Christians often speak of God’s love, power, and wisdom — but Scripture reminds us that these are not separate parts of Him. God is not a being composed of many pieces, each contributing to His greatness. He simply is love, power, and wisdom. Every attribute belongs fully to the whole being of God.
Theologians call this divine simplicity.
Simplicity can seem intellectual and cold. And yet it is one of the many reasons we can rest in the unchanging goodness of God.
God Is Not Made of Parts
Everything in our world is made up of parts. A body has organs. A house has boards and bricks. Even our souls are made up of shifting thoughts, affections, and desires. Because we are composite creatures, we are changeable creatures. What we are today might not be what we are tomorrow.
But God is not like that. He is not composed of parts that can be added or removed. He does not grow, mature, or decay. As the Westminster Confession says, He is “without body, parts, or passions.”
This means God’s attributes are not ingredients mixed together in some perfect balance. He is not part love, part justice, and part mercy. Every attribute is identical with His being. His love is a just love; His justice is a loving justice. There is no tension within God.
If God were made of parts, something would have had to assemble Him — and whatever did would be greater than God. But the Lord says, “I am the LORD, and there is no other” (Isa. 45:5). He depends on nothing outside Himself. He is simple, complete, and self-existent.
The Comfort of God’s Simplicity
This doctrine might sound abstract, but it anchors our assurance. Because God is simple, He cannot change or contradict Himself. He cannot be loving one day and harsh the next. He cannot will one thing for our good and another for our harm.
That means when God says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5), He cannot go back on His word. His love for His people is not one of His moods. It is His nature.
Divine simplicity also teaches us to see all of God’s attributes as working together for our salvation. The same God who judges sin is the One who sent His Son to bear that judgment for us. His mercy does not cancel His justice; His justice does not eclipse His mercy. At the cross, both shine in perfect harmony.
A God We Can Truly Trust
Human love wavers because we are divided beings — pulled between competing desires. But the love of God flows from a single, undivided heart. His will, His wisdom, His power, and His compassion are one seamless reality.
When you pray, you do not come to one part of God — the “loving part” rather than the “holy part.” You come to the one, whole, perfect God who is always the same in all His perfections.
This is what makes His promises so certain. The God who forgives your sins in Christ is not divided against Himself. He will not change His mind or grow weary of showing mercy. “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end” (Lam. 3:22).
Simplicity Leads to Worship
We cannot fully comprehend what it means for God to be without parts. But we should worship Him for it. A God who could change, grow, divide, or decay would be no God at all. The God who is perfectly simple — perfectly one — is the Rock of our salvation.
When Moses asked for God’s name, the Lord said, “I AM WHO I AM.” He is not made of anything. He simply is. That is why we can sing with confidence:
“Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.”