1
By Bill Bright, founder of Cru
Discover
God’s
Character:
13 KEY ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
1. God Is a Personal Spirit
2. God Is All-Powerful
3. God Is Present Everywhere
4. God Knows Everything
5. God Is Sovereign
6. God Is Holy
7. God Is Absolute Truth
8. God Is Righteous
9. God Is Just
10. God Is Love
11. God Is Merciful
12. God Is Faithful
13. God Never Changes
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
2
Introduction
Do you nd yourself doubting God when you
are faced with a diicult situation? Are you oen
frustrated by negative circumstances? Is it hard for
you to trust God with the challenges of life?
People have many dierent perceptions of
what God is like. Some see Him as an indulgent
grandfather or a divine Santa Claus. Others see
Him as a vengeful dictator. Many people fear God
because they have a distorted understanding of
His character. God not only wants you to view Him
correctly, He wants you to know Him intimately.
How you view God and His involvement in your
life touches every facet of who you are. Everything
about your life — your desires, motives, attitudes,
words and actions — is inuenced by your
perception of who God is.
Your self-image will improve once you realize the
awesome greatness of God and the value He places
on you. The more accurate your understanding of
who God really is and how He is involved in your life,
the more highly motivated you will become to excel
in the use of your time, talents and abilities.
God is completely trustworthy. God has unlimited
abilities, so He can do anything. He is all-powerful,
ever-present, all-knowing and sovereign. Nothing is
too diicult for Him. However, despite all this, you
can trust Him only to the degree that you know Him.
God’s character is of the highest integrity. He is
morally perfect in every way, so He will always do the
right thing. He is holy, absolutely truthful, righteous
and just. He will never betray your condence.
And God is totally committed to His relationship
with you, so you can experience the many blessings
of His gracious goodness. He is loving, merciful and
faithful, and He never changes. He will always do
what is best for you.
Are you in the midst of diicult circumstances? Are
you facing challenges that seem beyond your ability
to cope? Do not despair, because God is with you,
and He wants to help you.
Allow the truth about Him and His marvelous
character to transform you. Only then will you
experience God’s best and become all He wants
you to be.
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
3
God Is a Personal
Spirit …
so you can have intimate
fellowship with Him.
Our awesome God is gloriously incomprehensible.
The following are four of the many ways He is beyond
our understanding.
God is innite. Unlike
us, God has no limits
or boundaries. He is
not conned to the
dimension of space. His
love, holiness, mercy and all His other qualities are
unlimited in their scope and expression.
God is self-existent. Unlike everything else in the
entire universe, He had no beginning. Because He is
the Creator, He is the only One who exists outside of
the created order.
God is eternal. He is not bound by the dimension of
time. He created time as a temporary context for His
creation. With God, everything that has ever happened
or will ever happen has already occurred within His
awareness. God encompasses all of eternity!
God is self-suicient. All creation relies on God for
existence, but He has no need for anything. He does
not need our help. He only oers us the privilege
of being involved with Him in the fulllment of His
purposes.
God is gloriously incomprehensible, but He is also
a personal Spirit. Through His innite love and
goodness, He has provided a way for us to have an
authentic, personal relationship with Him.
First, God revealed Himself to us in His Word,
the Bible. The Scriptures provide us with a
clear description of what God is like and what is
important to Him.
Second, God came down from heaven to live on
earth. For 33 years, human beings could observe the
incarnate God through their senses as they walked
and talked with His Son, Jesus.
Third, God destroyed the barrier of sin and self-
centeredness that separated us from our holy God.
His perfect Son, Jesus, died on the cross to pay the
penalty for our sins.
Fourth, God sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in
Christians with His presence.
Our Creator God did all this so we could go beyond
just knowing about Him. We can actually enter into a
warm friendship and intimate family relationship with
Him. What a gracious oer and an awesome privilege!
“You will seek Me and nd Me when you seek
Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13, New
International Version)
1
“Friendship with God
is reserved for those
who reverence Him.”
(Psalm 25:14, Living
Bible)
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
4
God Is All-
Powerful …
so He can help you with anything.
