The Immanence of God: What It Is and Why It Matters

First of all, I apologize for not having posted in about a week haha. Lots of stuff has been going on, but it’s time to get back on the horse. So I’ll be continuing with this discussion of the immanence and transcendence/sovereignty of the Trinitarian God.

What It Is:

To say that God is immanent is to say that He is “permanently pervading and sustaining the universe.”* To begin the discussion, it is important to establish what God is not to create a proper understanding of what this phrase means.

Of course, such a view needs to be differentiated from a pantheistic view. We, as Christians, don’t believe that God is everything or that everything is God, or that everything has a little piece of God in it. The Trinitarian God that we know, love, and worship is distinct from his creation but constantly aware and intervening in it.  We don’t believe in a deistic deity, who creates the universe and then lets it run its “natural” course, but rather a God who, as it is documented in the Bible and the lives of millions of believers, intervenes on behalf of his chosen people, working on their behalf. Perhaps the most salient examples of God’s immanence are the nature of the Holy Spirit and the person of Jesus Christ.

David’s characterization of the Holy Spirit is particularly striking in Psalm 139:

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”

This passage beautifully illustrates the omnipresence of God’s Holy Spirit. Wherever David (and by extension, any one of us) goes, God is there. No matter how deep, high or far away. That can be deeply comforting or deeply disturbing. More on that in the Why It Matters section.

            Jesus took this omnipresent, immanent idea to a whole ‘nother level. In the Incarnation, God took a human form to literally dwell with his creation. He went from “hovering over the face of the waters” to breathing, eating, and drinking with other human beings. It is this aspect of God’s immanence and intervention in his creation that so amazes the writer of Hebrews when he describes Jesus. He silences any arguments that Jesus doesn’t understand what you’re going through because he’s also God. Jesus’ humanity is just as mind-blowing as his divinity. As the writer of Hebrews says, “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect was tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may reveive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16) The immanence of God is made manifest in the Incarnation of Christ. The Son of God, Immanuel, is literally that: Immanuel, or “God with us.”

Why It Matters:

“Ok, Malcolm. God’s immanent. He’s in his creation and working in His creation. Got it. Easy. So what? What does this mean for my daily life?” Put simply, if you thought about it, it would consume your daily life. Hearken back to that psalm that I said could be simultaneously both deeply comforting and deeply disturbing. When you understand that God is everywhere, it becomes a new consideration in everything you do. Specifically, in instances of sin, it is a reminder that everywhere you are, God sees what you’re doing. Nothing is beyond his gaze. You can neither run nor hide from Him. This is why it’s better just to pray honestly for forgiveness, since it’s not like you can just sweep it under the rug with the Supreme Creator and Sustainer of the universe. But it is also a source of comfort. The promise that He will never leave you nor forsake you can help you through the toughest of times if it is truly internalized. There will be times in all of our lives where things will seem hopeless. There will be times where God seems to be far away. Where He seems not to care. Where it feels like He’s sitting on His throne in heaven, twiddling his thumbs. The Psalms are full of instances where David and other psalmists are overwhelmed, whether by sin, circumstances, or enemies. But they all look to God to intervene because they know that He is there. We must have and act on that same knowledge. So when our sin, circumstances, and enemies overwhelm us, let us look to God. The immanent One. The One who is always with us, even if we don’t feel it. Remember, the God you serve sent his Son to die for you. Let me repeat that: He sent his Son to die (brutally, I might add) for you. Don’t ever forget His love. Embrace it, believe it, and place your trust in Him.

*According to the MacBook Pro dictionary

Next time: The flip side of the coin: The transcendence and sovereignty of God