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The Identity and Attributes of God
The problem identified by the prophet Hosea in his day is still with us today - 'There is no...knowledge of God in the land' (Hos. 4:1). We were made to know God. We were saved to know God. Jesus said, 'This is eternal life that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent' (John 17:3). Our chief end and purpose is to know God and thereby to honour and enjoy him. These pages explore God's identity. The God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is also Creator, Governor, and Redeemer. This one true God is infinitely and unchangingly holy, just, good, and loving. This work is offered with the hope that it might promote the true knowledge of the true God. As Matthew Henry said, 'To know the perfections of the divine nature, the unsearchable riches of divine grace, to be led into the mystery of our redemption and reconciliation by Christ, this is food; such knowledge as this is a feast to the soul.'
424 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
15 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
Terry L. Johnson
36 books12 followersTerry Johnson was born and raised in Los Angeles. He studied history at the University of Southern California and also studied at Trinity College, Bristol, England, and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, before earning his D. Min in 2008 from Erskine Theological Seminary.
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September 7, 2019
Every pastor, teacher, and serious Christian should have a healthy dose of Puritan theology. Over and over again, I have heard it: Read the Puritans. Whole volumes have been written on the value of the Puritans.
But there is a problem. It is not as though someone said to read the works of this author or that one. But the call is to read "the Puritans." The Puritans of England, along with some of their heirs who paddled over the pond to New England, were among the more prolific, and sometimes wordy, writers that ever lived. Sometimes their styles are dense, archaic, and too formal for easy reading. But sometimes they are clear, crisp, and as pointed as a sharp knife. But still there is the immensity of the task of even plodding through particular volumes, much less through whole sets, of Puritan works.
I suspect that there are more Puritan writings available today than at any time in history. One of the main publishers of Puritan works has been the Banner of Truth Trust.
The Banner, however, has no monopoly on Puritan reprints. As a point to consider, you should be able to quickly judge the depth of a pastor by how many books he has on his shelves by Puritans and their direct theological descendants. And you can make it a point to see how many Banner of Truth works he has. If his shelves are sagging from the weight of so many Puritan works, you can either buy him more or get him more bookshelves. If his book collection makes you think of the wimpy guy on the beach before he embraced the Charles Atlas body-building program, you will know what to get him for Christmas, his birthday, and Pastor Appreciation month.
The relentless accumulation of Puritan tomes doesn't really solve the problem, however, of the immensity of the task of reading the Puritans. For that reason, I want to strongly recommend The Identity and Attributes of God by Terry L. Johnson. Yes, this is a Banner of Truth book.
Terry L. Johnson has read, gleaned, and cherry picked the Puritans with great skill. This book of nearly 400 pages would be cut in half if all of his fine quotes from Puritans and their fellow travelers were cut out. This book is a primer on what Puritans to read, which volumes to peruse, and what method to use to get the Puritans' thoughts into your own heart and mind first and then into your preaching and teaching. Names like Charnock, Sibbes, Trapp, Henry, Owen, Edwards, Poole, Bunyan, Watson, Gurnall, and Baxter become household names after just going a few chapters into the book. Add to that, you get a number of other great Christian writers such as Charles Hodge, Benjamin Warfield, A. W. Pink, James Henley Thornwell, and more. Learning begins with lists and recognition skills. I promise that if someone were to read this book and then pick a book every month by almost any of the authors quoted, he would have years of good reading choices.
All this being said, Johnson did not write primarily to introduce us to Puritans and other theological writers. They are only eligible for being the supporting cast for this book. The key theme, purpose, goal, and objective for the reader is to know God.
It might seem like God is the Big E on the eye vision chart. We might think that the pressing need in the church is to focus on family, marriage, the current cultural challenges, witnessing and evangelism, and many more practical things. Of what practical use is hearing about the incommunicable attributes of God? This entire book seeks to answer that question. A case can be made that all of the practical needs in the church, all of the cultural problems, and all of the defects in our theology stem from inaccurate, inadequate, and unbiblical views of God.
