In the English language, we can use the word “simple” in various ways. For example, a simple outfit is an outfit that doesn’t attract too much attention, a simple person is a person of humble origin or of modest position, a simple harmony is one which is free from elaborations, and a simple equation, well, is a linear equation… Now, what else do you have in mind? Simple fraction? Simple interest? Simple machine?
The idea of God’s SIMPLICITY, on the other hand, has to do with His divine essence. It describes God as a simple being — Someone who is way beyond composition. He is not made up of parts or of a variety of substances. He is but one essence.
GOD IS SIMPLE IN HIS BEING. While all created things in the entire universe are made up of a number of matter and substances, God, the Uncreated, is made up of only one: a spirit — an immaterial and invisible spirit.
THE DIVINE SIMPLICITY EMPHASIZES THE ASEITY OF GOD. The aseity of God is a theological term which describes the divine self-existence and self-sufficiency. God, the living God, doesn’t derive His life from anyone or anything. He is dependent upon no one and nothing for His existence. This gives the believers the courage and the confidence to have faith in the One who is uncreated and independent, for He alone is altogether infinite and eternally immutable.
GOD IS SIMPLE IN HIS ATTRIBUTES. When we say that God is simple, we don’t mean it in a way that would contradict His majesty, aseity, eternality, transcendence, omnipresence, or any other attributes that are found in God alone. God’s simplicity is the recognition that God is not a collection of His attributes. They are not like ingredients of a cake, for example, putting them all together and that is how God is made… no! God doesn’t possess these attributes as collective qualities — they are how God is.
THE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE DIVINE SIMPLICITY GUARDS OUR THOUGHTS ABOUT GOD. I already have posted 12 Attributes of God. I’ll be posting 29 more in the coming days, but there could be and there must really be a lot more! In knowing and learning about these attributes, we have to be very careful.
There might be a tendency for our human hearts to focus on one, two, or three divine attributes more than others. We might amplify those we like and ignore those we do not. Or worse, we might be tempted to pit them against each other, thinking that maybe they contradict others in some way.
Having the knowledge about God’s simplicity can help us negate such kind of thinking. We should bear in mind that God’s whole being includes all of His attributes at all times. These attributes are never in opposition.
KNOWING THE SIMPLE BUT INCOMPREHENSIBLE GOD. God, though simple in His nature and being, is indeed of infinite greatness, more than we can ever think, more than we can ever know, more than we can ever imagine. But whenever our hearts begin to burn with a desire for God, we are made able to receive that spiritual and saving knowledge of Him.
As we go deeper and deeper into knowing, loving, obeying, trusting and worshiping the Lord, through Jesus Christ and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are raised to the sweetness of everlasting life. ❤️
“The study of the attributes of God, far from being dull and heavy, may for the enlightened Christian be a sweet absorbing spiritual exercise. To the soul that is athirst for God, nothing could be more delightful.” — A.W. Tozer
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on thegodiknow.home.blog
Featured Image by Alisa Anton
