Tackling A Theological Chunkster: Day 6, Charnock

Stephen Charnock,
The Existence and Attributes of God,
1682

In June, I started reading The Existence and Attributes of God by Stephen Charnock. So far, I've read the first three discourses. Today's post will cover the third discourse, "On God's Being A Spirit." (I shared my thoughts on the first discourse, On the Existence of God, in three posts. One to reflect each day I spent reading. Day 1, Day 2, Day 3. I shared my thoughts on the second discourse in one post.)

This discourse focuses on one thing and one thing only: 'proving' that God is a Spirit. The key verse is John 4:24. What more can I really say about it? First he says that it's true because the Bible says it's true. He talks in some detail about Jesus and the woman at the well. He then goes on to argue (needlessly argue perhaps?) that God must be a spirit for other reasons above and beyond the direct quotation of the Bible. God must be a spirit because if God had a body he wouldn't be invisible. God must be a spirit because if God had a body he wouldn't be omnipresent. God must be a spirit because if God had a body he wouldn't be immortal. God must be a spirit because if God had a body he wouldn't be infinite. He goes on and on and on like this. Which, I suppose, is fine. And it might be necessary for other readers. But. For me. It's such a given, such a basic, basic concept that it seems a bit unnecessary to spend so many pages trying to prove it.

In previous discourses, I've found Stephen Charnock to be wordy. But I've found gems that made reading it worth my time and energy. This third discourse, well, it disappoints in that I couldn't find anything worth quoting or sharing with you.

I still plan on tackling this one. I'm not giving up just yet!

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible