What are the attributes of God? What is God like?

Answer: The good news, as we try to answer this question, is that there is much that can be found out about God! Those who examine this explanation may find it helpful to first read through it entirely; then go back and look up selected Scripture passages for further clarification. The Scripture references are completely necessary, for without the authority of the Bible, this collection of words would be no better than man's opinion; which by itself is often incorrect in understanding God (Job 42:7). To say that it is important for us to try to understand what God is like is a huge understatement! Failure to do so will likely cause us to set up, chase after, and worship false gods contrary to His will (Exodus 20:3-5).

Only what God has chosen of Himself to be revealed can be known. One of God's attributes or qualities is "light", meaning that He is self-revealing in information of Himself (Isaiah 60:19, James 1:17). The reality that God has revealed knowledge of Himself should not be neglected, lest any one of us come short of entering His rest (Hebrews 4:1). Creation, the Bible, and the Word made flesh (Jesus Christ) will help us to know what God is like.

Let's start by understanding that God is our Creator and that we are a part of His creation (Genesis 1:1 Psalm 24:1). God said that man is created in His image. Man is above the rest of creation and was given dominion over it (Genesis 1:26-28). Creation is marred by the 'fall' but still offers a glimpse of His works (Genesis 3:17-18; Romans 1:19-20). By considering creation's vastness, complexity, beauty, and order we can have a sense of the awesomeness of God.

Reading through some of the names of God can be helpful in our search of what God is like. They are as follows:

Elohim-strong One, divine (Genesis 1:1)
Adonai-Lord, indicating a Master to servant relationship (Exodus 4:10,13)
El Elyon-Most High, the strongest One (Genesis 14:20)
El Roi-the strong One who sees (Genesis 16:13)
El Shaddai-Almighty God (Genesis 17:1)
El Olam-everlasting God (Isaiah 40:28)
Yahweh-LORD "I Am", meaning the eternal self-existent God (Exodus 3:13,14).

We will now continue by examining more of God's attributes; God is eternal, meaning He had no beginning and that His existence will never end. He is immortal, infinite (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2; 1 Timothy 1:17). God is immutable, meaning He is unchangeable; this means that God is absolutely reliable and trustworthy (Malachi 3:6; Numbers 23:19; Psalm 102:26,27). God is incomparable, meaning there is no one like Him in works or being; He is unequaled and perfect (2 Samuel 7:22; Psalm 86:8; Isaiah 40:25; Matthew 5:48). God is inscrutable, meaning He is unfathomable, unsearchable, past finding out in entirely understanding Him (Isaiah 40:28; Psalm 145:3; Romans 11:33,34).

God is just, meaning He is no respecter of persons in the sense of showing favoritism (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 18:30). God is omnipotent, meaning He is all-powerful; He can do anything that pleases Him, but His actions will always be in accord with the rest of His character (Revelation 19:6; Jeremiah 32:17,27). God is omnipresent, meaning He is ever-present, everywhere; this does not mean that God is everything (Psalm 139:7-13; Jeremiah 23:23). God is omniscient, meaning He knows the past, present, and future, even what we are thinking at any given moment; since He knows everything His justice will always be administered fairly (Psalm 139:1-5; Proverbs 5:21).

God is one, meaning not only that there is no other, but also that He is alone in being able to meet the deepest needs and longings of our hearts, and He alone is worthy of our worship and devotion (Deuteronomy 6:4). God is righteous, meaning that God cannot and will not pass over wrongdoing; it is because of His righteousness and justice that in order for our sins to be forgiven, Jesus had to experience God's judgment when our sins were placed upon Him (Exodus 9:27; Matthew 27:45-46; Romans 3:21-26).

God is sovereign, meaning He is supreme; all of His creation put together, whether knowingly or unknowingly, cannot thwart His purposes (Psalm 93:1; 95:3; Jeremiah 23:20). God is spirit, meaning He is invisible (John 1:18; 4:24). God is a Trinity, meaning He is three in one, same in substance, equal in power and glory. Notice that in the first Scripture passage cited that 'name' is singular even though it refers to three distinct Persons- 揊ather, Son, Holy Spirit' (Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:9-11). God is truth, meaning that He is in agreement with all that He is, He will remain incorruptible and cannot lie (Psalm 117:2; 1 Samuel 15:29).

God is holy, meaning that He is separated from all moral defilement and is hostile toward it. God sees all evil and it angers Him; fire is usually mentioned in scripture along with holiness. God is referred to as a consuming fire (Isaiah 6:3; Habakkuk 1:13; Exodus 3:2,4,5; Hebrews 12:29). God is gracious-this would include His goodness, kindness, mercy, and love - which are words that give shades of meaning to His goodness. If it were not for God's grace it would seem that the rest of His attributes would exclude us from Him. Thankfully this is not the case, for He desires to know each of us personally (Exodus 34:6; Psalm 31:19; 1 Peter 1:3; John 3:16; John 17:3).

This has been only a modest attempt to answer a God-sized question. Please be greatly encouraged to continue seeking after Him (Jeremiah 29:13).

Recommended Resource: Knowing God by J.I. Packer.

