📖 Biblical Definition
The Attributes of God are the qualities or perfections of God’s very being — eternal, infinite, unchanging, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, holy, just, merciful, loving, faithful, sovereign, simple. Classical Christian theology distinguishes incommunicable attributes (those true only of God: aseity, infinity, immutability, eternity, immensity) from communicable attributes (those analogically true of His image-bearers: holiness, justice, love, mercy, wisdom, goodness). Westminster Shorter Catechism Q4: "God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth." The attributes are not parts of God; they are the one simple God known under different aspects. Every doctrine of Christianity downstream from these.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
The qualities or perfections of God's being; classical doctrine distinguishes incommunicable from communicable.
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Standard Reformed list: aseity, simplicity, eternity, immutability, infinity, omnipresence, omniscience, omnipotence, holiness, justice, mercy, love, goodness, faithfulness, sovereignty, glory, wisdom.
Divine simplicity: God is not composed of parts; each attribute is identical with His being. He does not have love; He is love (1 Jn 4:8).
📖 Key Scripture
Exodus 34:6 — "The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth."
1 John 4:8 — "God is love."
1 John 1:5 — "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."
Hebrews 13:8 — "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern Christianity often picks favorite attributes (love, mercy) and underplays others (holiness, justice, sovereignty); orthodoxy holds them all simultaneously.
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Exodus 34:6-7 is the great Old Testament self-revelation of attributes: merciful, gracious, longsuffering, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity — and that will by no means clear the guilty. Mercy and justice in one breath.
The household's knowledge of God deepens by working through the attributes systematically. Each attribute is a window into His being; together they form the integrated portrait of the One who reveals Himself.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Latin attribuere; theological technical term.
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Latin attribuere — to assign, attribute; ad (to) plus tribuere (to bestow).
Usage
"Each attribute is fully God in that respect."
"Mercy and justice in one breath."
"The integrated portrait of the One who reveals Himself."