Self-existence and Immensity of God
by Chester A. McCalley

God is Self-existent

Definition

God is in no way dependent on anything outside Himself for His existence.

Explanation

Who made God? No one. On whom does God depend? No one. God is uncaused; He is independent. God needs no one in order to exist; He is totally sufficient by Himself. There is no counterpart to this truth outside of God Himself; therefore, we cannot illustrate self-existence. We can, however, illustrate dependence. Try living without eating, existing without breathing and it becomes immediately obvious that as men and women we are all "plugged in" to things outside ourselves and cannot live without an external support system.

Isaiah 40:13-14 teaches the independence and self-existence of God by asking rhetorical questions. "Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge, and informed Him of the way of understanding?" The answer to each question is no one and God is the self-sufficient one.

Exodus 3:13-15 is a key passage on the self-existence of God. The words "I AM WHO I AM" are derived from the Hebrew verb hayah, which means to be. It means God is unlike any other; He is separate from and above all other beings; He is independent.

Some theologians use the word aseity to describe God's self-existence. The word is from the Latin ab (from) and the reflexive pronoun oneself. God's existence is drawn from Himself alone.

Application

¥ Since God is independent, He is under no obligation to us unless He chooses to initiate that obligation. Since He has so chosen, we should respond with adoration and praise and thanksgiving.

¥ Since God is independent, what He does for us is by His own choice. Man can never put God under obligation unless He chooses to so commit Himself. This is foundational to justification by faith through grace. Man can never make God His debtor. A "works" system of salvation attempts to do just this and is therefore rooted in irreverence for the character of God.

God Is Immense

Definition

God is not limited by space.

Explanation

The statement of the Lord Himself concerning His immensity is found in Jeremiah 23:24, " 'Can a man hide himself in hiding places, so I do not see him?' declares the Lord. 'Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?' declares the Lord." These words of David in Psalm 139:7-12 are a classic statement of the immensity of God. "Where can I go from Thy Spirit? Or where can I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend to heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, Thou art there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Thy hand will lead me, and Thy right hand will lay hold of me. If I say, 'Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night,' even the darkness is not dark to Thee, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to Thee."

Application

¥We cannot go where God is not!