List of God's Attributes

The following is a list of some of God's known attributes. Since we cannot fully comprehend God completely, we can know what He is like through the verses in the Bible that reveal those attributes. This is not an exhaustive list but more of a springboard to help you get familiar with God's character as He has revealed Himself in His word. Take the time to read a verse or two and meditate on them to comprehend and understand God biblically and more deeply.

Infinitude of God

- God is Infinite (limitless). God is not limited by anything outside of His character. This applies to all of God’s attributes. (Example: The goodness of God means God is infinitely good, God is also infinitely just, infinitely immutable, etc...)

(Job 36:26)

Job 36:26 NLT

“Look, God is greater than we can understand. His years cannot be counted.

(Jeremiah 32:27)

Jeremiah 32:27 NLT

27 “I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?

God is Personal

- God is a self-conscious Being capable of thought, will, and interaction with His creation.

(Genesis 2:15-18; 3:8-9)

Genesis 2:15–18 NLT

15 The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. 16 But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

Genesis 3:8–9 NLT

8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

(John 1:18)

John 1:18 NLT

18 No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

Creator -

The whole of creation came into existence through the will and power of God.

(Genesis 1:1)

Genesis 1:1 NLT

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

(John 1:1-4)

John 1:1–4 NLT

1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.

Life Giver

- All of life was and is created by God and is dependent on Him.

(Genesis 2:7)

Genesis 2:7 NLT

7 Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.

(John 1:4)

John 1:4 NLT

4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.

Immateriality of God

-The state or quality of being immaterial. God’s existence is non-physical, and is distinct from His creation.

(John 4:23-24)

John 4:23–24 NLT

23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Self-Existence of God

- God has always existed. God does not have a beginning.

(Genesis 21:33)

Genesis 21:33 NLT

33 Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he worshiped the Lord, the Eternal God.

(Deuteronomy 33:27)

Deuteronomy 33:27 NLT

27 The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. He drives out the enemy before you; he cries out, ‘Destroy them!’

(Romans 1:20)

Romans 1:20 NLT

20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Self-Sufficiency of God

- God has no needs, cannot improve and does not change. We, on the other hand, as created beings rely completely on God for our every breath.

(Job 35:7)

Job 35:7 NLT

7 If you are good, is this some great gift to him? What could you possibly give him?

(Job 41:11)

Job 41:11 NLT

11 Who has given me anything that I need to pay back? Everything under heaven is mine.

(Psalm 50:12)

Psalm 50:12 NLT

12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it.

Omnipresence of God

- God is present everywhere at all times.

(Psalm 139:7-10)

Psalm 139:7–10 NLT

7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! 8 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. 9 If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, 10 even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.

Omnipotence of God

- God can do all things that are consistent with His character. God is all powerful.

(Exodus 6:3)

Exodus 6:3 NLT

3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty’—but I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them.

(Genesis 17:1)

Genesis 17:1 NLT

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.

(2 Corinthians 6:18)

2 Corinthians 6:18 NLT

18 And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

Omniscience of God

- God has all knowledge.

(Psalm 139:13-17)

Psalm 139:13–17 NLT

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. 17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!

(John 21:17)

John 21:17 NLT

17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

Sovereignty of God

- God created everything and therefore all things are under His sovereign control. This term is used 295 times in the Bible.

(Psalm 68:20)

Psalm 68:20 NLT

20 Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.

(Psalm 141:8)

Psalm 141:8 NLT

8 I look to you for help, O Sovereign Lord. You are my refuge; don’t let them kill me.

(Acts 4:24)

Acts 4:24 NLT

24 When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—

Eternality of God

- The Eternality of God refers to his timeless nature. God had no beginning, and will have no end.

(Romans 16:26)

Romans 16:26 NLT

26 But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him.

(Deuteronomy 33:27)

Deuteronomy 33:27 NLT

27 The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. He drives out the enemy before you; he cries out, ‘Destroy them!’

Immutability of God

- The Immutability of God means He cannot change in His nature, Character or dependability.

(Malachi 3:6)

Malachi 3:6 NLT

6 “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed.

(Numbers 23:19)

Numbers 23:19 NLT

19 God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

Perfection of God

- God is completely flawless, lacks nothing and has no moral imperfection.

(2 Samuel 22:31)

2 Samuel 22:31 NLT

31 “God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

(Psalm 18:30)

Psalm 18:30 NLT

30 God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

(James 1:17)

James 1:17 NLT

17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

Holiness of God

- God is set apart from His creation.

(Isaiah 43:15)

Isaiah 43:15 NLT

15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator and King.

(Isaiah 6:3)

Isaiah 6:3 NLT

3 They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

(Revelation 3:7)

Revelation 3:7 NLT

7 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open:

Wisdom of God

- (omnisapience) By His omniscience, God perfectly knows all possibilities and what would happen if they came to pass. By His omnisapience, His wisdom is perfect so that He knows which course of action is the best.

(1 Cor. 3:19)

1 Corinthians 3:19 NLT

19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.”

(Romans 16:27)

Romans 16:27 NLT

27 All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.

Wrath of God

- God’s moral Character leads Him to judgment and punishment of unrighteousness.

(Psalm 90:11)

Psalm 90:11 NLT

11 Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve.

(Romans 2:8)

Romans 2:8 NLT

8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.

(Revelation 6:16-17)

Revelation 6:16–17 NLT

16 And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?”

Grace, Mercy and Love of God

- God’s dealing with His people are based on His goodness, compassion, concern and generosity; instead of what we truly deserve.

(Romans 5:20)

Romans 5:20 NLT

20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.

(Ephesians 2:8-10)

Ephesians 2:8–10 NLT

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

(Ephesians 2:3-4)

Ephesians 2:3–4 NLT

3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,

(Romans 5:8)

Romans 5:8 NLT

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

God is Truth

- Absolute truth has its foundation in God Himself, because God is truth.

(John 14:6)

John 14:6 NLT

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

(John 3:33)

John 3:33 NLT

33 Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true.

(Revelation 16:7)

Revelation 16:7 NLT

7 And I heard a voice from the altar, saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, your judgments are true and just.”

Justice of God

- All of God’s judgments are infinitely and perfectly just.

(Revelation 16:7)

Revelation 16:7 NLT

7 And I heard a voice from the altar, saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, your judgments are true and just.”

(Psalm 9:16)

Psalm 9:16 NLT

16 The Lord is known for his justice. The wicked are trapped by their own deeds. Quiet Interlude

(Psalm 10:18)

Psalm 10:18 NLT

18 You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them.

(Psalm 52:1)

Psalm 52:1 NLT

1 Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior? Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever?

Jealousy of God

-Throughout the bible, from Genesis to Revelation God always draws his people's attention to himself - not to personal holiness or social justice or any of the other good things that follow from a good relationship with God, but to himself. When his people's attention wanders from him, he's quick to draw them back. This attribute of God is known as his ``jealousy''. We usually think of jealousy as an ugly emotion, as when we want the success or money that someone else has. But there is also an absolutely right kind of jealously, and that is the reluctance of someone to allow others what is rightly his and his alone. The classic example is of a husband and wife - each of them is, in the right sense, jealous for the other. Neither will share the other with anyone else: the very idea is abhorrent to them. In the same way, God will not accept the idea that he has to share our passion and affection with anyone or anything else.[1]

(Deut. 5:9)

Deuteronomy 5:9 NLT

9 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.

(James 4:5)

James 4:5 NLT

5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him.

Goodness of God

- There is such an absolute perfection in God’s nature and being that nothing is wanting to it or defective in it, and nothing can be added to it to make it better.

(Nahum 1:7)

Nahum 1:7 NLT

The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.

(Psalm 73:1)

Psalm 73:1 NLT

Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.

Patience of God

- the Divine patience is the power of control which God exercises over Himself, causing Him to bear with the wicked and forebear so long in punishing them. In Nahum 1:3 we read, "The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,"[3]

(2 Peter 3:9)

2 Peter 3:9 NLT

9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

(Romans 2:4)

Romans 2:4 NLT

4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

Immanence of God

- The literal meaning of the immanence of God is "to be within" or "near" in relation to God's creation. Immanence is closely related to God's omnipresence, in that God is always present within the universe, though distinct from it. God is 'within' the universe in that God is its sustaining cause. God is active within His Creation. [4].

(Deuteronomy 4:7)

Deuteronomy 4:7 NLT

7 For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him?

(Acts 17:27-30)

Acts 17:27–30 NLT

27 “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. 28 For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 29 And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone. 30 “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.

The Majesty of God

-Sovereign power, authority, or dignity. It is also a reference to greatness or splendor of quality or character.

(Psalm 93:1)

Psalm 93:1 NLT

1 The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength. The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.

(Jude 25)

Jude 25 NLT

25 All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.