What are the attributes of God?
Who Is God, and What Is He Like?
The Bible, as the inspired and inerrant Word of God, reveals who God is and what He is like. Without the Scriptures, any attempt to understand God would be mere human speculation, prone to error and idolatry. As Job 42:7 (NKJV) states, “You have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” A proper understanding of God is crucial, for without it, we risk creating false gods that are contrary to His will, as warned in Exodus 20:3–5 (NKJV): “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.”
How Can We Know God?
We can only know God because He has chosen to reveal Himself to us. God is self-revealing, described in Isaiah 60:19 (NKJV) as, “The Lord will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory.” This revelation is seen in three primary ways: through creation, through His Word, and ultimately through Jesus Christ.
Creation: The natural world declares the glory of God. As Psalm 19:1–2 (NKJV) proclaims, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge.” The complexity, beauty, and order of creation point to a Creator. As Romans 1:19–20 (NKJV) states, “For what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”
Scripture: God has revealed Himself through His inspired Word. Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV) tells us, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.” Through Scripture, we learn of God’s character, works, and plan for redemption.
Jesus Christ: The ultimate revelation of God is found in His Son, Jesus Christ. John 1:14 (NKJV) declares, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus Himself said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9, NKJV).
God as Creator
God is the Creator of all things. Genesis 1:1 (NKJV) says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” As Creator, God is distinct from His creation but has given humanity a special role within it. We are made in His image, as Genesis 1:26–27 (NKJV) explains: “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Even though creation has been marred by sin, it still reflects God’s power and glory. Romans 8:20–22 (NKJV) teaches, “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.”
The Names of God
The names of God reveal His attributes and character. Here are some key names with their meanings:
Elohim: Strong One, divine (“In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth” — Genesis 1:1, NKJV).
Adonai: Lord, indicating a Master-to-servant relationship (“O my Lord [Adonai], I am not eloquent” — Exodus 4:10, NKJV).
El Elyon: Most High, the strongest One (“Blessed be God Most High [El Elyon]” — Genesis 14:20, NKJV).
El Roi: The strong One who sees (“You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees [El Roi]” — Genesis 16:13, NKJV).
El Shaddai: Almighty God (“I am Almighty God [El Shaddai]” — Genesis 17:1, NKJV).
Yahweh: LORD, “I AM,” the self-existent, eternal God (“Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you’” — Exodus 3:14, NKJV).
Attributes of God
Eternal: God has no beginning or end. Psalm 90:2 (NKJV) says, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”
Immutable: God does not change. Malachi 3:6 (NKJV) states, “For I am the Lord, I do not change.”
Incomparable: There is none like Him. Isaiah 40:25 (NKJV) asks, “To whom then will you liken Me, or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One.
Omnipotent: God is all-powerful. Jeremiah 32:27 (NKJV) declares, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?”
Omnipresent: God is present everywhere. Psalm 139:7–10 (NKJV) proclaims, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?”
Omniscient: God knows all things. Psalm 147:5 (NKJV) says, “Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.”
God’s Character
Holy: God is morally perfect. Isaiah 6:3 (NKJV) cries, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”
Just: God is righteous in all His ways. Deuteronomy 32:4 (NKJV) says, “For all His ways are justice.”
Loving: God’s love is unfailing. John 3:16 (NKJV) assures us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.”
Gracious: God is full of mercy and compassion. Exodus 34:6 (NKJV) reveals, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.”
Knowing God Personally
God desires a personal relationship with us. This is made possible through Jesus Christ, the mediator between God and man: “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5, NKJV). Through faith in Christ, we receive forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, and eternal life: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3, NKJV).
As Jeremiah 29:13 (NKJV) promises, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
Let us wholeheartedly seek to know God through His Word, His works, and His Son, and respond in worship and obedience.
