Joel M Bradshaw

9When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11But the angel of the LORDcalled to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”–Genesis 22

When we read a verse like 12, the temptation is to limit God. As if God was waiting to see what Abraham would do or required that data in order to move forward.

A basic element of Christian theology is the attribute of God’s aseity. This word is taken from the Latin a se, meaning ‘from itself.’ The idea with aseity is that God requires nothing from anyone. He exists in and from himself. He had no beginning or needed anyone to start or create him. He therefore is complete and requires no knowledge or council from anyone in order to execute his plans.

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. (ACTS 17:24-25, emphasized)

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will (EPHESIANS 1:11, emphasized)

It does sound like God was telling Abraham that he finally had the data he needed. If all we had was this passage, we probably couldn’t hold to the idea of aseity. But reading Acts 17 and Ephesians 1 above, it helps us to have another option. God wasn’t really testing Abraham for God’s sake, but doing so for Abe’s sake. God didn’t need the info provided, but Abraham did. Abe needed to obey God and trust him completely to provide. And then God saying ‘now I know’ is something needed for Abraham to hear and not because God needed himself to say it.

With aseity God doesn’t need the same way I need. I therefore cannot manipulate God or think too highly of my efforts for the Kingdom. He doesn’t require you and me. I’m grateful that he wants us and created us and uses us for his glory. You and I hold nothing that God requires or is lacking in. God didn’t require history to play out in Genesis before he was complete. He’s also not pacing the corridors of Heaven wondering what you or I will do.

The attribute of aseity is comforting, because it describes God as enough just in himself. The moment God requires something, my selfish heart will try to enter into a transaction with him and seek a quid pro quo. This attribute of aseity is more important than you might think in your practical, daily relationship with God.–JMB