What Are The Attributes Of God?
The Most Important Thing About You
“Acquaint yourself with God, and be at peace” (Job 22:21).
Well-known pastor and theologian, A.W. Tozer, once said:
“What comes into your mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you.”
Not your background. Not your political views. Not even your church attendance. At the deepest level, the truest thing about you is what you believe about God.
Is He distant? Angry? Bored? Gentle? Sovereign? Holy? Can He be known?
When you have a shallow, small, sentimental view of God, it will leave you spiritually weak. It will drain your worship. It will steal your joy. It will make your faith fragile.
But a high view of God?
It will stabilize your soul. It will anchor you in the storm. It will deepen your worship, enlarge your courage, and grow your holiness. It will make you strong where the world makes you soft.
That’s why theology–the study of God–matters. Not to puff us up with knowledge, but to humble us with truth. Not to impress others, but to know the One who formed the stars, parted the seas, and called dead men to life. The God who reveals Himself in Scripture is not vague or generic. He is infinitely glorious and intimately near.
And the starting point of knowing Him is understanding His attributes.
The attributes of God are not decorations we hang on doctrinal shelves. They are the blazing core of who He is. They reveal His character, His glory, His purposes, and His power. They are not slices of His personality—each one is fully true of Him at all times, in all places, without limit.
He is not partly holy and partly loving. He is fully holy and fully loving. He is not 50% just and 50% merciful. He is always 100% of every attribute, perfectly united in Himself.
And when you begin to study His attributes—not as an academic checklist, but as a window into His heart—you will begin to see everything differently. You will stop asking, “What do I feel like doing?” and start asking, “What is God like, and how should I respond?”
That’s the goal of this article.
Not to fill your mind with facts, but to fire your heart with truth.
Not to give you more bullet points, but to bring you to your knees in worship.
In the next sections, we will walk through the essential attributes of God—those perfections that belong to Him alone, and those He graciously shares with His people. Each one is a doorway to deeper worship, stronger faith, and greater holiness.
The question is: Are you ready to behold your God?
Because once you see Him clearly, you can never be the same.
What Are God’s Attributes?
“The Lord is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His works.” Psalm 145:17
God’s attributes are the perfections of His divine nature. They describe who He is—His eternal essence, His unchanging character, His infinite worth. They are not parts of God. They are God.
You and I have attributes like kindness, intelligence, or strength in varying degrees.
But God is His attributes.
He is not merely loving—He is love (1 John 4:8). He does not merely tell the truth—He is truth (John 14:6). His mercy doesn’t increase or decrease—He is mercy itself. Every attribute exists fully and perfectly in Him, always.
This means that God is never more just than merciful. He’s never more sovereign than good. His wrath never contradicts His love. His holiness never negates His compassion. In every moment, every action, and every judgment, God is perfectly all of who He is.
When we talk about God’s attributes, we’re not listing personality traits. We are gazing into the glory of the divine. These perfections reveal how God relates to Himself, how He governs the universe, and how He redeems sinners.
Two Types of Attributes
To help us understand these truths, theologians often categorize God’s attributes into two groups: incommunicable and communicable.
Incommunicable Attributes
These are the attributes that belong to God alone. They are incommunicable because they cannot be shared with creatures. They include things like His self-existence, infinity, omnipotence, and immutability. These perfections highlight how completely different God is from us. He is the uncreated Creator. He depends on nothing and no one. He is without beginning or end. He never changes. We are not like Him in these ways—and we never will be.
Communicable Attributes
These are the attributes God shares, in a limited way, with His image-bearers. They include His love, justice, holiness, patience, wisdom, and goodness. Though we reflect these dimly and imperfectly, believers are called to grow in them by the Spirit’s power. When God commands us to “be holy” or to “be merciful,” He is calling us to reflect His own nature.
These two categories are not rigid boxes but teaching tools. Every attribute of God is unique to Him, yet some are mirrored more visibly in us as we are conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).
Why Study God’s Attributes?
Why does this matter?
Because every distortion of Christianity begins with a distortion of God.
If we lose sight of His holiness, we will trivialize sin. If we ignore His sovereignty, we will panic in suffering. If we question His goodness, we will doubt His commands. If we soften His justice, we will dilute the gospel. Right theology flows from right thoughts about God.
That’s why this matters—not just for your mind, but for your worship, your obedience, your endurance, and your hope.
The more clearly you see Him, the more clearly you will see everything else.
God’s Incommunicable Attributes
“From everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Psalm 90:2).
God is not like us.
He is not simply a bigger version of a human being. He is utterly distinct, utterly other, utterly holy. The incommunicable attributes of God are those perfections that belong to Him alone—they set Him apart from all creation. They are the blazing line between the Creator and the creature.
