God has no primary attribute; he always thinks and behaves in the totality of his being. He doesn't view himself primarily as a God of love or God of holiness or justice. He sees himself as he is: God. God never acts on the impulse of one attribute; neither does he suspend one to exercise another. His wrath is never absent from his love. His justice is always present in his grace and mercy. The early church fathers were correct when they adopted the maxim: all of God does all that God does.
The present tendency is to over-emphasise his love: 'it's all about love'; 'God loves you and that's all that matters'; 'I'm just basking in his love'. It's not all about love: it's all about God. It's interesting, but I never hear the people who wonder if God loves them ask if he is still holy. The question today is not whether God loves you, but do you love God?
These things go in cycles. When I was younger the emphasis was on God's holiness at the expense of every other attribute. We ended up with a God who didn't really like us and lived at a distance. The current fascination with the love of God, if not tempered by every other attribute, will result in a God who is a sentimental, non-demanding Santa Claus who exists to cuddle us and tolerate our every whim and fancy.When this particular cycle was prevalent years ago, many people walked away from their 'faith' after embracing a God of love who then challenged them about their unrighteousnes and rebellion.
The giants of the faith are always men and women who know God as he is. They may experience him at certain times as One who is just or gracious, often depending on what they are going through in life. But they never see him through the filter of only one attribute or just a few attributes. They understand that God is infinite - without limit - in his whole being, and no single attribute can define him or confine him.
