Two of the most important aspects of God that are evident throughout the drama of God’s redemptive work in Scripture are His transcendence and His immanence (not to be confused with imminence). As we read our Bibles desiring to see God’s glory, these two characteristics of God are extremely important. It is important to understand each of them. It is also important to hold them in proper balance. If we are not acutely aware of God’s transcendence, we will not fear or honor God. We will be presumptuous, proud, unthankful, and full of self. If we do not understand God’s immanence, we will not experience intimacy with God. There will be no delight in Him. There will be no sweet communion with our glorious God. Let’s spend just a few minutes looking at these two aspects of our God.
God’s Transcendence is God’s apartness. The Bible begins with a God who is separate from and the cause of everything else. In simply terms, God is the sole eternal being who has created everything else (Genesis 1:1). Paul explains this in his message to the Athenians in Acts 17:24,25: “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” In these verses, the emphasis is on God’s independence. He is the ultimate source or giver of all things. Yet, He needs nothing Himself! As the Scriptures progress, it is clear that this creator God is almighty, far above His creation, unsurpassed in His glory and greatness, sovereign over His creation, holy, independent, and without need of His creation (Genesis 17:1; Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 32:39; Isaiah 40:18). This means that God can do as He pleases with His creation and is not answerable to it (Isaiah 55:8,9; Psalm 115:3; Romans 9:20; 11:33-36). God existed in eternity in the fullness of His glorious Triune being (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) without need of the world He brought into existence. He brought it into existence to accomplish His perfect and glorious purposes. We exist in His world! The Bible is about His story—His purposes. God is transcendent.
God’s Immanence is God’s nearness. God chose not only to create but to be close to His creation. He is a perfectly good God. His desire was for His creatures to know Him and enjoy Him (Psalm 16:11). Thus He rules over His creation displaying His glory. His story is about His rescuing fallen, rebellious sinners and making a new humanity in Jesus Christ. As the Old Testament unfolds, we see God desiring to dwell in the midst of His people. Adam failed to secure God’s blessings due to his disobedience. Israel repeated Adam’s sin. God alone would secure a people for Himself by Himself. So God drew near His creation in the ultimate sense in Jesus Christ. His immanence is seen in fullest measure in the incarnation (John 1:14). It is through Christ’s work that we can know God and experience the joy of His being. This is the goal of God’s love. This is the ultimate good news. God Himself is the gospel!
The goal is not that fallen man is lifted up to become a God. The goal is that we are created new and brought into God’s kingdom in order to glorify and enjoy God forever. To be satisfied in God is enough! This transcendent God enters into our world, guides it meticulously and exhaustively, and brings fallen people to Himself by His grace through the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ. God forbid that as believers we should glory in ourselves! Instead, we must see the majestic, beautiful, glorious, transcendent God who so loved the world that He drew near in love. To Him be glory both now and forever!