Here are five of the most foundational incommunicable attributes:
1. Aseity (Self-Existence)
“As the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself.” John 5:26
God depends on no one (Acts 17:25). He was not created (Col. 1; John 1:1-18). He did not come from anything or anyone. He has life in Himself. This is what theologians call aseity—God’s complete self-existence and self-sufficiency.
You and I are dependent beings (Job 12:10). We need food, air, water, shelter, community, rest. God needs nothing. He is the only uncaused Cause. He exists by the necessity of His own being. Before the mountains were born or the stars were flung into space, God was already there—full, glorious, alive (Genesis 1:1).
This means He doesn’t need you—but He chooses to love you. He doesn’t need your worship—but He’s worthy of it. The gospel isn’t about meeting some cosmic loneliness in God. It’s about His sovereign love reaching down to undeserving sinners. That’s real grace.
2. Immutability (Unchanging Nature)
“I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6
Everything in your life changes (Ecc. 3!). Your health. Your relationships. Your emotions. Your circumstances. But God? Never. He is immutable. He cannot change.
His character never improves because it’s already perfect. His promises never weaken. His purposes never waver. His love never fades. His justice never bends.
This is not cold rigidity—it’s the blazing center of your security. If God were changeable, you could not trust Him. But because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), you can anchor your soul in His unshakable truth.
3. Omnipresence (Everywhere Present)
“Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth Jeremiah 23:24
God is not bound by space. He is fully present in every place, at all times. There is no corner of the cosmos where God is not. He fills the heavens. He dwells in the hearts of His people. He walks the hospital hallway and the mountain trail.
And yet, He is not spread out like a mist—He is fully present everywhere. That’s why David could say, “If I ascend to heaven, You are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, You are there!” (Psalm 139:8).
Christian, God’s omnipresence is a source of great comfort. You are never alone. If you’re not a Christian, it is a warning. You cannot outrun Him.
4. Omniscience (All-Knowing)
“His understanding is beyond measure” (Psalm 147:5).
God knows everything. Past, present, and future. Every event. Every motive. Every word on your tongue before you speak it (Psalm 139:4). He doesn’t learn, because He already knows. He never forgets. He never discovers. There is no mystery to Him.
This means you never need to explain yourself to God. He sees it all. He knows your fears, your failures, your secret sins—and He still invites you to come (1 John 3:20).
His omniscience should humble us and comfort us. He knows exactly what He’s doing in your life—even when you don’t.
5. Omnipotence (All-Powerful)
“Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases” (Psalm 115:3).
God can do all things that are consistent with His nature. Nothing is too hard for Him (Jeremiah 32:17). He created the universe by speaking. He upholds it by the word of His power. He raises the dead, calms storms, defeats nations, and saves sinners. His power is absolute.
That doesn’t mean God will do whatever we want. It means He has the power to accomplish His perfect will. And because He is good, His will is always for the ultimate good of His people and the glory of His name.
God’s Communicable Attributes
“Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).
God is not only beyond us—He is also near to us. Though we can never be all-powerful or all-knowing, God has chosen to reveal aspects of His nature that we can reflect in part. These are known as His communicable attributes—traits that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, He graciously cultivates in His people.
These attributes do not make us divine as some teach. But they do make us more like Christ, conforming us to the image of the One who perfectly reflects the Father (Romans 8:29). As we grow in sanctification, these perfections take root in our lives—not as a way to earn God’s favor, but as the fruit of His saving grace.
Let’s look at five of these attributes that God shares with His redeemed people.
1. Holiness
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3).
Holiness is not simply one attribute among many—it is the crown of them all. To say God is holy means He is set apart, utterly pure, morally flawless, and entirely separate from sin. There is no shadow in Him, no flaw, and no compromise. Amazing!
And yet, this holy God calls His people to reflect His holiness: “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). This is not a suggestion. It is a command. And it touches every area of life—how we think, how we speak, how we spend our time, how we treat others, how we worship.
Holiness is not about being better than others. It’s about being set apart for God, to God, by God. And it begins not with rule-keeping, but with worship. The more clearly we see God’s blazing holiness, the more we will hate our sin and love His righteousness.
2. Love
“God is love” (1 John 4:8).
God’s love is not shallow sentiment or mere emotional warmth. It is the eternal, self-giving devotion of the triune God. Before there was time, the Father loved the Son through the Spirit. This love overflowed in creation and was put on full display at the cross.
To love like God is to act sacrificially for the good of others. It is not self-serving. It is not selective. It does not ignore truth, and it does not cancel justice. It is holy love—grounded in God’s character, expressed in action, and empowered by grace.
