Basic Bible Doctrines — Transcendence and Immanence

Discussion Questions:

How do you think transcendence and immanence relate to one another?

The word immanence is not found in Scripture. What is a word found in Scripture that captures the essence of immanence? (Immanuel)

What are some attributes of God that would fall under transcendence? Immanence?

Introduction:

Last year at Jr Camp, the speaker’s aim was to help the campers understand who God is. The basis for his aim was a quote from A.W. Tozer that has stuck with me since then:

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.

— A.W. Tozer

From children all the way up to senior citizens, the most important thing about us is what we think about God. Why? Because what we think God to be determines how we interact with him. The Basic Bible Doctrines series is meant to inform us of how God’s own revelation (Scripture) defines him. As we correctly understand God, we are able to relate to him in a proper way, strengthen our faith, trust him, and develop a personal relationship with him.

The attributes that we will discuss tonight — transcendence and immanence — may sometimes seem at odds with one another (I hope to demonstrate tonight that that is not the case).

Bob Kauflin who wrote songs like O Great God, How Great (Psalm 145), and O Come All You Unfaithful describes the tension between God’s transcendence and immanence this way:

In our personal interactions with God, we tend to swing between God’s transcendence and immanence like a pendulum. At times, God feels too distant, dissimilar, and above us to be loved. At other times, God feels too near, present, and like us to be feared. It’s an ongoing challenge to hold these two thoughts about God together, but it is massively important that we do.

Transcendence:

Key Truth/Definition

How would you define transcendence?

To say that God is transcendent is to say that he is exalted, above, or beyond us. He exists independent from the created universe and everything within it. Simply, God is inherently superior to humanity.

Psalm 113:4–6 KJV 1900

4 The Lord is high above all nations, And his glory above the heavens. 5 Who is like unto the Lord our God, Who dwelleth on high, 6 Who humbleth himself to behold The things that are in heaven, and in the earth!

The etymology of the word transcendent finds its root in the Latin verb scandere which means “to climb.” So transcend/ent has the basic meaning of climbing so high that you cross some boundary.

God is exalted in his royal dignity and exercises both control and authority over his creation.

Thomas Trevethan wrote, “God is other and set apart from everything else, that he is in a class by himself. God is not just quantitatively greater than us, but qualitatively different in his greatness. He is transcendent, infinitely above or beyond us. The true God is distinct, set apart, from all that he has made as the only truly self-sufficient Being. All his creatures depend on him; he alone exists from within himself.”

As we search the Scriptures, we will not come across the term transcendence. But rather, transcendence is a convenient way of grouping together certain biblical ideas. It is a convenient term to summarize ways in which God is “above us.”

In order to understand God’s transcendence, we must understand what transcendence looks like through the lenses of other attributes of God.

Key Concepts

God’s Transcendence is Exultation

Psalm 57:5 (KJV 1900)

5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let thy glory be above all the earth.

Psalm 97:9 (KJV 1900)

9 For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: Thou art exalted far above all gods.

Imagine a throne room. Picture the details, the ornateness, grandeur, and splendor. Royalty presides in the throne room. Now imagine the throne. And upon the throne, the king of the land sitting high above those in his presence.

We find this image used to describe God’s rule and reign. But similarly, this depicts the transcendent nature of God as he is exalted (lifted up) as the king of the universe.

The Psalms regularly use language of exaltation when describing our God. More specifically, the Psalms call us to put God in his proper place — that we should exalt the LORD our God.

Psalm 99:5 (KJV 1900)

5 Exalt ye the Lord our God, And worship at his footstool; For he is holy.

Psalm 99:9 (KJV 1900)

9 Exalt the Lord our God, And worship at his holy hill; For the Lord our God is holy.

Psalm 118:28 (KJV 1900)

28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: Thou art my God, I will exalt thee.

As the Psalms show us, and as we’ll continually see, a right understanding of God’s transcendence fuels passionate praise.

God’s Transcendence is Holiness

Can anyone think of (possibly) the most famous passage on God’s holiness from Scripture?

Isaiah 6:1–3 (KJV 1900)

1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: The whole earth is full of his glory.