Pastor Johnson, who ministers in the Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, Georgia, originally set out to preach ten sermons on the attributes of God. It didn't turn out that way, for he ended up preaching 82 sermons in that series. This book is the distillation of that series. Whether one reads for devotional purposes, or desires to delve into theology, or seeks to find material for preaching and teaching, this book is a gem.
On the cover of a 1971 album, the rock group Jethro Tull described modern folks saying, "In the beginning man created God in his own image." This is not too far from a statement by Karl Barth: "I said concerning critical reflection that it cannot be good to reverse the order and turn 'Thus says the Lord' into 'Thus hears man'...." I have been convicted in paragraph after paragraph of this book that I may know God and be known of God, but I have taken the name, identity, and attributes of God far too lightly.
I highly recommend this book. Thanks to Banner of Truth for publishing it and to Pastor Terry Johnson for laboring to write and share it.
But there is a problem. It is not as though someone said to read the works of this author or that one. But the call is to read "the Puritans." The Puritans of England, along with some of their heirs who paddled over the pond to New England, were among the more prolific, and sometimes wordy, writers that ever lived. Sometimes their styles are dense, archaic, and too formal for easy reading. But sometimes they are clear, crisp, and as pointed as a sharp knife. But still there is the immensity of the task of even plodding through particular volumes, much less through whole sets, of Puritan works.
I suspect that there are more Puritan writings available today than at any time in history. One of the main publishers of Puritan works has been the Banner of Truth Trust.
The Banner, however, has no monopoly on Puritan reprints. As a point to consider, you should be able to quickly judge the depth of a pastor by how many books he has on his shelves by Puritans and their direct theological descendants. And you can make it a point to see how many Banner of Truth works he has. If his shelves are sagging from the weight of so many Puritan works, you can either buy him more or get him more bookshelves. If his book collection makes you think of the wimpy guy on the beach before he embraced the Charles Atlas body-building program, you will know what to get him for Christmas, his birthday, and Pastor Appreciation month.
The relentless accumulation of Puritan tomes doesn't really solve the problem, however, of the immensity of the task of reading the Puritans. For that reason, I want to strongly recommend The Identity and Attributes of God by Terry L. Johnson. Yes, this is a Banner of Truth book.
Terry L. Johnson has read, gleaned, and cherry picked the Puritans with great skill. This book of nearly 400 pages would be cut in half if all of his fine quotes from Puritans and their fellow travelers were cut out. This book is a primer on what Puritans to read, which volumes to peruse, and what method to use to get the Puritans' thoughts into your own heart and mind first and then into your preaching and teaching. Names like Charnock, Sibbes, Trapp, Henry, Owen, Edwards, Poole, Bunyan, Watson, Gurnall, and Baxter become household names after just going a few chapters into the book. Add to that, you get a number of other great Christian writers such as Charles Hodge, Benjamin Warfield, A. W. Pink, James Henley Thornwell, and more. Learning begins with lists and recognition skills. I promise that if someone were to read this book and then pick a book every month by almost any of the authors quoted, he would have years of good reading choices.
All this being said, Johnson did not write primarily to introduce us to Puritans and other theological writers. They are only eligible for being the supporting cast for this book. The key theme, purpose, goal, and objective for the reader is to know God.
It might seem like God is the Big E on the eye vision chart. We might think that the pressing need in the church is to focus on family, marriage, the current cultural challenges, witnessing and evangelism, and many more practical things. Of what practical use is hearing about the incommunicable attributes of God? This entire book seeks to answer that question. A case can be made that all of the practical needs in the church, all of the cultural problems, and all of the defects in our theology stem from inaccurate, inadequate, and unbiblical views of God.
Pastor Johnson, who ministers in the Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, Georgia, originally set out to preach ten sermons on the attributes of God. It didn't turn out that way, for he ended up preaching 82 sermons in that series. This book is the distillation of that series. Whether one reads for devotional purposes, or desires to delve into theology, or seeks to find material for preaching and teaching, this book is a gem.
