Divine Immanence

Divine Immanence

“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

General Outline

I. Introduction

II. Immanence Of God Displayed

III. Immanence of A God Far Off

IV. Immanence of A God at Hand

I. Introduction

A. Definition

B. Immanence & Omnipresence

C. Immanence & Transcendence

D. Immanence & False Beliefs

A. Definition

1. Tozer’s Definition

“God is omnipresent, which means God is everywhere. God is also immanent, which means that God penetrates everything. This is standard Christian doctrine, believed even in the earliest days of Judaism. God is omnipresent and immanent, penetrating everything even while He contains all things. The bucket that is sunk into the depths of the ocean is full of the ocean. The ocean is in the bucket, but also the bucket is in the ocean—surrounded by it.”

- Tozer, The Attributes of God: A Journey into the Father’s Heart, vol. 1, 137–138.

2. Technical Definition

“Immanence (Lat. in, ‘in,’ and manere, ‘to remain’) means abiding or dwelling in. In general it denotes the existence and operation of one thing within another . . . In Theology it denotes the indwelling and operation of God within the entire universe, of which He is the first cause and the abiding ground. It stands in contrast with ‘transcendence,’ which implies that God is prior to, and not limited by, the universe, which depends upon Him for its origin and continued existence. But immanence and transcendence are not exclusive of each other. A correct theistic philosophy gives a place to each of these principles in its exposition of the relations of God to the universe.”

- A Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. 1, 781.

B. Immanence & Omnipresence

1. Descriptive Significance

Omnipresence: God IS EVERYWHERE

Immanence: God is IN EVERYTHING

Immanence is not opposed to or separate from Omnipresence; it rather describes the Omnipresence of God:

“Immanence and transcendence are complementary concepts

traditionally used to describe this omnipresence.”

-Lawrence A. Fagg, Physical Pointers to God's Omnipresence:

Do Immanence and Transcendence Coalesce?

C. Immanence & Transcendence

1. Complementary Significance

While Immanence covers the closeness of God to His creation, His Transcendence describes His absolute exaltation above His creation.

“God’s transcendence is seen in that He is

exalted in His royal dignity and exercises both

control and authority in His creation.”

-John Frame, Divine Transcendence and Immanence.

Scripture 1. Isaiah 57:15

Scripture 2. 1 Kings 8:27–30

D. Immanence & False Beliefs

1. Pantheism & Deism

“Human thought upon God’s relation to the world has oscillated between two extremes; from the deistic conception, which entirely removes him from active relation to the world, to the pantheistic, which identifies him with it, so investing him in it as to obliterate his personality and destroy his freedom. Deism denies his omnipresence; pantheism denies his omnipotence. The task of Christian thought is to find the middle ground, in a union of immanence and transcendence.”

-George S. Rollins, Some Perils of Current Views of Immanence

II. Immanence of God Displayed

A. In Natural Revelation

B. In Special Revelation

C. In the Christian

A. In Natural Revelation

Scripture 3. Romans 1:20

1. In Creation

Scripture 4. Job 37:1-12

2. In Humanity

Scripture 5. Acts 14:16–17

Scripture 6. Psalm 145:9

Scripture 7. Romans 13:1–4

B. In Special Revelation

1. In Scripture

Scripture 8. Hebrews 4:12

Scripture 9. 2 Timothy 3:16–17

C. In The Christian

1. The Temple of God

Scripture 10. 1 Corinthians 3:16–17

2. The Instrument of God

Scripture 11. Philippians 2:12–13

3. Communion with God

Scripture 12. John 15:1–10

Scripture List

1. Isaiah 57:15 7. Romans 13:1-4 2 1 Kings 8:27-30 8. Hebrews 4:12 3. 4. Romans 1:20 9. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 4. Job 37:1-12 10. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 5. Acts 14:16–17 11. Philippians 2:12-13 6. Psalm 145:9 12. John 15:1-10