Theology of Intimacy with God's Presence and Presence
Theology of Intimacy with God's Presence
The concept of intimacy with God's presence is rooted in biblical teachings that emphasize the believer's personal relationship with God. According to 1 John 4:13, believers know they dwell in God and He in them because He has given them His Spirit [2]. This mutual indwelling is a hallmark of Christian intimacy with God.
The biblical basis for this concept is multifaceted. In Psalms 95:2, believers are encouraged to "come before His presence with thanksgiving," indicating an active and personal approach to God [7]. The presence of God is not just a distant reality but an experiential aspect of faith. The Psalmist also notes that "the secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him" (Psalms 25:14), suggesting a deep, intimate knowledge reserved for those who reverence God [3].
The New Testament reinforces this idea, particularly in the context of the Trinity. The grace of Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost are intertwined, forming the basis of the believer's intimacy with God (2 Corinthians 13:14) [4]. The presence of God is not limited to a particular aspect of the Trinity but is experienced through the unity and cooperation of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The incarnation of Christ is pivotal in understanding intimacy with God's presence. In Colossians 2:9, it is written that "in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," emphasizing that Jesus Christ embodies the fullness of God's presence [6]. This understanding underscores the significance of Christ in facilitating a deep, personal relationship between God and believers.
The eschatological dimension of intimacy with God's presence is also noteworthy. In Revelation 21:11, the heavenly city is described as "having the glory of God," indicating a future state where believers will experience God's presence in an unmediated and glorious manner [5]. This future hope informs and shapes the present experience of intimacy with God, as believers anticipate a fuller revelation of God's glory.
The theological articulation of intimacy with God's presence is closely tied to the doctrine of the Trinity. The Athanasian Creed, referenced in the commentary on 2 Corinthians 13:14, highlights the coequality and coeternality of the Persons of the Trinity, underscoring the unity and diversity within the Godhead [4]. This trinitarian understanding provides a framework for comprehending the multifaceted nature of God's presence and the believer's intimacy with Him.
In the view of Baptist/Reformed tradition, as represented by John Gill's commentary, the believer's intimacy with God is facilitated by the Holy Spirit, who enables the exercise of faith and love towards God [2]. The Presbyterian tradition, as seen in Jamieson, Fausset & Brown's commentary, emphasizes the role of Christ and the unity of the Trinity in this intimacy [1, 4, 6].
The historical development of this doctrine is closely linked to the early Christian understanding of the Trinity and the nature of God's presence among His people. The concept has been refined through the centuries, with various theological traditions contributing to its articulation.
Sources
- 2 Thessalonians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Thessalonians 3:5: If "the Lord" be here the Holy Ghost (Co2 3:17), the three Persons of the Trinity will occur in this verse. love of God--love to God. patient waiting for Christ--rather as Greek, "the patience (endurance) of Christ," namely, which Christ showed [ALFORD] (Th2 2:4; Th1 1:3). ESTIUS, however, supports English Version (compare Rev 1:9; Rev 3:10). At all events, this grace, "patience," or persevering endurance, is connected with the "hope" (Th1 1:3, Th1 1:10) of Christ's coming. In ALFORD'S translation we may compare Heb 12:1-2, "Run with patien”
- 1 John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 John 4:13: Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us,.... That there is a communion between God and us, and a communication of his love and grace to us, and an exercise of grace upon him; for God dwells in his people by his Spirit and grace, and they dwell in him by the exercise of faith and love upon him: and this is known, because he hath given us of his Spirit: not of the essence and nature of the Spirit, which is the same with the nature of the Father and of the Son, and is incommunicable; but either of the gifts of the Spirit, which are divided to every man as he ”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 25:14: The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him,.... The secret of his purposes with them; as his purpose according to election; his resolution to redeem his chosen ones by his Son; his design to call them by his grace; his predestination of them to the adoption of children, and eternal life; which are the deep things of God the Spirit of God reveals; and all which are made manifest to them in effectual calling; and the secret of his providences is with them; some are made known to them that fear the Lord before they come to pass; as the destruction of Sodom and Go”
- 2 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Corinthians 13:14: The benediction which proves the doctrine of the Divine Trinity in unity. "The grace of Christ" comes first, for it is only by it we come to "the love of God" the Father (Joh 14:6). The variety in the order of Persons proves that "in this Trinity none is afore or after other" [Athanasian Creed]. communion--joint fellowship, or participation, in the same Holy Ghost, which joins in one catholic Church, His temple, both Jews and Gentiles. Whoever has "the fellowship of the Holy Ghost," has also "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ," and "the love”
- Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 21:11: Having the glory of God,.... Not only upon their souls, which will lie in the glorious robe of Christ's righteousness, the bride's wedding garment being on them, in the perfect holiness which will be in them, and in that complete knowledge of all spiritual and heavenly things they will be possessed of, they will have a glory revealed in them; but upon their bodies also, for this city, the church, the bride of Christ, will consist only of risen and changed saints, whose bodies will be freed from all dishonour; deformity, diseases, and imperfections, and will be ma”
- Colossians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Colossians 2:9: For--"Because." Their "philosophy" (Col 2:8) is not "after Christ," as all true philosophy is, everything which comes not from, and tends not to, Him, being a delusion; "For in Him (alone) dwelleth" as in a temple, &c. the fulness-- (Col 1:19; Joh 14:10). of the Godhead--The Greek (theotes) means the ESSENCE and NATURE of the Godhead, not merely the divine perfections and attributes of Divinity (Greek, "theiotes"). He, as man, was not merely God-like, but in the fullest sense, God. bodily--not merely as before His incarnation, but now "bodily ”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 95:2: Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,.... Come with the sacrifice of praise, there being no other in the days of the Messiah, all ceremonial sacrifices being put an end to when his sacrifice was offered up; so Arama observes, that the offering of thanksgiving shall remain, or be left in the days of the Messiah; come with this to Christ as a priest, to offer it by him to God his Father, to whom it is acceptable through him, and with this to himself for the great salvation he has wrought out: "to come before his presence", or "face" (b), supposes his being ”