Answering the question, ‘Who is God?’ is like trying to calculate infinity. The study of the Nature of God, traditionally termed Theology Proper, is the foundational pursuit of all biblical scholarship. While the account of Creation in the Bible establishes God as the Originator of all reality, the “Nature of God” defines His essence, His character, and His relational existence. To understand the plan of salvation, one must first understand the One who saves.
Biblical theology categorizes the nature of God through His Attributes. These are not parts that compose God, but descriptions of His entire, undivided being. These attributes are divided into two categories: Incommunicable (qualities unique to God) and Communicable (qualities shared in finite measure with humanity).
The Incommunicable Attributes: The Transcendence of God
Incommunicable attributes highlight the absolute distinction between the Creator and the creature. These qualities represent the “Otherness” of God, emphasizing that He is fundamentally different in kind from His creation.
1. Divine Aseity (Self-Existence)
As established in our cosmogony study, God is a se (from Himself). He does not depend on the universe, human worship, or external forces for His existence, joy, or power. He is the Uncaused Cause. This attribute ensures that God is the sovereign source of all life and the only being who exists by His own necessity.
2. Divine Immutability (Unchangeableness)
God does not change in His essence, character, or promises. While the biblical narrative describes God “reacting” to human choices within time, His underlying nature remains constant. As Malachi 3:6 states, “For I the Lord do not change.” This provides the legal and moral certainty required for the Covenants of the Bible.
3. Omniscience and the Knowledge of All Things
God possesses perfect knowledge of all things—past, present, and future—including all possibilities. God knows the free choices of moral agents without those choices being “causally determined” by His knowledge. He knows what will happen without necessitating that it must happen in a way that violates human volition.
4. Omnipresence and Omnipotence
God is not limited by spatial dimensions (Omnipresence); He is fully present at every point in existence simultaneously. Furthermore, He possesses all power (Omnipotence). This power is exercised in harmony with His other attributes; for instance, God cannot do what is logically impossible or contrary to His holy character.
The Communicable Attributes: The Moral Character of God
Communicable attributes are those that God possesses in an infinite degree but reflects within humanity as part of the image of God. These attributes define the ethical relationship between God and man.
1. Holiness: The Moral Transcendence
The primary Hebrew term for holy is Qadosh, meaning “set apart.” God’s holiness is His absolute purity and His separation from all that is common or sinful. In the biblical vision of Isaiah 6, the repetition “Holy, Holy, Holy” signifies the superlative nature of this attribute. It is this holiness that creates the “moral gap” that only atonement can bridge.
2. Love (Agápe) and Mercy
The New Testament defines God’s nature through the Greek term Agápe—a sacrificial, purposeful commitment to the well-being of the beloved. Because God is eternally Triune, He was “Love” before the world began. Mercy is the application of this love to those in a state of suffering or sin, withholding the judgment that justice requires.
3. Justice and Truth
Justice is the application of God’s holiness to the moral order. Because God is True (He cannot lie), His justice must be satisfied. The “Great Exchange” in the salvation narrative is the perfect intersection of God’s Love and God’s Justice.
The Doctrine of the Trinity: Unity and Subsistence
The most distinct element of the Nature of God is the Trinity. Biblical scholarship defines this as God existing eternally as one essence (ousia) in three distinct persons (hypostases): the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
1. The Oneness of Essence
Christianity is strictly monotheistic. There is only one divine “What” (Essence). The Father, Son, and Spirit share the same omnipotence, omniscience, and eternity. They are not “three gods,” nor are they “one person playing three roles” (a heresy known as Modalism).
2. The Distinction of Persons
While the essence is one, the “Who” (Personhood) is three. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father. Each person is fully God, but they are distinguished by their internal relations and their economic roles in redemption.
3. Perichoresis: The Eternal Relationship
The term Perichoresis describes the mutual indwelling of the three persons. They exist in a state of perfect, eternal communion. This relational nature is the reason humanity was created for relationship; we were designed to participate in the “divine life” of the Trinity.
The Philology of the Divine: The Names of God
To understand the nature of God, one must examine the specific names used in the Scriptural Canon. Each name reveals a specific facet of His character.
- Elohim: Used over 2,500 times, this plural noun denotes God’s role as the “Strong One” and the Creator. Its plurality hints at the Trinity while maintaining monotheism.
- Yahweh (YHWH): The personal, covenantal name of God. It is derived from the verb “to be,” emphasizing His Aseity and His fidelity to His people.
- El Shaddai: Often translated as “God Almighty,” it refers to God’s sufficiency to fulfill His promises, particularly in the context of the Abrahamic Covenant.
- Jehovah Jireh: “The Lord Will Provide.” This name establishes God as the Provider, most notably in the sacrificial context of Genesis 22.
Historical Challenges to the Nature of God
To maintain scholarly authority, we must recognize the historical debates that shaped the Orthodox understanding of God. Throughout history, several “isms” have challenged the biblical view:
- Arianism: The claim that Jesus was a created being, not co-eternal with the Father. This was rejected at the Council of Nicaea (325 AD).
- Pantheism: The belief that “God is the universe.” Biblical scholarship rejects this, maintaining the Creator-Creature distinction.
- Deism: The belief that God created the world but is no longer involved. This is countered by the attributes of Love and Omnipresence.
Theological Anthropology: Man as the Mirror
Because man possesses the image of God, our study of the Nature of God informs our understanding of humanity.
- Rationality: We reflect God’s Omniscience through our ability to reason.
- Morality: We reflect God’s Holiness through our conscience.
- Volition: We reflect God’s Sovereignty through our Libertarian Free Will.
In our Provisionist framework, we hold that while the Fall of Man marred these attributes, it did not destroy them. Humanity remains capable of responding to the Prevenient Grace of a God whose nature is to seek and to save the lost.
Conclusion: The Fidelity of the Divine
The Nature of God is the anchor of the Christian life. Because He is Immutable, His promises are secure. Because He is Holy, His standards are perfect. Because He is Love, His mercy is available to all. By understanding these attributes, the scholar moves from knowing about God to having the capacity for a covenantal relationship with Him.