It is in connection with the gradual unfolding of His purposes in the

pages of Scripture that God manifests to us the different attributes of His

being and nature, each unfolding being related to the purpose in view at the

time.  To Moses He revealed some of His glories, to John others.  Throughout

the Scriptures there is not to be found any attempt to define or analyse the

being and nature of God; always its approach to this inscrutable theme is

relative: as to His being, its standpoint is that he that comes to God must

believe that 'God is', and that, as Moral Governor, He is the 'Rewarder of

all them that diligently seek Him'.

Of necessity God Himself is infinitely beyond the sum total of all His

attributes as revealed in Scripture.  In the revelation given to Paul, God is

said to be:

Invisible (1 Tim. 1:17; Col. 1:15).

Immortal (1 Tim. 6:16).

Uncorruptible (Rom. 1:23).

Immutable as to Counsel (Heb. 6:17).

Incapable of Lying (Heb. 6:18; Titus. 1:2).

Incapable  of Denying Himself (2 Tim. 2:13).

From these negative statements we move into the realm of redeeming

activity, and there we meet with the following positive titles, with which

our list must be headed.

The living and true God (1 Thess. 1:9).

This title is used in blessed

contrast with the idols of the heathen.

The living God (1 Tim. 4:10; 6:17).  This title is used

of the God of salvation, especially in connection with 'trusting' Him, rather

than in uncertain riches or in bodily exercise, a form of idolatry (which is

the worship of something in the place of God) into which it is easy for a

believer to fall.

The only (wise) God (Rom. 16:27; 1 Tim. 1:17).  If we follow the R.V.

we shall omit the word 'wise' from 1 Timothy 1:17 and read, 'The only God'.

We note, that in the corresponding passage, 1 Timothy 6:15,16, the words,

'only Potentate' and 'only hath immortality' are retained by the R.V.

Comment upon the doctrinal significance of these passages will be given when

we are considering Paul's testimony to the Person of Christ.  Accordingly we

add the R.V. text and give the further title, The Only God (1 Tim. 1:17).

The blessed God (1 Tim. 1:11), and the blessed and only Potentate (1

Tim. 6:15).  There are two words translated 'blessed' that are used of God.

Here in these references in 1 Timothy the word is makarios, which some derive

from me keri, 'not subject to fate', applying it to the gods as immortals.

This happiness is from within.  The other word eulogeo, 'to bless', literally

means 'to speak well of', referring rather to repute.  God is both blessed in

His own intrinsic worth, and blessed by reason of all the manifestations of

His love.  In 1 Timothy 1:11 the Gospel is associated with the blessed God,

and, in 1 Timothy 6:15, future dominion.

As we have seen, not only does the apostle say what God is, but he

names two attributes, saying that He is faithful (1 Cor. 1:9; 10:13), and

that He is true (2 Cor. 1:18).  These plain statements can be supplemented by