On the cover of a 1971 album, the rock group Jethro Tull described modern folks saying, "In the beginning man created God in his own image." This is not too far from a statement by Karl Barth: "I said concerning critical reflection that it cannot be good to reverse the order and turn 'Thus says the Lord' into 'Thus hears man'...." I have been convicted in paragraph after paragraph of this book that I may know God and be known of God, but I have taken the name, identity, and attributes of God far too lightly.
I highly recommend this book. Thanks to Banner of Truth for publishing it and to Pastor Terry Johnson for laboring to write and share it.
November 30, 2022
I must best describe this book as pure joy. I’d heard good things about it, but had been warned that it is heavily imbibed with quotations. To my mind, that usually doesn’t work. In those cases the author seems more of a compiler than a writer. I wondered going in if this would be more of a good reference than a good read. The more I read, the more my weak expectations were proven wrong.
The book is full of quotations, so how did the author pull it off? By picking the very best quotes, by seamlessly weaving them into the work, and by then writing thoughtfully around them. In the end, you get rich theology for your mind and warmth for soul. This is not a compilation. This is a book!
This book doesn’t address ever attribute, but covers some of the most important ones to ingest. After a discussion of God, the Trinity, and what the incommunicable attributes are, those of God as Creator and of His providence are brought to light. One of the best sections was holiness. Another favorite was goodness. I gained so much from it. The one on love started slower but really pierced my heart by end.
The book ends abruptly, but the author has delivered another volume on other attributes from another publisher.
You’ll see a pastor’s heart and a theologian’s precision throughout your read of this precious book. If this book doesn’t help you, I doubt you’re even trying.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
The book is full of quotations, so how did the author pull it off? By picking the very best quotes, by seamlessly weaving them into the work, and by then writing thoughtfully around them. In the end, you get rich theology for your mind and warmth for soul. This is not a compilation. This is a book!
This book doesn’t address ever attribute, but covers some of the most important ones to ingest. After a discussion of God, the Trinity, and what the incommunicable attributes are, those of God as Creator and of His providence are brought to light. One of the best sections was holiness. Another favorite was goodness. I gained so much from it. The one on love started slower but really pierced my heart by end.
The book ends abruptly, but the author has delivered another volume on other attributes from another publisher.
You’ll see a pastor’s heart and a theologian’s precision throughout your read of this precious book. If this book doesn’t help you, I doubt you’re even trying.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
October 14, 2020
Important, deep, Biblical exposition about God's character. Knowing God better is a worthy goal, as is working to be more like Him. Sadly, this book is not easy to digest. It's written in a fairly dry, academic way. Many sentences are long, and much of the content is a patchwork of quotes containing archaic language, from a variety of authors. There's certainly value in such quotes, they just could've been included in a better way.
Notes
The Study of God
God's attributes are most clearly seen in Christ's person and work.
The cross most clearly shows God's grace, mercy, patience, sovereignty, righteousness.
"The Christian life is largely an imitation of the communicable attributes of God, most clearly seen in Christ."
'Our Triune God'
Each person of Trinity:
• Is given divine names and titles
• Is described as having divine attributes (eternality, omniscience, omnipotence, immutability, etc.)
• Is described as doing divine works (creation, providence, redemption, judgment)
• Is given divine honor
"The Son of God is just God the Son and the Spirit of God is just God the Spirit."
'The Badges of Divinity': the Incommunicable Attributes of God (1)
Differences between testaments are matters of administration; external and relatively superficial. Fundamentals are identical.
When Bible says that God changed his mind (or repented), it's a human who changes, and God, with an unchanging nature, responds to the altered circumstances. The Bible accommodates itself to our limited comprehension.
'The Badges of Divinity': the Incommunicable Attributes of God (2)
The simplicity of God refers to His unity, purity, indivisibility.
'Our Creator God'
God made us to know, love, serve, obey, worship Him. "We will never know peace, fulfillment, satisfaction, or joy until we begin to fulfill the design for which we were made."
"When we are deprived of good it is always for good reason."
We may enjoy creation; it's clear that God went beyond necessity to delight (Gen 2:9; Ps 104:15; 1 Tim 4:4; 6:17).
