing down to images. -- Ex 20:5; De 5:9. Worshipping images. -- Isa 44:17; Da 3:5,10,15. Sacrificing to images. -- Ps 106:38; Ac 7:41. Worshipping other gods. -- De 30:17; Ps 81:9. Swearing by other gods. -- Ex 23:13; Jos 23:7. Walking after other gods. -- De 8:19. Speaking in the name of other gods. -- De 18:20. Looking to other gods. -- Ho 3:1. Serving other gods. -- De 7:4; Jer 5:19. Fearing other gods. -- 2Ki 17:35. Sacrificing to other gods. -- Ex 22:20. Worshipping the true God by an image, & c. -- Ex 32:”
  5. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Example — Of Christ (1 Pet. 2:21; John 13:15); of pastors to their flocks (Phil. 3:17; 2 Thess. 3:9; 1 Tim. 4:12; 1 Pet. 5:3); of the Jews as a warning (Heb. 4:11); of the prophets as suffering affliction (James 5:10).”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Selfishness — Contrary to the law of God -- Le 19:18; Mt 22:39; Jas 2:8. The example of Christ condemns -- Joh 4:34; Ro 15:3; 2Co 8:9. God hates -- Mal 1:10. Exhibited in Being lovers of ourselves. -- 2Ti 3:2. Pleasing ourselves. -- Ro 15:1. Seeking our own. -- 1Co 10:33; Php 2:21. Seeking after gain. -- Isa 56:11. Seeking undue precedence. -- Mt 20:21. Living to ourselves. -- 2Co 5:15. Neglect of the poor. -- 1Jo 3:17. Serving God for reward. -- Mal 1:10. Performing duty for reward. -- Mic 3:11. Inconsistent with Christian love -- 1Co 13:5. Inconsistent with communi”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Zeal — Christ an example of -- Ps 69:9; Joh 2:17. Godly sorrow leads to -- 2Co 7:10,11. Of saints, ardent -- Ps 119:139. Provokes others to do good -- 2Co 9:2. Should be exhibited In spirit. -- Ro 12:11. In well-doing. -- Ga 4:18; Tit 2:14. In desiring the salvation of others. -- Ac 26:29; Ro 10:1. In contending for the faith. -- Jude 1:3. In missionary labours. -- Ro 15:19,23. For the glory of God. -- Nu 25:11,13. For the welfare of saints. -- Col 4:13. Against idolatry. -- 2Ki 23:4-14. Sometimes wrongly directed -- 2Sa 21:2; Ac 22:3,4; Php 3:6. Sometimes not accord”
  8. Romans “Romans 11:33 (Tyndale) — O the depnes of the aboundaunt wysdome and knowledge of God: how vnserchable are his iudgementes and his wayes past findyng out.”
  9. Psalms “If we have forgotten the name of our God, or spread out our hands to a strange god; -- Psalms 44:20”
  10. Proverbs “Proverbs 30:9 (BBE) — For fear that if I am full, I may be false to you and say, Who is the Lord? or if I am poor, I may become a thief, using the name of my God wrongly.”
  11. Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 11, section 4: life well, and give laws to others, in the first place should consider the Divine nature; and, upon the contemplation of God's operations, should thereby imitate the best of all patterns, so far as it is possible for human nature to do, and to endeavor to follow after it: neither could the legislator himself have a right mind without such a contemplation; nor would any thing he should write tend to the promotion of virtue in his readers; I mean, unless they be taught first of all, that God is the Father and Lord of all things, a”
  12. Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
  13. Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 1:19: Because that which may be known of God,.... There are some things which could not be known of God by the light of nature; as a trinity of persons in the Godhead; the knowledge of God in Christ as Mediator; the God-man and Mediator Jesus Christ; his incarnation, sufferings, death, and resurrection; the will of God to save sinners by a crucified Jesus; the several peculiar doctrines of the Gospel, particularly the resurrection of the dead, and the manner of worshipping of God with acceptance: but then there are some things which may be known of God, without a revelation”
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