The most complete statement that can be made in human language about the being of God is found in Exodus 3:14, "I Am WHO I AM." This suggests God is self-existent. That is, he exists absolutely independent of every other thing or being which exists (Acts 17:24-25). Only God exists fully and completely in himself Whereas the nature, character, and existence of created beings is derived, God's nature, character, and existence is contained in himself Also, God exists necessarily (Gen. 21:3 3; Deut. 3 3:27; Ps. 90:2; Is. 9:6; 40:28; Hab. 1:12; Rom. 16:26). In other words, God's existence remains the same in every possible world. There is no condition(s) under which God would not exist. God has always been and will always be who he is. Since God eternally sustains his own existence, he is able to fulfill all that he promises (Ex. 3:12, 15).

Moreover, God exists as a simple, indivisible being. He cannot exemplify properties independent of himself, nor is he is a composition of individual parts. All of God's existence is united into one integrated eternal being. He is completely loving, just, holy, merciful, jealous, wise, etc. All of God's being exemplifies all of his attributes perfectly and completely. Moreover, every attribute is qualified by every other attribute. For instance, God is mercifully just and justly merciful. Not one of his attributes is laid aside in order to express another. Every activity of God is conditioned by all of his attributes simultaneously.

Similarly, while it is logically necessary that essence precedes function/activity, or being precedes doing, in biblical thought what a person does intimates who the person is (e.g., 1 Jn. 3:7). Therefore, God's attributes are what he is, not merely what he does in relation to his creation. God's entire being is in each attribute, and each attribute is in his entire being.

As an eternal, invisible Spirit (Jn. 1:18; 4:24; 1 Tim. 1:17; 6:15-16), God has no spatial or temporal characteristics. As eternal, there is nothing contingent about the being of God. He is eternally present in all that he is. Since all of God's being is simultaneously present, he has a relationship to time, but not in time (Ps. 90:4 = 2 Pt. 3:8). God's essential being transcends, or is beyond, time and location (1 Kgs. 8:17; Is. 66:1-2; Acts 7:48).

As a non-material being, all of God is present throughout the entire universe (Ps. 139:7; Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17). God does not exist in time and space, rather time and space were created by God (presupposed by the beginning of the created order, Gen. 1:1). Though biblical language describes God's activity in time (e.g., Gen. 22:1; Job 31:14; Ps. 69:13; Gal. 4:4), Scripture does not intimate God being bound by time (Is 46:9-10). He has the "birds-eye" view of all things actual and possible in a single, simultaneous thought.

That God is said to repent, grieve, express joy, et al. does not necessarily indicate his essential being or purposes can be altered nor impeded (cf., Gen. 6:6; 1 Sam. 15:10; Jonah 3:10; Eph. 4:30; Is. 62:3-5; Zeph. 3:17-18 respectively). Scripture clearly states that God does not change with respect to his substantial attributes or his promises (Num. 23:19; Ps. 102:27; Is. 46:11; Mal. 3:6; Heb. 1:11-12; 13:8; Jm. 1:17). As such, God has absolute sovereign dominion over all that occurs in the universe, ordering both the means and the ends (Pr. 16:1, 4, 9).

However, the Bible explicitly ascribes emotions to God as the fundamental outworking of the type of personal being that he is. Given the absolute sovereignty and omniscience of God, it is impossible for God to react to the things which occur in creation. When Scripture speaks of God's responses, they are best understood as anthropomorphic ways of illustrating the character of God.

Finally, God is a dynamic being who interacts with the universe while remaining distinct from it (Deut. 4:39). This is not to say that God himself is always changing with the universe (contra, process thought), nor that he is the impersonal, indifferent Source (contra, Deism). Because God transcends the created universe metaphysically, he is changeless in his being and purposes. However, God is not a static sovereign, but a relationally loving, feeling being who answers prayer, withholds judgment upon repentance, and rewards the righteous with eternal life.

The Character of God
God is metaphysically and morally transcendent in being. That is, he is ontologically distinct from his creation and morally, intellectually, volitionally, and emotionally perfect. No created being possesses such perfections. He is the greatest possible being who surpasses every creature in all his excellencies. The qualities of God are intrinsic such that he is endowed with absolute goodness, beauty, truth, justice, love, et al. Over and against extrinsic qualities which are contingent upon the notion of being-in-relation-to, God's character is what it is in itself, not in relation to other things, creatures, ideals, etc. Though God is relationally present in providential and redemptive activity (sustaining life in the world and calling some out of the world for eternal life), there is none quite like the "Most High God" (Ps. 78:35; Dan. 5:21).

