Who Is God And What Is He Like?
The Most Important Question You’ll Ever Ask
“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable” (Psalm 145:3).
Who is God?
That is the most important question you’ll ever ask. Everything in your life—how you live, what you love, how you suffer, how you die—flows from your answer.
If your view of God is small, your life will be small.
If your view of God is shallow, your faith will be weak.
If your view of God is wrong, your whole life will drift off course.
You don’t just need opinions about God. You need the truth. And God hasn’t left you to guess. He has revealed Himself—in creation, in His Word, and most clearly in His Son. You don’t need to build a god of your own imagination. You need to know the God who is.
In his famous book The Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer famously wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
That’s because what we believe about God shapes everything. Our fears. Our choices. Our priorities. Our worship. Even our eternity.
So who is God?
He is not a distant deity.
He is not the universe.
He is not a force or a feeling.
He is not made in our image.
He is the eternal, infinite, all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, holy, righteous, loving, sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things.
And He is not silent.
The Bible is His self-revelation (2 Tim. 3:16). It is not a book about man—it is a book about God. From Genesis to Revelation, we see who He is, what He’s like, and how He acts.
You were made to know this God (Jer. 9:24)—not just to believe He exists, but to walk with Him, love Him, trust Him, and worship Him with your whole life (1 Cor. 10:31).
This article will explore what Scripture teaches about God’s nature. Not just for the sake of knowledge, but for worship. Not just to inform the mind, but to transform the heart.
So take a deep breath.
Silence the noise.
Come humbly.
Come hungry.
And behold your God.
Who Is God According to Scripture?
“I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God” (Isaiah 45:5).
If we want to know who God is, we must go to the only true source: God’s Word. Not our feelings. Not tradition. Not culture. Only Scripture gives us a full, faithful, and accurate revelation of the living God.
From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible proclaims one consistent truth: there is one God, and He alone is worthy of worship (Deut. 6:4).
He is not one god among many. He is the one true and living God, distinct from all idols, false religions, and man-made conceptions. He declares in Isaiah 46:9, “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me.”
So what does Scripture reveal about who He is?
God Is Eternal
God has no beginning and no end. He is self-existent and uncreated. Psalm 90:2 says, “From everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” He didn’t come from anything. He simply is—forever.
God Is Spirit
John 4:24 says, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” He is not limited by a physical body. He is invisible, omnipresent, and not confined to time or space.
God Is One in Essence, Three in Persons
God is Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One God, eternally existing in three Persons, each fully and equally God. This is not a contradiction, but a mystery revealed throughout Scripture. At Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:16–17), all three Persons are present: the Father speaks, the Son is baptized, and the Spirit descends.
God Is the Creator
Genesis 1:1 opens the Bible with, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Everything that exists came from His hand. He created out of nothing, with perfect wisdom and sovereign authority. He sustains every breath, every star, every moment.
God Is Personal
God speaks. He hears. He sees. He feels. He acts. He is not distant or detached but intimately involved with His creation. He made man in His image (Genesis 1:26) so that we could know Him and reflect Him.
God Is Holy
To be holy means to be set apart, completely pure, and morally perfect. God is not like us. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3). His holiness is foundational to everything else about Him.
This is not an abstract doctrine. This is your Creator, your Sustainer, your Judge, and—if you believe in Christ—your Redeemer.
The better you know who God is, the more you will trust Him, obey Him, and worship Him.
Why Does It Matter What God Is Like?
“Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His…” (Psalm 100:3).
We live in a time when people are more concerned with what God can do for them than who God truly is. But Scripture doesn’t begin with man’s needs—it begins with God’s nature (Genesis 1:1).
Here’s why it matters: your entire life flows from your view of God. What you believe about Him will shape how you live, how you suffer, how you think about sin, how you respond to trials, how you worship, and how you die.
A high view of God leads to a holy life.
A low view of God leads to a shallow, powerless, man-centered religion.
If you believe God is weak, you will live in fear.
If you believe God is distant, you won’t pray.
If you believe God is unholy, you won’t repent.
If you believe God is uncaring, you won’t trust.
That’s why Satan’s first lie in the garden wasn’t to get Eve to stop believing in God—it was to twist her view of what God is like. He said, “Did God really say…?” and implied that God was holding out on her, not to be trusted (Genesis 3:1–5).
That’s still his tactic today. Distort God’s character, and you can dismantle someone’s faith.
But when you see God as He really is—sovereign, holy, loving, just, good, and true—everything changes.
- It humbles you. When you see God’s majesty, you stop trying to be your own ruler.
- It convicts you. When you grasp His holiness, you stop making excuses for sin.
- It comforts you. When you rest in His goodness, you stop living in fear.
- It compels you. When you behold His glory, you live for His name, not your own.
A.W. Pink, in other famous book The Attributes of God, once said, “A spiritual and saving knowledge of God is the greatest need of every human creature.”
He was right. You cannot trust a God you do not know. You cannot worship a God you do not revere. You cannot obey a God you do not fear.
