The Character of God

Introduction: The Most Important Knowledge

The most profound and life-altering quest any human can embark upon is the quest to know God. It is more than an academic exercise; it is the very purpose for which we were created. Our perception of God—His character, His nature, His attributes—is the single most important thing about us. It is the foundation upon which our entire worldview, our moral compass, our sense of purpose, and our ultimate hope are built. A small, distorted, or man-made view of God will inevitably lead to a fragile, anxious, and unsatisfying faith. But a biblically rich, awe-inspiring, and accurate understanding of God leads to a faith that is robust, resilient, and deeply joyful.

The Bible does not present God as an unknowable, distant force. It reveals Him as a personal Being who has actively made Himself known through His actions in history, through His written Word, and supremely through His Son, Jesus Christ. However, it also presents Him as infinite, eternal, and transcendent—far beyond our ability to fully comprehend. To study God's nature is to be like a child standing at the shore of a boundless ocean; we can wade in, experience its reality, and scoop up handfuls of its water, but we can never contain its entirety. Our goal is not to "figure God out," but to know Him as He has revealed Himself, and in knowing Him, to worship Him more truly. This article will explore two foundational aspects of God's revealed nature: the beautiful mystery of the Trinity and His essential, unchanging attributes.

The Trinity: Our One God in Three Persons

The doctrine of the Trinity is the unique, non-negotiable heart of the Christian understanding of God. It is the belief that there is one single divine essence, and this one God has existed for all eternity in three distinct, co-equal, and co-eternal Persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. This is not a contradiction (1+1+1=1), but a divinely revealed paradox that our finite minds cannot fully grasp.

This doctrine is not explicitly spelled out in a single verse but is a necessary conclusion drawn from the whole testimony of Scripture. The Bible is uncompromisingly monotheistic ("The LORD our God, the LORD is one," Deut. 6:4), yet it clearly attributes full deity to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and it presents them as distinct Persons interacting with one another. For example, at Jesus' baptism (Matthew 3), the Son is in the water, the Father speaks from heaven, and the Spirit descends like a dove. All three are present, distinct, yet one God. This tri-unity is essential to the Gospel. It means that God is, in His very nature, relational and self-giving love. Before He created anything, love existed eternally within the Godhead. The cross is a Trinitarian act: the Father, in love, sends the Son; the Son, in love, willingly obeys and offers Himself; and the Holy Spirit empowers the Son in His mission.

God's Incommunicable Attributes (Qualities Unique to God)

These are attributes that God possesses in His essence that are not shared with His creation. They highlight His transcendent "otherness."

1. Sovereignty (Omnipotence)

God's sovereignty means He is the supreme and absolute ruler of the universe. He is all-powerful (*omnipotent*), and His will is the ultimate cause of all things. He is never reacting, never surprised, and never thwarted. Daniel 4:35 declares, "He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: 'What have you done?'" This can be a frightening thought, but because His power is perfectly united with His goodness and wisdom, it becomes the greatest comfort for the believer. It means our lives are not in the hands of fate or chance, but in the hands of a loving Father who is working all things—even the painful and confusing things—for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28).

2. Omniscience

God is all-knowing. He knows everything—past, present, and future; actual and possible—perfectly and effortlessly. His knowledge is not a sequence of learning but a single, complete understanding of all reality. Psalm 139 beautifully expresses this: "You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar... Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely." This truth brings both conviction and comfort. It reminds us that no sin is hidden from Him, prompting us to live with integrity. But it also comforts us, knowing that He understands our deepest fears, our unspoken sorrows, and our every weakness better than we do ourselves.

3. Omnipresence

God is present everywhere at all times. He is not confined by space or location. This does not mean that God is *in* everything (pantheism), but rather that His entire being is fully present at every point in space. "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?" the psalmist asks (Psalm 139:7). For the believer, this is a promise of constant companionship. In our loneliest moments, God is with us.

4. Immutability (Unchangeableness)

God does not change. His character, His promises, and His purposes are eternally consistent. "I the LORD do not change," He declares in Malachi 3:6. This attribute is the bedrock of our trust in Him. Because God is immutable, His promises are completely reliable. The salvation He offered yesterday is the same salvation He offers today and forever. His love for His children is not fickle; it is steadfast and eternal. In a world of constant change and instability, the unchangeableness of God is our anchor.

God's Communicable Attributes (Qualities Reflected in Us)

These are attributes of God's character that He shares with us, His image-bearers. We possess them finitely and imperfectly, but as we grow in Christ, we are called to reflect them more and more.

1. Holiness

This is God's most foundational attribute. It means He is utterly pure, morally perfect, and set apart from all sin and evil. His holiness is a consuming fire. It is this perfect holiness that creates the central problem for humanity: our sin separates us from Him. It is also His holiness that demanded a perfect sacrifice, which was met in the sinless life of Jesus Christ. As His people, we are called to reflect His holiness: "Be holy, because I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16).

2. Justice and Righteousness

Because God is holy, He is also perfectly just and righteous. He is the ultimate standard of what is right, and He always acts in accordance with that standard. His justice demands that all sin must be punished. The cross of Christ is the perfect intersection of God's justice and His love. At the cross, God's justice was satisfied as the penalty for our sin was paid in full by Jesus. Because God is just, we can be confident that in the end, all wrongs will be made right.

3. Love, Grace, and Mercy

The Bible declares that "God is love" (1 John 4:8). His love is not a reaction to our worthiness but an expression of His own self-giving nature. The ultimate demonstration of His love is the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for us "while we were still sinners" (Romans 5:8). His *mercy* is His compassion that withholds the punishment we deserve. His *grace* is His undeserved favor that gives us the blessings we do not deserve—forgiveness, adoption, and eternal life.

Conclusion: Knowing God is Life Itself

This exploration of God's character is not merely theological information; it is life-giving truth. To know that God is sovereign gives us peace. To know that He is just gives us hope. To know that He is holy gives us a hatred for our sin. To know that He is love gives us security. And to know that He is a Trinity invites us into a relationship of love that has existed for all eternity.

Jesus defined eternal life this way: "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" (John 17:3). The goal of our faith is not just to know *about* God, but to *know* God personally, intimately, and deeply. May a clearer vision of His magnificent character lead you to a deeper worship of His glorious Person.