'Our Governor and Preserver': The Providence of God
"Man does not live by bread alone" because bread has no power to nourish apart from God's secret blessing (Deut 8:3)."
God is sovereign over rational beings (Ezra 1:1; 7:27; Prov 16:9; 21:1; Jer 10:23; Rom 9:18; Josh 11:20; 1 Sam 2:25; 2 Sam 17:14; 1 Kings 12:15; Rev 17:17).
God governs and directs evil, but He isn't its source. People are responsible for sin (Isa 10; 37; Matt 26:24; Acts 2:23; 4:27-28).
"Satan aims to destroy a Christian's soul and so he destroys his flesh; God aims to save a Christian's soul and so He destroys his flesh through Satan."
God is sovereign over calamity (Lam 3:38; Amos 3:6; Isa 45:6-7).
To figure out your calling, think about your aptitudes, abilities, skills God gave you; your desires; and opportunities. Think about how God wants you to serve and know Him.
The cure for anger at what others have done, and for circumstances against us, is to know that God is behind them, working for our good.
"Be content to be at God's disposal." —Thomas Watson
God's Holiness and Ours
To determine your love of holiness, ask yourself:
• Do I have a high regard for the cost of atoning for sin?
• Do I have a serious concern about sin and the need for careful obedience?
• Do I grieve over sin or indulge it?
• Do I make grace a license to sin or a motivation for holiness?
• Are trials and temptations a stimulus to holiness or the occasion of bitterness?
• Do I cherish or ridicule holy people?
• Do I come to worship carefully prepared?
• Do I love Christian discipleship, or do I think the demands of Christ are too difficult?
• Is my life a stimulus to holiness for others, or a stumbling block?
Richard Rogers, when criticized for being too conscientious in his Christian walk, replied, "I serve a precise God."
"If we are not to 'touch' what is unclean, is it conceivable that we would be entertained by it (2 Cor. 6:17-18)?"
'The Engines of Divine Dignity': The Justice and Righteousness of God
People don't think an infinite goodness and justice can be so slow to punish evil, because they underestimate God's patience.
"The great miseries of this life are incomparably less than the least torment of hell." —William Gurnall
"An offense committed against the Infinite requires infinite punishment. Sin against an infinite and blessed God is a sin of infinite evil incurring infinite guilt requiring infinite torments."
Just and Justifier: Righteousness Satisfied and Conferred
There will be degrees of reward in Heaven. All saints will be filled with joy, but will vary in capacity for joy. 2 Cor 9:6-10; cf Luke 6:38; Matt 10:41.
"The punishment of the wicked cannot be infinite in intensity, and therefore it is so in duration." —Jonathan Edwards
We should be motivated by promise of reward and warning of loss (1 Cor 3:13-14; 4:4-5).
We shouldn't be afraid to warn of God's judgment in our evangelism; God Himself does so.
The Love of God
In John 3:16, "world" means fallen, sinful humanity. To say it means "the world of the elect" would be unprecedented and unnatural usage of "world." It doesn't mean God is pleased with the sinful world, or that everyone will be saved. It's a love that shows benevolence to all people (Matt 5:45-48; John 1:9; 8:12; Acts 14:16-17; 17:25-30). It's a love that motivates God to save some from out of the world (John 6:37; 10:3-5, 11-16; 17:9; Acts 20:28).
God's Transforming Love
"The expulsive power of a new affection": love for God expels love for the world, resulting in obedience and service.
God's Love and Ours
"To be patient is to look not with frustration or irritation but with sympathy on the limitations and failings of others."
Kindness is a step beyond patience; it's going the extra mile to deal gently and generously with others.
Notes
The Study of God
God's attributes are most clearly seen in Christ's person and work.
The cross most clearly shows God's grace, mercy, patience, sovereignty, righteousness.
"The Christian life is largely an imitation of the communicable attributes of God, most clearly seen in Christ."
'Our Triune God'
Each person of Trinity:
• Is given divine names and titles
• Is described as having divine attributes (eternality, omniscience, omnipotence, immutability, etc.)