The fruit of God’s love in our lives is unmistakable: “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
3. Justice
“For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him” (Isaiah 30:18).
God is perfectly just. He always does what is right, without partiality or error. His justice is not cold legalism, but holy fairness rooted in righteousness.
And He calls us to reflect that justice—not just in our opinions, but in how we treat others, defend the weak, and live with integrity. As Micah 6:8 says, “Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.”
Justice matters to God. It should matter to us.
4. Mercy
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 103:8).
Mercy is God’s compassion toward those in misery (Read Jesus’ opening words of Matthew 5!). It is His heart of tenderness toward the broken, the guilty, the suffering. Mercy does not minimize sin—it meets sinners in their worst state and offers hope.
As recipients of mercy, we are called to be merciful: “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). Mercy should mark how we parent, how we speak, how we forgive, how we pray.
This is why every local church should be the most merciful place on earth—because we follow a God who delights in mercy.
5. Faithfulness
“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant” (Deuteronomy 7:9).
God never forgets, never flakes, never flames out, and never fails. He keeps every promise, finishes every work He begins, and holds fast to His people forever. He is faithful even when we are faithless (2 Timothy 2:13).
And He calls His people to reflect that same dependability. In our marriages, friendships, work, ministry, and witness, faithfulness is not optional—it is the fruit of being anchored in God.
When we see these attributes of God—His holiness, love, justice, mercy, and faithfulness—we don’t just admire them from a distance. We are drawn to reflect them. Not in our own strength, but in the strength that He supplies.
These attributes are not just theological terms. They are invitations. They call us not only to worship the One who is all these things—but to walk in His ways, by His Spirit, for His glory.
How God’s Attributes Shape Our Lives
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10).
You can’t truly know God and stay the same.
Right theology always produces real transformation. The goal of studying God’s attributes is not to win debates—it’s to know Him more deeply and reflect Him more clearly. Every one of God’s attributes has practical implications for how we live, worship, suffer, and serve.
Here’s how these truths should shape our daily walk:
1. God’s Holiness Produces Awe and Purity
When you see the holiness of God, you stop making excuses for your sin. You stop measuring yourself by other people. You start trembling before the God who dwells in unapproachable light—and you start hungering for purity. Holiness no longer feels like a burden. It becomes your joy.
Like Isaiah, we say, “Woe is me” in the presence of divine holiness. But we also hear the Lord say, “Your guilt is taken away” (Isaiah 6:5–7). And then we respond, “Here I am—send me.”
2. God’s Love Produces Security and Sacrifice
God’s love isn’t fragile or fickle. It’s covenantal. Unbreakable. Bought with blood. That kind of love produces confidence in the storm and boldness in witness.
You stop performing for God and start living from the approval you already have in Christ (Galatians 2:20). You don’t fear rejection—you rest in adoption. And that security fuels sacrificial love for others. You become the kind of person who forgives, serves, and gives—because that’s how God has treated you.
3. God’s Justice Produces Courage and Integrity
In a world of corruption and compromise, God’s unshakable justice gives us courage (Pro. 28:1). We don’t have to take revenge. We don’t have to bend to pressure. We can stand for truth, even when it costs us—because we serve a God who will right every wrong and reward every act of faithfulness.
God’s justice also convicts us. It reminds us that we cannot play games with sin. We are accountable to a holy Judge—and that accountability leads to a life of integrity (Romans 14:12).
4. God’s Mercy Produces Humility and Compassion
When you truly grasp that God didn’t give you what you deserve, it changes the way you treat others (Eph. 4:32). You stop looking down on people. You start reaching out. You don’t excuse sin, but you also don’t throw stones.
Mercy makes you quick to forgive and slow to judge. It softens your heart and opens your hands. It turns grumbling into gratitude and pride into praise.
5. God’s Sovereignty Produces Peace and Perseverance
If God is truly all-powerful, all-wise, and always good, then you don’t have to live in panic. You can rest. You can wait. You can suffer with hope. You can pray with confidence (Psalm 46:10).
God’s sovereignty means nothing is wasted—not your pain, not your past, not your unanswered prayers. He is working all things together for good (Romans 8:28). And that truth will keep you standing when everything else around you shakes.
To know God’s attributes is to have a lens for all of life.
It’s how you interpret trials. How you make decisions. How you love your neighbor. How you pursue holiness. It’s not just theology for the mind—it’s fuel for the soul.
So don’t stop at information. Press on to transformation.
Let who God is shape who you are.
Behold Your God
“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable” (Psalm 145:3).
You were made to behold God.
