Are you inspired to know God? (God is Infinite - Pt 4).
Do you like music? I don’t know about you, but every so often I discover a new piece of music that compels me to listen. For about three days after I discover it, I cannot stop listening to it, and even when I’m not listening to it, it plays on an uncontrollable repeat in my head! It’s especially good when you discover a new musician, because the rest of their music often proves to be of similar quality. Nevertheless, as I continue listening to the music, it’s always an experience of diminishing returns. By about the fourth day, it doesn’t effect me in the same way that it did at first. That’s not to say that it’s no longer enjoyable, and it can be especially enjoyable to re-discover a piece that you haven’t listened to for some time. Inevitably, however, one needs more music. It’s as though the only thing that will satisfy me and develop my taste for (and in) music is a constant stream of new music.
I believe that in this sense music, as a gift from God, actually gives us a tiny glimpse into knowing God. Just as there needs to be a constant stream of music into the ears of music lovers, so too there must be an increasing vision of God before the soul. In Ecclesiastes 3:11, the prophet says that God has “put eternity into man’s heart.” This eternal whole in our hearts requires an infinite and eternal satisfaction, and that satisfaction is assured to us in the infinite incomprehensibility of God. There will never come a point at which God’s glory is fully comprehended by us. There will always be an infinite horizon of his excellence that lies beyond our grasp. To use the imagery of music, there will be a never-ending and fresh supply of music in God’s being to fill the heart.
When we start to see this, we see also that knowing God is the greatest call that we could ever receive. In Jeremiah 9:23, this is why the prophet says: “Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the
rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” Indeed, this is eternal life itself, that we should know him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he sent (John 17:3).
So it is that when this call is considered in light of God’s infinitude and incomprehensibility, it broadens out into a wider, deeper, and more glorious calling than we could possibly imagine. It is, in fact, a calling that is infinitely glorious, infinitely beautiful, and infinitely awe-inspiring. It will occupy us eternally, and never grow dull. To the contrary, as new vistas of his glory unfold before us, our heart will be all the more enraptured in the wonder of who he is. “We must regularly remind ourselves when we study the doctrine of God that we cannot know God exhaustively” (Beeke & Smalley, Reformed Systematic Theology Vol 1., p.642). This reminder, when rightly understood, will not depress us, but rather will awe us and fill us with wonder at the magnitude and glory of God’s gift of eternal life.
There is thus an inevitable theme of worship in this calling. In Psalm 145:3, the psalmist speaks of the greatness of the LORD, and the corresponding greatness of the praise which he deserves from his creatures. His greatness, David says, is “unsearchable.” It is at this point that incomprehensibility and doxology meet and kiss, and so we’re moved to declare with David: “My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.” Because there is and will always be an infinite degree to which he is unknown to us, there will be an infinitely fresh vision and experience of his majesty, glory, and beauty to know and behold.
How could we fail to be inspired by such a glorious calling as knowing God? It is one that will never end, but will always expand in glory and wonder! How could knowing this fail to move us toward the eternal pursuit of knowing, glorifying, and enjoying God forever? How could it fail to begin that journey even in this life? Which is part of our lot! The doctrine of God’s incomprehensibility is precious, for in it a foundation stone for our eternal joy in Christ. Without it, the joy that is ours in Christ would not be eternal, it would come to an end. There is an eternal hunger in our hearts (Ecc 3:11), and beginning now and continuing in the New Heavens and the New Earth, God will fill this hunger and ravish us with all fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore at his right hand (Ps 16:11). Are you inspired yet? SDG.
Here is a catechetical summary of what we’ve been learning in this series of articles so far:
Q. What does it mean to say that God is Infinite?
A. To say that God is infinite means that he is limitless, incomprehensible, perfect, unchangeable, and incomparable in all his being, attributes, and works.
Q. What does it mean to say that God is incomprehensible?
A. To say that God is incomprehensible means that there will always be an infinite degree to which he remains unknown to us.
Q. How ought we to benefit from the doctrine of God’s incomprehensibility?
A. The doctrine of God’s incomprehensibility ought to fill us with awe and wonder, humble us at his immensity, inspire us to know him, and restrict us to what he has revealed.
Q. How is it that God’s incomprehensibility should inspire us to know him?
A. By showing us that the joy of knowing him will never end, but will ever increase in the fullness of everlasting bliss that is ours in Christ Jesus.