Revelation 4:1–2 (KJV 1900)

1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. 2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

Revelation 4:8–11 (KJV 1900)

8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

God is separate and distinct from all created beings. That is from each of these passages. Whenever there is a glimpse of God in Scripture, the overwhelming response is that he is nothing like humanity. He is superior to humanity.

One of my favorite songs is Behold Our God. That song is seeking to describe the transcendent nature of God. My favorite line from that song is — “Behold our King. Nothing can compare. Come let us adore Him.”

These passages reveal the throne room, and with it the transcendent nature of God. There are several attributes listed in these passages that fall under transcendence. But one is specifically repeated — Holiness.

In our SS curriculum (the Gospel Project) we are trying to shape kids’ understanding of who God is and what he is like. The current Big Picture Question and Answer is this:

What is God Like? God is holy, good, and loving. (ask a kid and see if they can remember)

The curriculum explains holiness this way — The word holy means that God is set apart; He is unique and perfect.

The key passage for the next couple of weeks comes from Exodus.

Exodus 15:11 (KJV 1900)

11 Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

God’s holiness is more than just his separation from sinners. It includes the unique majesty that belongs to him alone and makes him distinct from any of his creatures.

Another aspect of God’s holiness is the absence of sin. He is distinct and holy through the perfection of his character, works, and attributes. He is unlike his creation.

1 Peter 1:16 KJV 1900

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

God’s transcendence revealed in his holiness — as revealed in Scripture — evokes authentic worship and propels believers to pursue righteousness and holiness as image bearers of God.

We won’t belabor this point. We have already covered holiness in our Basic Bible Doctrines series. If you’d like to review or weren’t here for that lesson, they are all available on the app.

God’s transcendent nature is shown through his holiness, and exaltation. But it is also shown in that God exists outside of space and time.

God’s Transcendence is Eternal

Psalm 90:1–4 KJV 1900

1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. 3 Thou turnest man to destruction; And sayest, Return, ye children of men. 4 For a thousand years in thy sight Are but as yesterday when it is past, And as a watch in the night.

God is not bound by time. He exists outside of time. This in very stark contrast to his created beings.

1 Peter 1:24 KJV 1900

24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

God’s transcendent nature as expressed through his eternality propels believers to trust him with the future.

God’s Transcendence is Infinite

God is not only bound by time, he is not bound by space. He is not limited in any area of his character. He is infinite.

Steven Charnock writes, “Whatsoever God is, he is infinitely so: he is infinite Wisdom (Romans 11:33), infinite Goodness (Psalm 31:19), infinite Knowledge (Romans 11:33), infinite Power (Psalm 147:5), infinite Spirit; infinitely distant from the weakness of creatures, infinitely mounted above the excellencies of creatures… whatsoever conception comes into your minds say, This is not God; God is more than this: if I could conceive him, he were not God; for God is incomprehensibly above whatsoever I can say, whatsoever I can think and conceive of him.”

How many of you have ever been to the Grand Canyon? Each time I visit the Grand Canyon, I am overcome with the overwhelming depth and extent of its beauty. I’ve talked with people before who have encountered the Grand Canyon and their reaction is underwhelming — “It’s just a hole in the ground.” For those of you who have ever been to the Grand Canyon, have you ever tried explaining what you saw to someone else? For me, words cannot accurately communicate the magnificence and awesomeness of its depth and beauty.

Now try to imagine God. As finite beings attempting to ascertain the infinitude of God, we cannot come close to fully grasping his transcendent nature. Why? Because he is inherently superior to humanity. He is unique and distinct from us.

God’s transcendent nature as expressed through his infinitude gives believers confidence in their God. He cannot be overpowered, outwitted, or surprised.

God’s Transcendence is Self-Sufficient

John 5:26 KJV 1900

26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

Exodus 3:14 KJV 1900

14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

No one created God. He is dependent on no one. As sovereign, transcendent ruler of the universe, he fully exists without need of anyone else. This stands in stark contrast to his creation.

Colossians 1:16–17 KJV 1900

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

God’s transcendent nature as expressed through his self-sufficiency reminds believers that we depend on God, he does not depend on us.

Conclusion — Transcendence

Derek Kidner writes, “The wrong inference from God’s transcendence is that he is too great to care; the right one is that he is too great to fail.”