Not just to believe He exists. Not merely to accept facts about Him. But to know Him. To love Him. To stand in awe of His glory and be transformed by His presence. This is the great aim of your life—and the only thing that can anchor your soul in an unstable world.
Behold your God:
The self-existent One who needs nothing, yet chooses to love you.
The immutable One who never changes, yet draws near to you.
The omnipotent One who rules all things, yet hears your smallest prayer.
The holy One who burns with purity, yet welcomes sinners by grace.
This is the God who thunders in justice and whispers in mercy.
The God who upholds the galaxies and mends the brokenhearted.
The God who is love—and who sent His Son to bear your sin.
To behold this God is to worship. To see Him rightly is to bow low in reverence and rise up in confidence. Theology is not cold doctrine—it is the warm fire that fuels our devotion.
And when your heart is captured by who God is, everything changes.
- You will pray with boldness, knowing He is near and hears (Heb. 4:16).
- You will endure suffering, trusting that He is wise and good (Rom. 8:28).
- You will resist sin, treasuring His holiness more than your own comfort (1 Pet. 1:15-16).
- You will love others, because you have been loved by the One who is love itself (1 John 4:19).
So slow down. Put down the phone. Shut the laptop. Silence the noise.
Open your Bible.
Search the Scriptures, and there you will find Him—not a God of your own making, but the true and living God who has revealed Himself in glory. Behold Him with trembling. Behold Him with joy.
And let this be the pursuit of your life:
To know God—not in theory, but in truth.
To walk with Him—not from a distance, but in intimacy.
To worship Him—not as a habit, but as your highest calling.
There is no greater privilege than to say with David:
“O Lord, You are my God; earnestly I seek You. My soul thirsts for You. My flesh faints for You, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1).
Don’t settle for shallow views of God.
Don’t be content with second-hand knowledge.
Don’t let the world distract you from the One who holds your breath in His hands.
Behold your God—and be changed.
Go Deeper: Knowing the God Who Is
“Let us press on to know the Lord…” (Hosea 6:3).
You’ve just surveyed some of the most glorious truths in all of Scripture—truths that can’t remain on the page. They must take root in the heart. And that means we need to press in, not move on.
This final section is designed to help you dig deeper, reflect honestly, and respond personally. These are not boxes to check, but invitations to transformation.
Here’s how to keep beholding your God:
Passages to Meditate On
- Isaiah 40 — A breathtaking vision of God’s greatness and care.
- Psalm 139 — God’s omniscience, presence, and personal knowledge of you.
- Exodus 34:6–7 — God’s self-revelation to Moses: “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious…”
- Romans 11:33–36 — A doxology erupting from deep theology.
- Revelation 4–5 — A throne-room view of God’s holiness and Christ’s worthiness.
Spend time prayerfully in these texts. Don’t rush. Read them aloud. Pray them back to God. Let your worship rise from Scripture-saturated awe.
Questions for Reflection
- Which attribute of God have you most taken for granted? Why?
- How has your view of God subtly shrunk over time? Where do you need to repent and realign?
- How does God’s immutability comfort you right now?
- In what ways are you currently reflecting God’s communicable attributes (like mercy, justice, or faithfulness)?
- How can your study of God’s nature shape your prayers this week?
Take time to journal your answers. Bring them into your prayer life. Share them in your small group or discipleship relationships. Theology becomes transformation through honest reflection and Spirit-empowered response.
Next Steps for Spiritual Growth
- Read one Psalm per day for 30 days. Start in Psalm 1 and look for what each Psalm reveals about God’s character. Write down one attribute each day and thank God for it.
- Begin memorizing verses about God’s nature. Start with Isaiah 40:28, Psalm 103:8, and John 17:3.
- Pray one attribute of God each morning.Focus your morning prayer around a specific aspect of who God is—His mercy, holiness, power, etc.
- Study a classic book on the attributes of God. Consider The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer.
- Talk about God often. Make your conversations God-centered. Not just what you’re doing for Him—but what you’re learning about Him, seeing in His Word, and praising in your heart.
A Final Encouragement
Knowing God is not just for pastors, professors, or theologians.
It is for every believer—new and seasoned, young and old, weary and strong. And the more you know Him, the more you’ll trust Him. The more you trust Him, the more you’ll obey Him. And the more you obey Him, the more your life will radiate the glory of the One true God.
“Let the one who boasts, boast in this, that he understands and knows Me…” (Jeremiah 9:24).
Don’t settle for vague ideas of God.
Press in. Slow down. Behold. Worship. Obey.
Because there is no higher pursuit than to know the God who made you, saved you, and will keep you forever.