What is God? Definitions, Characteristics, and Attributes of God?

Not a 'what' - a Who! That is why the Bible begins by describing God as the Creator of the universe and all life, who then interacts with His creation, particularly the first humans. This Creator reveals who He is to whosoever He chooses to enlighten, but because sin alienates us from our Creator, sinners cannot come to know their Creator until their sin has been dealt with in the way that God prescribes.

That's what the whole of the Bible is all about - showing this. If we take the opening verses of the Bible as our hypothesis of God, then we can examine the claims and the evidence offered.

Exodus 34:5-7 Good News Translation (GNT)

5 Yahweh came down in a cloud, stood with him there, and pronounced his holy name, Yahweh ]6 The Lord then passed in front of him and called out, I, the Lord, am a God who is full of compassion and pity, who is not easily angered and who shows great love and faithfulness.7 I keep my promise for thousands of generations and forgive evil and sin; but I will not fail to punish children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for the sins of their parents.

John 4:24 (World English Bible)

24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Job 9:11 ►New International Version (©2011)

When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.

Revelation 1:8

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Isaiah 45:51

I am Yahweh, and there is no other; there is no God but Me. I will strengthen you, though you do not know Me

Some of the attributes of God, God bless

Your question makes perfect sense. Their is no point in debating something that is intended to be a mystery. A mystery is used, because cold hard fact are limited. By suggesting something beyond explanation, there are no limits. To be a God is to be without limitations. So the mystery is the best way to go. To list all the facts would take forever and who has that much time to study what a God can do ?

Keep in mind that making people use the term "God" was introduced to promote mono/theism. It's calling him by his title, not his name. By making "Gods" name unspeakable, people have no choice but to call him by his title. This how they achieved their goal.

Sort of like the word Dad, I only have one person that is truly my dad, but there are lots of guys that have the same first name. By using his title, I'll always get the right guy.

Nobody has produced a rigorous definition for "God" because Christians, the people in charge of the word (when it's capitalized), assign wildly different meanings to it. Christianity splits into literally thousands of sects that disagree on central issues, each insisting that their interpretation of the Bible, and therefore God's nature, is the correct one. This term's definition turns into an even bigger mess when we stop talking about God's attitudes and wishes, and we focus on what God actually IS; his "body" for lack of a better word. This is when Christians start answering ignotum per ignotius (the unknown by the more unknown). I'll pick a few common examples.

"God is love", "God is energy", "God is supernatural", "God is non-physical". Notice that all of these explanations are much shorter than others we would use to describe real objects, so the last words in each of them would have to be LOADED with content for these explanations to actually tell us anything about the nature of God's existence. They aren't though; the first two define God as either "N. An intense feeling of deep affection" or "N. The capacity or power to do work", and it's pretty obvious that neither of these are the anthropomorphic deity spoken of in the Bible. The last two are negations of the terms "natural" and "physical", both of which are words we use to describe everything in existence (aside from abstract concepts born of the mind), so they again tell us nothing.

Nobody can create stricter descriptions of the nature of God's existence because he is entirely outside of our sphere of influence/observation. The debate about God's existence continues without a solid definition because concessions are made to allow for vagueness. The content of God's character is allowed to change with the belief's of each Christian debater, and the mechanisms by which God exists, communicates, creates, and influences the physical world are simply assumed.

I couldn't agree with you more. There isn't much point to debating God's existence without a proper definition, one that doesn't need special treatment.

What is God?

Definition: God is through all, in all (ep. 4:6)

Attributes: Truth, Law and Love

Characteristics: Creative, Merciful and Compassionate

Let's let God tell us who He is;

THE FATHER’S LOVE LETTER

You may not know me, but I know everything about you. Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up. Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways. Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image. Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being. Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring. Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived. Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation. Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb. Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born. Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me. John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love. 1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. 1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. 1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father. Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore. Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you. Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession. Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul. Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things. Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires. Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine. Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes. Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth. Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus. John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being. Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you. Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. 1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love. Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me. 1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again. Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen. Luke 15:7

I have always been Father, and will always be Father. Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…Will you be my child? John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you. Luke 15:11-32

I Love You, Almighty God.

Because the common denominator between all of the various thoughts is that all space-time is contingent on Him. Any debate/analysis of His specific attributes and characteristics is wholly irrelevant to the fact of whether He actually exists or not.

God is a being, like us. He can think, make decisions, change His mind. He has emotions, He can feel hurt, betrayal, He can love. God IS love. God is our Heavenly father, our savior, our creator. He died for our sins, so that we may have eternal life with Him. He is loving, patient, kind, forever..... He is perfect. There is way tooo much about Him. The Bible opens up to us who He truley is. And to understand God, you need to believe. Otherwise, it's not possible to know what it's like to be in the light, if you've only been in the dark. (Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.) Faith Comes from Hearing, and the Word of God. So basically, to understand who God is, you need to Know and experimece Him. First steps to that are, pray(call on Him), read the Bible(uncover about His truth). Once you accept Him into your home(accept His hand and believe in Him) He will come inside and be with you. And you will come to understand how amazing our God is.

God is an imaginary, Santa Claus for adults.

Religious people believe that if they are good little boys and girls, Santa-God will give them the gift of heaven and eternal life. God is pure imagination, fantasy and wishful thinking. God doesn't exist. God is imaginary and exists only in the head and not outside of it, like Spiderman, Thor, Batman, Superman, etc, etc.

That is a pretty general statement, made by your own opinion. Many of us could tell you what we

mean by God and Who He is. The evidence of Him is all around you. And it is God people

are arguing with, not believers. They don't need to prove Who He is....and if anyone asks Him

in sincerity, He will reveal Himself to them...it is a promise.

God is a person, He is the creator of the universe, and mankind. He is holy, He cannot sin.

He cannot accept sin...so He sent His Son to die for us, in our place for our sin...to save us.

We are created in His image. He is a triune God. Three persons in One....He sees everything...the

evil and the good. He is all powerful. He knows everything, and is everywhere. If you want to

know about Him, read the book He had written for our guidebook...over hundreds of years...yet

it is one complete story from beginning to end. He is Love.