That’s why theology isn’t just for scholars—it’s for every believer. Theology simply means the study of God. And nothing is more practical, more urgent, or more life-giving than knowing the God who made you.
You don’t just need a better routine. You need a better vision of God.
How Can We Know What God Is Like?
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us…” (Deuteronomy 29:29).
God is infinite. We are not.
That means we will never fully comprehend all that God is. His greatness is unsearchable (Psalm 145:3). His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9). If He didn’t choose to reveal Himself, we could never find Him. We can’t climb a ladder to heaven or figure Him out through reason alone.
But here is the miracle: God has spoken.
He has made Himself known—clearly, faithfully, and sufficiently. And He has done it in three primary ways:
1. Through Creation
Creation is God’s billboard. Psalm 19:1 declares, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.” Every star, mountain, and ocean shouts His power and wisdom. Romans 1:20 says His “invisible attributes” are clearly seen in what He has made. The universe tells us there is a God—and He is glorious.
But creation alone is not enough. It tells us that God exists, but not how to know Him. For that, we need…
2. Through Scripture
The Bible is not man’s opinion about God. It is God’s own revelation of Himself. Second Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God.” That means every word is true, perfect, and trustworthy.
In the Word, we see God’s character, His actions, His promises, and His plan of redemption. We see His holiness in the law. We see His mercy in the prophets. We see His faithfulness in every covenant.
The Bible is not exhaustive about God, but it is sufficient. Everything you need to know about God in this life is found in the pages of Scripture.
But there is one more, even greater revelation:
3. Through Jesus Christ
Jesus is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). He is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of His nature (Hebrews 1:3). If you want to know what God is like—look at Jesus.
Jesus said, “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). In Him, we see God’s perfect love, perfect justice, perfect power, and perfect truth—all in flesh and blood.
This is how we know God—not by speculation, but by revelation.
We don’t have to guess. We don’t have to make it up. We open our Bibles and behold our Savior. And the more we look, the more we grow to love, trust, and worship Him.
Why We Resist a Big View of God
“Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images…” (Romans 1:22–23).
It’s one thing to believe in God. It’s another thing to submit to who God really is.
Our sinful nature doesn’t want a big, sovereign, holy God (Ephesians 2:1-3). We want a god we can manage—a god who fits our lifestyle, agrees with our opinions, and demands nothing. That’s why one of the greatest threats to true faith isn’t atheism—it’s idolatry.
Idolatry isn’t just bowing to statues. It’s creating a false view of God in our minds. It’s shaping Him into our own image instead of being conformed to His. Romans 1 says mankind “exchanged the truth about God for a lie” (Romans 1:25). That exchange still happens today.
Here are some common reasons we resist a true, high view of God:
1. We Want Control
A sovereign God means we’re not in charge. That’s hard to accept. Pride tells us we know best. But Scripture is clear: “Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases” (Psalm 115:3). That kind of authority humbles us—and sinful hearts resist humility.
2. We Don’t Want Conviction
A holy God exposes our sin. The brighter the light, the clearer the stains. That’s uncomfortable. So instead of repenting, many shrink God’s holiness to excuse their own compromise. But a low view of God always leads to a low view of sin.
3. We Prefer Convenience
We want a God who blesses us but doesn’t challenge us. A God who comforts but never confronts. Many settle for sentimental spirituality, not the consuming fire of the living God (Hebrews 12:29). But true worship isn’t casual—it’s reverent.
4. We’re Influenced by the Culture
Modern thinking says truth is relative, God is vague, and religion is personal preference. This seeps into the church. But the God of the Bible is not open to revision. He does not change with trends or polls. He says, “I the Lord do not change” (Malachi 3:6).
The result of resisting the true God is spiritual weakness. Shallow worship. Flimsy theology. Lives built on sand.
But the remedy is simple: return to the Word. Let God speak for Himself. Let His greatness shatter your small ideas. Let His glory reshape your life.
We don’t need a tame god. We need the God of Scripture—majestic, mighty, holy, and near.
Only then will we truly live.
What Happens When We Truly Know God?
“But the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action” (Daniel 11:32).
Knowing God isn’t just about getting your theology right—it’s about transforming your life. When you truly know God as He reveals Himself in Scripture, the effects are deep, lasting, and unmistakable.
A right view of God leads to a right way of living. Let’s look at some of the fruit that flows from a real, growing relationship with the living God:
1. A Heart That Worships
You were created to worship. When you see God for who He truly is—majestic, holy, sovereign—your soul responds in awe. Worship becomes more than music or Sunday rituals. It becomes the posture of your life: bowing low before the greatness of God.
David cried out, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1). That kind of praise doesn’t come from hype. It comes from knowing God.
2. A Life That Obeys
Knowing God compels obedience—not out of duty, but out of delight. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). When you see God’s holiness, you don’t take sin lightly. When you see His goodness, you trust His ways are best.
