Introduction

We have considered the subject of God’s triune existence and answered the question “How does God exist?” We now move on to consider God’s ontological existence. The present question is “What is God like?” Obviously there is some overlap here because God ontologically exists as triune. That triunity was considered first, and separately, because it is foundational. Now that God’s triunity has been established, we can move on to answer this second question keeping that triune perspective in mind.

Foremost, whatever we might say about God we can say that he is a perfect being. As such we can think of a being which has no defects. Generally speaking we can say there are no flaws or weaknesses in God. But when we move beyond this generalization we must be careful to let Scripture tell us what perfect means with regard to the specific characteristics of the triune God. What we may imagine as perfection may differ from the revelation that God has given of himself. We must allow Scripture to say what it says. Furthermore, as Frame notes, “The concept of perfection is somewhat problematic. People have often disagreed about what qualities constitute perfection.”[1] One person’s perfection may be another person’s defect. Yes, God is a perfect being. Given the general tenet of Scripture this seems safe to say. But to be more specific and see what that perfection entails we must follow the revelation God has given of himself.

As noted in the introduction, ontology has to do with the Godhead’s existence in and of itself. It is at this point that we want to consider God’s various characteristics. In what follows three words (singulars and plurals) will be used to describe what God is like: characteristics, abilities, and attributes. The word abilities will refer to those things God can do, while the word attributes will refer to those things God is. In this regard I am using the word attributes somewhat different than is found in most discussions of God’s being. Characteristics will be a general term that refers to abilities and/or attributes. So, in this section we will consider the abilities and attributes that are inherent in God’s nature and possessed by the three persons who share that nature.

As we considered God’s triune existence we came to the conclusion that God’s being consists of three distinct persons sharing one divine nature. With this in mind, as we consider God’s characteristics, we can view them from three different perspectives. First, we will look from the perspective of God’s nature. Some characteristics possessed by God are so because they are related to or associated with that nature part of God’s being. God is like he is because of certain aspects of his nature. For example, God is self-sufficient. Second, we will look from the perspective of the persons. Some things are true about God because he is a personal being. These aspects of God are possessed because they are related to the person parts of his being. God is like he is because of certain aspects of the persons. For example, the persons can make determinations. And third, we will look from the perspective of God’s being as a whole. Still other characteristics of God are related to the entirety of the God’s being. These aspects are related to both the nature part and the three person parts as they exist in the one being of God. For example, the Godhead is self-existent. That self-existence is true of both the nature and the persons of God.

Furthermore, there is another distinction in perspective that can be helpful when describing what God is like. This perspective distinguishes abilities from attributes. On the one hand, what abilities does God have? I.e., what can God do? For example, we know that God can exercise power and God can make choices. On the other hand, what attributes does God have? I.e., what is God like? In the sense of God’s triunity we have already answered this question. However, there are other aspects that should be considered. For example, we know that God is self-sufficient, he is living, and he is eternal. The subject of God’s abilities focuses the subject “God can” (or in some cases “God cannot”). And the subject of God’s attributes focuses on the subject “God is.”

After considering the characteristics of God as viewed from these various perspectives we will consider one final area, God’s holiness. Holiness is a characteristic of a different sort in the sense that it is a by-product of God’s existence as a being.

It is important to keep in mind that God is triune. As such the three distinct persons of the Godhead equally share the one divine nature. This means that from the perspective of the divine nature, any ability or attribute provided to one person is provided to the other two persons. And all three possess are provide with that natural ability or attribute equally. Furthermore, from the perspective of the persons, if any one person possesses an ability or attribute, then so too do the other two persons. All three persons independently possess those personal abilities and attributes.

As we continue in this section, primarily we will look at God ontologically, as he had existed prior to the creation and the implementation of his plan of redemption. However, we will also consider God as he now exists and reflect on what might be different. This includes the impact not only of the Hypostatic Union in particular but also of creation itself as well as the fall and redemption of man. God now exists in conjunction with what he has created and what he is doing in that creation. So the question arises as to whether God in anyway has been changed or impacted by what he is doing? And if so, how?

These questions relate to one of the characteristics often ascribed to God. God is unchangeable. As we think about this characteristic, some care is needed. Grudem defines unchangeableness as “God is unchanging in his being, perfections, purposes, and promises, yet God does act and feel emotions, and he acts and feels differently in response to different situations.”[2] Grudem is careful. He adds, “The definition given above specifies that God is unchanging—not in every way that we might imagine, but only in ways that Scripture itself affirms.”[3] That being the case, what does Scripture affirm? If God changes, how does he and how does he not change?

Itemizing and organizing God’s characteristics is challenging. What characteristics of God should we consider? And once we have a list, how should we organize it? Grudem writes, “When we come to talk about the character of God, … we need some way to categorize the attributes of God.”[4] So doing will help us think more carefully about this being we call God.

There are many lists of God’s characteristics and many methods of categorizing them. And, as Grudem points out, “Any list of God’s attributes must be based on some understanding of how finely one wishes to make distinctions between various aspects of God’s character.”[5] Grudem then lists 20 attributes divided into five groups.[6] John Frame lists 34 characteristics divided into three groups: goodness, knowledge, and power.[7] A. W. Pink considers 17, but does not organize them per se.[8] A common approach is to organize God’s characteristics into two major categories: communicable and incommunicable. The former are those that to some degree we human beings hold in common with God and the latter are those that in no way or at least for the most part we do not hold in common. Examples are love and self-existence. But as Grudem observes, “There is no attribute of God that is completely communicable, and there is no attribute of God that is completely incommunicable!”[9]

For our purposes here, based on the triune nature of the Godhed, I have organized the characteristics of God into three groups: (1) those associated with the nature of God, (2) those associated with the persons of God, and (3) those associated with the entire being of God. Each of the three groups has been subdivided into two categories. The first category is ability or “God can.” And the second category is attribute or “God is.” This organization, of course, still has challenges. Where to place the characteristics is sometimes difficult to determine. The advantage, perhaps, is that this organization to some degree relates the characteristics of God to his triune being and helps us think about which characteristics of God are shared by the three persons and which are held independently.

A reason for taking this three-group approach is that some characteristics of God appear to relate to his nature, that being a common element shared uniformly by the three persons. Other characteristics seem to relate to the persons, each of the three persons having the identical attributes separately. And still other characteristics relate to the entire being of God equally true of both the nature and persons, true of the Godhead as three distinct persons sharing one divine nature. As for the two categories, it seems clear that some characteristics about God related to “God can” while others are related to “God is.”

For the purposes of this study, there are 23 distinct characteristics listed. The table “Attributes and Abilities of the Triune God” is organized using the three groups (columns) and two categories (rows) along with a final row for God’s holiness. Specific characteristics are listed in the respective cells. These are “primary” characteristics. There are additional “associated” or “corollary” characteristics not shown here. A more detailed table lists these additional characteristics in conjunction with the primary ones.

  

(For additional details see The Abilities and Attributes of the Triune God)

As we consider God’s ontological existence, we will first consider characteristics that are related to God’s divine nature. Such characteristics are, as we said, held in common by all three persons. Secondly, we will consider characteristics that are related to the distinct persons. These are characteristics that are held individually by each of the three persons. And finally, we will look at the personal being God. That is, we will look at characteristics that are true of God when we look at his entire being, i.e., they are characteristics that apply equally to the divine nature and the three persons.

Following the review of these characteristics of God, we will consider the subject of God’s holiness. This subject is considered separately and as a follow-up because holiness is not so much a characteristic of God’s being as it is a consequence of God’s being. It is in a sense a by-product of his being. Simply stated, God is holy because there is no being like God.

As we continue it is important to keep in mind that we should not be just imagining what God is like. That would be to make a God in our image. We must derive the characteristics of God from Scripture. Ryrie writes,

God’s perfections are known to us through revelation. Man does not attribute them to God; God reveals them to man. To be sure, man can suggest attributes of God, but these cannot be assumed to be true unless they are revealed by God.[10]

That being said, some of this revelation in Scripture is “incidental” or “indirect.” By this I mean that what we know is not from direct statements but from what we observe in God’s actions and are thus able to determine about him. For example, in Genesis 1:26 we have a statement attributed to God. “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” One member of the Godhead is addressing the other two. Indirectly, this statement tells us that the members of the Godhead can communicate among themselves.

In what follows I will often make analogies between characteristics of God and man. I think there is a strong correspondence between God and man. As I have noted before, man was created in the image and likeness of God. That being the case, we should expect to recognize similarities. Notice what Frame writes regarding the subject of communicable attributes, i.e., attributes that to some degree God shares with man. “In some sense, all divine attributes are communicable. Man is the image of God. We are not merely the image of some divine attributes; we image God himself, who is inseparable from all his attributes.”[11] It is this similarity between us and God that makes God knowable even though he is at the same time incomprehensible.

Endnotes

[1] John Frame, The Doctrine of God, p. 404.

[2] Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 163.

[3] Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 163.

[4] Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 156.

[5] Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 185.

[6] Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 186.

[7] John Frame, The Doctrine of God, p. 399. (Fig. 2 The Attributes of God)

[8] A. W. Pink, The Attributes of God.

[9] Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 157.

[10] Ryrie, Basic Theology, p. 40

[11] Frame, The Doctrine of God, p. 396.