Attributes of God
Senior 2 · Religion and Ethics
Attributes of God
Lesson 3 of 5
18 min
Ishimwe is alone in the classroom during a test. The teacher has stepped out, and the answers are in a friend's book on the next desk. Nobody would see. What should she do? For many believers, the answer depends partly on three attributes of God studied in this lesson: God is all-powerful, all-knowing and present everywhere.
The Latin word omni means "all". Three important attributes use it:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Omnipotent | all-powerful: nothing is too hard for God |
| Omniscient | all-knowing: God knows everything, including people's thoughts, the past and the future |
| Omnipresent | present everywhere at the same time |
"Ah Lord GOD! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you." (Jeremiah 32:17)
"Say: O Allah! Owner of Sovereignty! … In Thy hand is the good. Lo! Thou art Able to do all things." (Qur'an 3:26)
Sovereignty means supreme power and authority. Lo! is an old word meaning "Look!" or "Truly!".
"The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn’t faint. He isn’t weary. His understanding is unsearchable." (Isaiah 40:28)
"Lo! nothing in the earth or in the heavens is hidden from Allah." (Qur'an 3:5)
Unsearchable means too great for anyone to measure or fully understand.
A psalm in the Bible asks where a person could go to escape from God, and answers: nowhere.
"Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence? If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there!" (Psalm 139:7–8)
Sheol is the Hebrew name for the place of the dead. The Qur'an teaches the same closeness:
"We verily created man and We know what his soul whispereth to him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein." (Qur'an 50:16)
The jugular vein is the large vein in the neck, very close to every person. The Qur'an also says: "He is with you wheresoever ye may be. And Allah is Seer of what ye do." (Qur'an 57:4)
Students often ask: "If God is all-powerful and good, why do people suffer?" Believers in both faiths have struggled with this. Christians and Muslims teach that God gave human beings free choice, so much suffering comes from human wrongdoing; that hardship can be a test that builds faith; and that God stays close to those who suffer. The Bible says: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1). The Qur'an says: "Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope." (Qur'an 2:286), meaning God does not burden anyone with more than he or she can bear.
Question: Explain how belief that God is all-knowing and present everywhere could influence Ishimwe's choice in the test. (3 marks)
Model answer: A Christian or Muslim believes God sees and knows everything, even when no teacher is watching (Psalm 139:7–8; Qur'an 57:4) (1 mark). So she would know that copying is still dishonest before God, even if no person finds out (1 mark). Believing that God is close and helps those who trust him, she can do her honest best and accept the result (1 mark).
Tip
Memory hook. Omni = all. Omni-potent sounds like "potential" and "power"; omni-scient is like "science", which means knowledge; omni-present is "present everywhere". In an exam, give the English meaning as well as the term.
Give the meaning of omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent.
Answer: all-powerful; all-knowing; present everywhere.
Which attribute of God does Qur'an 50:16 ("We are nearer to him than his jugular vein") teach most clearly?
Answer: that God is present everywhere and very close to each person (omnipresence). It also shows that God knows each person's inner thoughts (omniscience).
Quote a Bible verse that teaches that God is all-powerful.
Answer: "There is nothing too hard for you." (Jeremiah 32:17)
A friend whose mother is in hospital says: "God has forgotten me." Using this lesson, how might a Christian or Muslim encourage him?
Model answer: both faiths teach that God knows everything and is present everywhere, so God has not forgotten him. A Christian might share Psalm 46:1 ("a very present help in trouble"); a Muslim might share Qur'an 2:286, which teaches that God does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear. Believers would also support him in practical ways by visiting and praying with him.
Remember
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