What The Bible Says About God

God has eternally existed as three persons within one being. The persons of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct from one another in their relation and function (Mt 3:16-17; 1 Pet 1:1-2; Tit 3:4-6), yet they remain ontologically one in their essence, nature, and substance. The three persons of the Godhead are unified in all their attributes and are co-equal with each other. The Father is God (Gal 1:1; Eph 5:20), the Son is God; being the exact imprint of His nature (Heb 1:3; Jn 1:1,14; Col 2:9; Phil 2:6), and the Holy Spirit is God for he is eternal and omniscient (Acts 5:3-4; Heb 9:14; 1 Cor 2:10-11). There exists eternally only one God and none will come after him (Deut 6:4; Is 43:10, 44:6-8). Therefore the three persons of the Trinity have eternally existed as one God.

God is unchanging in his nature throughout all eternity (Ps 90:2, 102:24-27). His gifts, purposes and plans are also not subsequent to change, but stand true (Ps 33:11; Heb 6:17; Jas 1:17; Ro 11:29). God is outside of time (2 Pet 3:8), and does not experience a succession of moments. Therefore, He does not need anything, nor does he change, grow, or mature (Mal 3:6; Acts 17:24-25). He is the Great “I Am” (“YHWH” Ex 3:14; John 8:58); the uncaused, self-existent, self-sufficient and immutable God.

God is a holy and perfect being who is completely unlike His creation (Ps 18:30; Mt 5:48). He cannot sin (Heb 6:18), since it would be contrary to His holy character. God’s vast holiness demonstrates his infinite worth and glory, which He jealously desires to be recognized for Him alone (Ex 20:4-6; Deut 4:24, 5:9; Is 48:11). The wrath of God is kindled against those who act contrary to His ways and do not acknowledge Him as God (Hab 1:13; Ro 1:18). This wrath is only satisfied through Christ’s atonement since God’s infinite holiness demands justice for sin (Heb 9:11-14; Ro 3:25-26; Is 30:18). The atonement wrought in Christ is the ultimate demonstration of God’s love (Ro 5:8; 1 John 4:9-10), which he wisely determined to do because he embodies love (1 John 4:16). He is wrathful and just towards sin, yet gracious, merciful, and forgiving (Ex 34:6-7; Ps 145:8).

God is the Almighty One (Ex 6:3 “El Shaddai”), able to sovereignty accomplish all of His purposes without anything hindering Him in any capacity since He is the Creator of all things (Is 46:10-11; Dan 4:35; Eph 1:11, Job 42:1; John 1:3). God is an ever-present Spirit; unable to be divided into parts spatially or seen with human eyes (Ex 33:20; Ps 139:7-8; Jer 23:23-24; John 4:24; John 1:18; 1 Tim 6:16). God is the only wise God (Ro 16:27), having unlimited knowledge of all things including future events and man’s thoughts (Ps 147:5; Mt 6:8; 1 John 3:20; Ps 139:16, Is 46:10; Acts 15:18). God’s mind cannot be known and his thoughts are far superior to ours (Ps 139:6; Is 55:8-9; Ro 11:33-34). He is incomprehensible, yet He has chosen to reveal Himself through His Word and creation sufficiently for life, godliness, and obeying His commands (Ro 1:19-20; 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:2-3; 1 John 2:3, 4:7). This demonstrates that God is both transcendent, being utterly distinct from us, and yet immanently involved in His creation for us to know him.