God’s attributes also say a lot about His character, but here are 5 major attributes of God that are essential.
God is Holy
[1]The only attribute of God that is mentioned three times in all of Scripture is that God is holy. Isaiah the Prophet wrote that the seraphim, which hover over the Lord’s throne, “Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:2-3)! God is not just holy, but He is holy, holy, holy to infinity. That is the greatest emphasis you can use in the Hebrew language. It is the only attribute of God that is mentioned three times. Isaiah was undone after seeing the Holy God, said, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5)!
Compared to God, even the best of our works are filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6), but we are called to be holy. Naturally this doesn’t mean we’ll be sinless and live in perfection. That’s not possible this side of the veil, but the Apostle Peter admonishes us that just “as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16). Of course, believers are declared holy before God through Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:21), but we must strive to live out holiness before God and before the world.
[2]
God is Love
People say they love God, and that’s fine, but it must be understood that God made the first move (John 6:44; 1 John 4:19). Scripture teaches that “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19), and not the other way around. It was God who “so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (1 John 3:16-17). Christ made a way for us over 2,000 years ago, so those who are loved by God also love those who are loved by God, since “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:8).
Micah the Prophet describes the love of God very well, writing, “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (7:18-19). Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13), and Jesus did just that, testifying, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Love is costly, but His love brings everlasting life. It was the only way we could be reconciled to God.
God is Good
[3]When a man came up to Jesus and ask Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life” (Mark 10:17c), but the rich man had it all wrong. Jesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18). Wait! Isn’t Jesus God? Isn’t Jesus good!? Yes, but the man apparently didn’t know that he was talking to the Lord because he called Jesus “teacher.” The point is, God is good…and as for humans? Not one is good…no, not even one of us (Rom 3:10-12)! He alone is good and He is always good. He is a “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land” (Psalm 68:5-6). Aren’t we glad He is a good God? He is good to those who are not!
God is Unchangeable
Jesus Christ is “…the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb 13:8). Again, aren’t you glad God is not like us and changes His mind about people? What if God withdrew His offer of salvation or changed His mind about you after something you did? What if He decided not to save us because we sinned too often? Thankfully, God does not change His mind. Malachi the Prophet wrote, “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed” (Micah 3:6). God never has a bad day and then takes it out on others like we oftentimes do. God is the same today and He will be the same forever. To me, that’s a huge relief. The psalmist declares that even His Word is forever, writing, “Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens” (Psalm 119:89). His Word is as eternal as He is, since we know that “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
[4]
God Full of Glory
If we read enough Scripture, we start to see that God desires to be glorified, and we can glorify Him too in our lives. This is one of the chief purposes for God creating mankind. We should seek to glorify God in our lives, like from abstaining from sexual immorality. We can glorify God in our bodies by controlling our passions (1 Cor 6:18; 1 Thess 4:3). The psalmist wrote, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness” (Psalm 115:1), so it is to you, “O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all” (1 Chron 19:11). The Apostle John was an eyewitness of His glory; not only on the Mount of Transfiguration. John understood that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
Conclusion
I pray you have put your trust in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If that has not happened yet, my friend, you are in real danger of hell fire. And I mean, in immediate danger. You’re one breath, one heartbeat…one accident away from eternity when it will be too late to repent. Today is the best day to believe (2 Cor 6:2) since tomorrow is no guarantee. If Jesus Christ came today, here is your fate (Matt 7:21-23). This is why I plead with you as you read this, repent today…and I mean right now. Put your trust in Jesus Christ. If you do not, you will face God’s judgment after death guaranteed (Heb 9:27) or at Jesus Christ’s appearance (Rev 20:12-15), which could happen at any moment.
Here is some related reading for you: 7 Attributes of God You May Not Know [5]
Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), Crossway Bibles. (2007). ESV: Study Bible: English standard version. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.