God merely spoke
the universe into
being — a universe that
astronomers estimate
contains more than
100 billion galaxies.
But all the power
contained in this entire
universe is but a small
representation of the
unlimited power of God. The combined energy of all
earth’s storms, winds, ocean waves and other forces
of nature do not equal even a fraction of God’s
almighty power.
God’s power is inherent in His nature. All power
has always been His and will continue to be His for
all eternity. Any power that we have is given to us
by God.
Because God is all-powerful, He has the ability and
strength to do whatever He pleases. His power is not
restrained or inhibited by any of His created beings.
People and nations are powerless when confronted
by His might.
Our amazing God is capable of doing anything — as
long as it does not violate any of His other attributes.
No task is too big for Him. He never fails. And He is
never tired, frustrated or discouraged.
Yet our all-powerful Creator cares for us, and He
longs to exhibit His power in our lives.
David writes, “When I look at the night sky and see
the work of Your ngers — the moon and the stars
You have set in place — what are mere mortals that
You should think about them, human beings that
You should care for them?” (Psalm 8:3-4, NLT).
No matter what you might be facing, God can
help you. Nothing is too hard for Him. No need
is too great for Him to meet. No problem is too
complicated for Him to solve. No foe is too strong
for Him to conquer. No prayer is too diicult for Him
to answer.
The Bible promises, “By His mighty power at work
within us [He] is able to accomplish innitely more
than we would ever dare to ask or even dream”
(Ephesians 3:20, Living Bible).
If our hearts and motives are pure and we truly seek
to do God’s will, then there is nothing too diicult
for us as we depend on His strength.
“I can do everything through Christ, who gives me
strength.” (Philippians 4:13, NLT)
2
“O Sovereign LORD!
You have made the
heavens and earth
by Your strong hand
and powerful arm.
Nothing is too hard
for You!” (Jeremiah
32:17, New Living
Translation)
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
5
God Is Present
Everywhere …
so He is always with you.
God is always with us. Because He is an innite
Spirit, He is not restricted to being in one location at
a time. He lls every inch of space throughout the
universe with all His wonderful personal attributes.
Although God is distinct from His creation, all His
creation exists within Him. In Acts 17:28 we are told,
“In Him we live and move and exist” (New Living
Translation).
We live in His glorious presence every moment of
every day. When we are alone, God watches what
we do. When we do something good that nobody
else knows about, God sees it and will reward us
accordingly.
He also sees the bad things we do in secret.
Hebrews 4:13 states, “Nothing in all creation is
hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed
before His eyes, and He is the one to whom we are
accountable” (NLT).
We actually have the presence of Almighty God
living inside us. The apostle Paul wrote, “Don’t you
know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that
God’s Spirit lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16, NIV).
God wants us to “consciously” live in His presence
each day. His ever-presence makes it possible for
us to be in constant communication with Him and
to depend on Him in every situation. But oen we
ignore His presence because we are so preoccupied
with our lives. Sometimes we even forget He is with
us while we are busy serving Him.
Yet God’s magnicent presence is all we need for
any challenge that may come our way. No person or
circumstance can ever remove us from the presence
of our loving God. He is always with us, hearing our
cries for help. He is always with us, protecting us
from danger. He is always with us, watching what
we do. He is our ever-present God, Savior, Lord and
Master — our dearest friend.
[Jesus said,] “I am with you always.” (Matthew
28:20, NIV)
3
“Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Where can I ee from Your
presence? If I go up to the heavens,
You are there; if I make my bed in
the depths, You are there. If I rise on
the wings of the dawn, if I settle on
the far side of the sea, even there
Your hand will guide me, Your right
hand will hold me fast.”
(Psalm 139:7-10, New International
Version)
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
6
God Knows
Everything …
so go to Him with all your questions and
concerns.
Our magnicent Creator God knows everything and
is the source of all true knowledge, understanding
and wisdom. His knowledge is undeled by any
distortions or wrong perspectives. It is totally true
and accurate.
God knows the answers to all of life’s questions.
