Who Is God According to the Bible?
A Theological Exploration of God’s Nature, Character, and Revelation
Who is God?
Few questions are more foundational or more profound than this: Who is God? Every worldview, every religion, and every human life is shaped by how this question is answered. The Bible does not begin by arguing for God’s existence. It begins with a declaration: “In the beginning, God…” (Genesis 1:1). From the very first line, Scripture assumes that God is real and that everything else must be understood in relation to Him.
Yet while the Bible clearly affirms God’s existence, it also reveals that God is not easily reduced to simple definitions. He is infinite, eternal, and beyond full human comprehension. At the same time, He has chosen to make Himself known. The story of Scripture is, in many ways, the story of God revealing who He isto humanity.
In this post, we will explore how the Bible answers the question “Who is God?” by examining His nature, His character, and His self-revelation, especially as it unfolds from the Old Testament into the New Testament.
Scriptural Basis
The Bible reveals God progressively, beginning with His identity as Creator and unfolding into a deeper understanding of His nature and character. This starting point as the one who created us forms the foundation of why we should care who He is. In Genesis 1:1, the Hebrew text reads:
“בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים” (Bereshit bara Elohim)
“In the beginning, God created…”
The word אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) is grammatically plural but takes singular verbs, hinting at a complexity within God’s unity that becomes clearer later in Scripture. From the outset, God is presented as the Creator of all things, distinct from His creation and sovereign over it.
In Exodus 3:14, God reveals His name to Moses:
“אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה” (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh)
“I AM WHO I AM.”
This name, related to the divine name YHWH (יהוה), emphasizes God’s self-existence and eternal being. God is not dependent on anything else. He simply is. The Greek translation in the Septuagint renders this as ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν (“I am the one who is”), emphasizing continuous existence.
As Scripture continues, God reveals His character more fully. In Exodus 34:6–7, God declares His own nature:
“The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth…”
Here we see that God is not only powerful but also morally perfect, full of compassion and justice.
The New Testament deepens this revelation. In John 4:24, Jesus says:
“God is Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
The Greek phrase πνεῦμα ὁ θεός (pneuma ho theos) emphasizes that God is not a physical being. He is immaterial, not confined by space or form.
In 1 John 4:8, we read:
“God is love.”
This is not merely something God does. It is something God is in His very nature.
Finally, in passages like Matthew 28:19 and John 1:1–14, the Bible reveals that God exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Word (λόγος, logos) is both with God and is God, and the Spirit is likewise fully divine. This forms the foundation for the doctrine of the Trinity.
Divine Revelation
When we gather these passages together, the Bible presents a coherent and profound answer to the question of who God is.
God is the self-existent Creator. He is not part of the universe but the One who brought it into being. Everything that exists depends on Him, while He depends on nothing. This distinguishes the biblical God from all created things and from false gods, which are often tied to nature or human imagination.
God is personal. He speaks, reveals Himself, makes covenants, and enters into relationships with people. He is not an impersonal force or abstract principle. The God of the Bible knows, loves, judges, and redeems.
God is holy and morally perfect. His character is consistently described as righteous, just, and true. At the same time, He is merciful and gracious. These attributes are not in conflict but are perfectly united in His nature.
God is Spirit. He is not limited by physical form, which means He is present everywhere and not confined to any one place. This also means that true worship is not about location or ritual alone but about a genuine relationship with Him.
God is triune. While the Old Testament emphasizes the oneness of God, the New Testament reveals a deeper complexity. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; yet there is only one God. This is not a contradiction but a mystery that reflects the richness of God’s being.
God is revealed most fully in Jesus Christ. According to John 1:18, no one has seen God at any time, but the Son has made Him known. In Christ, the invisible God becomes visible. His character, His love, His justice, and His purposes are all displayed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Other Views on Who God Is
Throughout history, different groups have understood God in different ways, often emphasizing certain aspects of biblical teaching while interpreting others differently.
Some traditions, such as those influenced by classical theism and philosophers like Thomas Aquinas, emphasize God’s attributes such as immutability, simplicity, and pure actuality. Aquinas’ work Summa Theologica [1] explores these ideas in depth, drawing from both Scripture and philosophical reasoning.
Jewish interpretations, rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures, strongly emphasize the absolute oneness of God, particularly through the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” Resources such as the Jewish text at Mechon Mamre provide insight into this perspective.
Islam similarly emphasizes the oneness of God (tawhid) and rejects the Trinity, viewing God as utterly singular and incomparable. While there are similarities in affirming God’s power and sovereignty, the Christian understanding of God as triune marks a significant difference.
Within Christianity itself, there have been debates about the nature of the Trinity and the relationship between the Father, Son, and Spirit. Early church controversies, such as Arianism, challenged the full divinity of Christ. The Council of Nicaea in 325 affirmed that the Son is of the same essence as the Father, shaping orthodox Christian belief.
Modern discussions sometimes reinterpret God in more abstract or symbolic ways. However, historic Christian theology has consistently maintained that God is both transcendent (beyond creation, since He is the Creator) and immanent (actively involved in it), as revealed in Scripture.
Closing Thoughts
The Bible’s answer to the question “Who is God?” is both clear and profound. God is the eternal, self-existent Creator, holy and loving, personal and relational, revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is not distant or unknowable but has made Himself known through His Word and ultimately through Jesus Christ.
This truth carries deep implications. If God is truly who the Bible says He is, then He is worthy of worship, trust, and obedience. He is not merely a concept to be studied but a living God to be known. The invitation of Scripture is not only to understand God intellectually but to encounter Him personally. As Jesus said in John 17:3:
“This is life eternal, that they might know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
To know God, as the Bible reveals Him, is not only the beginning of wisdom. It is the very purpose for which we were created.
[1] Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologica. Translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province. New York: Benziger Bros., 1947.