Wednesday, October 24, 2012

God Is Both Transcendent And Immanent

God is both transcendent and immanent.
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. (Isaiah 57:15 ESV)

"Am I a God who is only close at hand?" says the LORD. "No, I am far away at the same time. Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?" says the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:23-24 ESV)

The Bible never reconcile the transcendence and immanence of God. It just mentioned both in one breath, showing that God is both.
I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time - he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:13-16 ESV)

He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. (John 8:23 ESV)

one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:6 ESV)

Transcendence
God is apart and separate from His creations.
To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing. (Isaiah 40:25-26 ESV)

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV)

For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. (Psalm 96:4 ESV)

For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. (Psalms 97:9 ESV)

Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? (Psalm 113:5-6 ESV)

Immanence
Immanuel, God with us, through His indwelling Spirit.
And the Word became flesh, and did tabernacle among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of an only begotten of a father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 Young's Literal Translation)

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-17 ESV)

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:17 ESV)

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:6-8 KJV)

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