Unlike us, God is never surprised or bewildered,
because He is always completely aware of all events
past, present and future.
He also knows everything about you — your desires,
motives and thoughts. God knows more about you
than you will ever know about yourself.
King David writes, “O Lord, You have examined my
heart and know everything about me. You know
when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts
even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home. You know everything I
do. You know what I am going to say even before I
say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You
place Your hand of blessing on my head. Such
knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for
me to understand!” (Psalm 139:1-6, New Living
Translation).
When you face challenges or diiculties, you can
be encouraged that God understands what you are
going through. He knows about your pressures and
problems, and He also knows the purpose for your
trials. God promises, “I know the plans I have for you.
... They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give
you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT).
Whatever your circumstances, whatever your need,
God has the answer. He knows everything about
your situation and wants to help you.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,
who gives generously to all without nding fault,
and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you
must believe and not doubt, because the one who
doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed
by the wind. That person should not expect to
receive anything from the Lord.” (James 1:5-6, New
International Version)
4
“Oh, what a wonderful God we
have! How great are His wisdom
and knowledge and riches! How
impossible it is for us to understand
His decisions and His methods!
For who can know what the Lord is
thinking? Who knows enough to be
His counselor and guide?” (Romans
11:33-34, Living Bible)
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
7
God Is
Sovereign …
so joyfully submit to His will.
God is the sovereign ruler of the universe. There
is no higher authority. Our great God possesses
every ability He needs to be in absolute control of
everything. He is all-powerful, so no one can force
Him to do anything against His will. He is present
everywhere, so no one can hide from Him or escape
His scrutiny. He is all-knowing, so there is nothing
about which He is unaware.
Nothing occurs without His divine permission. God
commands the forces of nature and uses them to
achieve His divine purposes. He established the
scientic laws that regulate the universe, and only
He can overrule their eect. Even Satan and his
legions of evil spirits can operate only within limits
prescribed by God.
God also sovereignly directs people, circumstances
and events. Daniel explains, “[God] determines
the course of world events; He removes kings
and sets up other kings” (Daniel 2:21, New Living
Translation). Without God’s sustaining providence,
none of us could live another day. “The life of every
living thing is in His hand, and the breath of every
human being” (Job 12:10, NLT).
Do you feel overwhelmed by circumstances? Be
encouraged: Your loving God is still in control, and
He is sovereignly directing your life. Proverbs 19:21
states, “You can make many plans, but the LORD’s
purpose will prevail” (NLT).
In fact, diiculties and suering are tools in God’s
sovereign hands with which He shapes you into the
image of Jesus Christ. The Bible promises, “God
causes everything to work together for the good of
those who love God and are called according to His
purpose for them” (Romans 8:28, NLT).
Our sovereign God is actively directing His creation
on a course that has been charted before the
beginning of time. But within the context of His
master plan, He gives all of us the freedom to
choose how we will participate. Will you choose to
cooperate with Him?
“Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own;
it is not for them to direct their steps.” (Jeremiah
10:23, NIV)
5
“Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; You
are exalted as head over all. Wealth
and honor come from You; You are
the ruler of all things. In Your hands
are strength and power to exalt and
give strength to all.”
(1 Chronicles 29:11-12, New
International Version)
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
8
God Is Holy …
so devote yourself to Him in purity,
worship and service.
Our God is holy. His
character is perfect in
every way. His moral
excellence is the
absolute standard of
integrity and ethical
purity. God’s supreme
holiness innitely sets
Him apart from His
creation.
As we meditate on God’s supreme holiness, we
cannot help being overcome with a sense of awe.
The psalmist tells us, “Worship the LORD in the
splendor of His holiness; tremble before Him, all the
earth” (Psalm 96:9, NIV).
Solomon writes, “The fear of the LORD is the
beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy
One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10, NIV). To fear
God does not mean to be afraid of Him but to have
a reverential respect for His magnicent greatness
and unlimited authority. The Bible instructs us,
“Serve the LORD with fear, and celebrate His rule
with trembling” (Psalm 2:11, NIV).
