“THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE OF DIVINE IMMANENCE.”
“The Divine Immanence” is a phrase which theologians, evolutionists, semi-Buddhists, and other imitators delight nowadays to conjure with. The thought generally meant to be conveyed is that God dwells permanently within every one. The doctrine has its substratum of truth; it has its dangerous side of error. While it is true that in God all live and move and have their being, by virtue of the life which comes from Him, the Source of life, yet it is also true that God’s life perverted by sin is His life no longer, nor does He own it as such. It is man’s “vain life.” The Divine Immanence is true in its absolute sense only when the will of the individual is in harmony with God. Then God’s life flows into his being as the life of God, bringing forth the fruits of righteousness and life. But if that life is perverted by a sinful heart, it brings forth death. A writer in a recent number of the Independent tells us “that this doctrine of immanence in no way affects the contents and values of things. It simply affirms that all finite things, whatever they are, have no self-sufficient being, but depend on God for their existence. The immanence does not mean that things are in God in a spatial sense, or that God is in things in a spatial sense; it means only the constant dependence of things on God. But this dependence does not make all things alike or of equal value. Worms and men alike have their being in God, but they are not made of equal value thereby. Even the evil will is not independent of God, but that does not make it divine. The immanence in question is a metaphysical doctrine, and throws no light on the problem of ethical relations and values. Unless we bear this point in mind, we shall proceed to identify clams and saints as alike and equally divine. Indeed, one speculator . . . has announced that he has no difficulty with the doctrine of a divine man, as he believes in a divine oyster.” It is true that all have their being in God, and that all are dependent on Him for existence; but it is not true that this throws “no light on the problem of ethical relations.” It seems to us that here is the whole practical value of the doctrine. While all are dependent upon God for existence, why do not all things continue to exist in this world? The clam dies; men die. It is evident, then, that the Divine is no longer immanent, or death would not ensue. How may continued existence, individual existence, be prolonged indefinitely?—By a continuation of the Divine Immanence. But this involves “ethical relations,” which summed are simply faith in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Here is the Biblical expression of the Christian (true) doctrine of Divine Immanence: “I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live; and yet no longer I, but Christ liveth in me; and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself up for me.” Gal. 2:20. “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” Eph. 3:17. “God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery, . . . which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Col. 1:27. “He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life.” I John 5:12. Faith is yielding to God’s law in Jesus Christ; and God’s life flows in the channels of His living law.