Morally, God is good (2 Chron. 5:13; Ps. 34:8; 100:5; Jer. 33:11; Nah. 1:7- Mt. 19:17), just (2 Chron. 12:6; Jn. 5:30; 2 Thess. 1:6), merciful (Gen. 19:6; Ex. 34:6; Dan. 9:18; Lk. 6:36; Eph. 2:4), loving and compassionate (2 Kgs. 13:23; Ps. 25: 10; 62:12; 86:15; Rom. 9:15; Jm. 5: 11), and holy (Lev. 10:3; 11:44; Is. 6:3; 1 Pt. 1:15; Rev. 4:8). As a merciful God, he is tenderhearted toward those in need physically (Mt. 20:30-34) and spiritually (Rom. 11:30-32). In his mercy, God refrains from bestowing judgment, though it is deserved more often than not (Neh. 9:29-3 1; 1 Tim. 1:13-16), and instead conveys salvation and forgiveness (Ps. 51:1-2; Mic. 7:18-20; Eph. 2:4-5; Tit. 3:3-5).

Intellectually, God knows all things actual and possible (Ps. 139:1-4; 147:4-5; 1 Sam. 23:91-13; Jer. 38:17-18; Mt. 6:8; 11:21), possesses all wisdom (Job 12:13; Is. 28:29; Dan. 2:20; 28:20-21; Rom. 16:27; Rev. 7:12), and remains dependable and trustworthy because he cannot deceive himself, since he is truth and knows all truth. God is the ultimate Promise-keeper (Gen. 24:27; Jer. 32:40-41; Lam. 3:23; 1 Pt. 4:19; Josh. 23:14-15; 2 Cor. 1:20). As the omniscient God, he is never caught off guard by the irresponsible, sinful choices of humanity. The fact that he knows in advance what free moral agents will choose does not nullify genuine human freedom. Knowing all the possibilities available to humans, in addition to knowing which choice humans will make under certain circumstances, magnifies God's seemingly limitless knowledge. Though he knows with a purpose, and his purposes are never made contingent upon anything, God's enormous knowledge is beyond comprehension (Rom. 11:33-34).

Volitionally, God is self-determined and free with respect to anything outside his own being and purposes. In other words, God is free to be himself and nothing other than himself compels him to be or do anything. God does whatever pleases him (Job 23:13; Ps. 115:3; Pr. 21:1; Dan. 4:35). As a purely self-determined being, God is absolutely omnipotent. He is able to do whatever is in accordance with his perfect will and character. Nothing he purposes can be turned back (Gen. 18:14; Jer. 32:27), nor is he limited to doing only what the human mind can conceive (Mt. 19:26; Eph. 3:20). Though there are some things that are impossible for God, these are not to be considered limitations, but rather perfections of his character (2 Tim. 2:13 Tit. 1: 2; Heb. 6:18; Jm. 1: 13).

Furthermore, as the Almighty God, he is sovereign over all creation. He alone is the ultimate cause by which all things occur. Though not directly responsible for evil in the world, God is behind evil indirectly. He permits the existence of evil as a means toward obtaining a universe where optimal conditions will someday exist for loving relationships to be freely and perfectly exchanged forever. Meanwhile, the sovereign God orchestrates every event in the universe so as to achieve this ultimate end (Is. 14:26-27).

Emotionally, God is an affective being who expresses love (1 Kgs. 8:23; Jn. 3:16), hates evil (Is. 61:8; Hos. 9:15; Mal. 1:3), is jealous (Ex. 20:5; Deut. 4:24; Josh. 24:19; Zech. 1:14), and enters into the suffering of his people (Is. 53:3; 63:9). That God is passionate does not entail him being capricious nor arbitrary. He is not apathetic toward his people, but is full of compassion (Ex. 3:7; Ps. 22:24). As a jealous God, he rightly desires that which is his own. His jealousy is born out of his love for his people and zeal for the realization of his covenant (Is. 9:7; 37:32).

It has been alleged that God's love and anger toward sinners is incompatible (Tillich, Kung). But, this is to misunderstand the nature of love. Love is patient, but it is not eternally tolerant, otherwise Hell would be empty (the hope of not a few misguided "theologians"). God is love, but he also divorced Israel because of her rebellion (1 Jn. 4:16; Jer. 3:8). It is not incongruous for God to offer every opportunity to enter into his love, only to find that those who persist in rejecting him are the cause of their own condemnation.