You have been set apart by God to be holy. Rather
than reecting the opinions and attitudes of this
sinful world, you are to reect the beauty of His
holiness. But you can be holy only by placing your
faith in Jesus Christ. As the holiness of God works
into the fabric of your being, you will become
sensitive to sin and learn to abhor it as God does.
God’s holiness demands your devotion. The apostle
John strongly warns, “Dear children, keep away
from anything that might take God’s place in your
hearts” (1 John 5:21, New Living Translation). Where
is your heart? Are you remaining pure and faithful to
your holy God? Holy living involves a daily decision
to surrender to the lordship of Christ.
Sin brings death and destruction, while holiness
brings health and well-being. God wants your mind
and heart to be lled with His holy qualities. As your
life is transformed, you will project the light of His
holiness into the darkness of this evil world. Then
you shall be holy as He is holy.
“But now you must be holy in everything you do, just
as God who chose you is holy.” (1 Peter 1:15, NLT)
6
“Who else among
the gods is like You,
LORD? Who is like
You — majestic in
holiness, awesome
in glory, working
wonders?”
(Exodus 15:11, New
International Version)
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
9
God Is Absolute
Truth …
so believe what He says and live
accordingly.
Our God is absolute truth. It is impossible for Him to
be otherwise. In fact, God is the source of all truth.
Our God, who is present everywhere and knows
all things, has total understanding of what is real,
what is right and what is true. Whatever He says is
completely accurate.
When God gave the prophet Balaam a message to
deliver to the king of Moab, Balaam said, “God is not
a man, so he does not lie. He is not a human, so he
does not change his mind. Has He ever spoken and
failed to act? Has He ever promised and not carried
it through?” (Numbers 23:19, NLT).
Whatever God says is absolutely right. Whatever He
promises will always be fullled.
God wants us to know the truth. Jesus prayed
for His disciples, asking God to “sanctify them by
the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17, New
International Version). The Bible helps us know and
understand the truth about Him, about ourselves
and about life.
God also manifested truth to us in the person of
Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth
and the life” (John 14:6, NIV). While many people
claim to know the truth, only Jesus could honestly
claim to be the truth.
God also guides us into truth through the working
of His Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples, “I will ask
the Father, and He will give you another advocate
to help you and be with you forever — the Spirit of
truth” (John 14:16-17, NIV).
Jesus promises, “You are truly My disciples if you
remain faithful to My teachings. And you will know
the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-
32, NLT). God’s truth frees us to live as He intended.
God is our anchor of truth in a society of relativism
and falsehood. Do your decisions and lifestyle
demonstrate that you are listening to Jesus? Or
have you bought into the lies of popular culture?
Are you consistently spending time discovering
truth in God’s Word?
Truth will be found only by those who diligently seek
it in the right places. Commit yourself daily to walk
in the light of God’s truth.
“Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live
according to Your truth!” (Psalm 86:11, NLT)
7
[Jesus said,] “I was born and came
into the world to testify to the truth.
All who love the truth recognize that
what I say is true.” (John 18:37, New
Living Translation)
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
10
God Is
Righteous …
so live by His standards.
God is righteous, and
all the righteousness in
the entire universe has
its origin in Him. The
psalmist exclaims, “Your
righteousness, O God,
reaches to the highest
heavens. ... Who can compare with You, O God?”
(Psalm 71:19, New Living Translation).
We live in an age when the distinction between
right and wrong is becoming increasingly blurred.
Our culture has adopted the principle of situational
ethics, which proposes that what is morally right
varies from person to person and situation to
situation. Yet God’s standards do not change; they
are timeless.
God’s laws are a reection of His own righteous
nature. If we break God’s laws, we will pay the
consequences. But we cannot keep God’s perfect
standard on our own. Only by receiving Jesus as our
Savior and Lord are we made righteous.
The apostle Paul explains, “We are made right with
God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is
true for everyone who believes, no matter who we
are” (Romans 3:22, NLT). When we place our trust in
Jesus, God no longer sees our sinfulness but only the
perfect righteousness of Christ that now clothes us.
