How does God’s perfect unity reveal that His attributes are never at odds? (Simplicity)
One of the most profound truths about God is His simplicity—the teaching that God is perfectly one, without division or contradiction. While humans can be torn in different directions, with competing desires and attributes that conflict, God is never at odds with Himself. His attributes are not separate parts that He balances or prioritizes at different times. Instead, His justice, mercy, holiness, and love are all identical with His very being.
This article explores how God’s perfect unity sets Him apart from all creation, why divine simplicity matters for our faith, and how this doctrine assures us that His promises in the Gospel will never fail. For more on the broader framework of God’s character, see the attributes of God.
1. Understanding Divine Simplicity
The doctrine of divine simplicity states that God is not composed of parts. Unlike creatures, whose bodies, minds, and emotions can be divided or conflicted, God is wholly one. Each of His attributes—holiness, love, power, wisdom—is not a slice of who He is but the fullness of His essence.
God does not “balance” love with justice; His love is always just, and His justice is always loving.
His holiness is not separate from His goodness; they are one and the same reality.
He cannot change or grow, because He is already fullness of being (Psalm 90:2; Malachi 3:6).
This perfection means that when Scripture speaks of God’s attributes, it is not describing parts of Him but perspectives on the one, simple God.
2. Simplicity and God’s Perfection
Divine simplicity highlights God’s absolute perfection. He lacks nothing and has no potential to be more than He already is. All created beings can grow, decay, or change; God alone is fully and eternally complete.
This is why He can say to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). His being is not dependent on anything outside Himself. As Paul later explains, God “has life in Himself” (John 5:26). This makes Him utterly reliable, since nothing within Him can be compromised or weakened.
Because God’s attributes are identical with His essence, His goodness is not measured by an external standard—God Himself is goodness (Psalm 34:8). His wisdom is not something He consults; He is wisdom itself (Romans 16:27). His power is not something He wields apart from His being; He is power (Job 42:2).
3. Simplicity and the Trinity
At first glance, divine simplicity might seem to clash with the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. How can God be perfectly one if He exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
The answer lies in distinguishing between essence and persons. Simplicity means God’s essence—His nature—is undivided and one. The Trinity refers to the three persons who fully and equally share that one essence.
The Father is not a part of God but fully God.
The Son is not one-third of God but fully God.
The Spirit is not a slice of God but fully God.
Because of divine simplicity, the three persons share the same perfect unity, without division or conflict. Jesus can say, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30) without undermining the distinction of persons.
4. Simplicity and the Gospel
Divine simplicity is not just an abstract doctrine—it grounds the Gospel itself. If God’s attributes could be separated, then His justice could overpower His mercy, or His wrath could suppress His love. But in simplicity, God is never divided against Himself.
This truth shines at the cross of Christ. There, God’s perfect justice and perfect love meet in harmony:
Justice, because sin is truly judged in Christ’s death (Romans 3:25–26).
Love, because sinners are saved through that same sacrifice (John 3:16).
Simplicity assures us that when God forgives, He does so without undermining His holiness. When He saves, He does so without compromising His justice. His attributes always act together because they are not parts but the whole of who He is.
5. Simplicity and the End of All Things
The doctrine of last things also depends on God’s simplicity. Scripture teaches that Christ will return, bringing resurrection and judgment (John 5:28–29; Revelation 20:11–15). If God’s attributes could be divided, then His eternal plan might be uncertain or self-contradictory. But because God is perfectly one, His promises stand firm.
His justice guarantees that evil will be judged (2 Thessalonians 1:6–8).
His mercy guarantees that His people will be welcomed into glory (Revelation 21:3–4).
His faithfulness guarantees that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38–39).
Believers can live with hope, knowing that God’s purposes are unshakable because His being is undivided.
6. Living in Light of God’s Simplicity
Understanding divine simplicity shapes how we live and worship:
Confidence in prayer: We pray to a God whose attributes never fail or conflict.
Peace in suffering: God’s love is never threatened by His justice; His mercy is never swallowed by His wrath.
Unity in the church: God’s oneness calls His people to reflect unity in their life together (John 17:21).
Hope in the future: God’s plan is undivided, so His promises of resurrection and eternal life are secure.
In a world where human beings are fragmented and double-minded, God’s simplicity offers the stability and wholeness our souls long for.
Conclusion
The doctrine of divine simplicity reveals that God is not a composite being but perfect unity. His attributes are never in tension, for they are all identical with His essence. This truth assures us that His justice and mercy, His wrath and love, His holiness and grace, are all fully and perfectly expressed in everything He does.
For the believer, this doctrine is profoundly comforting: the God who saves us is never divided against Himself. His promises cannot fail, His Gospel cannot collapse, and His eternal purposes will stand.
Bible Verses on God’s Simplicity and Unity
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4)
“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” (Psalm 90:2)
“Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.” (Psalm 145:3)
“I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” (Malachi 3:6)
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)
“I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30)
“God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5)
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)
“To the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.” (1 Timothy 1:17)
“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Romans 16:27)
