Knowing The God Who Is Incomprehensible- Part 2

The Self-Existence and Independence of God

He alone is the “uncaused cause” of everything. He Himself is absolutely independent of all else; therefore, He needs no one outside of Himself for His existence and maintenance. We call this the self-existence and independence of God.

The greatest and best man in the world must day, “By the grace of God I am what I am”; but God says absolutely—and it is more than any creature, man or angel, can say— “I am that I am.” Being self-existent, he cannot but be self-sufficient, and therefore all-sufficient. (Matthew Henry)

The Biblical Witness to God’s Self-Existence

Psalm 36:9 ESV

9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.

John 1:3–4 ESV

3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

John 5:26 ESV

26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.

Acts 17:25 ESV

25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

Psalm 62:11–12 ESV

11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, 12 and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work.

Romans 11:33–35 ESV

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”

The Biblical Witness to God’s Independence

The independence of God means that He alone is the source of His being, and of His continued existence.

Psalm 36:6 HCSB

6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains; Your judgments, like the deepest sea. Lord, You preserve man and beast.

Hebrews 1:3 ESV

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Colossians 1:17 ESV

17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Psalm 104:27–30 ESV

27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. 28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. 29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. 30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.

Psalm 50:11–12 ESV

11 I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. 12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.

Job 41:11 ESV

11 Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.

We are too insignificant to be of any great importance in God’s cast universe; He can do with us or without us, and our presence or absence will not disarrange His plans. (C.H. Spurgeon)

God alone cannot need. God alone cannot lack. God alone cannot be incomplete.

His interest in His creatures arises from His sovereign good pleasure, not from any need those creatures can supply nor from any completeness they can bring to Him who is complete in Himself. (A.W. Tozer)

Why does this matter?

Why did God create?

In eternity He was solitary … yet not lonely, complete in Himself, His infinite fullness, and lacking nothing. He did not create from a sense of His own need, but from the overflow of His fulness … and He did not recreate … fallen man from any lack in Himself. The fall of mankind did not lessen God. The rescue of a people has not added to His essential perfection. God does not need anyone or anything.

To teach or even suggest that God made man because He was lonely or incomplete is a gross contradiction of the Scriptures. God did not create the universe because He had a need, but because He desired to make known the superabundance of His perfections, glory, and goodness. (Paul Washer)

Why did God redeem His enemies?

Exposing a Dual Idolatry

Attributing Divine Perfections to Ourselves

Failing to Attribute These Divine-Perfections to God in our Practice

Acts 17:24–25 ESV

24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

The Mystery of Being Coworkers With the One Who Is Self-Sufficient!

2 Corinthians 6:1 ESV

1 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

2 Corinthians 3:5 ESV

5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,

Colossians 1:16 ESV

16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

Romans 11:36 ESV

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

1 Corinthians 8:6 ESV

6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

I have received my all from God; oh that I could return my all to God! Surely God is worthy of my highest affection, and most devout adoration; He is infinitely worthy, that I should make him my last end, and live forever to him. O that I might never more, in any one instance, live to myself! (David Brained)

Concluding thoughts on God’s Incomprehensibility

God alone is supreme and transcendent!

Psalm 47:2 ESV

2 For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.

God is incomparable!

Isaiah 40:25 ESV

25 To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.

God is solitary!

Deuteronomy 4:39 ESV

39 know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.

How The Are We to Live?

1. If God is supreme, then the Christian has been given a treasure beyond any other.

Psalm 91:9 ESV

9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge—

What things in your life will need to change if you are going to know the Most High better? What will need to be removed from you life? What will need to be added to your life?

2. Sin is correctly seen when we shine these truths into the dark corners of our lives.

Isaiah 14:14 ESV

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’

3. What an only one is our Jesus!