God wants you to display His righteousness in your
new life. You can do this through faith as you daily
“throw o your old sinful nature and your former
way of life. ... Instead, let the Spirit renew your
thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature,
created to be like God — truly righteous and holy”
(Ephesians 4:22–24, NLT). This is possible only as
you consistently submit your will to the Holy Spirit
and depend on Him to empower you.
As Christians, we must hold fast to the righteous
standards set forth by the sovereign Ruler of the
universe. Regardless of the beliefs and behavior of
society, God will hold every person accountable
according to His biblical decrees. Whose standards
of right are you following?
“Surely, LORD, You bless the righteous; You
surround them with Your favor as with a shield.”
(Psalm 5:12, NIV)
8
“The LORD is
righteous in all His
ways and faithful
in all He does.”
(Psalm 145:17, New
International Version)
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
11
God Is Just …
so He will always treat you fairly.
God is absolutely just
in all His judgments.
Because of His holy
righteousness, He
cannot be bribed
or corrupted in any
way. God cannot be
fooled. Because He is
all-knowing and ever-
present, He has all the
facts at His disposal.
He knows the circumstances and motives, so His
decisions are always based on absolute truth. God
is also a perfect judge because when He pronounces
judgment, He has the power and sovereignty to carry
out the punishment. “Everything He does is just and
fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just
and upright He is!” (Deuteronomy 32:4, NLT).
Justice is a pillar of society, ensuring that the
innocent are vindicated and the guilty are punished.
But all too oen, this standard for justice is
compromised for personal gain by corrupt judges
and unscrupulous lawyers. Consequently, many
people mistakenly believe they can manipulate
God’s system of justice. They think that God is
fooled by their excuses and alibis.
But because He is a just God, His verdict will always
be right. King David said, “The Lord is righteous, He
loves justice” (Psalm 11:7, New International Version).
Because God is just, He will always treat you fairly.
However, as the holy and righteous sovereign of
the universe, God cannot ignore any act of sin. God
hates sin with a holy passion. The psalmist writes,
“You spread out our sins before You — our secret sins
— and You see them all. ... Who can comprehend the
power of Your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as
the fear You deserve” (Psalm 90:8,11, NLT).
God’s anger over sin should never be
underestimated. You need to have a healthy fear of
God to help you avoid anything that would violate
your relationship with Him.
God also rewards right behavior. Although your
salvation is secured by faith in Jesus Christ, your
good works conrm that you are a child of God and
determine the rewards you will receive from Him.
We serve a just God, so what you do in this life will
matter for eternity.
“God will judge us for everything we do, including
every secret thing, whether good or bad.”
(Ecclesiastes 12:14, NLT)
9
“I, the LORD, search
all hearts and
examine secret
motives. I give all
people their due
rewards, according
to what their actions
deserve.” (Jeremiah
17:10, New Living
Translation)
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
12
God Is Love …
so He is unconditionally committed to
your well-being.
God is the source of all love. It ows out of the
great reservoir of His goodness. Love permeates all
of His attributes. While people sometimes violate
standards of honesty, righteousness, and morality
to please others, God never compromises His
integrity. His love does not suppress or negate any
of His other attributes.
God’s love is unconditional. It is not based on how
good you are or what you do to please Him. He loves
you because He is God and you are His creation.
God’s love never fails. The psalmist proclaims,
“The LORD is good. His unfailing love continues
forever” (Psalm 100:5, NLT). God’s love will not be
terminated because of disappointment or a change
of heart. He denes love, He generates love, and He
demonstrates what true love looks like.
John explains, “This is real love — not that we loved
God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a
sacrice to take away our sins” (1 John 4:10, NLT).
Jesus gave His life on your behalf. He could not have
sacriced any more. God’s love for you is supreme.
We, in turn, are to love God wholeheartedly. Jesus
declared: “Love the Lord your God with all your
heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the
rst and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37-
38, NLT). God, in His sovereignty, has created us to
nd our greatest joy and fulllment in loving Him.
