Fullness of Life
Imagine a fountain, ceaselessly pouring forth streams of life and blessings. This helps picture God as the ultimate source of life itself—abounding with boundless energy and perfection. God is not just another figure in the crowd; He is the very essence of existence itself, the wellspring from which all life flows. God brims with boundless perfections like love, wisdom, and goodness, each quality radiating in infinite splendor.
Unlike mortal beings, God's full life remains perpetual, immutable, and overflowing. He transcends temporal constraints, epitomizing eternity and steadfastness. Upon contemplation of this reality, one cannot help but recognize that every breath drawn, every flower blooming, every moment of joy—all find their genesis in Him. It is akin to being enveloped in an ocean of his loving life as creation exists only as it “participates” in God’s life. Such contemplation naturally inclines one towards a sense of reverence and gratitude—a profound doxology. It invites individuals to pause and marvel at the wonder of existence. This recognition of God as the fullness of life not only evokes wonder but also fosters a sense of reverence and thankfulness.
This understanding of God as the fullness of life is elegantly captured in theological discourse as the doctrine of pure actuality. God transcends the realm of potentiality to exist in a state of timeless perfection. Unlike mere mortals subject to the ebb and flow of change, He stands eternally perfect and unchanging, a beacon of stability in a tumultuous world. This concept lies at the heart of classical theology, underpinning God's flawless sovereignty and magnificence.
Delving deeper into Christian theology, we encounter the Trinity, wherein God manifests as a divine community of three persons who share in the divine essence. This illustrates the richness and abundance of God's being. In essence, to describe God as the fulness of life or pure actuality is to acknowledge His transcendent and immutable nature, embracing Him as the ultimate origin and destination of existence itself.
Blessed Forever
God's eternal blessedness stands as a cornerstone of theological understanding, portraying His timeless state of absolute happiness and fulfillment. Throughout sacred scriptures, this divine attribute is exalted, revealing insights into the eternal nature of God and His status as the ultimate source of blessing and goodness.
In 1 Chronicles 29:1, King David's prayer of thanksgiving resounds with reverence for God's eternal blessedness. He extols, "Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours." Here, David eloquently attributes divine greatness, power, and glory to God, acknowledging His eternal sovereignty and blessedness as the rightful ruler over all creation.
The apostle Paul illuminates the contrast between humanity's transience and God's eternal blessedness in Romans 1:25. There Paul laments the idolatry of those who forsake the truth for falsehood, emphasizing the enduring and true blessedness found only in God, the Creator of all things. Similarly, in Romans 9:5, Paul exalts the eternal blessedness of God while affirming the divine lineage of Christ. He proclaims Christ as "God over all, blessed forever," underscoring the eternal nature of God's blessedness and Christ's divine authority.
Moreover, in the heartfelt confession of 2 Corinthians 11:31, Paul glorifies God's eternal blessedness amidst his own weaknesses. He acknowledges God as "to be praised forever," affirming His unchanging nature as the everlasting object of adoration and worship. These passages unveil the grandeur of God's eternal blessedness, inviting believers to partake in the ceaseless worship and praise of the One who reigns in eternal splendor.
God is Life
God is not merely a giver of life; He is life itself, the very essence from which all existence emanates. In the depths of His being, God possesses life in its fullest measure, self-sustained and eternal. This divine vitality is intrinsic to His nature, as depicted in the profound imagery of Scripture. In John 5:26, we glimpse the eternal mystery of the Father's unbegotten existence, possessing life within Himself. Likewise, the Son, begotten of the Father, shares in this divine aseity, delighting in the boundless vitality of the Father's being.
It is this divine life that pulsates through the words of Jesus, as He declares Himself to be "the way, the truth, and the life" (Jn 14:6). In these words, we find the embodiment of divine truth and the pathway to eternal communion with the source of all life. Thus, in contemplating the profound mystery of God's self-existent life, we are invited into a deeper understanding of His divine nature and a renewed sense of awe and wonder. Let us, therefore, join in doxological praise, acknowledging Jesus as the conduit to the inexhaustible wellspring of life, where our souls find rest and fulfillment.
God is Joy
God is doesn’t just have joy and pleasure, God’s nature is “joy” and “pleasures” forever. God is eternally overflowing with boundless delight and satisfaction. This divine truth is vividly portrayed in Psalm 16:11, where the psalmist exclaims, " in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Here, we encounter a profound revelation of God's nature as he is in himself and God as the fountainhead of unending joy and everlasting pleasures for his creation.