Simply put, a biblical understanding of God’s transcendent nature is that God is in authoritative control. A non-biblical understanding of God’s transcendent nature is that God is not present.

A faulty, out of balance understanding of God’s transcendence results in Deism.

Deism believes that God does not interfere in the natural world or the lives of humans. This runs contrary to the point of transcendence.

Biblical transcendence necessitates God’s divine immanence.

John Frame writes, “God’s immanence is not some kind of opposite to God’s transcendence, some paradoxical negation of transcendence. Rather it is a necessary implication of his transcendence.”

Immanence:

Key Truth/Definition

How would you define God’s immanence?

To say God is immanent means that he is present within his creation while remaining distinct from it. He is personal and relatable to those made in his image, while remaining completely distinct and unique from all of his creation.

Psalm 139:1–8 KJV 1900

1 O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, And art acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, But, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, And laid thine hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain unto it. 7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

Psalm 139 is a wonderful illustration that Divine Transcendence and Divine Immanence exist simultaneously in our God. He is supremely exalted above and independent from his creation, yet he is also intimately personal and present to his creation.

From Latin immanere which means “to dwell in, remain”, we find the concept of divine immanence from the very beginning to the very end of the Bible.

Key Concepts

God’s Immanence displayed through Creation

Genesis 3:8 KJV 1900

8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

The relationship that God initiated with man in the Garden of Eden reflected intimacy, familiarity, and relatability. The creation account was not God bringing everything into existence and then letting it go on its own (clock illustration). From the very first pages of Scripture, we find God intimately involved with his creation.

God’s immanence is clearly displayed in the original creation account, while also beginning God’s revelation of himself through creation.

Psalm 19:1–3 KJV 1900

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night sheweth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language, Where their voice is not heard.

Romans 1:19–20 KJV 1900

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Romans basically states: “Through everything God made, we can clearly see his divine qualities.” (NLT paraphrase)

Creation displays for us that we are not alone, but that God is near and knowable.

God’s Immanence displayed through the Covenants

The heart of the covenant is a relationship of intimacy. The chief promise of the covenant is the Lord’s word, “I will be with you.”

Exodus 6:7 KJV 1900

7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

2 Samuel 7:24 KJV 1900

24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, Lord, art become their God.

2 Corinthians 6:18 KJV 1900

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Revelation 21:7 KJV 1900

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

This intimate, covenantal resounds throughout the pages of Scripture. To say that God’s transcendence results in a God who is distant is a theology of God that is inconsistent with Scripture.

God’s Immanence displayed through the Tabernacle

God’s covenants exposed his desire for relationship which necessitated interaction. God’s chose the tabernacle as the method through which he would dwell among his people.

Exodus 25:8 (KJV 1900)

8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

Exodus 29:43–46 (KJV 1900)

43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. 44 And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office. 45 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. 46 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord their God.

God’s Immanence displayed through Jesus

As learned in our study through the book of Exodus, the tabernacle foreshadowed the coming of Christ, as he would dwell among us.

John 1:14 KJV 1900

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

What is a word found in Scripture that captures the essence of immanence?

Isaiah 7:14 (KJV 1900)

14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, And shall call his name Immanuel.

Matthew 1:23 (KJV 1900)

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

The term Immanuel is one of the clearest expressions of immanence: God is with us.

Philippians 2:7 KJV 1900

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

The totality of Christ’s life reveals the immanence of God. Not only does Jesus expose God’s immanence through the incarnation, but he gives us a glimpse at God’s very desire to reconcile mankind to himself through redemption.

The supernatural care of God is seen most evidently in his willingness to die for sinful creatures. Jesus’ faced death so that we might be restored back to fellowship with God. Does this sound like a God who is distant, impersonal, or disinterested in his creation?

God’s Immanence displayed through the Spirit

In the Old Testament, God dwells among his people through the tabernacle. In the Gospels, God dwells among his people through his son, Jesus. Today, God dwells among his people through the Holy Spirit.

John 14:16–18 (KJV 1900)

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Conclusion — Immanence

There is much more that could be said concerning Divine Immanence. We could have looked at God’s attributes — such as omnipresence — or God’s self-revelation through Scripture.

