一、只有一位(申6:4;林前8:4,6;加3:20)又真又活(帖前1:9;耶10:10)的神,祂的本体和完全都是无限的(伯11:7-9;26:14;诗139:6),是至纯之灵(约4:24),眼不能见(提前1:17;约1:18),没有身体,没有部分(申4:15-16;约4:24;路24:39),没有情绪(徒14:11,15),永不改变(雅1:17;玛3:6),广大无边(王上8:27;耶23:23-24),永远常存(诗90:2;提前1:17),不可测度(诗145:3;罗11:34),全能(创17:1;启4:8),至高智慧(罗16:27),至为圣洁(赛6:3;启4:8),最为自由(诗115:3;赛14:24),最为绝对(赛45:5-6;出3:14),按照祂自己永不改变、至为公义的旨意(弗1:11),为了祂自己的荣耀(箴16:4;罗11:36;启4:11)行做万事,最有慈爱(约壹4:8,16;约3:16)、有恩典、有怜悯、恒久忍耐、有丰盛的良善和真理,赦免罪孽、过犯和罪恶(出34:6-7);赏赐那些殷勤寻求祂的人(来11:6);同时,祂的审判最为公正、最为可畏(尼9:32-33;来10:28-31),因为祂憎恶一切罪恶(罗1:18;诗5:5-6;11:5),断不以有罪的为无罪(出34:7;鸿1:2-3,6)。(译注:1、在「公义」之前列出了神不可传递的,从「公义」开始列出了可传递的属性。2、「没有躯体」,指神完全不受空间和距离的限制,无所不在。3、「没有部分」,指神的位格、能力和属性都是完美结合的。4、「没有情绪」,又被译为「无欲、无情欲、没有激情」,不是说神没有感觉、冷漠无情,或者祂里面没有类似人的情感和感情的心态,而是说神没有人类那种被动、非自愿的情绪化反应,也就是受无法控制的环境驱使和约束的心态,包括痛苦、惧怕、忧伤、懊悔、绝望等。神的情感具有深思熟虑、自主选择的本质,与人的情绪完全不同。5、「不可测度」,指人不能像神认识祂自己那样穷尽地认识祂,但可以按照神的启示有把握地认识祂。6、「最为自由」,指神按照自己不变的、最公义的旨意作决定,为了荣耀祂自己。7、「最为绝对」,指神的存在和工作不靠人或天使,祂自有永有,是自存自足的。)
There is but one only living and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute, working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, for His own glory, most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; and withal most just and terrible in His judgments; hating all sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty.
二、神拥有一切生命(耶10:10;约5:26)、荣耀(徒7:2)、良善(诗119:68)和祝福(提前6:15;罗9:5),都是从祂自己里面而来。并且,祂自己就足以完全满足,不需要祂所造的任何受造物(徒17:24-25),也不从他们那里得到任何荣耀(路17:10),反倒只透过他们、借着他们、向着他们、在他们身上彰显祂自己的荣耀;祂是万有的惟一根源,万有都本于祂、倚靠祂、归于祂(罗11:36);祂在万有之上有着至高的主权,随己意借着他们、为着他们、或在他们身上行事(启 4:11;但4:25,35;提前6:15)。万事在祂眼前都是赤露敞开的(来4:13);祂的知识是无限的、无谬无误的,不依赖于任何受造物(罗11:33-34;诗147:5)。所以对祂而言,没有什么是偶然或不确定的(徒15:18;结11:5)。祂的一切旨意,祂的一切作为,祂的一切命令都是至圣的(诗145:17;罗7:12)。天使、人类和其他一切受造物都当按祂所乐意要求的敬拜祂、事奉祂、顺服祂(启5:12-14)。(译注:「祝福」指配得称颂的荣美,和合本提前6:15和罗9:5的「可称颂」,英文译为「有福的 blessed」。)
God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself; and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; He is the alone foundation of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom, are all things; and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleaseth. In His sight all things are open and manifest; His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature; so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain. He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands. To Him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience He is pleased to require of them.
三、在神性的合一中有三个位格,本质一致、能力一致、永恒一致:父神、子神和圣灵神(太3:16-17;28:19;林后13:14;弗2:18)。父从无而有,既非受生,亦非发出;子在永恒里为父所生(约1:14,18;来1:2-3;西1:15);圣灵在永恒里由父和子发出(约15:26;加4:6)。
In the unity of the Godhead there be three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.