The Attributes of God by Arthur Pink

This morning I wrote a review of The Attributes of God by Arthur W. Pink. I used to be able to publish reviews directly from Goodreads, but it seems that they have made some changes to the way they do things over there, and I haven't figured out how to work it. So here I am, cutting and pasting. Enjoy.

I think this is a very good book, though not without its problems. What it does it does rather well. Pink's intention is to present the excellent attributes of God, and he emphasizes those ways in which God is so far above us in His person, in His goodness, in His wrath. I do think that it presents rather a one-sided picture of God's relations with mankind. At the same time he takes great pains to correct some misconceptions, for instance, our tendency to believe that God owes us something by virtue of the fact that He created us. This is a very human way of thinking, and I think Pink's intention is to liberate us from it.

The book comes off as harsh, probably because Pink takes what he believes to be a very objective view of man, by which term I mean all persons created in God's likeness, both male and female. He describes and examines God's wrath, which is certainly a necessary exercise as we tend to misunderstand what it means to fear the Lord. We just want to respect Him, or think of Him as our pal, instead of granting Him the fear that is His due. On the other hand, God has always dealt very gently with mankind, if you'll take the time to think about that a bit. I feel like Pink errs to some extent in his emphasis on God's eternal punishment of evil-doers, mostly in the satisfaction he derives from such. Though these are very different books, I feel that I have benefited from having read *Reflections on the Psalms* by C.S. Lewis so recently before embarking on this book.


I liked this paragraph from the chapter titled "The Love of God" enough to post it on facebook:

Here then is abundant cause for trust and patience under Divine affliction. Christ was beloved of the Father, yet He was not exempted from poverty, disgrace, and persecution. He hungered and thirsted. Thus, it was not incompatible with God's love for Christ when He permitted men to spit upon and smite Him. Then let no Christian call into question God's love when he is brought under painful afflictions and trials. God did not enrich Christ on earth with temporal prosperity, for 'He had not where to lay His head.' But He did give Him the Spirit 'without measure' (John 3:34). Learn then that spiritual blessings are the principal gifts of Divine love. How blessed to know that when the world hates us, God loves us! (81)

This helps me to think about the difficulties I have often had with faith. I took some time a while back to make some notes about the way I think about trusting God, but I never finished them. I find it easy to trust God in the sense that I know He is good, He is trustworthy, He has blessed those who have trusted in Him with every spiritual blessing. I have a hard time trusting that the sources of my stress will necessarily be removed. "Christ was beloved of the Father, yet He was not exempted from poverty, disgrace, and persecution." Even if we aren't facing imminent disgrace, persecution, and who's to say we aren't, there are things I have to trust God for that are not guaranteed. On the other hand, there are things I can trust God for that are guaranteed, even if they aren't the "things" that seem desirable to me at any given moment, if you know what I mean. More on that at some later date, I hope.

Pink's book is a valuable resource, to be read prayerfully, and with much thanksgiving, but read it with the understanding that he has not presented the entire story of how God has interacted with mankind. This book is about God more than it is about us. And of course the Christian life is meant to be more about God than it is about us.

Don't worship Pink or Pink's representation of God. Worship God. Use Pink's book as a tool to help you develop the proper awe that inspires worship.