OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD

Transcript:

0:00 Intro

Although God is present everywhere, He manifests His presence differently. 

Today's video is on the omni-presence of God. Looking for some answers, Kyle and I went to Trinity Reformed Church to get Pastor van Eyk's thoughts on the subject. This is Faith to Film. 

When we speak of God's omnipresence we are speaking of Him being present in every place and being fully present in every place. 

0:26 How is God in all places?

When we think of God's omnipresence I think it is helpful to contrast it with our own presence in any particular place. So here I am in Alberta and being in Alberta I cannot be in Scotland at the same time though I might wish to be that. God however is not limited in that way. He is in all places at all times. The other thing to consider is that I have a very local presence. I fill this chair but God is a spirit and so He cannot be contained by any spatial limitations whatsoever and so when we think of the presence of God we're not to think of it in the way that we think of our presence but it's a a presence of a different dimension. A different reality. Though He is really present everywhere. David speaks poetically about this when he says "where shall I go from your spirit or where shall I flee from your presence." And then he concludes that wherever he is, God is as well. 

1:34 How much of God is in any given place?

God's omnipresent also means that all of God is present everywhere. This is what theologians call God's immensity. He is not limited spatially in any way. He is fully present everywhere. King Solomon, after he had built the temple said "behold the heaven, even the highest heaven cannot contain you. How much less this house that I have built." So God's presence is His fullness of presence, everywhere. 

2:08 Is God's omnipresence a comfort or a terror?

Although God is present everywhere He manifests His presence differently. So, for example, to the wicked who do not want to be in the presence of God, who resist and rebel against Him, they cannot escape God's presence. God is present, though He's present in His wrath. For the believer, for the one who has trusted in Christ, it is a wonderful comfort to know that God is always present with us. That in all of the difficulties and distresses of our life we are not left alone and even though we are sinners and deserve to be under His condemnation, His presence with us is a presence of blessing. I think it's captured beautifully in the names that Jesus is given. In Matthew 1 He is Emmanuel Jesus. Emmanuel because He is God with us. Jesus because He will save His people from their sins and so because of the Lord Jesus Christ God is present with His people. Not just present with them but present with them and present for them. He is no longer against them. I also think the presence of God, if we meditated on that thought more than we do, it would help us to resist sin. If we would recognize that we live our lives day by day in the presence of God we would resist any thought word or action that would displease our Father in heaven.