What are the attributes and nature of God according to the Bible?

The Bible describes God's nature and attributes in multifaceted ways. The Bible tells us that God is:

1. Holy:
   • Verse: "Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.’" (Leviticus 19:2 NKJV)
   • Explanation: God is completely pure and separate from sin. His holiness is a reflection of His absolute moral perfection and separateness from evil.
2. Love:
   • Verse - "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39 NKJV)
   • Explanation: The love of God is unfailing and unwavering. Throughout history, God has demonstrated to humanity this aspect of Himself. He is patient and kind to us in spite of our sins.
3. Sovereign:
   • Verse: “The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.” (Psalm 103:19 NKJV)
   • Explanation: God is supreme in authority and power. He controls all things according to His divine will and purpose.
4. Self-existent:
   • Verse: “And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”’” (Exodus 3:14 NKJV)
   • Explanation: God exists in and of Himself. He does not depend on anyone or anything for his continued existence.
5. Eternal:
   • Verse: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” (Psalm 90:2 NKJV)
   • Explanation: God is beyond time and temporal limitations. He is infinite with respect to time.
6. Spirit:
   • Verse: “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24 NKJV)
   • Explanation: God is immaterial. He is a spirit Who is not bound by the material world.
7. Just:
   • Verse: “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.” (Deuteronomy 32:4 NKJV)
   • Explanation: God is fair in His dealings with humanity. He ensures that eventually all good is rewarded and all evil is punished.
8. Merciful:
   • Verse: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).” (Ephesians 2:4-5 NKJV)
   • Explanation: God is compassionate and forgiving. He demonstrates His kindness and grace to those who need it, in spite of their shortcomings.
9. Good:
   • Verse: “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:8 NKJV)
   • Explanation: God is all-good. His very nature is fundamentally good, and He is the source of all goodness.
10. Immutable:
    • Verse: “For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” (Malachi 3:6 NKJV)
    • Explanation: God does not change in His nature, character, and purposes. He does change in His relationships to humans, but that is not representative of a change in His nature. He remains faithful to Himself and His Word.
11. Immanent:
    • Verse: “So that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:27-28 NKJV)
    • Explanation: God is present with His creation and involved in sustaining the world He created.
12. Transcendent:
    • Verse: “’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV)
    • Explanation: God is independent from the created world. He exists above and beyond all things.
13. Omnipotent:
    • Verse: "And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, ‘Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!’" (Revelation 19:6 NKJV)
    • Explanation: God is all-powerful. He has unlimited power and can do all that is logically possible. He has the complete ability to accomplish His will.
14. Omniscient:
    • Verse: "O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways." (Psalm 139:1-4 NKJV)
    • Explanation: God is all-knowing. He has perfect knowledge of all things, including the past, present, and future.
15. Omnipresent:
    • Verse: "’Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?’ says the Lord; ‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’ says the Lord." (Jeremiah 23:24 NKJV)
    • Explanation: God is present in the totality of His being everywhere at all times. There is no place where God is not present.

These attributes depict a God who is greater than His creation yet loves us and has provided a way to spend eternity with Him.