Living with Tozer's God

Blogpost #13

Chapter 2: The Incomprehensibility of God

Tozer makes good points as he starts this chapter. He says, “God is not exactly like any one or any thing.” He is unique. So when we ask the question, “What is God like?” what are we really asking?

What we are really asking is “What can we know about God that is like something we already know...and understand?” Tozer calls them “bridges,” things which can help us understand things that, at this point anyway, we can't or don't understand.

So, is the knowledge of God above our understanding? That's an important question. How well do you think you know God? Why do you think you can know Him at all? Here's a question that can reveal a lot about your potential for a relationship with God. How often do you stop and ask yourself, “Lord, do I really know you? Do I really know what you are like? How often do we have an intimate moment together?” Of course, you have to take time to stop and really ask those questions to get an answer.

The truth is the scriptures make an undeniable argument for the idea that God has revealed Himself in order to be known. Ps. 19 says, ”..the heavens declare the glory of God; their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” Declaring it to whom? To us. There isn't anyone else. “E.T.” wasn't real. But, it does show how deeply the idea that “someone is out there” is engrained in our culture.

If you believe the Bible, the plan for men to know God has always been fundamental. The whole idea of creation makes no sense apart from the goal of man knowing God... and knowing Him intimately. The history of the nation of Israel testifies to it. The great distinction for Israel was that they “knew God,” but the other Gentile nations did not. That's what set them apart...at least until they lost all their privileges through national disobedience.

The ultimate privilege Israel had was that God “chose them” above all the other nations and determined to live in their midst. They would be His people and he would be their God. This would result in unlimited blessings. But, the greatest blessing would be God Himself dwelling with them. Sadly, Israel forfeited these blessings.

However, the theme continues in the New Testament. One of the great blessings of the New Covenant between the Father and the Son through the Cross was that God would do something unique that would completely change us, and through that change, we would again have the ability to “know the Lord.” It was promised in Jeremiah 31:33-34 and testified to in its fulfillment in Hebrews 8:11. 

 

"They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying,

'Know the LORD,' for they will all know Me,

 from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD,

 "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." 

Jer 31:34 NASU

What does 'knowing God' mean?

The challenge we face is the same one that the Bible faces. We say that the Bible is the “revelation of God”...and that is true. It reveals God. It reveals a lot about God. But, that does not mean that it reveals all that there is to know about God. It doesn't even mean that we can understand and comprehend all that is revealed about God.

What can we know? We can know what the Bible reveals. It reveals that God is all-wise and that He is all-powerful. We can understand this. We do so using Tozer's “bridges” idea. We know smart people, even super-smart people. We also know people who really know how to apply that knowledge in the best way (wisdom). We know strong people; we even imagine “super-human” strength. But, this only gets us part way.

We understand the concept of infinity, at least intellectually. We understand the idea of “without end.” We can visualize a road that “goes on forever,” but the truth is, in our mind's eye we lose sight of the road at the horizon and from that point on, we just believe the road continues. It's simply as far as we can go. We understand the concept of infinity, but we really can't comprehend it. We can't completely get our mind around it. But, it's a good start. Faith takes us the rest of the way.

When we apply the concept of infinity to things revealed about God, we are able to build a “bridge” from a concept-like strength as we know it to “all”-strength or, in biblical terms, “Almighty God.” Theologically, we call it omnipotence. We can use the same “bridge” idea when we think of wisdom and knowledge. Infinite knowledge and wisdom can lie only in one person, at least theoretically. The logic is impeccable. But, is it true of God?

After all, at least theoretically, you can't have two persons who are at the same time omnipotent (which means they alone are sovereign and impose their absolute will over their dominion). Isn't it impossible to have two unlimited, independently sovereign wills operating at the same time without conflict?

Here is where we face the constant danger which Tozer describes when he says, “...left to ourselves we immediately tend to reduce God to manageable terms.” Sometimes we do it selfishly, in order to create a god more to our liking. Other times we are just trying to get a grasp on something which is simply beyond our comprehension. But, we do this at great loss to ourselves...and great injustice to God.

The Mystery of the Trinity

Try this instead. From an earthly perspective, it would be unthinkable that two totally sovereign, omnipotent wills could coexist...adding a third would seem to be madness. One would have to dominate...and that would mean conflict at some point, probably a major conflict. Yet, this is fundamental Christian theology. Three persons, one God. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit...that's how the creed goes.

We've come up with all sorts of illustrations and metaphors to build “bridges” to help us understand the concept of the Trinity and of course, they all fall short. My guess is that most folks believe in the Trinity, but function practically with the idea of three separate beings (i.e., when they pray). It's about the best human beings can do. I'm not sure it makes any difference to God.

Here's what I find most challenging. We have a Triune God (three persons) who all have omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent sovereign dominion over the universe and all mankind. And, these beings live in a state of love and harmony so profoundly real that conflict never occurs. Yet, for the sake of one, the other is willing to sacrifice Himself, laying aside all His divine privileges in order that relatively meaningless human beings might be spared from an eternal judgment that they totally deserve.

Then, the One who offers Himself actually becomes one of these lowly creatures in order to not only give Himself for their sake, but also to provide an undeniable revelation and proof of who God is and what He is like...a revelation that reveals a humility which, from an earthly perspective, seems totally contrary to the glory that belongs to God. There seems to be no limit to which He will lower Himself to make this revelation possible...even to the washing of the dirty feet of His rather slow-minded followers.

Then, we find that this One who has sacrificed Himself and “become flesh,” this One who is raised from the dead is still “flesh and bone” and ascended into heaven, accepted into heaven as the “God-man” and seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Forevermore He has joined Himself to man that man might be joined to God...forever. Jesus said it plainly,

"The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, 

that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me,

 that they may be perfected in unity,

so that the world may know that You sent Me, 

and loved them, even as You have loved Me."

John 17:22-24 NASU

Now that is what I find incomprehensible! Thankfully, it is gloriously true.