Real knowledge of God never leads to apathy. It leads to action. As Daniel 11:32 says, “The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.”
3. A Soul Anchored in Peace
When you know that God is sovereign, you stop panicking over the unknown. When you know He is good, you stop doubting His plans. When you know He is faithful, you stop fearing tomorrow.
Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” That kind of peace isn’t based on circumstances—it’s rooted in the character of God.
4. A Boldness That Endures
The more you know God, the less you fear man. The early church prayed for boldness, and God answered by filling them with the Spirit (Acts 4:31). When your confidence is in the God who rules heaven and earth, you can speak the truth, face opposition, and stand strong.
5. A Humility That Grows
Knowing God humbles you. You stop boasting in yourself and start boasting in the Lord (Jeremiah 9:23–24). You realize your strength is weakness, and His grace is sufficient.
This is the fruit of true theology—not pride, but praise. Not arrogance, but reverence. Not complacency, but holiness.
You don’t just become smarter—you become more like Christ.
Come and Behold Your God
“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)
You were made to know God.
Not just to believe He exists. Not just to study His attributes. But to walk with Him, to worship Him, and to enjoy Him forever.
That’s what eternal life is—not just heaven someday but knowing God today. Jesus said, “This is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3).
Knowing God is not a side topic. It’s not a theological elective. It’s the foundation of everything. The more clearly you see Him, the more rightly you will see everything else—yourself, your sin, your salvation, your purpose.
But it begins with coming to Him on His terms—not shrinking Him down to size, not redefining Him to fit your preferences, but beholding Him in the full glory of who He is.
God is not silent.
He has spoken.
He has revealed Himself.
And He invites you to come.
Come with reverence. He is holy.
Come with awe. He is glorious.
Come with joy. He is good.
Come with surrender. He is Lord.
This world will offer you a thousand distractions, shallow substitutes, and empty promises. But none of them can satisfy your soul. Only God can. And He doesn’t just want to be understood—He wants to be worshiped.
That’s the end goal of theology: not pride, but praise. Not information, but transformation.
So, open your Bible. Look for God. Listen to His voice (Note: If you want to hear God speak, read the Bible out loud!). Meditate on His attributes. Trace His hand in Scripture. Sit at His feet in prayer. Walk with Him through every season.
And above all, look to Jesus.
Because Jesus Christ is the clearest revelation of who God is. In Him, we see God’s justice and mercy meet. In Him, we see God’s wrath poured out and God’s love poured in. In Him, we see the God who comes near—who took on flesh, bore our sins, and rose in power.
You want to know what God is like? Look to the cross.
You want to know how to walk with God? Follow His Son.
You want to know the purpose of life? It’s to know God, love God, and glorify Him forever.
That is your highest calling. Your greatest joy. Your eternal reward.
Come and behold your God.
Go Deeper: Study and Application
“Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord…” (Hosea 6:3).
Knowing God is not a one-time event. It’s a lifelong pursuit. And like any relationship, it grows through intentional time, trust, and truth.
Here are practical steps to deepen your knowledge of God and respond to His self-revelation with worship, obedience, and joy.
1. Study His Word Daily
The primary way God reveals Himself is through the Bible. Set aside time each day to read Scripture—not just for facts, but to encounter the living God.
- Begin in the Psalms to grasp God’s majesty and character.
- Read the Gospels to see His glory revealed in Jesus Christ.
- Meditate slowly. Ask: “What does this show me about God?”
- Keep a journal of truths about God you discover and how they impact your life.
Start simple. Stay consistent. Let God speak through His Word.
2. Pray with God’s Attributes in Mind
Prayer isn’t about listing requests—it’s about drawing near to a Person. As you grow in knowledge of who God is, let your prayer life reflect it.
- Praise Him for His holiness, sovereignty, and mercy.
- Thank Him for His wisdom and nearness.
- Confess areas where your view of Him has been too small.
- Ask Him to increase your hunger to know Him more.
The more you adore God in prayer, the more your heart will align with His.
3. Read Theologically Rich Books
Complement your Bible reading with sound theology. Here are a few classics that deepen your understanding of God’s nature:
- The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer
- Knowing God by J.I. Packer
- The Attributes of God by A.W. Pink
- Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves
These are not just for scholars—they’re written for everyday believers who want to know God deeply.
4. Worship Intentionally
Your view of God will shape your worship. Be intentional in both private and corporate worship:
- Choose songs that are rich in Scripture and theology.
- Reflect on lyrics that exalt God’s attributes.
- In your local church, listen closely to sermons that magnify God’s glory—not man’s felt needs.
Worship is not about emotional highs—it’s about heartfelt reverence for the God who is worthy.
5. Share What You Learn
Discipleship includes helping others see who God is. Teach your children. Talk about Him with friends. Lead others in Bible studies or devotionals.
When you speak of God often, your view of Him grows stronger—and so does your joy.
Remember: The path to knowing God is clear. The invitation is open. Press on.