• Is described as doing divine works (creation, providence, redemption, judgment)
• Is given divine honor
"The Son of God is just God the Son and the Spirit of God is just God the Spirit."
'The Badges of Divinity': the Incommunicable Attributes of God (1)
Differences between testaments are matters of administration; external and relatively superficial. Fundamentals are identical.
When Bible says that God changed his mind (or repented), it's a human who changes, and God, with an unchanging nature, responds to the altered circumstances. The Bible accommodates itself to our limited comprehension.
'The Badges of Divinity': the Incommunicable Attributes of God (2)
The simplicity of God refers to His unity, purity, indivisibility.
'Our Creator God'
God made us to know, love, serve, obey, worship Him. "We will never know peace, fulfillment, satisfaction, or joy until we begin to fulfill the design for which we were made."
"When we are deprived of good it is always for good reason."
We may enjoy creation; it's clear that God went beyond necessity to delight (Gen 2:9; Ps 104:15; 1 Tim 4:4; 6:17).
'Our Governor and Preserver': The Providence of God
"Man does not live by bread alone" because bread has no power to nourish apart from God's secret blessing (Deut 8:3)."
God is sovereign over rational beings (Ezra 1:1; 7:27; Prov 16:9; 21:1; Jer 10:23; Rom 9:18; Josh 11:20; 1 Sam 2:25; 2 Sam 17:14; 1 Kings 12:15; Rev 17:17).
God governs and directs evil, but He isn't its source. People are responsible for sin (Isa 10; 37; Matt 26:24; Acts 2:23; 4:27-28).
"Satan aims to destroy a Christian's soul and so he destroys his flesh; God aims to save a Christian's soul and so He destroys his flesh through Satan."
God is sovereign over calamity (Lam 3:38; Amos 3:6; Isa 45:6-7).
To figure out your calling, think about your aptitudes, abilities, skills God gave you; your desires; and opportunities. Think about how God wants you to serve and know Him.
The cure for anger at what others have done, and for circumstances against us, is to know that God is behind them, working for our good.
"Be content to be at God's disposal." —Thomas Watson
God's Holiness and Ours
To determine your love of holiness, ask yourself:
• Do I have a high regard for the cost of atoning for sin?
• Do I have a serious concern about sin and the need for careful obedience?
• Do I grieve over sin or indulge it?
• Do I make grace a license to sin or a motivation for holiness?
• Are trials and temptations a stimulus to holiness or the occasion of bitterness?
• Do I cherish or ridicule holy people?
• Do I come to worship carefully prepared?
• Do I love Christian discipleship, or do I think the demands of Christ are too difficult?
• Is my life a stimulus to holiness for others, or a stumbling block?
Richard Rogers, when criticized for being too conscientious in his Christian walk, replied, "I serve a precise God."
"If we are not to 'touch' what is unclean, is it conceivable that we would be entertained by it (2 Cor. 6:17-18)?"
'The Engines of Divine Dignity': The Justice and Righteousness of God
People don't think an infinite goodness and justice can be so slow to punish evil, because they underestimate God's patience.
"The great miseries of this life are incomparably less than the least torment of hell." —William Gurnall
"An offense committed against the Infinite requires infinite punishment. Sin against an infinite and blessed God is a sin of infinite evil incurring infinite guilt requiring infinite torments."
Just and Justifier: Righteousness Satisfied and Conferred
There will be degrees of reward in Heaven. All saints will be filled with joy, but will vary in capacity for joy. 2 Cor 9:6-10; cf Luke 6:38; Matt 10:41.
"The punishment of the wicked cannot be infinite in intensity, and therefore it is so in duration." —Jonathan Edwards
We should be motivated by promise of reward and warning of loss (1 Cor 3:13-14; 4:4-5).
We shouldn't be afraid to warn of God's judgment in our evangelism; God Himself does so.
