To study God’s attributes is to study his character, to answer questions like, “Who is God?”, and “What is God like?”. A typical classification of God’s attributes divides them into those that are incommunicable (those that he does not share or “communicate” to anyone or anything else) and communicable (those that he shares with other beings). Like most theological classifications, this one is imperfect but still helpful as we seek to understand what is so far beyond ourselves.
God’s communicable attributes can be further categorized into: attributes of God’s being, mental attributes, moral attributes, attributes of purpose and “summary” attributes (attributes that, in a more particular way, modify each of the others).
It is important to consider that God is not simply the sum of his attributes. His attributes are not separate from one another, but each one modifies or qualifies each of the others.
Tim Challies’s Visual Theology - The Attributes of God summarizes these attributes well:
Aseity
God is self-existent and self-sufficient and has no need of human beings or the rest of creation.
Beauty
God is the possessor and the sum of all desirable qualities.
Blessedness
God delights fully in himself and in all that reflects his character.
Eternity
God has always existed, having no beginning and no end, and experiencing no succession of moments.
Freedom
God does whatever he pleases.
Glory
The created brightness that surrounds God’s revelation of himself.
Goodness
God is the final standard of all good, and all he is and does is worthy of approval.
Holiness
God is separated from sin and he is committed to seeking holiness is observed in His creation.
Immutability
God cannot change in his being, perfections, purposes, and promises.
Invisibility
God’s total essence, all of his being, will never be visible to us.
Jealousy
God always seeks to protect his own honor.
Knowledge
God fully knows himself and all actual and possible things. (This is also know as God’s omniscience)
Love
God eternally gives of himself to others.
Mercy
God is good to those in misery and distress and he is merciful.
Omnipotence
God is able to do all his holy will. (This is also known as God’s sovereignty)
Omnipresence
God has no size or shape and is present in all places with his entire being.
Peace
God, in his being and actions, is separate from all confusion and disorder.
Perfection
God fully possesses all excellent qualities and lacks no qualities that would be desirable for him.
Righteousness
God is the final standard of what is right and he always acts in accordance with what is right. (This is also known as God’s justice)
Spirituality
God is a being who is not made up of matter and who cannot be perceived by our bodily senses.
Truthfulness
God is the true God whose knowledge and words are both true and the final standard of the truth.
Unity
God’s whole being includes all of his attributes at all times. These attributes are never in opposition.
Will
God approves and determines to bring about every action necessary for the existence and activity of all that exists.
Wisdom
God always chooses the best goals and the best means to those goals.
Wrath
God intensely hates all sin.