What is God like? It’s a question every Christian has asked, and the Bible offers rich, powerful answers. Scripture doesn’t leave us in the dark about God’s nature. Instead, it reveals a God who is both gloriously beyond us and graciously present with us. In this post, we explore the biblical attributes of God—some that are uniquely His alone, and others that He shares with us as His image-bearers.
Understanding God’s attributes helps us know Him more personally, worship Him more deeply, and reflect His character more faithfully. It shapes not just our theology but our daily lives. It also helps us respond rightly to suffering, temptation, and doubt. When we truly understand who God is, our hearts are anchored in truth and strengthened in faith.
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Three Categories of Attributes
It may not be possible to list all the attributes of God, but we can list a sampling and categorize them to ones that are unique to God and those he shares with human beings.
- Incommunicable Attributes – These are exclusive to God alone. They reflect His divine nature and cannot be shared with humanity.
- Communicable Attributes Shared with Believers – These are aspects of God’s character that believers are called to reflect as they are conformed to the image of Christ.
- Communicable Attributes Shared with All Mankind – These are traits God embedded into human nature through creation. While marred by sin, they are still evident in all people, saved or unsaved.
Attributes Unique to God (Incommunicable)
These attributes distinguish God from everything and everyone else. They are not transferable. They reflect God’s divine essence—His perfection, sovereignty, and transcendence.
- Eternal – God has no beginning and no end. He exists outside of time (Psalm 90:2).
- Self-Existent – God is the uncaused cause. He depends on no one and nothing for His existence (Exodus 3:14).
- Immutable – God never changes. His character, purposes, and promises are constant (Malachi 3:6).
- Omniscient – God knows all things: past, present, future, even the thoughts of men (1 John 3:20).
- Omnipresent – God is present everywhere at all times (Psalm 139:7–10).
- Omnipotent – God possesses unlimited power and authority (Jeremiah 32:17).
- Sovereign – God rules over all creation with absolute authority (Psalm 115:3).
- Infinite – God has no limits in any of His attributes or being (Isaiah 40:28).
- Creator – God made all things from nothing by the word of His power (Genesis 1:1).
- Independent – God is fully self-sufficient and needs nothing from anyone (Acts 17:25).
- Holy in Essence – God’s holiness is absolute and unapproachable, distinct from all created beings (Isaiah 6:3).
- Unsearchable – God’s ways and judgments are beyond human comprehension (Romans 11:33).
- Transcendent – God exists above and beyond all of creation (Isaiah 55:9).
- Glorious – God’s majesty, beauty, and perfection are the source of all true glory (Exodus 15:11).
- Invisible – God is spirit and cannot be seen with physical eyes (1 Timothy 1:17).
- All-Wise – God’s wisdom is perfect, far surpassing human reasoning (Romans 16:27).
These attributes reveal that God is not like us. He is not merely greater than man—He is other. He is holy, set apart in every conceivable way. While this can seem intimidating, it should lead us to humble awe and worship. This God who is infinitely beyond us has chosen to reveal Himself and draw near to us.
Attributes Shared with Believers (Communicable to God’s People)
Through salvation and the work of the Holy Spirit, believers are called to reflect the character of God. These attributes are not produced by human willpower but by the transforming work of Christ in us. As we grow in spiritual maturity, we grow in reflecting God’s communicable traits:
- Love – Self-giving, sacrificial affection that seeks the best for others (1 John 4:8).
- Grace – The undeserved favor shown to others, especially those who have done nothing to earn it (Ephesians 2:8).
- Mercy – Compassion and forgiveness shown to those in distress or guilt (Luke 6:36).
- Patience – The ability to endure difficulty and delay without becoming angry or anxious (2 Peter 3:9).
- Kindness – A gentle, caring disposition that shows goodness in action (Ephesians 4:32).
- Goodness – Uprightness in heart and life; a moral excellence that blesses others (Galatians 5:22).
- Faithfulness – Loyalty and dependability; being true to one’s word (Lamentations 3:23).
- Righteousness – Living in right relationship with God and others, according to God’s standard (1 John 3:7).
- Forgiveness – Willingly releasing others from a debt or wrong (Colossians 3:13).
- Peace – Inner tranquility grounded in trust in God, not in circumstances (Philippians 4:7).
- Self-Control – Discipline over one’s desires and actions for God’s glory (Galatians 5:23).
- Humility – A recognition of our dependence on God and a lowliness of mind (Philippians 2:3).
- Hope – Confident expectation in God’s promises (Romans 15:13).
- Joy – A deep delight in God that transcends trials (Nehemiah 8:10).
- Obedience – Willing submission to God’s commands (John 14:23).
- Holiness (set-apart living) – Choosing to live distinct from the world for God’s purposes (1 Peter 1:16).
- Zeal for God – Earnest devotion and passion for God’s glory (Romans 12:11).
- Spiritual Discernment – The ability to distinguish truth from error by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14).
- Compassion – A heart that feels deeply for the suffering of others (Colossians 3:12).
These attributes not only describe the character of God but also serve as the target for our spiritual growth. We are being conformed to the image of Christ, and that means becoming increasingly like the One we worship.
Attributes Shared with All Mankind (Communicable to All People)
As image-bearers of God, all humans reflect certain divine characteristics—even in their fallen state. These attributes were placed in humanity at creation. While sin has distorted them, they remain evidence of our divine design:
- Creativity – The ability to imagine and build new things (Genesis 1:27).
- Conscience – An internal sense of right and wrong (Romans 2:15).
- Reason – The capacity for logic, understanding, and discernment (Isaiah 1:18).
- Moral Awareness – A sense of justice, fairness, and ethical standards (Micah 6:8).
- Speech – The ability to communicate abstract ideas and truth (Proverbs 18:21).
- Relational Nature – A desire for companionship and community (Genesis 2:18).
- Will – The ability to choose and act (Deuteronomy 30:19).
- Emotions – The experience of feelings such as love, sorrow, joy, and anger (John 11:35).
- Desire for Worship – An innate longing for something greater than ourselves (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
- Stewardship – Responsibility to care for what has been entrusted (Genesis 1:28).
- Work Ethic – Participation in purposeful labor (Genesis 2:15).
- Curiosity and Learning – A hunger for knowledge and discovery (Proverbs 4:7).
- Sense of Beauty – An appreciation for order, symmetry, and design (Psalm 19:1).
- Dignity – Inherent value and worth, regardless of status or condition (Psalm 8:5).
These shared traits do not mean all people are saved or righteous. But they show that God’s fingerprints are still present in the human soul. These attributes point humanity toward their Creator, giving every person an awareness of God’s existence and an invitation to seek Him.
Conclusion
When we look at the attributes of God, we see a perfect and holy Being who is utterly beyond us—and yet who has drawn near to us. He is eternal and self-existent, yet He enters time to save. He is sovereign over all, yet He cares deeply about the smallest details of our lives. He is glorious and infinite, yet loving and kind.
This is the God who made us. This is the God who saves us. This is the God who invites us to become like Him.
Let the study of His attributes stir your heart to worship. Let it build a solid foundation for your faith. Let it point you to the glory of the One who is, and was, and is to come.
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (Isaiah 40:28–29)
All Scripture quoted from:
New International Version (NIV)
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