God is Omnipresent

GOD IS OMNIPRESENT

John 4.24: “God is spirit...”

Psalm 139.7-8: “Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.”

Define omnipresent: 

            There is no word in Scripture that translates into the English as “omnipresence”, but as you've seen just briefly, the concept is contained within the text.  The word “omni” again means, “all” therefore omnipresent directly translates to all-present or better yet, “everywhere present”.

The biblical teaching of God's omnipresence is defined as: God's transcendence beyond spatial limitations so that He exists in totality, everywhere at once. 

Questions:

We just heard the psalmist say that God is not only in Heaven, but also in “the depths”, which is the Hebrew word sheol or “grave”.  Does this mean that God is present in Hell?

We say that God dwells within us as believers, but if He's present everywhere, wouldn't that mean that He's present with unbelievers too?

What about Bible passages that say God dwells in Heaven or comes down to earth?

What do we mean when we say God is everywhere?

God has no physical properties or parts, therefore we can't say that part of God is in this room while part of Him is in the church down the road.  No, all of God is here, there and everywhere else in this world simultaneously.

God is not creation.

To believe that God is the same as everything created is pantheism, like that of Buddhism, Hinduism or New Age mysticism.

God, as we learned from omnipotence, is distinct from creation as it's Creator, and dwells alongside it.

Consider how your mind exists within your brain.  Your brain is the physical organ that powers the miraculous machine that is your body, but your mind is the immaterial part within your brain that produces all of your self awareness and thought processes.  In the same way God resides within all of creation.

If God is everywhere, is He within unbelievers? 

Rom. 8.9-11 – God is uniquely present within believers, so there must be a way in which God is present in some senses yet absent in others.

He cannot be accurately said to be physically present.

The overarching presence of God in all things is commonly known as being ontologically present, or  actually present in any given place. 

All of creation experiences the ontological presence of God, whether they believe in Him or not.

We see this Scripturally in places like 1Kings 8.27; Jer. 23.23-24; Acts 17.25-28.             

God's presence with believers is a spiritual, moral, and ethical presence.

Gen. 4.16 : Cain departed from the “presence” of God

Num. 14.42-43: God declares He is not “with” or “present with” the Israelites    

The clear message is that sin hinders the spiritual, moral and ethical presence of God in someone's life.  This can be said of believers at times as well, but it is the unbeliever that lives in an existence of unforgiven sin and therefore cannot feel that special presence to it's utmost.  ( Acts 3.19-20;  John 14.23-24)

“Is God in Hell?”

                         

The psalmist in Ps. 139, and King Solomon in 1 Ki. 8.27 both recognized that God could not be contained in any singular spot.

Based on our understanding of God's spiritual presence and His ontological presence we have an answer.  Namely, that God is present ontologically in Hell, for He exists in totality in every space, but His spiritual presence is not felt in Hell and therefore the result is the loss of God's presence.

Imagine an eternity where all hope, all love, all kindness, mercy and grace is noticeably absent.  Where you are left with your most base and wicked impulses.  Jealousy, anger, hatred, depression, misery, for eternity.  All the while, knowing that God exists, and you will never feel Him again.  I believe that to be the greatest horror of Hell, and it is distinctly tied to the omnipresence of God.

What about when the Bible says God “dwells” in Heaven or “Comes down” to Earth?

Gen. 18.2;  John 17.21; Ps. 103.19

In instances like that of the Psalms, we come back to the literary use of anthropomorphism.  We as humans can only understand good analogously, so we need to relate to Him in human terms.  Therefore when we speak of Him as King and having a kingdom it is best understood as being in a specific place.  This does not contradict the doctrine of omnipresence.

In the case of the incarnation of Jesus or the various times in the Old Testament in which God appeared in bodily form, we special manifestation of God for specific purposes.  At no time does this spatially limit God, for His entirety still dwells everywhere even in a Theophany (God appearing as man).

How Then Shall We Live

God is with us in all that we do.  There is no need to feel alone, even when that crushing fear tries to creep in.  It is a tactic of the Devil to keep you feeling isolated and alone, for it is in that state that you are weakest, but the very God of Heaven is with you at all times.

Consider the presence of God in a more cautionary setting.  Every moment you speak with a lying or filthy tongue, God is there.  Any moment you may be compelled to look at images or read a story that excites lustful thoughts, God is there.

But lastly, I just want to leave you with a thought.  These are the words of a long deceased archbishop of Canterbury: 

            “I have long looked at the paintings of Mattice with love and admiration.  I would paint them, but I do not have his skill.  I have long read the poetry of Chaucer with great glee.  I would write in such a way, but I am not a poet.  I have marveled at the compositions of Beethoven and would dream to play in such a way, but I am not a composer.  I have read at length and observed the life of Christ and deeply desire to live as He did, but I am but a man.  However, if the spirit of Mattice could come live in me; I could paint.  If the spirit of Chaucer could come live in me; I could write.  If the spirit of Beethoven could come live in me; I could compose.  And it is because I know that the spirit of Christ the Son of the Living God has come to live in me that I can live as He did!!  And it is in that truth that I find my greatest hope.”

            Beloved, The omnipresent God has come to dwell in you, so that you might grow to be like Him, and it is because of this that you above all others have reason to hope.