Is God immanent? What is the significance of the immanence of God?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

“Immanent” refers to the nearness of something, not in time (in contrast with the similar sounding word, imminent), but in proximity. To say God is immanent is to assert that He is intimately near to His creation, working within it, and fully engaged with it. The Bible affirms both God’s transcendence and His immanence. His nearness to humankind is seen in the creation account, where He personally forms Adam from dust and breathes life into him (Genesis 2:17). Many of the Psalms show that God is personally available to those who love and cry out to Him (Psalm 34:15-18, 145:18). Old Testament prophecy calls the Messiah “Immanuel,” meaning “God with us,” a promise Jesus fulfilled (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23). Christ’s incarnation was the ultimate manifestation of God’s immanence as He came in the flesh and lived among humankind (John 1:1-14). Yet the Bible also teaches that God is transcendent, meaning that He is utterly above and distinct from creation (Isaiah 55:8); But His transcendence does not cancel out his immanence as He is present and actively involved in believers’ lives. God’s nearness is seen in His sustaining power, knowledge of our lives, and desire for relationship. Jesus’ sacrificial life and death opened the way for us to have an intimate and direct relationship to God. The Holy Spirit who dwells within believers, empowers and conforms us to Jesus’ image. Additionally, He has promised that one day, after all sin is removed from the world, that He will live directly with us for eternity.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• God’s immanence is shown early in the book of Genesis when He personally forms man from dust and breathes life into him (Genesis 2:7). This shows God’s immanence, His particular personal care for humans.
• After Adam and Eve sinned, we see God’s personal relationship to His creation and, in particular, a personal confrontation for sin (Genesis 3:8-19).
• Psalm 34:15-18 presents God’s immanence as Him being near when people are suffering , listening to the righteous, and standing in justice against the evil doer.
• While God is everywhere (omnipresent), He is particularly near His people, who have direct and personal access to the true God because His attention is directed towards them (Deuteronomy 4:7).
• Likewise, David noted that “The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). God is not merely immanent in the sense that He’s everywhere, but He personally draws near to those who draw near to Him.
• The Messianic prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 indicates that the Messiah would be called “Immanuel,” which means “God with us.”
• God’s immanence is distinct from His transcendence. These are opposite but not contrary ideas. God said, “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit” (Isaiah 57:15). This verse shows that God is transcendent (above and distinct from everything) yet is also immanent, personally involved with creation and particularly with humble men and women.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The greatest example of God’s immanence is found in Jesus (John 1:14). God’s Son, Jesus, entered into human history and lived among His creation.
• Matthew quoted Isaiah 7:14, saying, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (Matthew 1:23). Jesus, as fully God, was literally present with His people, teaching, healing, and loving them.
• Before He ascended to return to heaven, Jesus promised He would be personally with His disciples as they spread the gospel over the earth (Matthew 28:20). Jesus’ physical departure did not end His immanence. Through the Holy Spirit, He remains with believers (John 14:16-17).
• When speaking with the pagans in Athens, Paul told them that God “is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’” (Acts 17:27–28).
• In 2 Corinthians 6:16, Paul applies Leviticus 26:12 to believers, saying, “We are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people.’” In the Old Testament, God dwelt with, yet separated from, the Israelites in a temple building. However, now God dwells within each believer, no longer separated from His people because of Jesus’ work on the cross.
• Because God is particularly near to believers, James encouraged believers to, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). Even though we continue to sin after salvation and our relationship with God can be strained, it cannot be lost.
• In Revelation 21:3, we learn that all of history is moving towards a time when God will permanently and directly dwell with His people. Because sin will have been completely removed, the nearness of God’s relationship will be unlike anything we’ve known to-date—believers will be in perfect fellowship with God.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

God’s immanence means, for better or worse, we are never alone! He is not an absent Creator peering down from the edge of the universe. Instead, He is near, seeing, knowing, and personally acting in this world. For the believer, knowing that He is immanent gives us great comfort knowing that God is with us.

But His immanence also demands reverence. Some mistakenly think that God is only immanent. However, because He is also transcendent, God is completely unlike us, standing in judgement against all who rebel against Him. Therefore, don’t take His nearness for granted. Instead, remember that God draws near to the humble and contrite (Isaiah 57:15) while opposing the proud (James 4:6). His nearness means that our sin is not hidden from Him while His transcendence means that He will judge every sin. Yet, because He is merciful, He sent His Son, Jesus, to be Immanuel, “God with us.” When we humble ourselves and repent of our sin and trust in Jesus, and because God is near and hears us, He is quick to forgive (1 John 1:9).

Ultimately, God’s immanence means He desires to be known. He has personally revealed everything we need to know about Him in Scripture and through Jesus. For those who are His, He also speaks through His Spirit as we read the Bible, helping us to understand Him better and to move even closer to Him.

UNDERSTAND

• God’s immanence means His personal nearness and active involvement in creation.
• God is not distant or detached; He is intimately near, sustaining, and engaging with His creation, especially with humanity.
• God’s immanence is most fully revealed in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

REFLECT

• How does knowing that God is personally near and actively involved in your life affect the way you face daily struggles or challenges?
• How do you experience God’s presence and nearness in your relationship with Him?
• How does the truth that God dwells within you through the Holy Spirit change your understanding of your identity and purpose?

ENGAGE

• How can we better recognize and respond to God’s immanence in our everyday lives without losing sight of His transcendence?
• What impact does the reality of “God with us” (Immanuel) have on how we live, worship, and relate to others?
• How does understanding God’s immanence shape the way we pray, especially when we feel distant or overwhelmed?