The Trinity
The Bible affirms the reality of one God who eternally exists in three persons-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Though the word "person" usually connotes a separate entity, it is not the case that there are three different entities or divine essences (contra Tri-theism). When it is claimed that God is three persons, it is best understood to mean all three major roles or characters are played by the one God (persona, Latin for an actor's face-mask, viz., the role taken in a play). Equal in essence, but particular in function, these three persons administer distinct yet harmonious offices in the creative and redemptive plan of God.

Jesus and the Holy Spirit are not numerically identical with the Father, but rather essentially identical. While the biblical data teaches that Jesus is God (Jn. 1:1, 18; 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Tit. 2:13; Heb. 1:8; 2 Pt. 1:1), it denies that God the Father is Jesus. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is the complete expression of God and Jesus without being numerically identical to either of them (Jn. 16:14; 20:22; Acts 5:9; 8:39; 16:7; Rom. 8:26). However, Scripture seems to imply that the Spirit proceeds both from the Father and the Son (Jn. 14:26; 15:26; 16:7) such that the redeeming and sanctifying results are accomplished by one and the same triune God (Rom. 8:9-11; 2 Cor. 3:17; Jn. 3:5-7; 1 Jn. 3:9). The Father refers to the Son as a distinct person (Lk. 9:35), the Son refers to the Father as a distinct person (Lk. 23:34), and the Spirit speaks, prays, is grieved, gives joy and hope, and reveals truth as a person (Acts 8:29; 13:2; Rev. 2:7, 11, 17; Rom. 8:26; Eph. 4:30, also cf., Mt. 12:31f, Rom. 14:17; 15:13; Jn. 16:13-14). Though each member of the Godhead is distinguished, the Scriptures intimate that all three are one and the same God.

Subsisting within the members of the Godhead is an ordering of activities. This, however, in no way suggests one member holds an inferior status with regard to substance or essence (contra Subordinationism). For example, God the Son did not, in taking upon himself the fullness of humanity (Phil. 2:5-8), cease to become less than the essential God. Any theory which suggests God the Son relinquished any of the divine attributes in order to become human does not comport with biblical evidence. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is fully God (Acts 5:3-4; Ps. 139:7-8; 1 Cor.2:10-11). The distinct activities of each member is clearly seen in redeeming the elect. It is the Father who plans redemption (Jn. 3:16; Gal. 4:4; Eph. 1:9-10), the Son accomplishes redemption (Jn. 6:38; Heb. 10:5-7; Eph. 2:13; Col. 1:20; 1 Jn. 1:7), and the Spirit applies the blessings and responsibilities of redemption (Jn. 3:5-8; Acts 1:8; Rom. 8:13; 15:16; 1 Cor. 12:7-11; 1 Pt. 1:2).

Though the Old Testament focuses upon the unity and oneness of God, there are hints of plurality within the essence of God (Gen. 1:26; 3:22; Is. 6:8). The plural pronouns used in these passages all refer to God and his creative or redemptive activity. It is certainly true angels are in heaven witnessing these events. However, the immediate contexts of these passages do not indicate that angels actually participate in the creative or redemptive events themselves. Therefore, it is very likely that the plural pronouns suggest a plurality within the unity of God.

Within the New Testament, there a number of passages that explicitly affirm a triune God (Mt. 3:16-17; 29:19; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Pt. 1:2; Jude 20-21). The Father, Son, and Spirit are all in the same company with the fullness of Deity. New believers are not told to be baptized into the name of God, his created Son, and a lovely, powerful influence, but to identify themselves as disciples of the triune God of the universe. While both the Son and the Spirit are sent (Jn. 3:17; 15:26), neither should be thought of as impersonal. First Corinthians 12:11 states that the Spirit sovereignly chooses what gifts will be distributed for edifying the Church, whereas verse 6 states God is the one who "works all of them [gifts] in all men." Therefore, both God and his Spirit are responsible for distributing gifts to members in the Church.

From a humanly finite perspective, it must be maintained that the triune God is not fully comprehensible. Ultimately, the Trinity remains a mystery. Though objectively and factually true, it has only been made clear to a degree by God's special revelation. The triune God of the Scripture must be defended against Sabellianism (God exists in three different modes, one after another). The concept of "three-in-oneness" may be mysterious, but not contradictory. God does not exist sequentially, as if he is one person at a time. Rather, the three personal distinctions are identical in essence and they eternally share a relationship as God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 God's Decrees, God's Providence, Creation, and Humanity