Behold Your God!

A few weeks ago our Sunday morning Bible doctrines class was privileged to study the attributes of God. Be encouraged by this brief summary, and rejoice in our amazing God!

Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" (Isa 40:9 ESV)

Attributes of Greatness (Being)
• God is spirit (Jn 4:24). As such, he is invisible (Jn 1:18; 1 Tim 1:17).
• God is eternal – he has no beginning and no ending (Ps 90:2; Rev 1:8) and exists outside of time (Jn 8:58; 2 Pet 3:8). As such, he is immortal (1 Tim 1:17).
• God is independent – He does not need anything outside of himself (Acts 17:24-25; Ex 3:14). As such, he is free to do whatever he desires (Ps 115:3; 135:6; Dan 4:35).
• God is unchangeable in his being (Ps 102:27; James 1:17), his purposes (Ps 33:11; Is 46:11), and his promises (Num 23:19).
• God is all-powerful – able to do anything (Jer 32:17; Matt 19:26) in accordance with his character and his will (Heb 6:18; 2 Tim 2:13; James 1:13).
• God is omnipresent – present at every point of space with his entire being (Ps 139:7-10).
• God is all-knowing – aware of all things (1 Jn 3:20) past, present, and future (Ps 139:4).
• God is wise –bringing about the best results using the best means (Rom 11:33).

Attributes of Goodness (Morality)
• God is the standard of goodness in everything he is and does (Luke 18:19; Ps 100:5).
• God is the standard of righteousness (justice) and always conforms to his own moral character (Deut 32:4).
• God is the standard of truth (John 17:3) – ultimate reality. As such, he is faithful – he will always fulfill what he has promised (1 Cor 10:13; 1 Pet 4:19).

Attributes of Kindness (Relationship)
• God is loving toward his Son (Jn 17:24), believers (1 Jn 4:10), and the world (Jn 3:16).
• God is merciful, showing kindness toward the guilty (2 Sam 24:14) and distressed (2 Cor 1:3).
• God is gracious, granting favor to those who deserve none (Rom 3:23-24) and strength to those who have none (1 Cor 15:10).
• God is patient, often withholding punishment over a long period of time (2 Pet 3:9; Ex 34:6).

In Summary:
• God is perfect (complete) (Matt 5:48), united (1 Jn 1:5; 4:8), orderly (1 Cor 14:33), and beautiful (Ps 27:4).
• God is holy – uniquely set apart from his creation (Is 6:3), particularly from sin (1 Pet 1:15-16). As such, he is perfectly wrathful, intensely hating all sin (Rom 1:18; 1 Thess 1:10).
• God is fully happy (1 Tim 6:15; 1:11).
• God is glorious, having an excellent reputation (Ps 79:9) made visible in the light that radiates from his throne (Rev 21:23). Everything exists to display his glory (Rom 11:36). As the only perfectly glorious being, God is jealous for the attention and worship of his people (Ex 20:7).