Character Traits Flashcards
Unchanging (Immutability)
God is unchanging in His being, perfections, purposes, and promises, yet He acts and feels emotions in response to different situations.
Independent
God does not need us or the rest of creation for anything, yet we and the rest of creation can glorify Him and bring Him joy.
Eternity
God has no beginning or end and is in no way bound by time, yet He sees events and acts in time.
Omnipresence
God has no size or spatial dimensions and is present everywhere with His whole being, yet He acts differently in different places.
Unity (simplicity)
God’s attributes are not divided into parts, yet we see different attributes emphasized at different times.
Infinity
God is free from all qualitative limitations.
Transcendence
God is absolutely and uniquely distinct from and superior to everything in creation.
Spirituality
God is not made of matter, has no parts or dimensions.
Invisibility
God’s total essence, all of His spiritual being, will never be able to be seen by us, yet he shows himself to us through visible, created things.
Knowledge (omniscience)
God fully knows himself and all things actual and possible, past, present, and future, in one simple eternal act.
Wisdom
God always knows and chooses the best goals and the best means to them. Wisdom is a moral and intellectual quality.
Truthfulness
God always represents things as they really are. All of God’s knowledge and words are true and the final standard of truth.
Faithfulness
God will always do what he has said and fulfill what he has promised.
Goodness
All that God is and does is worthy of approval and he is the final standard of goodness.
Love
God is freely and eternally giving of himself for the good of others.
Mercy
God’s kindness toward those in misery and distress.
Grace
God’s kindness toward those who deserve only punishment.
Patience
God’s kindness in withholding punishment of those who sin over a period of time.
Holiness
God is absolutely and uniquely excellent above all creation (majesty) and without sin (purity).
Peace (order)
In God’s being and actions he is separate from all confusion and disorder, yet he is continually active in innumerable, well-ordered, fully controlled, simultaneous actions.
Righteousness/Justice
God always acts in accordance to His moral law, which reflects his character.
Jealousy
God deeply desires to maintain exclusive faithfulness and honor especially among his covenant people.
Wrath
God intensely hates and responds with anger to all sin and rebellion.
Gentleness
God is kind and considerate so that He is not cruel, ruthless, or impatient.
Kindness
God is generous, warm hearted and has a sympathetic disposition.
Will
God approves and determines to bring about every action necessary for the existence and activity of himself and creation.
Freedom
God does whatever He pleases.
Omnipotence (power)
God is able to do all His holy will.
Sovereignty
God has absolute rule over creation as King and total control and determination over all that happens.
Perfection
God lacks no part of any quality that would be desirable for Him.
Blessedness (happiness)
God delights fully in himself and in all that reflects His character.
Beauty
God is the sum of all desirable qualities. Perfection emphasizes that God does not lack any desirable qualities, while beauty emphasizes that He in fact has all desirable qualities.
Glory
God’s glory is the manifestation of the excellence of his character and the display of his holiness and worth in beauty.
Immanence
God is continuously and actively involved in all of His creation.