In His divine presence, we discover the ultimate fulfillment. Every corner of Heaven is saturated with His abundant joy. At his right hand—the position of honor and favor—we find pleasures that transcend earthly delights, enduring for all eternity. This passage invites us into a sacred journey, to see a glimpse of God’s true nature. Obviously, there is not something at God’s right hand which generates or supplies pleasure to God. This is the Psalmist’s way of expressing the joy which is essential to God’s nature. This joy is who God is.
This divine joy beckons us to lift our voices in praise and adoration, celebrating the God who lavishes us with inexhaustible joy and eternal pleasures. Let us, therefore, immerse ourselves in the divine embrace of joy and pleasure, finding our ultimate satisfaction in the presence of the One who is Joy and Pleasure forevermore.
God is the Source of All Goodness
In passages like James 1:17, we encounter the profound truth that God is the ultimate source of all goodness. The verse reads, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." From this verse, we glean three significant lessons. Firstly, it emphasizes that every instance of goodness originates from God; there is no goodness apart from His own. Secondly, God is depicted as "the Father of lights," underscoring His role as the sole provider of goodness, independent of any external source. Lastly, despite being the source of all goodness, God's unchanging nature remains constant.
The overflow of God's goodness into creation does not alter His immutable nature. All goodness within the universe is a reflection of the abundant goodness inherent in God Himself. Jeremiah 2:13 further reinforces this concept, where God laments, "My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water." Here, God contrasts Himself with creation and false deities, depicting Himself as the unfailing source of life, likened to a fountain of living waters. This imagery illustrates that God's essence is the very essence of life itself, and this life-giving nature is not derived from any external source. Instead, God's intrinsic nature is characterized by an overwhelming abundance of life, from which all other forms of life derive their existence.
Pure Actuality
Theologians have synthesized this wealth of information to describe God as pure actuality. To grasp this concept, we must first delve into the notion of actualization. Actualization entails becoming what one was not previously or fulfilling a potential. From this, we can infer that God lacks unfulfilled potentialities because He is depicted as the epitome of blessedness, life, and joy. In essence, God is entirely actualized.
Aquinas argued that God’s nature was pure actuality based first on his eternality. Aquinas said, “He is without beginning and end, and has all His being simultaneously: and in this consists the notion of eternity” (Sum. Cont. Gent. 1.15). Then he went on to reason that “if God is eternal, it follows of necessity that He is not in potentiality” (Sum. Cont. Gent. 1.16). This must be the case, he went on to say, because God “cannot not be, since He is eternal. Therefore in God there is not potentiality to be” (Sum. Cont. Gent. 1.16).
Furthermore, “because potentiality does not bring itself into actuality, but needs to be brought into actuality by something actual. Therefore whatever is in any way potential has something previous to it. Now God is the first being and the first cause, as stated above. Therefore in Him there is no admixture of potentiality” (Sum. Cont. Gent. 1.16).
Aquinas argued that since God is eternal and since God is the first and necessary cause, there could be no potential in God’s nature. God must be the fulness of life—pure actuality. There was no mixture of potential and actuality in God. In God there is only actuality or pure actualization. Aquinas also argued “movement is the act of that which is in potentiality” (Su. Cont. Gent. 1.16). Since God is immutable and impassible, Aquinas reasoned that there could be no potential in God. God can’t change because he is already the perfect fulness of life. Finally, Aquinas argued that since God is not produced from something or moved by something before him, he must eternally be fully actualized. Since nothing moves God to go from potentiality to actuality, God must be eternal pure actuality.
