Who Is God? Exploring the Attributes of Our Creator

Think of someone you admire. Maybe it is a parent, a sibling, a friend, or a saint. How would you describe them? What are their attributes? Perhaps you would say they are caring or compassionate or driven. Now, think about God. How would you describe God the Father? How would you describe God the Son? How would you describe the Holy Spirit? What are their attributes?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that "God is the fullness of Being and of every perfection, without origin and without end" (CCC 213). To know God's attributes is not merely an intellectual exercise — it is an invitation into relationship.

God is Creator.

Everything we see, everything we have, is from God. We are a part of His creation (Genesis 1:1). We are created in His image, made above the rest of creation and given dominion over all. When we think of the beauty of God's creation and the vastness of the universe, we can have a sense of awe of God's characteristic of His presence. The Catechism teaches that "creation is the first and universal witness to God's all-powerful love" (CCC 315). As the Psalmist declares, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands" (Psalm 19:1)

God is Light.

He is our light in the darkness. He gives sight to the blind. "In him there is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). Jesus himself declares, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12).

God is Strong.

He is called Elohim in Genesis 1:1, a name that speaks to His might and creative power. The Catechism notes that God's omnipotence is "universal, for God who created everything also rules everything" (CCC 268). As the Psalmist proclaims, "The Lord is my strength and my shield" (Psalm 28:7).

God is Lord and Master.

He is called Adonai and Yahweh in Exodus 3:13. The name Yahweh, revealed to Moses at the burning bush, is so sacred that Jewish tradition does not speak it aloud. The Catechism reflects, "God revealed himself to his people Israel by making his name known to them. A name expresses a person's essence and identity" (CCC 203). "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14).

God is Eternal.

He had no beginning and has no end. "Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God" (Psalm 90:2). The Catechism reminds us that "God grants his creatures not only their existence, but also the dignity of acting on their own" (CCC 306).

God is Immortal, Infinite, and Unchanging.

He is absolutely reliable and trustworthy, and no one would ever be like Him. His consistency is not a limitation — it is our greatest source of security. What He has promised, He will fulfill.

God is Just.

He respects people and does not show favoritism. He gives us free will to make our own decisions and is there to forgive when we seek forgiveness. The Catechism teaches that "God's justice is perfect and his mercy is equally perfect — they are not in opposition but flow from the same divine love" (CCC 271).

God is Our Savior.

God was made human in flesh through His son Jesus Christ. Jesus came to our world and died for our sin so that we may have eternal life. "For 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). 

God is Omniscient.

He knows the past, the present, and the future. He knows our thoughts, our desires, our wishes. He wants to be included in everything. "You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar" (Psalm 139:1-2). The Catechism affirms, "To God, all moments of time are present in their immediacy" (CCC 600).

God is Omnipresent.

He is present everywhere. There is no corner of creation, no moment of our lives, no depth of suffering or height of joy where God is not already present, already waiting, already loving.

God is Omnipotent.

He is all powerful and can do anything. "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:14). The answer, across every page of Scripture and every century of Church history, is a resounding no.

God is One.

There is no other like Him. Only He can meet the needs and longings of our hearts always. "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Deuteronomy 6:4). The Catechism affirms, "We firmly believe and confess without reservation that there is only one true God" (CCC 200).

God is Sovereign.

He is supreme. Every authority, every power, every throne in heaven and on earth exists beneath His lordship. "The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all" (Psalm 103:19).

God is Trinity.

He is three in one — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is the central mystery of the Christian faith. The Catechism teaches, "The Trinity is One. We do not confess three Gods, but one God in three persons…the divine persons do not share the one divinity among themselves but each of them is God whole and entire" (CCC 253). "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19).

God is Truth.

He remains incorruptible. His integrity is unmatched. "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life'" (John 14:6). In a world where truth is contested and shifting, God remains the unchanging foundation upon which all reality rests.

God is Gracious.

If it were not for His grace, His holiness would exclude us from His presence. But He desires to know each and every one of us personally. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). Grace is not something God gives reluctantly — it is the very overflow of who He is.

God is Faithful.

He never forgets his people or his promises. "Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments" (Deuteronomy 7:9). His faithfulness is not contingent on ours — it is rooted in His own unchanging nature.

God is Love.

Perhaps His greatest attribute. For God poured out His love, which created everything and still does. We all come from God and are moving toward Him. Each of us is God's greatest treasure and He loves us all equally. He is a loving and active person who is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, truth, and love. The Catechism reminds us, "God inscribed in the humanity of man and woman the vocation, and thus the capacity and responsibility, of love and communion" (CCC 2331). As St. John so beautifully proclaims, "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" (1 John 4:8). God is worthy of our praise and devotion.

The Catechism reminds us that "the desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself" (CCC 27). We are His — and that changes everything.

I found this story on another blog called Faithful Grace and thought I’d share, in closing. 

While praying one day, a woman asked, "Who are you, God?" He answered, "I AM." "But who is 'I AM'?" she asked. He replied, "I am love. I am peace. I am grace. I am joy. I am strength. I am safety. I am shelter. I am power. I am the Creator. I am the Comforter. I am the beginning and the end. I am the way, the truth, and the light." With tears in her eyes, she looked toward heaven and said, "Now I understand. But who am I?" God tenderly wiped the tears from her eyes and whispered, "You are mine."