The Character of God

The character of God is often spoken about in church or during prayer, but we rarely take the time to look at what the Bible says about the character of God and dive into what those attributes mean. Knowing the character of God not only helps us discern when something is from God, but also when something isn’t from God. 

What is God’s character?

God is unlikely anyone or anything in our world. He is beyond all imagination and is without comparison. Thankfully, God revealed Himself to us through His word so that we can gain an understanding of who He is. Let’s give into God’s character below!

God is holy

The first, and arguably most important characteristic of God is his holiness. The Merriam Website dictionary defines the word holy as “exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness.” Our God’s holiness is unequalled; there is no one like our God, for he is perfect.

God is immutable

One of the best attributes of God is that He never changes. He is consistent in character, His plans or promises never change, and He will never leave or forsake us. The God who created the world is the same God who rules over us today, and is the same God who will rule and reign for eternity. 

God is omnipresent

Omnipresence means that God is present everywhere. His power, knowledge and being extends to all parts of His creation and he can appear to anyone, in any form at any time. Psalm 139 is an excellent passage to outline that God is present in every place – He is the creator of our earth and the heavens. He has no beginning or end and comes before all things. “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). 

God is slow to anger

“The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 145:8). Slow to anger is a phrase that is used multiple times in the Bible. When someone is slow to anger, they are not hot-tempered and do not punish people with haste. Rather, they give people time to see the error in their ways and repent. We see this character so clearly in our Heavenly Father who does not condemn us the second we do something wrong, but is gracious in convicting us and giving us time to repent and turn from our sin. The second aspect of being slow to anger is that God also doesn’t turn a blind eye and ignore evil. Nahum 1:3 says “the Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.” Our God is faithful in dealing with the evil in the world and on judgement day will see that justice happens. 

God is wise

In multiple verses throughout the Bible, we learn that God is wise. James 1:5 says “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”  Biblical wisdom is a God-given gift where we can know what is good or bad for us and apply that knowledge in our lives. Unlike the wisdom of the world, which Corinthians 3:19 says is “foolish in God’s sight,” true wisdom is from God and will always honour God. Reading the Bible and surrounding yourself with good, godly counsel is an excellent way to increase the wisdom in your life. 

God is faithful

Deuteronomy 7:9 says “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of live to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands.” God’s faithfulness is one of the most encouraging attributes; faithfulness comes from a place of trust and loyalty. When the Bible talks about God being faithful, it means that he is firm in adherence to His promises. Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is a confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” We can rest knowing that we serve a God who is faithful in all things and will never leave or forsake us. 

God is good

Psalm 34:8 gives us a taste of God’s next attribute when it says “O, taste and see that the Lord is good.” Our Father is good, gracious and kind. He has a tender heart and we see this most poured out through the sacrifice he made by sending His son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. When Psalm 34 says that God is good, the psalmist invites us to get beyond a level of knowing God is good, but experiencing it for ourselves. 

The Bible outlines many more characteristics of God and each gives us a glimpse into who the God we serve is. Reading the Bible is one of the best ways to explore God’s character and it helps us to grow closer to Him, so keep exploring. Above all, remember that our Father is a good, just and holy God.