9 Attributes Of God

How Well Do You Really Know God?

This is a question I often ask myself, and I have realized that learning about God is an ongoing process. The first thing that needs to be established is a correct understanding of the attributes of God. Proper interpretation of God’s character will set forth the groundwork for a powerful prayer life. Likewise, it is necessary to have a correct view of God to avoid falling into the many deceptions the enemy uses to cause believers to stumble. 

Satan likes people to view God as an unpleasable and judgemental angry man in the sky, who sits on a throne in the clouds. This is the flawed perception of God that many people have that keep them in spiritual bondage. Inhibiting their ability to grow in their relationship with him. Studying the attributes of God should be a priority for every believer, old and new. So who is the “I AM” of the old testament?  The attributes of God describe his divine nature, his magnificence, and character, which altogether provide us with a clearer understanding of him.

A lot of individuals aim to remain diligent in their walk with Christ but end up quitting. One overlooked reason for this is their misunderstanding of God’s nature. How can you confidently believe in and serve a God whom you do not understand? There is something to be said about the comfort and security that comes from accurately perceiving God. To understand God’s character, you cannot simply skim over the details, it requires observation and examination. Yes, it is rather difficult to understand God’s majesty, but we can certainly get a clearer perspective by learning about the attributes of God. God defies all logic and understanding; there is none like him. So we have to step out of our carnal thinking and walk in faith as we seek to grasp God’s nature.

The Attributes Of God

Omnipresent

God is everywhere all at once. There are no restrictions, not by physical laws, like matter, energy or even forces of nature. Nor by space, time or dimension. This is a key feature that sets God apart from all things. Only God is omnipresent, Satan, nor the angels or demons have this ability.

God’s omnipresence is cited throughout the Bible, in Psalms 139:7-8 the psalmist writes, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.”(NIV). God is not bound to any specific location, though we often speak of God in the sense of him residing in the Kingdom Of Heaven, he is also present throughout all of time and space.

Omniscient

God is all-knowing and there are no limits to his wisdom and knowledge. There is nothing he doesn’t know, whether past, present, or future. God can not be taught anything because he already obtains this all-knowing nature. Our human understanding is not likened to God’s as we see detailed in Isaiah 55: 8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”(NIV). 

This can be exceptionally difficult for us to comprehend, but it is something we should take seriously. Because God is all-knowing, we can be assured that whatever we are facing he is already aware. Even to the extent, he knows how it will play out. Attempting to hide our sin from God is futile, he already knows and nothing you confess to him will take him by surprise.

Omnipotent

God possesses unlimited power. There are no limitations that restrict God from exhibiting his power if he wills it. It is, however, important to note that God though having unlimited power stays within the parameters of his nature. Meaning, though God can do anything, he will not go against his holy nature. He will not lie, he will not sin, and he will not break a promise. 

Romans 1:20 says, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”(NIV). Everything that exists both seen and unseen was created by God in his infinite power. His very words spoke creation into existence because of his omnipotence.

Sovereign

This is God’s superior authority over all things. When you hear someone say “God is in control,” they are referring to his sovereignty. God’s sovereignty can be found in Genesis through Revelations in the Bible, in Psalms 103:17 it explains, “The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.” (NIV). It is necessary to note that even though God is in control of everything, he may choose to allow certain things to unfold to bring about his will and perfect plan. Out of all of the attributes of God, I believe his Sovereignty is the one people struggle with the most, including myself. This is especially evident when something we consider unfair happens in life. 

Again, going back to what I mentioned earlier, his ways are higher than our ways. We cannot begin to argue what is fair and unfair with our human minds, especially since we are not all-knowing. However, God is all-knowing, and he possesses supreme authority over all.

Righteous

Just as we have laws here on earth that when violated result in consequences. The spiritual laws that encompass God’s holy and righteous nature will be followed through with. We have the option to choose whether we violate the spiritual laws put in place by God. Remember, these are not put in place to restrict us from enjoying life, but rather to protect us from the spiritual and earthly repercussions of sin. If a person chooses to ignore the spiritual consequences of rebellion and sin, they certainly have no place to complain when the ramifications surface. 

If an individual is living a life apart from God and living by their own understanding, their own will, and might, they shouldn’t be surprised when things go badly. It is these same individuals who shake their fists to the sky as they curse God because they expect him to intervene in their situation, yet they have no relationship with him. Every one of us is presented with the same opportunity to have a personal relationship with God, but if we reject him, we have no room to complain when we are left feeling unfulfilled and miserable. Next time you consider blaming God for something going awry or something good not coming to pass, consider whether or not you have a sincere relationship with him.

Eternal

God is Everlasting, he has no beginning and no end. All things came into existence by him. Psalms 90:2 illustrates God’s eternality, “Before the mountains were born you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God”(NIV). This can be difficult to fathom, as we think of things in terms of originating from somewhere. In John 1:1 it says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”(NIV). The human mind is continually working to make logical sense of things to better our understanding. However, our carnal way of thinking is incapable of imagining that before God was nothing. People that refute God’s eternality lean on their own understanding searching to find an explanation they deem logical to render it more digestible.

Self-sufficient

All things have come by him, but he just was. He doesn’t require anyone or anything to continue on. As humans, we need essential provisions like food, shelter, water, and air to continue to thrive. God, however, needs nothing and no one to remain eternal. All things were created by him and for him. From the smallest microscopic organism that keeps the balance of life intact to the complex functions of the human body that scientists have yet to fully understand. 

John 1:4 reveals, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men.”(NIV). God’s desire to have an intimate relationship with his creation derives from his own loving nature and love for us. However, he does not need his creation in order to maintain wholeness, he is already absolute.

Immutable

God is unchanging, the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. This is an attribute of God that should bring great comfort to a believer. Hebrews 6:17 says, “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.”(NIV). You may have questioned how God would view a certain matter. Rather than speculating, you can go to the Bible and read the countless matters to which God informs us of his views. 

Because he is immutable (unchanging), we can positively know where he stands on any given topic. In an ever-changing world, we cannot have faith in another individual’s ability to remain unchanged. By contrast, we can, in fact, have a full assurance that our God is unchanging and consistent. I don’t know about you but I find tremendous comfort in knowing that what pleased God 1,000 years ago still pleases him today.

Loving

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV). God’s perfect love is something many people attempt to understand yet cannot. We live in a world where love can be given but just as easily withheld as a result of something we may or may not have done. God’s love does not function in the same way as we understand human love, his love is unconditional and selfless. 

God’s love for his creation is immeasurable, he freely gives it, even when we are undeserving. Though I added love to the list of the attributes of God, I would like to add that God’s love is much more than that. In fact, God’s love is at the center of and the very foundation of who he is, it is what makes him like no other. There is no human on this earth that can love you the way God can. 

People confuse God’s love with acceptance as discussed in my previous post, God’s Love vs Human Love. God has given every single human being the free gift of salvation, an extension of his love, which came through Jesus’ death on the cross. However, individuals can choose to reject that act of love. God’s love, when received has the ability to transform the person that has accepted it. God’s love is something we didn’t earn and we surely don’t deserve, which says more about who God is than anything else.