Attributes of God

The attributes of God are the descriptions of God in His word, that he gives us regarding who and how he is. It is important to note that God has not fully revealed Himself to us, and so we cannot fully know and understand him. This does not mean, however, that we are unable to genuinely and rightly know him. In fact, it should be the endeavor of every Christian to increasingly know and understand who God is.

When discussing the attributes of God, we should delineate between two separate categories. First are the incommunicable attributes. These are the characteristics of God, that in our finite nature, we do NOT experience. On the other hand, the communicable attributes, are the characteristics of God, that even in our finite nature, we can share in.

Below you will find a list (although not comprehensive) of God’s attribute, each accompanied with a brief description.

1. Unity
This is oneness in an absolute sense. Even in his triune nature, God is one. This also points to the singularity of God. There is no succession of gods. There has only ever been the one, true God and there will only ever be the one, true God. (John 17:3, Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 43:10)

2. Self-Existence 
God is uncaused and uncreated and therefore different from all other beings. In other words, God is independent. He does not need or depend on anything else to exist. He has life in himself.
(John 5:26, Acts 17:24-25, Exodus 3:14)

3. Simplicity
God does not have parts; He is not divisible. Men are not simple, they are compound (body and soul). (John 4:2)

4. Infinity
This means that God is limitless. He has no bounds. (Job 11:7-9)

5. Immensity and Omnipresence
Immensity refers to God’s immeasurability. By virtue of his immeasurability, God is also omnipresent. This is a relational attribute where all things created are always present to God. So, omnipresence refers to the universe of all created things (for something to be present to God, it must be created). The best way to understand this is that all things are present to God and not that God is present to all things. (1 Kings 8:27, 2 Chronicles 2:6, Jeremiah 23:24)

6. Perfection
God is perfect (in holiness, love, wrath, justice, etc). However, this also means that God exists in the highest or most complete condition. He is the fulfillment of all potential. There could not be a bigger, better God.
(Deuteronomy 32:4, 2 Samuel 22:31, Matthew 5:48, Psalm 18:30, Psalm 19:7, Romans 12:2)

7. Eternity
God is without beginning or end. He is also without succession. Everything other than God was created and therefore cannot be eternal. Evil began so it is not eternal. The universe began so it is not eternal. God gave man a soul, and while it is immortal (Matt. 10:28, Revelation 6:9), it is not eternal.
(Genesis 21:33, Psalm 90:2, 1 Timothy 1:17)

8. Immutability
This means that God cannot change his nature. In other words, God cannot be inconsistent. He cannot be perfectly just one day and then irrational the next. (Malachi 3:6)

Further Clarification: What about when God changes his mind like in the story of Nineveh?
God acts according to the situation. When Nineveh was warned that they would be destroyed if they did not turn from their evil ways, they repented and God acted accordingly. When the Israelites were warned they would be destroyed, and they did not repent, God acted accordingly.

9. Omniscience
God has all and perfect knowledge. He has known all things from before they were created (Divine Decree). He never needs to remember; all knowledge is present to God at all times.
(1 John 3:19-20, John 21:17, Acts 15:18, Hebrews 4:13)

10. Omnipotence
God has all power. This is highlighted in Scripture when God is described as Almighty. Being all-powerful does not mean God can do anything, see clarification below. (Psalm 115:3, Genesis 17:1, Revelation 4:8)

Further Clarification: God’s power refers to the ability to create entities. Logical impossibilities (creating a circular square) are non-entities, and cannot exist, so, this is not a limit on God’s power. Also, God cannot change his nature. As an example: God cannot be tempted because that infers a desire for something better than what he already possess. Finally, that brings us to the age-old question: Can God build a stone so heavy that he can’t lift it? No, because he has unlimited power. This is not a refutation of his omnipotence; rather it is a result of his omnipotence.

11. Holiness
This refers to God’s intrinsic righteousness. He is without sin. (Revelation 4:8, Isaiah 6:3, Psalm 89:35, Romans 2:5-6, Deuteronomy 32:4)

12. Truth
As a divine attribute it is that virtue by which God does what He has said He would do. In other words, God cannot lie. (Numbers 23:19)

Sources for this article:
D’Souza, Dinesh. God Forsaken. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2012.
Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology; An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000.
Shedd, William G.T. Dogmatic Theology. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2003.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *