Majesty: True Worship
Pastor Rollan Fisher
Focus: We will come to worship Jesus fully when we distinguish between his communicable and his incommunicable attributes.
As humanity is made in the image of God (Imago Dei) there are communicable attributes of God that humans can also possess, albeit to a finite extent.
These communicable attributes give every human being value, worth and contribute to the sanctity of all human life, whether fully formed or in process.
They also distinguish humanity as the crowning achievement of God’s creation, with the ability to steward the rest of God’s creation with care and grace.
Some of these communicable attributes include:
Love
Goodness
Kindness
Knowledge
Wisdom
The ability to interact with and verify truth
These are all attributes that humanity has been given the privilege to share with God, albeit to a lesser extent.
The incommunicable attributes of God speak of his holiness, how he is altogether different, higher and far above his creation.
It’s in the incommunicable attributes of God that we see an even grander picture of his majesty, which is the basis of our worship of God.
The incommunicable attributes are those characteristics that God can not share with his creatures.
The incommunicable attributes explain why we worship God alone.
What about Jesus?
Though one-hundred percent human, the historic Jesus of Nazareth was also one-hundred percent God, a phenomenon known as the hypostatic union.
In Jesus Christ were found not only the communicable attributes of God in perfection, but also the incommunicable attributes of God which were shared with no other human being.
Thus we worship Jesus as God and savior (Titus 2:13).
John 1:1-5,14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Titus 2:11-14
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
All of God’s incommunicable attributes begin with his self-existence or his aseity.
This means that God is uncreated and is the source of all things providing their beginning, present existence and continuance.
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Exodus 3:13-14
Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “ I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘ I am has sent me to you.’”
They continue with:
Nine of the Incommunicable Attributes of God:
Sovereign
Omnipotent
Omniscient
Omnipresent
Transcendent
Immanent
Immutable
Infinite
Eternal
An Intervarsity article written by Jonathan Rice helps shed light on each of these attributes.
Sovereign
“God is the Supreme Being of the universe. God precedes and is “above,” as it were, all things. And everything that exists is under God’s rule and authority. Since God is sovereign, we cannot praise ourselves for our salvation. Indeed, everything in our lives is a gift from God.”
-Jonathan Rice
Acts 4:24-31
And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’ — for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
“Look at the life of King David. He strayed from God’s will and suffered much, but he still trusted in God’s sovereignty, and God used David to bless people.
Our believing God is sovereign gives us confidence that all things in our lives will work for good, despite our suffering.”
-Jonathan Rice
Omnipotent
“God is the most powerful Being in all existence, able to accomplish his will, though unwilling to do anything contrary to his nature. We have a divine helper who enables us to persevere. As Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
Our believing God is omnipotent gives us strength, for we are not alone in our weakness.”
-Jonathan Rice
Omniscient
“God knows everything of the past, present, and future. God knows everything actual and potential. Not only does God know all things; God also cares about everything and everyone.
The book of Proverbs tells us, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).
Our knowing that God is omniscient gives us peace when facing life’s uncertainties.
Our believing God is omniscient assures us that God knows us and loves us.”
-Jonathan Rice
Omnipresent
“God is always present in all places. But God is not in all things, a concept called pantheism. Christian theology has traditionally asserted that the person of God and the nature of created things are distinct: God is not in a tree or in a drop of water. And God is not in a person—until that person is born anew of God’s Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ. This claim that God’s Spirit is not within all humans until they are born anew through God’s self-initiated act contradicts the religious concept that we are sparks of the divine, potential deities. Biblically speaking, we are all created in the image of God, but we are not little gods.
The psalmist speaks of the omnipresence of God when he writes, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast” (Psalm 139:7-10).
Our believing God is omnipresent gives us the joy that God is with us always.”
-Jonathan Rice
Transcendent
“God transcends all creation and is unknowable apart from his self-initiated revelation. What we know about God comes only through God’s revelations, both general and special.
The first words of the Bible record that the transcendent God created the heavens and the earth, which is described as a formless void covered by darkness. Then God said, “Let there be light. . . . And there was evening and there was morning, the first day” (Genesis 1:3-5). God stands above and outside creation. And all that God creates is good.
Our believing God is transcendent gives us the understanding that our Creator is not limited by the natural laws of this world. God can do miracles”
-Jonathan Rice
Immanent
“God is active in this world and in our daily lives. God cares about every aspect of our existence and invites us to welcome his guidance, grace, and love.
Speaking of Jesus Christ, Paul wrote to the Colossians, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible. . . . He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:15-17).
Jesus, the very person of God, walked on this earth. Today, God’s Spirit is among us, present in his people, immanent and active among the nations, changing the world. Our believing God is immanent in this world gives us assurance that God is with us, despite the evils and sufferings we see in daily life.”
-Jonathan Rice
Immutable
“God is complete and perfect. Therefore, God does not need to mature or grow better at being God.
“Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).
Our believing God is immutable gives us the certainty that our world is essentially meaningful, for God is unchanging in his person and will not act unjustly.”
-Jonathan Rice
Infinite
“God is unlimited. As Jesus said, “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). We are created with great potential for growth, individually and in community.
Our believing God is infinite gives us faith that our lives have a larger purpose than our years on earth.”
-Jonathan Rice
Eternal
“God is not confined to three-dimensional space or time. God never had a beginning; God will never have an end.
The psalmist says of God: “Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you endure; they will all wear out like a garment. You change them like clothing, and they pass away; but you are the same, and your years have no end” (Psalm 102:25-27).
Since we are created in the image of the infinite God, we have an eternal destiny.
Our believing God is eternal gives us eternal hope.”
-Jonathan Rice
This is now the eternal life into which God now invites us.
John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Through repentance and faith in the substitutionary work of Jesus Christ at the cross, we can be forgiven our sins and once again walk in fellowship with the only majestic God.
Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher