{"id":666,"date":"2014-12-19T16:21:43","date_gmt":"2014-12-19T23:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/?page_id=666"},"modified":"2014-12-19T16:21:43","modified_gmt":"2014-12-19T23:21:43","slug":"god-spirit-self-existent-transcendent","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/god-spirit-self-existent-transcendent\/","title":{"rendered":"God \u2013 Spirit, Self Existent, Transcendent"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>God \u2013 Spirit, Self Existent, Transcendent<\/h1>\n<p><strong>Psalms  139:1-6<\/strong> <br \/>\n  LORD,  Thou hast searched me and known me. 2 Thou dost know when I sit down and when I  rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar. 3 Thou dost scrutinize my  path and my lying down, And art intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even  before there is a word on my tongue, <br \/>\n  Behold,  O LORD, Thou dost know it all.<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>God<\/u> \u2013<\/strong> There is only one true God who exists in  three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are equal in divine  perfection, coeternal, and execute distinct but harmonious offices. God  (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is Holy, sovereign, and personal. God knows all  things, is everywhere present, and is all-powerful. God is love, gracious and  merciful, and in everyway good. God is spirit, self-existent, and transcendent.  Being the Creator of all things, it is in Him that we live and move and exist. <strong>(Gen 1:1,26-27,  Ex 34:6-7, Lev 11:44, Isaiah 9:6, 44:8, 45:5, Jer 23:23-24, Dan 4:35, Matt  3:16-17, John 4:24, Acts 17:24-28, 2 Corinthians 13:14, 1 Tim 1:15-16, 1 John  3:20, 4:8, Rev 4:11)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><u>God is spirit,  self-existent, and transcendent. Being the Creator of all things, it is in Him  that we live and move and exist. <\/u>\u00a0&#8211; <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>God is spirit &#8211; <\/strong>To  say that God is spirit is to speak of the essence of His being. This is a  difficult concept for us as most of the things in the creation that we see have  a physical nature. Not so with God! He is spirit. This is to say that He does  not have a physical body or physical attributes. God therefore is a being that  is not made of any matter, and is unable to be perceived by our bodily senses.  We should not think of God as having size or dimensions, even infinite ones as  we sometimes try to describe Him with. Since God is a spiritual being, He is in  a realm beyond our own, and it is a kind of existence which is far superior to  our material existence. God has the ability to act within the material  universe, but we have no ability to act in the immaterial.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>John 4:24<\/strong> &#8211; 24 &quot;<strong><span class=\"highlight\">God is spirit<\/span><\/strong>, and  those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.&quot; NASB<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>God is self-existent  \u2013 <\/strong>This is to say that God exists apart from the power or influence of any  other being, force, or circumstance.<strong> <\/strong>The  Lord is the creator of all things. More than that, it is he who defines the  meaning, purpose and value of all things. He is the very source of life and  everything in the entire creation is dependent on him, and He alone controls  the destiny of His own creatures. <strong><em>God is sovereign in His creation,  setting the limits of life and freedom for His creatures.<\/em><\/strong> He has no  beginning or end, rather <strong><em><u>He<\/u><\/em><\/strong><strong><em><u> is<\/u><\/em><\/strong> the beginning  and the end. He is literally the source of all things, He is dependent on  nothing, and his power and authority is the highest of all. He is not dependent  upon His creatures for happiness or any other thing. If God is the source of  life, He therefore transcends it, and the dimension in which it exists. God is eternally  self-dependent. The creation of angels and men added nothing to God, for He  existed billions and trillions of years (eternally) prior to their creation. He  was perfectly blessed in Himself before the first creature was ever called in  to being.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Acts 17:24-25 <\/strong>&#8211; 24 &quot;The God who made the world and all  things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made  with hands; 25 neither is He served by human hands, as <strong><span class=\"highlight\">though He needed  anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things<\/span><\/strong>; NAS<\/p>\n<p><strong>Col 1:16-18 &#8211; <\/strong>16 For <strong><span class=\"highlight\">by Him all things were created<\/span><\/strong>,  both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or  dominions or rulers or authorities \u2014\u00a0 all  things have been created by Him and for Him. 17 And <strong><span class=\"highlight\">He is before all things, and in Him all things  hold together<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 NASB<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>God being Eternal  is &ldquo;before all things.&rdquo; He has always existed. He has neither beginning of days  nor end of life. (Heb 7:3) <strong><em>He always was, is now and always will be.  Because of this truth, God stands alone like no other being in the universe,  &ldquo;Who is like unto Thee Oh Lord?&rdquo; <\/em><\/strong>(Ex 15:11). He transcends the limits  of time. The scripture affirms that &ldquo;heaven and earth will pass away,&rdquo; but God  will remain forever.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Psalms  102:12,25-28<\/strong> &#8211; 2 But Thou, O LORD,  dost <strong><span class=\"highlight\">abide  forever<\/span><\/strong>; And Thy name to all generations. 25 &quot;Of old Thou didst  found the earth; And the heavens are the work of Thy hands. 26 &quot;Even <strong><span class=\"highlight\">they will perish,  but Thou dost endure<\/span><\/strong>; And all of them will wear out like a garment;  Like clothing Thou wilt change them, and they will be changed. 27 &quot;But  Thou art the same, And <strong><span class=\"highlight\">Thy years will not come to an end<\/span><\/strong>. 28  &quot;The children of Thy servants will continue, And their descendants will be  established before Thee.&quot; NAS<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>God is transcendent\u00a0 &#8211; <\/strong>This is to say that God is surpassing  the limits of the created universe. He is above and beyond all that is. To  transcend is to rise above, it is to go beyond, it is to exceed and to surpass.  This accurately describes God, but can be said about no other being.<strong> <\/strong>He alone is transcendent in the  ultimate sense.<strong> <\/strong>The word  transcendent is defined as &ldquo;of surpassing excellence, superior and supreme  worth and ability, outside of the limits of human knowledge, of such a nature  that it cannot be realized in experience.&rdquo; These words therefore describe God.  For instance consider that God&rsquo;s omniscience states that He transcends time,  having a perfect and complete knowledge of future events. Not only does He  surpass all the physical limits of the universe, but He even surpasses the  spiritual limits of things, such as our thoughts and feelings, so it is said  that He knows our words before they are even on our lips.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Psalms 139:1-6<\/strong> &#8211;\u00a0 LORD, Thou  hast searched me and known me. 2 Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise  up; <strong><span class=\"highlight\">Thou dost understand my thought from afar<\/span><\/strong>. 3  Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, And art intimately acquainted  with all my ways. 4 <strong><span class=\"highlight\">Even before there is a word on  my tongue, Behold, O LORD, Thou dost know it all<\/span><\/strong>. 5 Thou hast  enclosed me behind and before, And laid Thy hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is  too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. NASB<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>God is therefore transcendent!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Being the Creator of  all things <\/strong>&#8211; The Bible clearly states that God is the creator of all  things. (Gen 1:1, Ex 20:11) We see very clearly all the members of the Trinity  involved in the creation. If He is the creator of all things, then He is the  rightful owner, proprietor, and possessor of all beings, power and dominion.  When considered, this truth alone should produce an holy awe in us. God began  from nothing created everything just as He saw fit. The vast limits of the  galaxies were spoken into existence by the Almighty power of God.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Hebrews 11:3<\/strong> &#8211; 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were  prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things  which are visible. NASB<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>If then God is the creator, He is also the owner or  possessor of everything. It is therefore self evident that everything exists  FOR God. If things were created by Him, then they are also created for Him.  This the Bible affirms again and again.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>1 Cor 8:6<\/strong>-6 yet for us there is but <strong><span class=\"highlight\">one God, the Father, from  whom\u00a0 are all things, and we exist for  Him<\/span><\/strong>; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we  exist through Him. NAS<\/p>\n<p><strong>Col 1:16- <\/strong>16 For by Him all things  were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether  thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities \u2014\u00a0 <strong><span class=\"highlight\">all things have  been created by Him and for Him<\/span><\/strong>. NASB <br \/>\n    We exists for the purposes of God. God has <strong><em>&ldquo;sovereign  prerogative&rdquo;<\/em><\/strong> over everything that exists.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Romans 9:21<\/strong> &#8211; 21 Or does <strong><span class=\"highlight\">not the potter have a right over  the clay<\/span><\/strong>, to make from the same lump on vessel for honorable use,  and another for common use? NASB<br \/>\n    Since God created the universe out of nothing, it is His and  will always serve His purpose. As He shaped creation without any interference  from anyone, He will bring creation to its desired end. No power can frustrate  God in His purpose to complete the process started in creation and revealed in  Scripture.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>God, it is in Him  that we live and move and exist. &#8211; <\/strong>It is God who gives life and breathe and  everything else for all to richly enjoy. The entire creation is absolutely  dependent on God for its existence. Both calamity and well-being come from the  Lord. It is God who ultimately determines the events of the day. Nothing  happens unless He allows it. The Lord even feeds and clothes His enemies,  giving them day by day the opportunity to turn away from their sins in  repentance. No one lives unless God permits, and no one dies unless God  permits.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Exodus 4:11<\/strong> &#8211; 11 The LORD said to him, &quot;Who gave man his  mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? <strong><span class=\"highlight\">Is it not I, the LORD<\/span><\/strong>?NIV<strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Deut 32:39<\/strong> &#8211; 39&#8217;See now that I, I am He, And there is no god  besides Me; <strong><span class=\"highlight\">It is I who  put to death and give life. I have wounded, and it is I who heal<\/span><\/strong>;  And there is no one who can deliver from My hand. NAS<\/p>\n<p><strong>Isa 45:6-7<\/strong> &#8211; That there is no one besides Me. I am the LORD,  and there is no other,\u00a0 7 The One forming  light and creating darkness, <strong><span class=\"highlight\">Causing well-being and creating calamity<\/span><\/strong>; I am  the LORD who does all these. NAS<\/p>\n<p><strong>1 Sam 2:6-8<\/strong> &#8211; 6 &quot;The <strong><span class=\"highlight\">LORD kills and makes alive<\/span><\/strong>;  He brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7 &quot;The LORD makes poor and rich; He  brings low, He also exalts. 8 &quot;He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts  the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of  honor; For the pillars of the earth are the Lord&#8217;s, And He set the world on  them. NAS<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>All of the beings  in creation are therefore dependent upon God. He is the provider and sustainer  of life. <strong><em>God literally sustains everything in heaven and earth, this is  what we call Providence. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0He determines the weather and  the seasons, the rising and falling of nations and kings, indeed the entire  creation is under the rule of His sovereign hand.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Job  34:14-15<\/strong> &#8211; 14 If it were his  intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath, 15 all mankind would perish  together and <strong><span class=\"highlight\">man  would return to the dust<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 NIV<\/p>\n<p><strong>Job  37:5-12<\/strong> &#8211; 5 God&#8217;s voice thunders in  marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. 6 He says to the <strong><span class=\"highlight\">snow<\/span><\/strong>, &#8216;Fall on  the earth,&#8217; and to the <strong><span class=\"highlight\">rain shower<\/span><\/strong>, &#8216;Be a mighty downpour.&#8217; 7 So that  all men he has made may know his work, he stops every man from his labor.\u00a0 8 The animals take cover; they remain in  their dens. 9 The <strong><span class=\"highlight\">tempest<\/span><\/strong> comes out from its chamber, the <strong><span class=\"highlight\">cold from the  driving winds<\/span><\/strong>. 10 The breath of God produces <strong><span class=\"highlight\">ice<\/span><\/strong>, and the  broad waters become frozen. 11 He loads the <strong><span class=\"highlight\">clouds with moisture<\/span><\/strong>; he  scatters his <strong><span class=\"highlight\">lightning<\/span><\/strong> through them. 12 <strong><span class=\"highlight\">At his direction<\/span><\/strong> they swirl  around over the face of the whole earth to do <strong><span class=\"highlight\">whatever he commands<\/span><\/strong> them. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>God alone determines the length of our days(Job 14:5), the  measure of personal freedom that we possess and even the amount of wealth and  prosperity that we have is determined by God. <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>1 Chronicles 29:11-13<\/strong> &#8211; 11 Thine, O LORD, is the greatness and the power  and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the  heavens and the earth; Thine is the dominion, O LORD, and Thou dost exalt  Thyself as head over all. 12 Both riches and honor come from Thee, and Thou  dost rule over all, and in Thy hand is power and might; and it lies in Thy hand  to make great, and to strengthen everyone. NASB<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>We therefore live and move and have our being because of and  for God and His purposes!<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Romans 11:33-36<\/strong> &#8211; 33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom  and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His  ways! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?  35 Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? 36 <strong><span class=\"highlight\">For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things<\/span><\/strong>. To  Him be the glory forever. Amen. NASB<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>God \u2013 Spirit, Self Existent, Transcendent Psalms 139:1-6 LORD, Thou hast searched me and known me. 2 Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar. 3 Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, And art intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/god-spirit-self-existent-transcendent\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">God \u2013 Spirit, Self Existent, Transcendent<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-666","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/666","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=666"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/666\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/heavenslight.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}