Simply put, God’s divine immanence means that he is covenantally present. Our relation to God is always personal. This is the biblical view of God’s immanence.

An out-of-balance, unbiblical view of immanence may result in pantheism. God and the world are indistinguishable. God is in everything. There becomes no distinction between creature and creator.

A healthy, biblical tension of God’s transcendence and immanence pushes us to reject false views of God like deism or pantheism.

Key Implication of Transcendence and Immanence:

*Kauflin, B. (2021, February 12). Worshiping the infinite and intimate god. Desiring God. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/worshiping-the-infinite-and-intimate-god#:~:text=Transcendent%20is%20the%20theological%20word,on%20nothing%2C%20and%20owes%20nothing.

It’s an ongoing challenge to hold these two thoughts about God together, but it is massively important that we do, for at least four great reasons.

1. God says he is big and near.

Scripture never shrinks back from describing God in seemingly contradictory ways. Here are just two examples:

Isaiah 57:15 KJV 1900

15 For thus saith the high and lofty One That inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, With him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Psalm 113:5–8 KJV 1900

5 Who is like unto the Lord our God, Who dwelleth on high, 6 Who humbleth himself to behold The things that are in heaven, and in the earth! 7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, And lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; 8 That he may set him with princes, Even with the princes of his people.

The great Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck had it right:

[T]here is no book in the world which to the same extent and in the same way as the Holy Scripture supports the absolute transcendence of God above each and every creature and at the same time supports the intimate relationship between the creature and his Creator. (The Wonderful Works of God, 115)

The Bible reveals a God who is immeasurably greater and more satisfying than any god we could ever conceive of on our own.

2. We want to know God as he is.

We often avoid theological tensions by trying to squeeze God into human boxes. We are so used to making God in our own image that it can be hard for us to believe he doesn’t act and think like us.

When we forget God is transcendent, we find it hard and unnecessary to fear him. When we forget God is immanent, we find it hard and unnecessary to love him. But he is both. And that makes us fear and love him all the more.

He is holy enough to consume sinners in wrath, and tender enough to envelop us in unending, rapturous delight (Psalm 21:8-9; 16:11). He is powerful enough to keep innumerable blazing stars in their courses, and intimate enough to name each of them and to number the hairs on our heads (Jeremiah 31:35; Psalm 147:4; Luke 12:7).

3. The tension deepens and sweetens worship.

The transcendence and immanence of God are a doorway to deeper and more grateful worship. If God isn’t great, he won’t compel our reverence, fear, and obedience. If we don’t think of him as near, he won’t evoke our gratitude, joy, and amazement.

God made us in his image, and he is infinitely distinct from us. Both are true. And the more we understand how different he is, the more we will marvel that he has chosen to draw near to us, that he knows us, calls us by name, and delights in us. Which leads to a final reason why holding God’s immanence and transcendence in tension is so crucial.

4. The tension illuminates the gospel.

Countless Christians live with a deficient experience of the gospel. They can affirm that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who lived a perfect life, died on the cross to take their punishment, and rose from the dead for their justification. But it doesn’t make much of a difference in their daily lives. Rather than a source of comfort and joy, it’s an abstract doctrine that assures them they won’t go to hell when they die.

But when seen in light of God’s transcendence — his holy otherness, absolute perfection, limitless knowledge, inescapability, and unswerving eternal commitment to justice — the gospel becomes unspeakably good news. It reveals God’s immanent heart of compassion, mercy, kindness, and goodness beyond our ability to take it in. It is truly a love that surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:19).

And now that Jesus and the Father have sent forth the Holy Spirit, God reveals his presence not only around us, but within us (John 14:26; John 15:26). The God who knows no limits of time, space, or properties has taken up residence in our hearts (1 Kings 8:27; 1 Corinthians 6:19). All this is why God alone can say, “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:22).

There is no one like him. He truly can and does save. He is holiness and mercy, grace and truth, sovereign and servant, God and man. He is over all, through all, and in all (Ephesians 4:6). May our thoughts and worship of God increasingly reflect who he really is, for our endless joy and God’s endless praise.

He is so big. But he can be so small.