Who is God, really?
We will spend our whole life getting to know Him more deeply, but for a Christian, this is one of the most important questions we will ever ask.
Scripture presents fundamental truths about God’s nature that govern how we worship, pray, trust, and live. These revelations are called the attributes of God—the essential characteristics that define who He is.
Knowing these attributes isn’t just a theological exercise; it’s the foundation of a vibrant, authentic faith. When we grasp who God truly is, everything changes: our prayers deepen, our worship becomes richer, and our trust grows stronger even in life’s darkest moments.
What Are the Attributes of God?
The attributes of God are His inherent, eternal characteristics as revealed in Scripture. But here’s something important to understand: these aren’t qualities God possesses like we might possess skills or talents. Rather, they describe who God fundamentally is.
We can tend to think of attributes as something God has or something we have, but in fact, what makes Him majestic is that He is; He just IS.
God doesn’t just have love; He is love (1 John 4:8).
He doesn’t simply act with justice, He is just by His very nature (Isa. 30:18).
General Revelation vs. Special Revelation
We come to know God’s attributes by two primary means: general revelation and special revelation.
General revelation comes through creation itself. Creation declares God’s power and divine nature. Romans 1:20 explains that God’s invisible attributes can be seen through the things He has created.
When we see the magnitude of the universe or the detailed design of a single cell, we glimpse God’s omnipotence and wisdom.
Special revelation comes through God’s Word. Scripture provides the clearest, most reliable picture of who God is, what He values, and how He relates to His creation.
God’s attributes evidenced in both creation and Scripture work together harmoniously. God’s justice never contradicts His mercy; His sovereignty never violates His goodness.
Every attribute exists in perfect balance, showing a God who is gloriously complex yet perfectly consistent.
God’s Incommunicable vs. Communicable Attributes
God’s attributes can be divided into two categories that help us understand the relationship between our Creator and His creation: incommunicable attributes and communicable attributes.
Incommunicable attributes are those unique to God alone, characteristics that cannot be shared with or reflected in His creation. They set God entirely apart from everything and everyone else.
The attributes that are unique to God alone include: omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, self-existent, self-sufficient, eternal, immutable, and infinite. We’ll explore each of these more below.
Communicable attributes are those that, while existing perfectly in God, can be reflected in humanity since we are made in His image.
When we show love, practice justice, or speak truth, we’re dimly reflecting attributes that exist perfectly in God. However, we manifest these attributes imperfectly.
Knowing these distinctions about God’s attributes helps us worship appropriately, recognizing both how transcendent God is and how graciously He has chosen to share aspects of His nature with us.
The Attributes of God
Here are several attributes of God that allow us to know more about His character.
Omnipotent
God is omnipotent, which means He is all-powerful and He is the source of all power. Nothing is too hard for Him (Jer. 32:27).
Omnipresent
God is omnipresent, meaning He is everywhere and not limited by space or distance. We are unable to outrun His presence.
Psalm 139:8–10 reminds us, “If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”
Omniscient
He is omniscient, which means He is all-knowing. His understanding has no limits.
“Great is our LORD, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure” (Psalm 147:5).
Self-Existent
He is self-existent, meaning He depends on nothing outside Himself for His existence. He is independent of all things and therefore always available to His children, no matter the circumstances. While we need air, food, and countless other things to survive, God needs nothing.
Self-Sufficient
He is self-sufficient, completely fulfilled within Himself, and completely independent of any other being.
Acts 17:24–25 addresses both of these: “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.”
Eternal
He is eternal, existing outside of time with no beginning or end.
Psalm 90:2 says, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
Immutable
He is immutable, meaning He never changes in His nature, character, or purposes. There are no circumstances or situations that change who He is.
He reminds us of this when he says in Malachi 3:6, “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.”
Infinite
And He is infinite, which means there is no way to measure Him, and He has no limits.
First Kings 8:27 says, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!”
Merciful
He is also perfectly merciful, showing compassion to the undeserving. We’re called to show mercy as He does.
Faithful
His faithfulness never wavers. Lamentations 3:22–23 shows both God’s mercy and faithfulness when it says, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Righteous
God’s righteousness and justice are perfect, and He calls His people to pursue justice and live righteously. Psalm 89:14 says, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.”
Wise
The Lord’s wisdom is His ability to know, judge, and act in the best possible way at all times.
Romans 11:33 says, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”
Truth
He is truth itself, as John 14:6 reminds us: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” He calls us to walk in this truth.
Holy
Above all, God is holy, completely set apart from sin and morally perfect. Isaiah 6:3 records the angels crying, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts.” His holiness is both who He is and what He calls us to reflect (1 Pet. 1:16).
Why the Attributes of God Matter for Christians Today
Understanding God’s attributes isn’t simply an academic exercise; it transforms every aspect of our Christian walk.
In worship: Knowing God’s attributes gives our praise substance. We can worship specifically: thanking Him for His faithfulness when He keeps His promises, praising His wisdom when we see His perfect timing, and admiring His power when we witness His work in our lives.
In prayer: God’s attributes shape both what we pray and how we pray. His omniscience shows us that He already knows everything we are dealing with, but He does love for us to bring those things to Him in conversation. His love assures us He cares deeply for us. His omnipotence means that nothing we ask is too difficult. His wisdom means we can trust Him when He answers differently than we requested.
In trials: God’s attributes become our anchor. When life falls apart, His sovereignty reminds us that nothing is out of His control. His faithfulness assures us He won’t abandon us.
In witness: Understanding God’s attributes helps us accurately represent Him to those we come in contact with. We can point seekers to His justice that demands sin be addressed, His mercy that provides a way of salvation, and His love demonstrated at the cross. We can explain why the God of the Bible isn’t contradictory but beautifully complex and perfectly consistent.
In trust: God’s immutability anchors our faith. His promises never change. What He said to Abraham, to David, to Paul, He says to us. “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Num. 23:19). The answer is a resounding no. We can stake our lives on His unchanging Word.
From Knowledge to Transformation
The attributes of God reveal Him to be of infinite perfection, awesome power, tender love, and complete trustworthiness. He is transcendent, far beyond our awareness, and yet immanent, closer than our next breath. He is the holy Judge who demands righteousness and the merciful Father who provides it through Christ. He is the omnipotent Creator and the tender Shepherd who calls His sheep by name.
As you continue your journey of faith, let understanding God’s attributes be more than information you acquire; let it be a transformation you experience. Think about these attributes as you read Scripture. When you read about God parting the Red Sea, see His omnipotence. When you read about Jesus weeping with Mary and Martha, see His deep love. When you read about the cross, see His justice and mercy meeting in perfect harmony.
The more you know God and study His attributes, the more you’ll love Him, trust Him, and desire to live for His glory. And this is the very purpose for which we were created.
Here are several additional resources to help you do just that.
- What is Systematic Theology? A Beginner’s Guide
- What is Theology? The Study of God
- What Eve in the Bible Teaches Us About God, Women, and Our Eternal Purpose
Through the Desert
In whatever wilderness we find ourselves, Lina AbuJamra invites us to discover the way through the desert. This study reveals insights from the stories of God’s people, from biblical times to the modern day, that assure us of His faithfulness.
You Are Unshaken
In You Are Unshaken, Laura Krokos shows us how to wield God’s Word as a weapon against anxiety, shame, and fear, so we can remain unshaken in our changing world. This book is more than a call to know God. It is a reminder of who we already are because of who God has always been.
