Creator Revealed (Part 3)

This is the third part of a series of posts on 'How God is revealed through creation' based on a section of that name from Chapter 3, God Makes: Creation in Marc Driscoll's book Doctrine:What Christians Should Believe. 


The first part discussed, 1) that there is only one God AND 2) that He is the perfect union of three in one (trinity). If those seem contradictory, I suggest you read that first bit if you haven't. 


The second part covered the ideas that, 3) God is uncreated and eternal, 4) living and active, AND 5) independent. These characteristics are those that are particularly God's allowing Him a freedom of existence and action that a created being such as you and I do not really have. This distinction and interaction is further described in today's portion. 

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT TODAY


How is God revealed a) generally within creation, b) specifically through the Word, and c) personally through the Holy Spirit, TO BE:
6) transcendent and 7) immanent 


Those are a couple of words we don't exactly use in everyday conversation, so they bear some discussion and definition. 


Let's start with transcendent, Driscoll puts it like this:
"6) God is transcendent.  God is separate from His creation.  there is a clear demarcation between Creator and creation.."



Merriam Webster Dictionary shows four meanings: Definition of TRANSCENDENT
1 a: exceeding usual limits : surpassing
   b: extending or lying beyond the limits of ordinary experience
   c: being beyond the limits of all possible experience and knowledge
2: being beyond comprehension
3: transcending the universe or material existence — compare to immanent (<<<LOOK AT THAT!!!)
4: universally applicable or significant 


OK, so let's compare Transcendent with Immanent 


Driscoll > "7) God is immanent.  Not only is God transcendent over creation, but contrary to the deists' claim, He is actively at work in His creation, sustaining and providentially ruling over it."


Webster > Definition of IMMANENT
1: indwelling, inherent <beauty is not something imposed but something immanent — Anthony Burgess>
2: being within the limits of possible experience or knowledge — compare transcendent


Well which is it?  Is God beyond our comprehension or is it possible to know Him?  Is He outside and beyond His creation OR is He intimately involved and revealed in every bit of it?  To quote the philosopher-poet Forrest Gump, "I think they is both happening at the same time."


Let's consider a couple of examples in creation to better illustrate the point:


The leaf tells us much about the tree, what type, what kind, much of its very makeup, but it is not the tree.  The original tree is still itself without the leaf, it has interaction with the leaf as they are attached, but the tree does not rely on it solely for its existence - the tree transcends the leaf, but it is immanent to the leaf's existence. This is the vine and the branches bit of John 15 where in v5 Christ cautions us that if we will remain in Him much may be made of and through us but that apart from Him, nothing.  A dried up leaf is no longer good for any purpose but to be raked up and burned.  


Another try here:  Among the greatest things I have had involvement with in creation is my children.  My daughters are alot like me, they look like me, they act like me - but they are not me.  I am outside them, wholly distinct from - I continue to interact with them on a consistent and daily basis.  They are to some extent a partial image of me, but surely not an exact copy or even somehow a required part of me.  They follow my counsel and direction only imperfectly and often not at all, to their own peril by harm they fail to avoid or discipline I choose to provide.   If they ultimately choose to rebel against that relationship and ignore their old man, what can I do for them except pray and hope.  If my influence is no longer present, then they will be less and less like me with each passing day - eventually holding only a limited physical resemblance. 


Now consider this same point with another child, the Son of God.  Unlike my daughters, Christ was the perfect image bearer of His Father.  Unlike me and my daughters, the Father and Son are in their very being one and so Christ is the perfect expression of out little problem with this versus that. Because, Christ is the perfect union of God and man, the full indwelling of God in our frail form.  He is the transcendent presence of God made immanent to His created (Immanuel=God with us).  Uncreated became, infinite lived for a time, and the unknowable / incomprehensible Creator became knowable and revealed.  


Christ is the contradiction resolved - unsolvable problem solved - sin reconciled.  IS this the case in your life?  Not just that simple prayer of Christ be my Savior and live in my heart, but really the Spirit of transcendent Creator and Lord of the Universe indwelling in you - actively working and sustaining.  May this be the case for all who believe on Christ for salvation unto life.