What Are the Attributes of God?
Introduction
When we ask, “What are the attributes of God?” we are really asking a deeper question: “What is God like?” The attributes of God, therefore, are not merely theological categories. They are descriptions of who God is, rooted in His self-revelation in Scripture. They help us understand how God relates to the world and to us, how He acts, and why He is worthy of worship. The Bible does not present God as an abstract concept or a distant force, but as a living, personal being who has revealed Himself in words and actions throughout history. To study His attributes is to seek to understand His nature as He has made it known.
Yet we must begin with humility as God is infinite, and we are finite. This means that while we can truly know God, we cannot exhaustively comprehend Him. As Scripture declares, “Can you fathom the mysteries of God?” (Job 11:7). Thus, this will be an overview of some of the key characteristics of God but by no means an exhaustive or complete list.
Scriptural Basis
The Bible reveals God’s attributes across both the Old and New Testaments, often in direct statements about His nature.
In Genesis, we first see God at work as Creator. This is how we are first introduced to Him as “God”. At a foundational level God is our Creator, and we are His creation. In Genesis we also learn that He is a relational God: He visits with man and walks with man in the garden (Genesis 3:8).
Later, in Exodus 3:14, God reveals His name to Moses:
“אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה” (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh)
“I AM WHO I AM.”
This declaration emphasizes God’s self-existence. He is not dependent on anything outside Himself. He simply is. The divine name YHWH (יהוה) is closely tied to this idea, expressing God’s eternal, unchanging being.
In Exodus 34:6–7, God proclaims His character:
“The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth…”
This passage is one of the clearest summaries of God’s moral attributes in the Old Testament. It reveals a God who is compassionate and just; good and truthful.
The Psalms frequently celebrate God’s greatness and power. Psalm 145:3 declares:
“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.”
This points to God’s infinite nature, beyond human limitation.
In the New Testament, Jesus teaches in John 4:24:
“God is Spirit.”
The Greek phrase πνεῦμα ὁ θεός (pneuma ho theos) indicates that God is not material. He is not bound by physical form.
In 1 John 1:5, we read:
“God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
And in 1 John 4:8:
“God is love.”
These statements reveal not just what God does, but what He is in His essence: He is light and love.
Unpacking the Attributes of God
When we gather the biblical data together, God’s attributes can be understood in two broad categories: His nature and His character. These are not separate parts of God, but different ways of describing the one, unified being of God.
God’s Nature
These attributes describe God as He is in Himself, apart from creation.
Self-Existence (Aseity): God depends on nothing. Everything else depends on Him. His name in Exodus 3 reveals that He is the source of all being.
Eternality: God has no beginning and no end. Psalm 90:2 declares, “from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”
Immutability (Unchanging Nature): God does not change in His being or character. Malachi 3:6 says, “I am the LORD, I change not.” Note that this does not mean He cannot change His mind, but that He does not change who He is.
Omnipresence: God is present everywhere. Psalm 139 teaches that there is no place one can go apart from His presence.
Omniscience: God knows all things fully and perfectly. Hebrews 4:13 states that nothing is hidden from His sight.
Omnipotence: God is all-powerful. Genesis 18:14 asks, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?”, which is a rhetorical question with the implicit answer of “no”.
Relational: God is in perfect relational communion within Himself: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is one of the mysteries that we, in our created nature cannot fully comprehend, but He is one God; three persons. I will not try to explain this more fully because I cannot, but this does mean that there is a relational nature in the very essence of God, independent of creation.
These attributes show God’s unique nature that is utterly distinct from His creation. He is not limited as we are and in no way dependent upon His creation.
God’s Character
These attributes describe God’s character and how He relates to His creation.
Holiness: God is perfectly pure and completely set apart from everything, including sin. Isaiah 6:3 declares, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts.”
Love: God’s love is central to His nature. It is self-giving and sacrificial, ultimately revealed in Christ.1 John 4:7-8 tells us, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
Goodness: God is good. Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him”
Righteousness and Justice: God is righteous: He always does what is right; this refers to His moral integrity and uprightness; God is also just: He judges sin fairly and upholds moral order.
Mercy and Grace: God shows compassion to the undeserving. His mercy is seen in His patience with those who deserve punishment, and His grace is His unmerited favor toward sinners.
Truthfulness: God is perfectly true and faithful. He cannot lie (Titus 1:2).
Importantly, these attributes are not in conflict. God’s love does not override His justice, and His justice does not cancel His mercy. All of His attributes exist in perfect harmony. The clearest demonstration of this harmony is found in Jesus Christ. In Christ, we see God’s holiness, love, righteousness, justice, and mercy displayed together in the cross, where sin is judged and justice is served, so sinners are saved.
The Implications of God’s Attributes
To study the attributes of God is to stand on holy ground. We are not merely analyzing abstract qualities. We are beholding the character of the One who created us and sustains all things. The Bible reveals that God is eternal, unchanging, all-powerful, and all-knowing. Yet it also reveals that He is loving, merciful, just, and faithful. These truths are not meant to remain theoretical. They are meant to lead us to worship. Because God is holy, we approach Him with reverence. Because He is just, we trust His judgments. Because He is loving, we rest in His care, and because He is unchanging, we find stability in a world that is constantly shifting.
Ultimately, the attributes of God point us to a deeper reality. God is not distant. He has made Himself known so that we might know Him, and in knowing Him, we find not only truth, but life itself. The best way to understand these attributes more fully is to read the Bible for ourselves, learning what God says about Himself, and to talk to Him through prayer. May we seek to know God more deeply and better understand each of His attributes!