God also enables us to be channels of His
supernatural love. On our own, we are incapable of
loving as we should, but God has for us an unending
supply of His divine love. It is for us to claim, to
enjoy and to share with others.
When believers begin to love God, love their
neighbors as themselves and love their enemies,
society will change for the better. Then the world
today, as in the rst century, will marvel when
they see and experience the transforming power of
God’s love.
“Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate
us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ
Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39, NLT)
10
“Your roots will grow down into God’s
love and keep you strong. And may
you have the power to understand,
as all God’s people should, how wide,
how long, how high, and how deep
His love really is.” (Ephesians 3:17-18,
New Living Translation)
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
13
God Is
Merciful …
so He forgives you of your sins when you
sincerely confess them.
God is the master of
mercy. His very nature
desires to relieve you
of the self-imposed
misery and distress you
experience because of
your sin.
All humanity benets from God’s mercy to some
degree. Jesus stated, “He gives His sunlight to both
the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the
just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45, New Living
Translation). But God also has a sovereign mercy He
shows to those who are His. In gratitude, this is the
mercy you are to share with others.
God shows you mercy because He compassionately
cares about you. The prophet Isaiah states,
“The LORD comforts His people and will have
compassion on His alicted ones” (Isaiah 49:13,
NIV). Your loving Father cares about what you are
going through. The gospels are lled with examples
of how Jesus was moved with compassion and
acted to help those who were sick, suering and in
need. Consider the blind man, Bartimaeus, or the
ten lepers. Jesus reached out His hands and healed
them. Or the woman caught in adultery: He spoke
compassionately to her and forgave her.
To experience God’s mercy, you must repent of
your sin and accept God’s forgiveness. The Bible
promises, “The Lord our God is merciful and
forgiving, even though we have rebelled against
Him” (Daniel 9:9, NIV).
God wants you in turn to be merciful to others. In
the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared, “God
blesses those who are merciful, for they will be
shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7, NLT). In fact, Jesus said,
“If you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not
forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:15, NLT). God’s mercy
ows to those who show mercy to others.
Your loving heavenly Father is committed to
your well-being. Out of His great compassion, He
generously bestows on you His grace and mercy.
God demonstrates His grace by showering you
with blessings you do not deserve. He displays His
great mercy by withholding the punishment you so
rightfully deserve.
“Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious
God. There we will receive His mercy, and we
will nd grace to help us when we need it most.”
(Hebrews 4:16, NLT)
11
“The Lord is full of
compassion and
mercy.” (James 5:11,
New International
Version)
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
14
God Is
Faithful …
so you can trust Him to always keep
His promises.
Faithfulness is at the heart of all that God is and
does. His truthfulness, holiness, love, righteousness
and other attributes ensure His faithfulness. He is
incapable of being otherwise.
God is faithful to protect you from temptation and
the evil one. Paul wrote, “God is faithful. He will not
allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.
When you are tempted, He will show you a way
out so that you can endure” (1 Corinthians 10:13,
NLT). When you are tempted to sin, do not focus on
the attractiveness of the temptation but on God’s
faithfulness to deliver you from that situation.
God is faithful to forgive you even when you are
unfaithful. Because you are still in a body of esh,
you have a tendency to sin and, ultimately, to be
unfaithful. How encouraging it is to remember God’s
promise, “If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful,
for He cannot deny who He is” (2 Timothy 2:13, NLT).
But you must be sincere in your repentance and not
abuse God’s grace. The Bible states, “If we confess our
sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to
cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9, NLT).
God is faithful to purify you from unrighteousness.
It is God’s plan for you to become holy and advance
His kingdom. And He is faithful to bring this to pass.
Paul declared, “I am certain that God, who began
the good work within you, will continue His work
until it is nally nished on that day when Christ
Jesus returns” (Philippians 1:6, NLT).
God is faithful to fulll His promises. Hebrews 10:23
states, “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the
hope we airm, for God can be trusted to keep His
promise” (NLT). God is ready and able to deliver all
He has promised.
God is faithful to help you in your need. He will never
fail you! He is reliable. He is trustworthy. He cannot
be otherwise. Your holy and loving God is faithful!
“If you are suering in a manner that pleases God,
keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to
the God who created you, for He will never fail you.”
(1 Peter 4:19, NLT)
12
“O Lord God Almighty! Where is there
anyone as mighty as You, Lord?
Faithfulness is Your very “O LORD
God of Heaven’s Armies! Where is
there anyone as mighty as You, O
LORD? You are entirely faithful.”
(Psalm 89:8, New Living Translation)
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
15
God Never
Changes …
so your future is secure and eternal.
God never changes. In fact, it is impossible for God
to change. The inuences that cause change in your
life have no eect on God. He will never be stronger
or weaker. His knowledge and wisdom will not
increase or diminish. God does not compromise or
change His values. And God does not have mood
swings. Life and its uncertainties may shake you,
but God — the Rock of Ages — does not move. If you
cling to Him, His strength will sustain you.
God’s unchanging purpose gives you eternal
signicance. Psalm 33:11 states, “The LORD’s plans
stand rm forever; His intentions can never be
shaken” (NLT). God’s plan is unchangeable. It existed
at the beginning of creation and remains the same
today. And you are part of His plan! Paul explains,
“We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew
in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He
planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT).
God’s unchangeable ways assure you of unwavering
guidance. Psalm 18:30 states, “God’s way is perfect.
All the LORD’s promises prove true” (NLT). God’s
principles for life never change. His guidelines,
given in Scripture, produce fruitful lives when we
follow them.
God’s unchanging Word equips you with timeless
truth. Isaiah declared, “The grass withers, and
the owers fade, but the word of our God stands
forever” (Isaiah 40:8, NLT). God’s words and
commands are timeless.
God’s unchanging commitment guarantees
everlasting security. If you have trusted in Jesus
Christ as your Lord and Savior, you can be assured
of eternal life. God is eternally committed to your
redemption, your spiritual growth, and your eternal
destiny. God’s commitment to you is as strong
as He is eternally constant. The storms of life are
continually changing, but God remains the same.
He is consistent and reliable. He is your anchor. You
can count on God because He never changes.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and
forever.” (Hebrews 13:8, NLT).
13
“Whatever is good and perfect is a
gi coming down to us from God
our Father, who created all the lights
in the heavens. He never changes or
casts shiing shadows.”
(James 1:17, New Living Translation)
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
16
Count on God
When you see God as
He truly is, your life
cannot help but change.
Circumstances that have
seemed overwhelming,
people who were
impossible to get along
with and problems that appeared unsolvable all
diminish when viewed in the context of who God is
and His commitment to your well-being.
Remember, with God all things are possible. With
His unlimited abilities, nothing is too diicult for
Him. With His absolute integrity, He will always
do what is right. And with His unconditional
commitment to you, He will always do what is in
your best interest.
Are God’s glorious attributes the lenses through
which you are looking at life? Spend time with your
amazing Creator, for the more you get to know His
magnicent character, the more you will reect the
radiance of God’s presence to those around you.
Will you let God begin a transforming work in you?
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart.” (Proverbs
3:5, NLT)
“I trust in God, so why
should I be afraid?
What can mere
mortals do to me?”
(Psalm 56:4, New
Living Translation)
Discover God’s Character: 13 Key Attributes of God
17
The Benets of His Attributes
Because God is personal Spirit,
I will seek intimate fellowship with Him.
Because God is all-powerful,
He can help me with anything.
Because God is ever-present,
He is always with me.
Because God knows everything,
I will go to Him with all my questions and concerns.
Because God is sovereign,
I will joyfully submit to His will.
Because God is holy,
I will devote myself to Him in purity, worship,
and service.
Because God is absolute truth,
I will believe what He says and live accordingly.
Because God is righteous,
I will live by His standards.
Because God is just,
He will always treat me fairly.
Because God is love,
He is unconditionally committed to my well-being.
Because God is merciful,
He forgives me of my sins when I sincerely
confess them.
Because God is faithful,
I will trust Him to always keep His promises.
Because God never changes,
My future is secure and eternal.
