Visible Attributes of God in Creation and Nature
Romans 1:20 declares that "since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse" [1]. This text establishes the foundational Christian claim that creation itself functions as a revelation of God's character, making certain divine attributes accessible through observation of the natural order.
The Attributes Revealed
The passage specifies two categories: God's "eternal power" and "divine nature" [1]. The first refers to omnipotent creative capacity—the sheer force required to bring the cosmos into existence. The second encompasses what theologians call God's "Godness," the qualities that distinguish the Creator from creation. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown explains that "the outward creation is not the parent but the interpreter of our faith in God," clarifying that nature does not generate belief ex nihilo but renders an internal awareness "intelligible and articulate" [9]. The mind perceives what the eye cannot directly see [9].
The Scope of Natural Revelation
Scripture presents creation as a comprehensive display. Genesis records God's sevenfold declaration that his work was "good," culminating in "very good" after humanity's formation [6]. The created order includes light separated from darkness [3], animal life exhibiting God's power [2], and humanity made in God's image [4, 7]. Each element contributes to the visible testimony. The Tyndale commentary notes that nothing in Genesis 1 exists apart from God's powerful word [5], underscoring that the method of creation—divine command—itself reveals God's sovereign authority.
Historical and Confessional Context
Early Reformed interpreters emphasized creation's pedagogical function. Calvin's commentary on Genesis addresses how the written account preserves what "by the carelessness of men, might otherwise have been lost" [8], suggesting that natural revelation, while real, requires scriptural clarification to remain uncorrupted. The doctrine assumes that observation of order, beauty, complexity, and design in nature points beyond itself to an ordering intelligence. This is why Paul concludes that humanity is "without excuse" [1]—the evidence is "clearly seen" [1], rendering willful ignorance culpable.
The created world thus serves as a dual witness: it displays God's power in its existence and God's nature in its order, leaving rational creatures accountable for what they perceive in the workmanship around them.
Sources
- Romans “Romans 1:20 (BSB) — For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: B — Created by God -- Ge 1:24,25; 2:19. Creation of, exhibits God's power -- Jer 27:5. Made for the praise and glory of God -- Ps 148:10. Differ in flesh from birds and fishes -- 1Co 15:39. Herb of the field given to, for food -- Ge 1:30. Power over, given to man -- Ge 1:26,28; Ps 8:7. Instinctively fear man -- Ge 9:2. Received their names from Adam -- Ge 2:19,20. Given to man for food after the flood -- Ge 9:3. Not to be eaten alive or with blood -- Ge 9:4; De 12:16,23. That died naturally or were torn, not to be eaten -- Ex 22:31; Le 17:15; 22:8. Supply clothing to”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Light — God the only source of -- Jas 1:17. Created by God -- Ge 1:3; Isa 45:7. Separated from darkness -- Ge 1:4. Sun, moon, and stars appointed to communicate to the earth -- Ge 1:14-17; Jer 31:35. Divided into Natural. -- Job 24:14; Isa 5:30. Extraordinary or miraculous. -- Ex 14:20; Ps 78:14; Ac 9:3; 12:7. Artificial. -- Jer 25:10; Ac 16:29. Communicated to the body through the eye -- Pr 15:30; Mt 6:22. Described as White and pure. -- Mt 17:2. Bright. -- Job 37:21. Shining. -- 2Sa 23:4; Job 41:18. Diffusive. -- Job 25:3; 36:30. Useful and precious. -- Ec 2:13. Ag”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Man — Made for God -- Pr 16:4; Re 4:11. God's purpose in creation completed by making -- Ge 2:5,7. Cannot profit God -- Job 22:2; Ps 16:2. Unworthy of God's favour -- Job 7:17; Ps 8:4. Created By God. -- Ge 1:27; Isa 45:12. By Christ. -- Joh 1:3; Col 1:16. By the Holy Spirit. -- Job 33:4. After consultation, by the Trinity. -- Ge 1:26. On the sixth day. -- Ge 1:31. Upon the earth. -- De 4:32; Job 20:4. From the dust. -- Ge 2:7; Job 33:6. In the image of God. -- Ge 1:26,27; 1Co 11:7. After the likeness of God. -- Ge 1:26; Jas 3:9. Male and female. -- Ge 1:27; 5:2. A l”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 1:3: 1:3-13 In the first three days, God formed the chaos into a habitable world. 1:3 Then God said: Nothing in ch 1 is created apart from God’s powerful word (cp. Ps 33:6, 9). • “Let there be . . .” and there was: God’s command enacted his will to create the world. God is not a part of creation or limited by it; he is the supreme ruler over everything (cp. Neh 9:6).”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 1:31: 1:31 The Creator declares his work good seven times in ch 1; following the creation of human beings, God declares it all very good.”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 11:7: 11:7 man is made in God’s image: See Gen 1:26-27.”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 4.3: known through the ancient and perpetual tradition of the Fathers. Yet, since nothing is more easy than that the truth of God should be so corrupted by men, that, in a long succession of time, it should, as it were, degenerate from itself, it pleased the Lord to commit the history to writing, for the purpose of preserving its purity. Moses, therefore, has established the credibility of that doctrine which is contained in his writings, and which, by the carelessness of men, might otherwise have been lost. I now return to the design o”
- Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 1:20: For the invisible things of him from--or "since" the creation of the world are clearly seen--the mind brightly beholding what the eye cannot discern. being understood by the things that are made--Thus, the outward creation is not the parent but the interpreter of our faith in God. That faith has its primary sources within our own breast (Rom 1:19); but it becomes an intelligible and articulate conviction only through what we observe around us ("by the things which are made," Rom 1:20). And thus are the inner and the outer revelation of God the comp”