Attributes of God

Communicable attributes of God are those characteristics of God that He has put in place within us as His creation, made in His image. These attributes are reflected in humans to some degree. They include [1] [2] [4]:

• Love: God is love, and we’re capable of love [3].
• Knowledge: God has knowledge, and we can have it, too [3].
• Mercy: God is merciful, and we’re also capable of mercy [3].
• Justice: God is just, and we’re capable of justice [3].
• Wisdom: God is wise, and we can also possess wisdom [1].
• Goodness: God is good, and we can exhibit goodness [1].
• Kindness: God is kind, and we can show kindness [1].

However, even these attributes are not identical to God’s, as His are infinite and perfect, while ours are finite and imperfect [1].

On the other hand, Incommunicable attributes of God are those qualities that belong to God alone and do not have any analogy in humans [6] [8] [10]. These include:

• Sovereignty: God is the Supreme Being of the universe [6].
• Omnipotence: God is the most powerful Being in all existence [6].
• Omniscience: God knows everything of the past, present, and future [6].
• Eternal nature: God is infinite, but we are finite [9].
• Unchangeableness: God never changes, but we do [9].
• Omnipresence: God is everywhere at once, but we can only be in one place at a time [9].
• Self-existence: God exists in and of Himself [8].

These attributes highlight the distinction between the Creator and the creation, emphasising God’s transcendence and uniqueness [6].

In summary, while we, as humans, reflect some of God’s attributes (communicable), there are others that belong to God alone (incommunicable), underscoring both our likeness to God and our difference from Him.

Source: Conversation with Copilot, 04/06/2024

1. God’s Communicable Attributes – Ligonier Ministries
2. The Communicable Attributes of God | InterVarsity
3. What Are the Communicable Attributes of God? – Servants of Grace
4. Guide to the Attributes of God | Zondervan Academic
5. The Incommunicable Attributes of God | InterVarsity
6. Attributes of God — Trinity Church Oxford
7. THE INCOMMUNICABLE NATURES OF GOD: A BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING – Neliti
8. Guide to the Attributes of God | Zondervan Academic
9. What Are the Communicable Attributes of God?
10. Attributes of God — Trinity Church Oxford