“God is a Spirit” (John 4:24). He is not made of flesh, blood, bones, or physical matter. He is invisible to the human eye unless He chooses to reveal Himself in some way (John 1:18). God has individuality, rationality, and personality. He is self-existent, eternal, and unchanging. He is omnipresent (everywhere present), omniscient (all knowing and all wise), and omnipotent (all powerful).
God’s moral nature includes holiness, justice and righteousness, mercy and grace, love, faithfulness, truth, and goodness. He is absolutely perfect in every way. I John 4:8 says, “God is love.
God is absolutely and indivisibly one. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:4). His eternal nature contains no essential distinctions or divisions. All names and titles of the Deity such as God, Jehovah, Lord, Father, Word, and Holy Spirit refer to one and the same being. Any plurality associated with God is only a plurality of attributes, titles, roles, manifestations, modes of activity, or relationships to man. Many passages emphasize God’s oneness (Isaiah 42:8; 43:10-11; 44:6-8, 24; 45:21-23; 46:6-9; Mark 12:28-30; Galatians 3:20; I Timothy 2:5; James 2:19).
The title of Father describes God’s roles as father of all creation, father of the only begotten Son, and father of the born-again believer (Deuteronomy 32:6; Malachi 2:10).
The title of Son refers to God coming in the flesh, for the baby Jesus was literally conceived by the Holy Spirit, who was literally His Father (Matthew 1:18-20; Luke 1:35).
The title of Holy Spirit identifies the fundamental character of God’s nature. Holiness forms the basis of His moral attributes, while spirituality is the basis of His nonmoral attributes. The Holy Spirit is specifically God in activity, particularly anointing, regenerating, and indwelling man—works that God can do because He is a Spirit (Genesis 1:2; Acts 1:5-8).
These terms can also be understood in God’s revelation to man: Father refers to God in family relationship to man; Son refers to God incarnate; and Spirit refers to God in activity. For example, one man can have three significant relationships or functions—such as administrator, teacher, and counsellor— and yet be one person in every sense.
God is not defined by or limited to an essential threeness. The Bible nowhere speaks of God as a “trinity” or as “three persons” but often calls Him the Holy One. The title of Word relates to God’s self-expression or selfrevelation. The Word is God Himself (John 1:1), particularly His thought, mind, reasoning, or plan. In the person of Jesus Christ, “the Word was made flesh” (John 1:14). “God was manifest in the flesh” (I Timothy 3:16).
