Theological Term of the Week

Moving on to some terms related to the nature of God.

aseity
God’s perfection whereby he is self-sufficient, self-existent and independent, existing “from himself”; his possession of life in himself so that he needs nothing from anything outside of himself, but rather is the source and sustenance of everything that exists.

• From scripture:
  

  For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. (John 5:26 ESV)

  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world,from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Psalm 90:2 ESV)

  The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. (Acts 17:24-25 ESV)

• From The Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 3:

  GOD IS ONE. We believe and teach that God is one in essence or nature, subsisting in himself, all sufficient in himself…

• From The Independence or Self-Existence of God by Rev. D. H. Kuiper

  That God has life in Himself as the independent God, that He has given life to Christ that He mightbe the life source of His people, has several humbling implications of the believer. First, what a great,good, and wonderful God our God is! He had need of nothing, nothing can ever be added unto Him, Helives a perfect life within Himself … how glorious God is! And the other side of it is, how small,insignificant, dependent we are! God doesn’t need us, but we need Him! God gives and never receives; wereceive and never really give.

  Secondly, it becomes us, then to confess this dependence upon God, to live consciously out of Him. You can give yourself over, body and soul, to such a God without any reason to fear. Blessed is theman who looks away from himself, from governments and all human institutions, and looks to God thefount of every blessing.

  And finally, that God is independent and self-existent is the foundation of all worship of God! Letus never think that God is altogether such an one as we, but rather let us always acknowledge Him as thehigh and lofty One Who is excellent in praises and Marvelous in Being. Having life in Himself, He is thesource of our life in Christ! Let us worship at his footstool!

Learn more:

1. J. I. Packer: Self-Existence: God Has Always Been
2. Blue Letter Bible: Self-Existence
3. Mercy Drops Online Bible Classes: Aseity of God—Self Existence
4. John Frame, Divine Aseity and Apologetics: Divine Aseity and Apologetics
5. A. W. Tozer: The Self-Existence of God
6. S. Lewis Johnson: The Attributes of God, Part II:  Where Did God Come From? (mp3 and transcript)
7. D. A. Carson: The Aseity of God (YouTube video)
8. From my attributes of God posts: God’s Self-Existence

Related terms:

• eternality
• holiness
• immutability
• infinity
• omnipotence
• omnipresence
• omniscience

Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it.

I’m also interested in any suggestions you have for tweaking my definitions or for additional (or better) articles or sermons/lectures for linking. I’ll give you credit and a link back to your blog if I use your suggestion.

Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms organized in alphabetical order or by topic.

Sometimes You Just Need a Meme

Have you noticed the death of blogging memes? On the whole, I’d say that’s a good thing. I hated them, mostly, because I’m deliberate in what I do here on the blog. I’ve got my schedule and I stick to it week in and week out, and when I throw in something different, it’s because I’ve planned ahead to do it. Being tagged for a meme and feeling like I needed to do it or I’d be a blogging snob threw everything off-kilter.

But once in a while, I need a good meme. Once in a while I need something light and easy. Once in a while I need direction from someone else. Today would be a once-in-a-while.

So I’ve found myself a meme-like thing to do. Like Kim, I’m going to copy Lisa’s status report.

Sitting…on the couch in the living room, beside an open window, enjoying the summer-morning breeze. 

Drinking…Earl Grey English Breakfast Tea and wishing it were black coffee, but coffee does bad thing to me.

Watching…the flittering leaves from the May Day tree through the open window.

Resuming…nothing yet. Maybe I’ll call today a holiday and do nothing all day. Or maybe not.

Anticipating…a walk downtown with the dogs. Beautiful weather should not be wasted.

Hoping…the dogs behave themselves and don’t pull on their leashes. Mostly they don’t, but when they do, it’s not pretty. 

Still looking…out the window. Summer morning views should not be wasted.

Planning…to paint the foundation on the house and the railings on the decks this summer. I am perpetually planning painting projects.

Completed…reading John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine and Doxology and now I’m reading Adopted for Life by Russell Moore.

Wanting…to do the kinds of summer activities families or couples do. You know, camping trips, road trips, etc. I miss them.

Deciding…whether to fly to Kansas for a family reunion at the end of the month. It’s expensive (and I’ve had several unexpected expenses recently) and it’s only for a couple of days and I can’t fly all the way to the town I need to be at, so either I’d have to rent a car (also expensive) or someone has to drive quite a ways to pick me up and take me back. But I really want to be there. My sister and father will be there, along with five of my sister’s children, including 3 newly adopted ones I haven’t met yet. And some of the relatives I’d like to see again are quite elderly. I flip-flop on this daily.

The Diverting History of John Gilpin

Showing how he went farther than he intended, and came safe home again.

John Gilpin was a citizen
Of credit and renown,
A train-band captain eke was he,
Of famous London town.

John Gilpin’s spouse said to her dear,
“Though wedded we have been
These twice ten tedious years, yet we
No holiday have seen.

“To-morrow is our wedding-day,
And we will then repair
Unto the ‘Bell’ at Edmonton,
All in a chaise and pair.

“My sister, and my sister’s child,
Myself, and children three,
Will fill the chaise; so you must ride
On horseback after we.”

He soon replied, “I do admire
Of womankind but one,
And you are she, my dearest dear,
Therefore it shall be done.

“I am a linendraper bold,
As all the world doth know,
And my good friend the calender
Will lend his horse to go.”

Quoth Mrs. Gilpin, “That’s well said;
And for that wine is dear,
We will be furnished with our own,
Which is both bright and clear.”

John Gilpin kissed his loving wife.
O’erjoyed was he to find.
That though on pleasure she was bent,
She had a frugal mind.

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