問題：神的特徵是什麼？神是什麼樣子？

回答： 有很多關於神的信息來讓我們解答這個問題！先通讀一遍聖經會對那些尋找這個問題答案的人有幫助；然後再回頭查看經節段落進一步求證。參考聖經資料是十分必要的，如果沒有聖經的權威，這些選出來的話跟人的觀點也沒什麼區別；因為有些話單獨拿出來看會對神產生誤解（約伯記42：7）。單憑我們自己的努力去理解神是非常軟弱無力的！如果誤入歧途，很可能導致我們違背神的意願，追隨崇拜偶像（出埃及記20：3-5）。

只有神想讓我們知道的他才會顯示。神的特質之一是「光」，意味著只有當他自我啟示的時候人們才能了解（以賽亞書60：19； 雅各書1：17）。神啟示他自己的真實性是不容忽視的，唯恐我們中間有人進不了他的安息（希伯來書4：1）。創造，聖經和道成肉身（耶穌基督）幫助我們了解神的屬性。

讓我們先開始理解神是我們的造物主，我們是神的創造部分（創世紀1：1；詩篇24：1）。神說人是按照他的形象而造，人高於並管理其它一切神所造之物（創世紀1：26-28）。儘管神的創造由於人的「墮落」而毀壞，但我們還是能從中看到神所做的工（創世紀3：17-18；羅馬書1：19-20）。想想神造物的龐大，複雜，美麗和有序，都會讓我們對神產生敬畏之心。

看看以下這些對神的稱呼，能幫助我們研究認識神的屬性。
Elohim - 強大的，神性的（創世紀1：1）
Adonai - 主，表明一種主僕關係（出埃及記4：10，13）
El Elyon - 至高的，最強大的（以賽亞書14：20）
El Roi - 眼見之強者 （創世紀16：13）
El Shaddai - 全能的神（創世紀17：1）
El Olam - 永在的神 （以賽亞書40：28）
Yahweh - 「自有永有的」主，指永恆的，自有的神 （出埃及記3：13，14）

我們再繼續查看更多的神的特徵。神是永恆的，指他沒有開始，他的存在也沒有終止。他是不朽的，無限的（申命記33∶27；詩篇90：2；提摩太前書1：17）。神是永不變的，指他是絕對不改變的；神是絕對信實和可信靠的（瑪拉基書3：6；民數記23：19；詩篇102：26，27）。神是不可比的，指沒有任何象他一樣的人或物；他是完美的不可等同的（撒母耳記下7：22；詩篇86：8；以賽亞書40：25；馬太福音5：48）。神是無法測度的，指他的無法尋找，遠遠超出我們所了解的（以賽亞書40：28；詩篇145：3；羅馬書11：33，34）。

神是公義的，指他不偏袒任何人（申命記32：4； 詩篇18：30）。神是有無上權威的，指他是全能的；他能做任何使他喜悅的事，但他的行為總與他的性格一致（啟示錄19：6；耶利米書32：17，27）。神是無所不在的，指他無時無地不在我們面前；但這並不指神就是一切（詩篇139：7-13；耶利米書23：23）。神是無所不知的，指他知道過去，現在和未來，甚至任何時段我們在想的；正因為他了解一切，所以他的審判永遠是公正的（詩篇139：1-5；箴言5：21）。

神是唯一的，不僅指沒有其他，也指他是唯一能夠滿足我們心靈深處的渴求和需要的，他是唯一值得我們敬拜和信靠的（申命記6：4）。神是公正的，指神不能也不會容忍惡行；因為他的公義和公正，為能使我們的罪得赦免，當耶穌為我們抵罪時他必須經受神的審判（出埃及記9：27；馬太福音27：45-46；羅馬書3：21-26）。

神是至高無上的，指他擁有最高的權利；把所有他的創造放在一起，不論是知道還是不知道地，都無法阻撓他的意願 （詩篇93：1；95：3；耶利米書23：20）。神是靈，指他是看不見的（約翰福音1：18；4：24）。神是三位一體的，指他是由本質相同，權利和榮耀平等的三位合併為一的。 注意經文的第一段寫道『名』是獨一無二的，儘管他指的是「父，子，聖靈」三個不同的位格（馬太福音28：19；馬可福音1：9-11）。神是真理，指他是信守約定的，他是不可朽壞，不會撒謊的（詩篇117：2；撒母耳書上15：29）。

神是聖潔的，指他不僅沒有道德上的污點並且敵視它。神看得到所有的邪惡，它使神發怒；聖經中伴隨著聖潔常提到火。神被喻為烈火（以賽亞書6：3；哈巴谷書1：13；出埃及記3：2，4，5；希伯來書12：29）。神是恩慈的—— 這包括他的良善，仁慈，憐憫和愛 – 這些詞從不同側面描繪了他的好。如果不是神的恩典，神的其它特徵就會與我們隔絕。感謝神他要了解我們每個人，所以才不會將我們拒之門外（出埃及記22：27；詩篇31：19；彼得前書1：3；約翰福音3：16；約翰福音17：3）。

以上僅僅是關於神如此大的問題的一個非常有限的回答。希望你們得到鼓舞，繼續尋求他（耶利米書29：13）。