Faith Foundations

THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

1. God is eternal.
God said, "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). Moses wrote:

"Before the mountains were born or you brought forth
the earth and the world, from everlasting to
everlasting you are God" (Psalm 90:2).

God does not live in the past or in the future, actually. He lives in the now.

"For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that
has just gone by, or like a watch in the night" (Psalm
90:4).

2. God is all-powerful. He said to Abram,

"I am God Almighty" (Genesis 17:1).

God's power is shown by His speaking the earth into existence. God said,

"'Let there be light,' and there was light" (Genesis
1:3).

Something of God's might, His genius, His complete ability to set all things in total harmony is seen throughout our universe. Our flights into space are possible because men can depend on the accuracy of God to direct the stars in the heavens.

3. God is good.

"He himself gives all men life and breath and everything
else" (Acts 17:25).

Our English words "God" and "good" are related.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down
from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not
change like shifting shadows" (James 1:17).

4. God is near.

"For in him we live and move and have our being" (Acts
17:28).

"He is not far from each one of us" (Acts 17:27).

God's children call Him "Father." He is the

"God, who richly provides us with everything for our
enjoyment" (1 Timothy 6:17).

5. "God is love" (1 John 4:8).
He sent His only begotten Son down to our world to live among us and to die for us on the cross. Love gives, and

"God so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
have eternal life" (John 3:16).

"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for
us all -- how will he not also, along with him,
graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32).

6. God is holy.
He will of necessity correct those who are not holy. This chastening is for our good, and to lead us to Himself. God does this because He loves us. God warns us in His word of the dangers of not living right, and this He does because He does not want us to be destroyed by our own stubborn wills.

God has

"set a day when he will judge the world with justice by
the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to
all men by raising him from the dead" (Acts 17:31).

How can we escape the judgment of the holy God? We can come to Him in faith, for

"without faith it is impossible to please God, because
anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and
that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews
11:6).

Our holy God desires holy people, so believers in God accept Christ as Lord, and they repent of their sins and they are baptized into Christ for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38).