Eternal, immutable, all-powerful, all-knowing God; absolutely sovereign and holy
IFCA International affirms the classical attributes of God as understood in historic Christian theology. God is one, infinite in being and perfection, eternally existing without beginning or end, immutable in his essence and purposes. He is all-powerful (omnipotent), knowing all things past, present, and future with perfect knowledge; he is universally present (omnipresent) and fills all creation. God is purely spirit, incorporeal and invisible, possessing no material body or passions.
God's sovereignty is absolute: he sustains all creation, directs all events according to his eternal purpose, and governs all history toward the fulfillment of his will. God's holiness is the foundational divine attribute — his absolute separation from and opposition to all sin and evil. God is perfectly just in all his judicial acts, perfectly merciful toward the penitent, and perfectly good in all his doings. These attributes are infinitely perfect in God and provide the foundation for all moral law, human responsibility, and divine judgment.
The IFCA emphasis on God's sovereignty and holiness undergirds its strong position on biblicism and separatism from apostasy. Because God is absolutely sovereign and holy, his Word is authoritative and final, and the church must maintain separation from false doctrine and compromised testimony. God's character as the infinite, eternal, and utterly holy Being commands reverence, obedience, and devotion.
Key Distinctions
- Theism type:
- foundational attribute; separates God from sin
- Primary divine attribute:
- eternal and unchangeable in nature and counsel
Scripture References
Sources
- IFCA International Articles of Faith, Section I
- IFCA Position Papers on God's Attributes