God has numerous unique attributes and other qualities reflected in human beings because of the Creator who made us in His image.
One of the exclusive attributes of God is that He’s omnipresent. He is present everywhere at the same time. No matter where we go, God is there and observes everything we do. Even though believers or unbelievers are not conscious of this quality, the ubiquitous God sees our activity individually, whether good or bad. No one can deny before God on Judgment Day the things they did in this life because He was there.
God is omniscient. He knows everything that includes our actions and our very thoughts. In Isaiah, chapter forty-two, verse nine, God knows the things we have experienced in our lives and knows what lies ahead. God’s foreknowledge of each person means that He knows all possible things, all certain things, contingent things, future things, all things past as past, all things foreordained as predestined certainties. God remains free to make decisions and alter purposes in time and history. According to God’s will and wisdom, He is not a prisoner to His foreknowledge.
God is omnipotent. He is all-powerful and has ultimate authority over all things and all creatures. However, it does not mean God will use all His power at all times. For example, God can destroy all sin, but He has chosen not to do so until the end of history. In many cases, God limits His power, channeling it through His people; in these cases, His influence is dependent on our degree of availability and submission to Him.
God is transcendent. He is different and independent from His creation, being, and existence is infinitely greater and higher than the created order. God dwells in perfect and pure presence, far above what He has made; he is uncreated and exists apart from creation.
God is eternal. He is from everlasting to everlasting. There was never a time in the past or the future when God did not exist; there is no restriction for Him to human time.
God is unchangeable. There is no change in God’s attributes, in His perfections, or His purpose for humankind; this does not mean that God never alters His temporary will in the actions of humans. Furthermore, He remains free to respond to the needs of human beings and the prayers of His people.
God is perfect and holy. He is complete without sin and righteous. Adam and Eve were created without sin but with the capability of sinning. God, on the other hand, cannot sin. His holiness includes a dedication to carrying out His purposes and plan.
God is triune. He is one God who has manifested Himself in three divine persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person is infinite, equal to the other two; yet they are not three Gods, but one.
The moral attributes of God resemble human qualities. However, His characteristics all exist to a degree incomparably greater than us. God and humans possess the ability to love to the degree and intensity that God does. Moreover, our ability to exercise these characteristics is related to being created in God’s image, the presence of His grace in our lives.
God is good. He continues to be good to His creation by sustaining it on our behalf of all His creatures; He even provides for the ungodly. God is especially good to His people who call on Him in truth.
God is love. His love is a selfless love that embraces the entire world of sinful humankind and the expression of that love in sending His only Son Jesus to die for sinners. God has a family love for those who reconcile to Jesus.
God is merciful and gracious. He does not cut off and destroy humanity as our sins deserve but offers forgiveness as a gift to be received through faith in Jesus Christ.
God is compassionate. He feels sorrow for His people’s suffering, with a desire to help. Out of compassion for humanity, God provides forgiveness and salvation.
God is patient and slow to anger. He is still patient with the human race and does not presently judge to destroy the world. God is allowing everyone the opportunity to repent and be saved.
God is truth. Jesus calls Himself ‘the truth” in the gospel of John, chapter fourteen, verse six. The Holy Spirit is known as the “Spirit of Truth” in the same book, chapter fourteen, verse seventeen, and First John chapter five, verse six, respectively. God is trustworthy and truthful in all He says and does, and His Word describes as truth. In keeping with this fact, the Bible makes it plain that God does not tolerate lies and falsehood of any kind.
God is faithful; God will do what He reveals in His Word, carrying both His promises and warnings. God’s faithfulness should bring unspeakable comfort to believers and a great fear of judgment to all who do not repent and believe in the Lord Jesus.
God is justice. He holds up the moral order of the universe and is righteous and without sin in which He treats humankind; God’s determination to punish sinners with death proceeds from that justice. He is angry at sin because of His love for righteousness. God reveals his wrath against every form of wickedness, especially idolatry. Unbelief and unjust treatment of other people, he does not tolerate. Jesus Christ, known as the “Just One,” also loves righteousness and hates evil. Furthermore, God’s justice is not opposed to His love. On the contrary, it is to satisfy His justice that He sent Jesus into the world as a gift of love, a sacrifice of sin on our behalf to reconcile us to Himself.
God’s final revelation of Himself is in Jesus Christ. To understand the personhood of God, we must look at Christ, for in Him all the fulness of the Deity lives.