timfost
Puritan Board Senior
I was reading Charles Hodge on the attributes of God. He listed God's goodness as an attribute and love as coming from God's goodness rather than love being an attribute itself. I always viewed love as an attribute by itself ("God is love" (1 John 4:16)). Also, the WCF seems to put love under the attribute of His goodness.
If we can rightly say that God is love even though love itself is not an attribute, could we not also say that God is hate? In no way am I advocating that He is, but it seems that logically if love itself is not an attribute and the scriptures say God is love, then we could say the same for His hatred as hatred can be seen as a subcategory of His holiness/justice.
I am inclined to see love as an attribute itself, though certainly very related to His goodness.
Thoughts?
If we can rightly say that God is love even though love itself is not an attribute, could we not also say that God is hate? In no way am I advocating that He is, but it seems that logically if love itself is not an attribute and the scriptures say God is love, then we could say the same for His hatred as hatred can be seen as a subcategory of His holiness/justice.
I am inclined to see love as an attribute itself, though certainly very related to His goodness.
Thoughts?