God Is Always Infinitely Greater Than You Can Ever Imagine

How do we go about "God talk"?

How does a finite human being talk about an Infinite God?

Imagine the following scenario: A neurosurgeon has finally come home after a long day of surgeries. He is met by his three elementary age children who start asking him questions about work. "What did you do today dad?" The dad tells them that he performed some surgeries. While playing with some Lego, the youngest replies, "What kind of surgery did you do? What happened?"

Here is the question: How does this dad neurosurgeon explain to his children surgeries such as craniotomy, spinal fusion, or stereotactic radiology? (Before you think I'm smart, I just had to Google for myself what types of surgeries neurosurgeons did.) After all, his kids are only in elementary school. Here is what he does: He speaks the truth but in such a way that they can grasp. This dad will say many true things but in ways that they can understand and ask further questions about. If he were to explain these surgeries to another neurosurgeon then he would be more explicit because he assumes that this other surgeon has similar knowledge to himself.

How does an Infinite God reveal Himself to finite humanity?

This previous example is a picture of how an Infinite God makes Himself known to finite humans. God reveals Himself to us like the neurosurgeon dad to his young children. He speaks nothing but the truth yet in such ways that we can grasp. Some have called this a type of "baby talk". John Calvin once said, "God, in so speaking, lisps with us as nurses are wont to do with little children”. 

Why does this matter? If you're reading this today, how does knowing this change your tomorrow? Franciscus Junius (1545-1602) said that true theology "is either archetypal, undoubtedly the wisdom of God Himself, or it is ectypal, having been fashioned by God." What this means is that within what Junius calls "true theology" are two types: 1) Archetypal (which is the knowledge that God has of Himself--He alone possesses this), and 2) Ectypal (which is how God has revealed Himself to finite creatures).

What is crucial to understand is these two types of "true theology" are both true. God cannot lie. Yet, we don't have the same capacity to understand God as God understands Himself. What God does is reveal Himself to us in ways that are always true (and still mind-blowing!) yet in ways where He is still infinitely greater than we can ever imagine.

Think about what I just said there. God is always infinitely greater than we can ever imagine. Take His love as an example. The greatest experience you've ever had of God's love, the greatest knowledge you've ever come to of His love, the greatest communication that anyone has ever had to tell others of God's love for us in Christ--while this is true it pales in comparison to how great His love for us really is. His love is like an ocean with no bottom nor shore. There is far more to it than we will ever understand.

How does this truth change your tomorrow?

Here is how this changes your life: First, this ought to remind us that no one compares with God. Second, this is a heavy anchor for assurance. If I can see great evidence of God's grace for me in Scripture and Providence then I must also remember that His grace is even greater than I can ever comprehend. Third, the reward of Heaven is simply stunning. Can you imagine Heaven ever becoming boring with this God? Fourth, is the gospel of grace not far greater than we give it credit for? If Jesus--this Infinite God in our finite flesh--is your substitute then how great is your salvation?

We ought to think much bigger about God and His gospel!