Twenty-two Attributes of God

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  1. A Spirit Being with a personal spirit body, soul, and spirit through which He manifests Himself (note, John 4:24).
  2. Invisibility
  3. Immortality
  4. Eternality
  5. Infiniteness: in presence (1 Kings 8:27); power (Matthew 28:18); acts (Matthew 19:26); in time (Deut. 33:27; Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 57:15); knowledge (Romans 11:33); and in greatness (Psalm 145:3).
  6. Oneness-in unity with others of the Godhead (see The Trinity.
  7. Omnipotence (all powerful, Rev. 19:6). God can do all things consistent with His nature and plan, but He cannot lie or act contrary to Himself and the best good of all (see Thirty Limitations of God.
  8. Omnipresence (not omnibody, 1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 139:7-12). Presence is not governed by physical contact, but by knowledge and relationship (Matthew 18:20; Matthew 28:20; cp. 1 Cor. 5:3-4). God’s body is not omnipresent, for it is only at one place at one time like others (Genesis 3:8; Genesis 11:5; Genesis 18:1-8,33; Genesis 19:24; Genesis 32:24-32), but His presence can be realized any place where men know Him and seek Him (Matthew 18:20).
  9. Omniscience (all-knowing) as far as His nature, plan, and work are concerned (Romans 11:33). As to free moral agents, God learns certain things about them (Genesis 6:5-7; Genesis 11:5-7; Genesis 18:21; Genesis 22:12; 2 Chron. 16:9; Job 12:22; Job 24:23; Psalm 7:9; Psalm 44:21; Psalm 139:1-6; Proverbs 24:12; Jeremiah 17:10; Ezekiel 11:5; Zech.4:10; 2 Cor. 2:10-11; Romans 8:27; 1 Thes. 2:4).  God sends messengers on innumerable errands to help Him carry on His rulership of all things (Daniel 10:13-21; Daniel 11:1; Daniel 12:1; Zech.1:7-11; Zech.6:1-8; Matthew 18:10-11; Hebrews 1:14).  He permits free moral agents freedom of action as to their conduct and destiny (note, Romans 8:29).
  10. Life (Jeremiah 10:10; John 5:26; 1 Thes. 1:9; Hebrews 7:16; Rev. 11:11).
  11. Self-existence (Exodus 3:14; Exodus 6:3; John 1:4; John 5:26).
  12. Immutability (Psalm 102:27; Malachi 3:6; 2 Tim. 2:13; Hebrews 6:18; James 1:17). He is immutable as to His plan for the highest good of being and of the universe.  His plan includes change of methods or ways to save as many men as possible.  For example, when He abolished the law of Moses it was no change in God’s plan, but rather the execution of that plan (2 Cor. 3:6-15; Galatians 3:19-25; Hebrews 7:11-10:18).  When man fell and He had to send Christ, it was simply the fulfillment of the plan (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 3:13-14; Galatians 4:4-5).  The plan was made to be executed when obedience was rendered and terms met.  See 210 Plain Laws and Warnings.  When the terms are not met, it is not failure or change with God, but with man.
  13. Perfection (Deut. 32:4; Psalm 18:30; Matthew 5:48). If any imperfection is noted in creation or redemption it is sin and rebellion in free moral agents that have caused it. God does not change His original plan of creation and redemption. He plans to redeem and restore all creation (except rebels) to perfection (Acts 3:21; Ephes. 1:10; 1 Cor. 15:24-28; Rev. 21-22).
  14. Truth-the perfect harmony of God’s Word (Deut. 32:4; John 17:3; 1 John 5:20).
  15. Wisdom (Romans 11:33; 1 Tim. 1:17).
  16. Love by which God communicates to others His infinite goodness (John 3:16; Romans 15:30; 1 John 4:8).
  17. Holiness-absolute purity of nature (Exodus 15:11; Isaiah 6:3; 1 Peter 1:16).
  18. Righteousness-holiness in action. All His acts are right (Romans 3:21-31; Hebrews 12:5-12; 1 John 1:9).
  19. Faithfulness-absolutely trustworthy (1 Cor. 10:13; 2 Cor. 1:20; Hebrews 6:18).
  20. Mercifulness, which is divine goodness manifest to relieve His creation of misery and suffering (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 1:2; Titus 3:5).
  21. Goodness-divine goodness by which life is preserved and mercy extended (Matthew 5:45; Acts 14:17; Romans 2:4).
  22. God cares for and provides for all creation (Job 38:41; see The Doctrine of Providence).

All these attributes require a concept of God as having a soul with feelings, emotions, passions, and desires; as having a spirit of intelligence, will, self-consciousness, and self-determination; and as having a spirit body through which these faculties are manifested (see Anthropomorphism.

Finis J. Dake, Dake Topical Index, WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “God, Twenty-two Attributes of”.

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