The Attributes of God
Here is an exploration of some of the main attributes of God, structured to reflect His nature as revealed in Scripture. Each attribute includes biblical references to help clarify and support it.
God’s Omnipotence (All-Powerful)
God possesses ultimate power and authority over all creation. Nothing is beyond His ability or strength.
- Jeremiah 32:17: “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.”
- Matthew 19:26: “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”
- Revelation 19:6: “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”
God’s Omniscience (All-Knowing)
God knows all things—past, present, and future. His knowledge is perfect and comprehensive.
- Psalm 147:5: “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.”
- Isaiah 46:9-10: “I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done.”
- Hebrews 4:13: “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
God’s Omnipresence (Present Everywhere)
God is fully present everywhere at all times. Though distinct from His creation, He is intimately aware of all that occurs within it.
- Psalm 139:7-10: “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.”
- Jeremiah 23:23-24: “Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?”
- Proverbs 15:3: “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”
God’s Holiness
God is perfectly holy, completely set apart from sin, and morally pure. His holiness defines His very nature.
- Isaiah 6:3: “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”
- Leviticus 19:2: “Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.”
- 1 Peter 1:15-16: “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
God’s Sovereignty
God is supreme and in complete control of all things. His plans and purposes cannot be thwarted.
- Psalm 115:3: “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.”
- Daniel 4:35: “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth.”
- Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
God’s Immutability (Unchanging Nature)
God does not change in His being, purposes, or promises. His truth, character, and plan are steady and eternal.
- Malachi 3:6: “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”
- Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”
- James 1:17: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
God’s Love
God is love in His essence. His love is unconditional, sacrificial, and demonstrated through His actions toward creation.
- John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
- 1 John 4:8: “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
- Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
God’s Mercy and Grace
Mercy is God withholding the punishment sinners deserve, while grace is His giving unmerited favor and blessings.
- Ephesians 2:4-5: “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).”
- Psalm 103:8-10: “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.”
- Lamentations 3:22-23: “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
God’s Justice
God is perfectly righteous and just. He punishes sin, but His justice is inseparable from His mercy and patience.
- Deuteronomy 32:4: “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.”
- Psalm 89:14: “Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.”
- Romans 3:25-26: “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
God’s Truthfulness
God is the source of all truth. He cannot lie or deceive.
- Numbers 23:19: “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
- John 17:17: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
- Titus 1:2: “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.”
God’s Eternality
God has no beginning and no end. He exists outside the bounds of time.
- Psalm 90:2: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”
- Revelation 1:8: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”
- Isaiah 40:28: “The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth.”
God’s Faithfulness
God is reliable, trustworthy, and perfectly faithful to His promises and character.
- Lamentations 3:22-23: “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
- 1 Corinthians 1:9: “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”
- Deuteronomy 7:9: “Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments.”
Conclusion
These attributes provide a glimpse into the infinite and majestic nature of God, as revealed in Scripture. Each attribute is interconnected, contributing to a deeper understanding of who God is and how He interacts with His creation.