The statement concerning the Deity in the Seventh-day Adventist summary of fundamental beliefs ( see Doctrinal Statements, SDA ) reads as follows: “There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons. God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole creation. ( Deut. 6:4 ; Matt. 28:19 ; 2 Cor. 13:14 ; Eph. 4:4–6 ; 1 Peter 1:2 ; 1 Tim. 1:17 ; Rev. 14:7 .)”
“God is a spirit; yet He is a personal being, for man was made in His image. As a personal being, God has revealed Himself in His Son” ( Ed 132). He is not an abstract idea or ideal that has existence only in the human mind. He is the reality to whom the idea and the ideal point.
Long ago the question was asked of Job, “Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?” ( Job 11:7 ). Finite wisdom and ingenuity are inadequate to comprehend an infinite God. Only to the extent that He reveals and self-authenticates Himself can we know Him. But we can properly say that we “know” Him in the incarnate Christ, for “God was in Christ” ( 2 Cor. 5:19 ), the Eternal Word made flesh.
One of the basic character traits of God is love, in the ultimate NT sense of the Greek word agapeµ , or infinite care and concern for the happiness and well-being of created beings. The supreme demonstration of this love is seen in the mission of God the Son to this world ( John 3:16 ). God’s love is not static, nor is it in any way influenced adversely by the reaction of created beings to it. When God loves He is being Himself, for “God is love” ( 1 John 4:8 ).
God is self-existent. All other life is from Him, as a gift. No creature has life apart from Him. It is in Him that “we live, and move, and have our being” ( Acts 17:28 ). He gives all, and can receive nothing that He has not first given.
God is immutable. He never changes, or differs from Himself. He is perfect. He is not subject to changing moods or attitudes. His affection is constant, His love is sure. He is not coaxed into action. “I am the Lord, I change not” ( Mal. 3:6 ).
God is omniscient. His knowledge is complete and perfect. It is impossible for Him to add to His knowledge, inasmuch as all knowledge originated with Him. He knows what was, what is, and what will be.
God is omnipresent. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” ( Prov. 15:3 ). There is no place to which a person can flee to escape from God’s presence. God is ever near. See Ps. 139 .
God is omnipotent. “Power belongeth unto God” ( Ps. 62:11 ). He is sovereign ruler over all. His power is absolute and infinite. Nevertheless, God has bestowed upon created beings the power of choice with respect to their own destiny. God’s infinite power, ever controlled by His infinite love and wisdom, is never used for selfish ends. His power is fully revealed in the change that takes place in the hearts and lives of individuals, transforming them from sinners into saints.
God is faithful. God cannot be unfaithful, because He is immutable. “Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him” ( Deut. 7:9 ). He cannot cease to be what He is, and He is always consistent with Himself. Human beings become unfaithful as a result of selfish desire, fear, weakness, or loss of concern. But these traits are alien to the divine character.
God is holy. In being holy, God does not conform to a standard, for He is that standard. “Be ye holy; for I am holy” ( 1 Peter 1:16 ). The holiness that God demands of created beings is not the absolute holiness of Deity, which God Himself alone possesses. It is a relative holiness that He waits to impart to His creatures in their preparation for heaven. God alone can be absolutely holy, for He alone has an infinite comprehension of absolute perfection of character. “I am God, and not man; the Holy One” ( Hosea 11:9 ).
The holiness that God expects of created beings is commensurate with what He has revealed to them and with their capacity to comprehend what has been revealed. Furthermore, divine grace provides that in Christ the sincere, repentant sinner may have access to the perfect holiness of Christ and to divine power that will enable him or her to overcome imperfections of character. See Christology ; Holy Spirit .