The Divine Nature & Incommunicable Attributes
Aseity, Simplicity, Immutability, Omnipresence, Omniscience, and Holiness
God's nature is revealed through His infinite attributes: incommunicable perfections belonging to God alone (aseity, simplicity, eternity, immutability) and communicable perfections reflected analogously in humanity (holiness, righteousness, love).
Aseity and the Self-Existence of God
At Mount Sinai , God revealed His covenant name as 'I AM WHO I AM' ( Exodus 3:14 ). God possesses aseity (a se, 'from Himself'), being entirely self-existent, uncaused, and independent of creation for His being, counsel, or glory ( John 5:26 ).
Incommunicable Attributes: Simplicity, Immutability, and Eternity
Classical theism distinguishes incommunicable attributes that belong exclusively to the divine nature: divine simplicity (God is without parts or internal division), immutability (God does not undergo change in essence or character, Malachi 3:6 ), and eternity (God transcends temporal succession, Psalm 90:2 ).
Communicable Attributes: Holiness, Righteousness, and Love
Communicable attributes are perfections reflected analogously in redeemed humanity. God's holiness (qodesh) denotes His absolute separateness from sin and transcendent purity ( Isaiah 6:3 ), manifesting in righteous justice and covenant love ( 1 John 4:8 ).
Ancient Historical & Primary Sources
Philo of Alexandria — *De Opificio Mundi 171-172*
Affirms that God is self-sufficient (autarkes), uncaused, immutable, and the supreme sovereign Cause of all created reality.
Theological Relevance: Hellenistic Jewish philosophical articulation of divine aseity.
Dead Sea Scrolls — *1QS col. xi 10-15*
The Qumran Community Rule proclaims: 'By His knowledge all things come into being; and everything that is, He establishes by His purpose, and without Him nothing is done.'
Theological Relevance: Second Temple sectarian affirmation of exhaustive divine omniscience and sovereignty.
Clement of Rome — *1 Clement 27.2*
Declares that 'nothing is impossible with God except to lie', affirming divine truthfulness, unchangeability, and moral perfection.
Theological Relevance: Earliest post-apostolic testimony on divine immutability.
Irenaeus of Lyons — *Adversus Haereses 2.13.3*
Argues that God is not composed of parts like human beings, but is entirely simple: wholly mind, wholly reason, wholly light.
Theological Relevance: Early patristic defense of divine simplicity.
Augustine of Hippo — *De Civitate Dei 11.10*
Formulates classic doctrine of divine simplicity: God is that which He has; His essence is identical with His attributes.
Theological Relevance: Definitive Western theological formulation of divine perfections.
Manuscripts, Charts & Media (1)
Documentary CorpusScholarly manuscript facsimiles, theological diagrams, archaeological records, and multimedia connected to The Divine Nature & Incommunicable Attributes:
