The Transcending One

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. - From Romans Ch. 11

Lately, I've been amazed at how God transcends mankind. Our attempts to pin him down are futile.

I do not mean to deny that we can have a relationship with God. Just the opposite - I believe that we can, but I think that a necessary first step to having a real relationship with him is to realize how unique he is. It's similar to how I have to understand that my wife is different from me in order for me to enjoy a relationship with her.

In particular, one must realize that it is impossible to judge God. Under what standard would you judge him? Would you rely on your experience as an expert on how gods are required to behave? Impossible. We don't even have an analogy that comes close.

The best we've got is the concept of ownership - generally, a property owner has the right to do what he wants with his property, provided that he doesn't violate the law that he is subject to. But who ever heard of a man owning the entire universe, including the very concepts of law, justice, and goodness? Similarly, we might consider how parents generally have the right to control their kids as long as they don't do anything that most decent parents wouldn't do. But how do you determine how a decent creator should control his creation?

I always have to laugh a little when I hear someone try to limit God with an absurd hypothesis like, "If God exists, he should..." The moment you assume that there is a God, even if only for the sake of argument, you have to realize that nothing can logically follow the word "should" because it is coming from your mouth. Last time I checked, you and I were not qualified to explain what an omnicompetent being should be doing.

It doesn't sound like a fair debate, does it? Well, it isn't. Not if we assume that there is a God. But by God's grace, we can know him and enjoy his company.