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The Attributes of God: Self-Existent

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God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.”
(Exodus 3:14)

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)

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
(John 1:1-5)

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For byfn him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
(Colossians 1:15-17)

By self-existence, we refer to that unique attribute of God by which He has existed eternally and will always exist so. Unlike all other things that relate to our existence, God does not owe His being to any other thing. We owe our existence to God. In one sense, our computers owe their existence to Apple or Dell employees and a host of subcontractors. Cupcakes owe their existence to the baker. And our earth owes its existence to God who through whatever means and processes he saw fit, created the world. All events have causes. All creatures have been created. This is true of everything except for God. God is the uncaused cause and the uncreated creator. God did not depend upon anything outside Himself for His existence, nor will He ever depend upon anyone for it.

He is completely and utterly self-existent.

Comments

  1. As I reflect on this post the and meaning I am humbled and filled with reverence, awe, and a spirit of worship.Ian

  2. WITH DEEP GRATITUDE AND THANKSTO ALL STAFF IN THE BLUE LETTER BIBLE…MAY THE GOOD LORD BLESS AND KEEP YOU SAFE DAILY…..THANKS FOR THIS MINISTRY!!!

  3. I have a question about your blue letter bible. When I click on a strong’s number let’s say 3444 the verses come up. Then when I click on the copy options then go down to select all versus it will not let me choose that option. So when I click to select a copy or even double click it will not let me do this also. But when I type in a word let’s say salvation there’s 158 versus comes up and I can copy all of those with no problem. The problem is with the strongs numbers where the copy option doesn’t work. I guess I’m doing something wrong. Please help.

  4. I’VE ENJOYED READING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT POSTS THAT HAVE BEEN

    SUBMITTED TO THIS SITE. PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING.

  5. Greetings! thanks for the discussion on the attribute of God’s Self Existent. I noticed that Sovereignty of God is not included in your listing of God’s attributes. Why? Don’t you consider it as one of His attributes. I understand the word attribute is not mentioned in the Bible. The word used is “character”. For this is the word used in Hebrews 1:3:Who being the brightness of [his] glory, and the “exact representation” of his person(in Greek the word use is character), and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high’ Is Sovereignty of God not His character?
    I’m looking forward to your Reply. Godbless and More power!

  6. Self Existence is one attribute that I don’t spend too much time thinking about. It is an impossible concept to try and understand with a finite mind. We, with our finite minds, see everything as having a starting time or being created etc etc. It is hard to understand someone not having a starting point. In other words, there is not a time that He wasn’t. WOW. As amazing as how He created our minds/brains for so much understanding, there are some things that we won’t understand until we meet Him face to face… Shalom

  7. This is a very hard concept to grasp, but is the only thing that can be accepted about the Almighty God. The old song, “We will understand it better by and by,” provides some comfort, but we have to accept also the fact that even in eternity, we will never fully understand the existence of God, or the mind of God.

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