Divine Aseity
Aseity denotes the self-existence of God, a concept vividly depicted in Genesis 1:1, where the universe is brought into being by the God who exists independently of it. This divine self-sufficiency is further affirmed in John 5:26, which speaks of God as the one who possesses life within Himself. Acts 17:24-25 expands on this idea, portraying God as the creator of the world and everything in it. It emphasizes that God is not reliant on human-made structures or offerings, for He is the giver of life, breath, and all things to humanity. Divine aseity is “inseparable from God’s triune nature as the one who has life in himself.”[1] Wellum said, “God is the ground of his own being.”[2]
John Webster wonderfully demonstrated that God’s aseity includes more than just being the first cause. According to Webster, God’s aseity has two dimensions. “First, it indicates the glory and plenitude of the life of the Holy Trinity in its self-existent and self-moving originality, its underived fullness. In every respect, God is of himself God. Second, it indicates that God’s originality and fullness constitute the ground of his self-communication.”[3] In this way “God exists in the supreme sense and the original sense of the word. He is altogether unchangeable, and it is he who could say with full authority ‘I am who I am.”[4]
How God’s Fullness Shapes Our Understanding of God
Given that God is eternally the embodiment of life's fullness, it is essential that our contemplation of His nature be deeply informed by this foundational reality. His perfect beatitude not only defines His essence but also influences our comprehension of other theological doctrines, such as immutability and impassibility. Scripture affirms this truth in passages like James 1:17, which declares, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." Here, we see God's unchanging nature reflected in His role as the source of all goodness and perfection. Likewise, Psalm 102:27 attests to God's immutability: "But you are the same, and your years have no end." This verse underscores the timeless constancy of God's being.
Moreover, God's eternal plenitude of life suggests His immutability and impassibility. If God is the ultimate source of life and vitality, it follows that He cannot undergo change or be affected by external forces. Malachi 3:6 reinforces this concept, affirming, "For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed." Here, God's unchanging nature is contrasted with the transient nature of humanity, highlighting His steadfastness and faithfulness.
Furthermore, understanding God's actions requires us to consider His perfect blessedness. His decision to create the world, His providential care over it, and His salvific work all emanate from His eternal blessedness. Psalm 145:9 speaks to God's providential care: "The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made." This verse illustrates how God's actions are infused with His goodness and compassion, flowing from His boundless blessedness.
In summary, God's eternal fullness of life serves as the cornerstone of our theological reflection, shaping our understanding of His immutability, impassibility, and actions. Scripture provides a rich tapestry of passages that affirm these truths, guiding us to recognize God's unchanging nature, His sovereignty, and His overflowing goodness as foundational aspects of His divine being.
How the God’s Fulness of Life Shapes Our Lives
When we consider God's beatitude, we recognize that it serves as the ultimate standard of happiness and fulfillment. Therefore, understanding and embracing this beatitude is paramount in shaping our approach to life in God’s presence. First, God's beatitude reveals the pathway to true happiness and fulfillment. As the source of all goodness and joy, God's beatitude demonstrates that genuine happiness is found in communion with Him. These understandings challenge conventional notions of happiness rooted in material possessions or worldly achievements and redirect our focus toward cultivating a deeper relationship with God.
Secondly, God's beatitude informs our moral and ethical decisions. Since God's blessedness embodies perfect goodness, aligning our lives with His beatitude entails striving for moral excellence and righteousness. This involves adhering to divine principles of love, compassion, justice, and mercy in all aspects of life. By embracing God's beatitude as the ultimate standard of goodness, we are compelled to pursue virtue and integrity in our thoughts, words, and actions.
Furthermore, God's beatitude shapes our perspective on suffering and adversity. While worldly perspectives often view suffering as inherently negative, God's beatitude offers a different lens through which to interpret life's challenges. In light of God's supreme blessedness, suffering can be understood as a means of spiritual refinement and growth. Embracing God's beatitude enables believers to endure hardships with resilience and hope, trusting in His providential care and ultimate plan for their lives.
Moreover, God's beatitude fosters a spirit of gratitude and contentment. Recognizing God as the source of all blessings, including the gift of life itself, encourages believers to cultivate a heart of thanksgiving and appreciation. By acknowledging God's beatitude as the fountain of all goodness and joy, individuals are empowered to find contentment in every circumstance, knowing that their ultimate fulfillment lies in Him.
In summary, God's beatitude serves as the cornerstone of "the science of living unto God," shaping every aspect of believers' lives. By embracing His supreme blessedness, individuals are guided toward true happiness, moral excellence, resilience in adversity, and a spirit of gratitude. Ultimately, living unto God involves aligning our lives with His beatitude, seeking to reflect His divine attributes and finding our ultimate fulfillment in communion with Him.
[1] Wellum, Systematic Theology, 604
[2] Wellum, Systematic Theology, 605
[3] Webster, John. God without Measure: Working Papers in Christian Theology, God and the Works of God. Vol. I. London; Oxford; New York; New Delhi; Sydney: Bloomsbury T&T Clark: An Imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2016), 13
[4] On Christian Teaching (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997), I.xxxii.