Theologians categorize the attributes of God into two categories. The categories are communicable and incommunicable. Communicable attributes are those which God has passed on to humans. These are the ways we demonstrate that we are made in Gods image.

This morning, I read this verse in Psalm 86:

“But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

Psalm 86:15, ESV

David, the author of this psalm, lists five attributes of God:

• Mercy
• Grace
• Slow to anger
• Abounding in steadfast love
• Abounding in faithfulness

These are all attributes that are communicable; we can imitate God in all five items on this list.

We can choose to be merciful to the people in our lives regardless of whether they deserve that mercy.

We can demonstrate grace to those who definitely don’t deserve it. I am reminded of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount about turning the other cheek and going the second mile.

We can choose to be slow to anger. Certainly there are things that happen around us about which we should be angry. We should be rightly angry when injustice is done to those who cannot protect themselves.

But am I quick to become angry about those little irritations that come at me? Am I quick to become angry because I have been inconvenienced in some way? By refusing to let the small things make me angry I can imitate God.

We can choose to practice love. The love in question is unconditional love that looks out for the best interest of the object of that love. It’s not an emotion as much as an action. It is a choice to do the right thing for someone else.

We can choose to practice faithfulness by being faithful to those to whom we have made commitments. In the whole story of the Old Testament, God was faithful to Israel even when they were in open rebellion. God has been faithful to humanity by providing a Savior in Jesus Christ, even when we as a group were in open rebellion against him.

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, ESV)

Romans 5:8, ESV

Every moment of every day, we can chose to imitate God in these attributes. Like exercising our bodies to increase our skill, speed and strength to complete an activity, we can also exercise our minds to increase our ability to practice these attributes.

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A short note today to wish everyone a Happy Easter in 2023.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ proves that Evil will not win and that anything is possible with God.

Blessings to you today as you celebrate the resurrection of our Savior.

He is risen!

Question 27 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism asks: In what did Christ’s humiliation consist?

The answer given is: “Christ’s humiliation consisted in being born, and that in a poor circumstance;[a] in being subject to God’s law; in undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God and the curse of death on the cross; in being buried; and in continuing under the power of death for a time.”

As I write this, it is Good Friday of 2023, a day where Christ’s humiliation is highlighted in his crucifixion.

Recently, in my Bible reading, the rules for sacrifices as given by Moses in the book of Leviticus came to my attention. The seriousness of sin cannot be ignored when it is seen that death is the result of that sin. The animal must die so that atonement may be made.

The one making the sacrifice was right there when the animal was killed. The one making the sacrifice was an active participant in the shedding of the blood. He could not ignore the serious nature of the ceremony.

But growing up in the church in the 20th Century, it was too easy to have a sanitized view of the sacrificial system. Sure, we understood that the animal died, but it seems so distant and not connected with our current situation.

But Good Friday makes us face the seriousness of our sin. Jesus Christ had to die to make atonement for that sin. We see the horrific event of the crucifixion and can better understand the intensity of the love God has for us.

I am reminded of a passage from Hebrews:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Emphasis Added)

Hebrews 12:1–2, ESV

If you have any question about the what motivated Jesus to endure the cross, if you wonder what joy could be worth the pain, take this opportunity to go look in a mirror.

If you are encouraged by this post or would like to make a comment, please use the comment form below to offer your feedback. If you are reading this in an email and would like to comment, you can reply to the email or click on the “Read in browser” link below to go to the web page where you can enter a comment. I enjoy hearing from you.