The fact of God’s existence is so evident, when people think correctly about creation, and through man’s conscience, that the Bible calls the atheist, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.” (Psalm 14:1). So people without the knowledge and fear of God people become corrupt and do bad sins.
The Bible does reveal the essential
being, characteristics, and work of God. These are called His attributes which
are defined as someone’s, or thing’s, quality or characteristic.
Who is, or how do you define, God?
God reproves the wicked man with this accusation in Psalm 50:21: “You thought that I was altogether like you.”
A short summary of God is: “The Self-existent, Infinite, the Creator and Sustainer of all that is. He is: light (i.e. the truth and therefore perfect), love, all knowing (Omniscient), all powerful (Omnipotent), is everywhere (Omnipresent) and wise.”
Self-existent God has no
cause and He does not depend on anything for His continued existence.
(a) I AM WHO I AM “And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14:); see also “Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”” (John 8:58)
(b) Life in Himself “For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself” (John 5:26). Just as the Father is the source of life, so He has decreed that the Son, too, should have life in Himself). All other life in the universe is a gift from God. God has no needs and there is no way He can improve. Life was never given to the Father, nor to the Lord Jesus, Who from all eternity had life dwelling in Them.
(c ) First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End As the
Beginning God has no cause. “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God’” (Isaiah 44:6). “’I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,’ says the Lord” (Revelation 1:8).
“Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6) “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord” (Revelation 1:8). We say “someone knows the A-Z of a subject” meaning that he knows everything about it. So Christ is the total message and conveys all of God’s truth to man.
(d) There are no god(s) before or after the God. “Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me” (Isaiah. 43:10).
Infinite There are no limits to God. His capacity is beyond our ability to understand.
“Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5).
“And He (Jesus Christ, the Son of God v13) is before all things, and in Him all things consist (hold together).” (Colossians 1:17)
The Creator and Sustainer of all that is
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
“All things were made through Him, (Jesus Christ 1:1, 14) and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3).
“And He (Jesus Christ, the Son of God v13) is before all things, and in Him all things consist (hold together)” (Colossians 1:17).
Light God is the source and fountain of light in all worlds. Also light, in the Bible is the symbol of holiness, purity, truth, knowledge, without any sin and associated with happiness. God has all knowledge, and is not ignorant on any subject. He is infinitely true and never gives or agrees with error.
“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1John 1:5).
Love is a deep affection or fondness for someone. In respect of God’s love, described as agapao, it expresses the deep and constant love and interest of a perfect Being towards entirely unworthy objects.
“God is love” (1John 4:8).
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
All knowing (Omniscience) God possesses perfect knowledge and therefore has no need to learn. God has never learned and cannot learn. Omniscience means all-knowing. God knows everything, and His knowledge is infinite. It is impossible to hide anything from God.
“Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5).
“Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, v10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure” (Isaiah 46:9-10).
“All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son” (Matthew 11:27).
“And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13)
All Powerful (Omnipotent) Literally this word means all-powerful. Since God is infinite and since He possesses power, He possesses infinite power. He does allow His creatures to have some power, but this in no way diminishes His own. He expends no energy that must be replenished.
“Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You” (Jeremiah 32:17).
“But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With men it (salvation v26) is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible’” (Mark 10:27).
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, v25 To God our Saviour, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen” (Jude v24-25). In other words through the death and resurrection of Christ, and the sinner’s faith in Christ, God is able to change guilty sinners who deserve His judgment and make them forever faultless and glorious before Him.
Is Everywhere (Omnipresent) This theological term means “always present.” Since God is infinite, His being knows no boundaries. So, clearly He is everywhere. This truth is taught throughout the Bible as the repeated phrase “I am with you always”. These were even the Lord Jesus’ words of assurance just after giving the challenge to His disciples to take His message to the entire world. “‘Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen” (Matthew 28:20). This is certainly a comforting truth for all who follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
“The LORD is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. v5 Who is like the LORD our God, Who dwells on high, v6 Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in the heavens and in the earth?” (Psalm 113:4-6).
“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).
“And He (Jesus Christ, the Son of God v13) is before all things, and in Him all things consist (hold together)” (Colossians 1:17).
Wise Wisdom has been described as the ability of having knowledge, understanding, experience and good judgement.
“Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding (wisdom KJV).” (Job 36:5)
“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments (meaning here decisions), and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33).
“But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” (1Corinthians 1:24)
There are other Divine attributes. Some of these are and show that God has a will (Isaiah 46:9-10, Mark 3:35; 1John 2:17) and is: Eternal (Psalm 90:2; Romans 16:26), Glorious (Psalm 108:5; Romans 3:23), Faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9; 1Corinthians 10:13), Unchangeable (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17), Holy (Leviticus 19:2; Revelation 4:8), Fair (Deuteronomy 16:18-19; Romans 2:11), Just (Deuteronomy 32:4; Romans 3:26), Jealous (Exodus 34:14; 1Corinthians 10:22), Angry (Psalm 7:11; Romans 2:5), Good (Psalm 143:10; Mark 10:18), Saviour (Isaiah 45:21; Titus 1:3), Gracious (Psalm 116:5; Titus 2:11), Merciful (Deuteronomy 4:31; Romans 15:9), Gives (Jeremiah 31:35; 1Timothy 6:17), Forgives (Psalm 130:3-4; Acts 26:18), Peace (Isaiah 9:6; Romans 16:20), Kind (Psalm 117:1-2; Luke 6:35), Patient (Psalm 86:15; Romans 15:5), Hears (Psalm 66:17-20; Luke 1:13), Caring (Psalm 55:22; 1Peter 5:6-7).