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God has designed us as creatures with an innate response to the transcendent. It is our goal to capture a biblical expression of this attribute of God for application in our lives as we seek to follow and obey the purpose and plan of the Almighty.
Observations:
- Paul’s summary command to Timothy is 3 fold
- This command centers around “the good confession” of “Jesus is Lord”
- Paul rests his command upon the doctrine of God’s transcendence
Definition – Transcendence: God exists beyond, distinct from, and in all surpassing greatness from the creation
Transcendence holds a treasure trove of corollary attributes:
- Providence – God purposefully governs and directs everything
- Timelessness – God is atemporal, outside, and unrestricted by time
- Sovereignty – God is the supreme authority; in control of creation
- Simplicity – God is singular in His being; without assembly
- Immortality – God cannot die
- Unapproachability – God is inaccessible in moral perfection and holiness
- Incomprehensibility – God is mystery and unconstrained by human definition
Conclusions:
- The transcendence of God is the anchor of accountability in Christian obedience
- The transcendence of God provides our aim and motivation towards the Character of God
- The transcendence of God provides within us a confidence in Jesus’ Lordship as resolute
- The transcendence of God is the foundation of worship
Application:
- It all starts with “Jesus is my Lord”
- Obey as a warrior under the control of the Sovereign
- Hold tight to Jesus as your eternal life
Dorothy L. Sayers-
We have efficiently pared the claws of the Lion of Judah, certified him “meek and mild” and recommended him as a fitting household pet for pale curates and pious old ladies.”
Matthew 27:11
“Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.”
Mark 15:2
“Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “You have said so,” Jesus replied.”
Luke 23:3
“So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.”
John 18:33-37
“Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
Psalm 104:2
“The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent.”
Romans 11:33-34
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
A.W. Pink
“As the difference is indeed great between the knowledge of God which his saints have in this life, and that which they shall have in heaven, yet, as the former should not be undervalued because it is imperfect, so the latter is not to be magnified above its reality. True, the Scripture declares that we shall see “face to face” and “know” even as we are known. But to infer from this that we shall then know God as fully as he knows us is to be misled by the mere sound of words, and to disregard the restriction of that knowledge that our finiteness necessarily requires. There is a vast difference between the saints being glorified and their being made Divine. In their glorified state, Christians will still be finite creatures, and therefore, never able to fully comprehend the infinite God.”
John Hannah
“While it is true that we cannot know God fully, we can know him truly.”
John 1:18
“No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”
John 6:46
“No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.”
John 14:8-9
“Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”
Philippians 2:12-13
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”
1 Peter 3:21c-22
“It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.”
Ephesians 4:10
“He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.”
Philippians 2:9-11
“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Luke 9:28-29
“About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.”
1 Timothy 1:18-20
“Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.”