The Love of God
Love is an aspect of the goodness of God, as also are his mercy, grace, and patience. Mercy is God's goodness express towards the suffering. Grace is God's goodness expressed towards the unworthy. Patience is God's goodness expressed towards those who have long provoked him. God's love is his goodness expressed towards the good, as he sees it in creation and foresees it in redemptive recreation.God is love, but not to the exclusion of His other attributes. His love never compromises His justice (Rom 11:22; Heb 12:29). If God loved everyone as they were, Christ wouldn't have come and died.
In John 3:16, "world" means fallen, sinful humanity. To say it means "the world of the elect" would be unprecedented and unnatural usage of "world." It doesn't mean God is pleased with the sinful world, or that everyone will be saved. It's a love that shows benevolence to all people (Matt 5:45-48; John 1:9; 8:12; Acts 14:16-17; 17:25-30). It's a love that motivates God to save some from out of the world (John 6:37; 10:3-5, 11-16; 17:9; Acts 20:28).
God's Transforming Love
"The expulsive power of a new affection": love for God expels love for the world, resulting in obedience and service.
God's Love and Ours
"To be patient is to look not with frustration or irritation but with sympathy on the limitations and failings of others."
Kindness is a step beyond patience; it's going the extra mile to deal gently and generously with others.
January 18, 2021
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader as part of a quick takes post to catch up--emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.
---
The reason I haven't written anything about this is simple: I don't know how to start—or how to finish (or anything in between). This is a modern, less-exhaustive version of Charnock's The Existence and Attributes of God. Full of quotations and lessons from Puritans and others in church history, this is an excellent introduction (and then some) to the classical doctrine of God so often ignored or downplayed today. If we don't know who He is, how will we know how to worship and serve Him?
It's convicting. It's informative and educational. It's devotional. It's probably the best thing that Johnson's written—and that's saying something.
---
The reason I haven't written anything about this is simple: I don't know how to start—or how to finish (or anything in between). This is a modern, less-exhaustive version of Charnock's The Existence and Attributes of God. Full of quotations and lessons from Puritans and others in church history, this is an excellent introduction (and then some) to the classical doctrine of God so often ignored or downplayed today. If we don't know who He is, how will we know how to worship and serve Him?
It's convicting. It's informative and educational. It's devotional. It's probably the best thing that Johnson's written—and that's saying something.
March 27, 2024
Never gonna not benefit from a book like this. Talks about God very theologically and lovingly and deals tangibly with how we should respond to those qualities. Also some banger cites in here, would be worth buying just for the bibliography.
December 17, 2019
Read in small pieces and took lots of notes. Full of great insight.
March 10, 2020
I picked up Johnson's book to prepare for a class I was teaching on the attributes of God. I hadn't heard of this book, but it was the best of the half dozen I read this year on the topic. I love Packer's Knowing God, and this book is similar. There are more academic books on various topics (aseity, simplicity, etc), but this is profound, devotional, broad and deep. Johnson does a masterful job of weaving together classic theologians and especially Puritan divines. For the quotes alone, this book is worth it.
If you are looking for a read that will deepen your understanding of God and offer practical counsel regarding how we ought to respond to this God, pick up and savor this book.
If you are looking for a read that will deepen your understanding of God and offer practical counsel regarding how we ought to respond to this God, pick up and savor this book.
May 21, 2020
A great compilation and summary of the attributes of God heavily quoting from many reformed theologians of days of old. But also at the end each section is application which is most helpful. As we know, theology is not just for the head but for the heart, it is experiential. This is a most helpful contribution as Terry helps the reader to understand and think about how these attributes of God relate to our Christian life, thoughts, attitudes and actions.
Looking forward to the next volume.
Looking forward to the next volume.
January 5, 2023
Found it a real challenge that we all need to know God through His word, creation , His character and what He teaches about thee reality the truth that we are not Him we can not do what He can do, God teaches through this book for us to be satisfied with the world now as it is made, how we are made, and How God is who is.
July 16, 2020
Johnson gives us a gift in that he packed a 350 page book full of Puritan theology on the doctrine of God.
September 7, 2020
This will stay on my shelf as a reference for years & years to come. Terry has taught me to know Him.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews