Understanding the nature of God is one of the most important questions anyone can ask. The Bible, God’s Word, provides us with a clear picture of His character. While we cannot fully comprehend all there is to know about God, Scripture gives us enough to know Him, trust Him, and worship Him completely.
Let’s explore what the Bible says about what God is like, using the New King James Version (NKJV) as our guide.
- God Is Love
One of the most well-known truths about God is that He is love. The Apostle John writes:
“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8, NKJV).
God’s love is not like human love, which can sometimes be selfish or conditional. His love is perfect, sacrificial, and eternal. The greatest demonstration of God’s love is seen in Jesus Christ:
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, NKJV).
God’s love is the foundation of His relationship with us. He desires for everyone to know Him and to experience His love in a personal way.
- God Is Holy
God’s holiness sets Him apart from everything else. To be holy means to be pure, perfect, and completely free from sin. In Isaiah’s vision, the angels declared:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3, NKJV).
Because God is holy, He cannot tolerate sin. However, His Holiness also provides the standard by which we are called to live. Through Jesus, God makes it possible for us to live holy lives:
“But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15, NKJV).
- God Is All-Powerful
The Bible teaches that God is omnipotent, which means He has unlimited power. There is nothing He cannot do. Jeremiah declares:
“Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You” (Jeremiah 32:17, NKJV).
From creating the universe to raising Jesus from the dead, God’s power is evident in everything He does. His power is also available to us:
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20, NKJV).
- God Is All-Knowing
God is omniscient, meaning He knows everything—past, present, and future. The psalmist writes:
“Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5, NKJV).
God knows our thoughts, desires, and struggles. He even knows the number of hairs on our heads (Matthew 10:30). Because of His complete knowledge, we can trust Him to guide us in the right direction:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV).
- God Is Ever-Present
God is omnipresent, which means He is everywhere at all times. King David expressed this truth beautifully:
“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there” (Psalm 139:7-8, NKJV).
Because God is always with us, we are never alone. This truth is a great source of comfort, especially in difficult times. Jesus Himself promised:
“I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20, NKJV).
- God Is Just
God is perfectly just, meaning He always does what is right. Moses declared:
“For all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4, NKJV).
God’s justice means that He cannot overlook sin. However, He has provided a way for us to be forgiven through Jesus Christ. Those who accept Jesus as their Savior are justified before God:
“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24, NKJV).
- God Is Merciful
Even though God is just, He is also merciful. Mercy means that God does not give us the punishment we deserve. Instead, He offers forgiveness and grace.
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy” (Psalm 103:8, NKJV).
God’s mercy is available to everyone who turns to Him in repentance:
“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23, NKJV).
- God Is Faithful
God is completely trustworthy and reliable. He always keeps His promises. The Bible says:
“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19, NKJV).
Because God is faithful, we can depend on Him in every situation. His faithfulness is a source of hope and strength:
“The Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3, NKJV).
- God Is Patient
God’s patience, or longsuffering, is another part of His character. He gives people time to repent and turn to Him:
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9, NKJV).
God’s patience shows His deep desire for everyone to have a relationship with Him.
- God Is Eternal
God has no beginning and no end. He exists outside of time and is not limited by it. Moses declared:
“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).
God’s eternal nature means that He is unchanging. The Bible says:
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8, NKJV).
Knowing God Personally
While these attributes help us understand what God is like, the most important thing is that God desires a personal relationship with us. Through Jesus Christ, we can know God and experience His love, holiness, power, and mercy in our lives.
Jesus said:
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3, NKJV).
If you want to know God, start by reading the Bible (read the YouVersion Bible App, it’s my favorite), praying, and trusting in Jesus as your Savior. As you grow in your faith, you will discover even more about what God is like and how amazing He truly is.
Key Takeaway: God is love, holy, all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, just, merciful, faithful, patient, and eternal. He desires a personal relationship with you. Will you take the next step to know Him today?
Photo credit: Taylor Van Riper
