Written by Bob Kauflin, a contemporary pastor.
Transcendent is the theological word that means God is above, completely other than, and independent of his creation. God is infinite in all aspects of his being and never changes. Only he has no source, no beginning, and no end. God needs nothing, depends on nothing, and owes nothing. He is “holy, holy, holy” — perfect in every way. Simply put, God is God and we are not. “At times, God feels too distant to be loved. At other times, God feels too near to be feared.” Except that God is also immanent. God sustains, is involved with, and is present within his creation. He keeps our bodies from exploding apart, grows the grass that livestock eat, and is personally invested in his world. Despite how small and sinful we are, he is loving, kind, gentle, compassionate, and good. In our corporate worship gatherings, as well as our personal interactions with God, we tend to swing between God’s transcendence and immanence like a pendulum. At times, God feels too distant, dissimilar, and above us to be loved. At other times, God feels too near, present, and like us to be feared. It’s an ongoing challenge to hold these two thoughts about God together, but it is massively important that we do.
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [Colossians 1:17]
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