(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

MORAL AND SPIRITUAL VALUE IN THE CONCEPTION OF THE DIVINE IMMANENCE.

SPECIAL TEXT: "Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord" (Jeremiah xxiii:23, 24.)

DISCUSSION.

1. Possible Attributes of the Immanent Spirit: So far I have refrained from ascribing any attributes, quality, or characteristic to the Immanent God not directly warranted by the phraseology of the modern revelations which teach the doctrine of immanence; creative and sustaining power; vital force, and intelligence-inspiring power.^[A] Yet if the Immanent God is the spirit proceeding from the presence of Divine Beings, to fill the immensity of space, and called for us men "the Light of Christ," it may well be regarded as true that the Spirit carries with it the whole nature of God, and in some way, reflects all characteristics and attributes of Deity, the moral attributes of wisdom, holiness, truth, justice, love, and mercy as well as the four powers before noted.

[Footnote A: See the revelations quoted in preceding lesson.]

2. The Mission of the Christ: Manifestation of the Immanent Spirit: It was part of the mission of the Christ to manifest this Immanent God, as well as God the Father. He came to reveal the whole of the divine nature. He was God manifested in the flesh;^[A] in him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;^[B] it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell;^[C] he was the brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of his person.^[D] But he was also the manifestation of, "the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."^[E] Light of Christ, the God Immanent; the invisible made visible; the "Unknown God" of the Greeks made known in Jesus Christ through the preaching of Paul unto them; for whom they ignorantly worshiped declared he unto them by preaching Christ; saying that God whom he preached was not afar off—"not far from every one of us: for in him we live, and move, and have our being,"^[F] making direct reference to that Spirit which fills the immensity of space, the "Unknown God" of the Greeks—the God Immanent, now manifested by the Christ whom Paul was preaching—from whose presence David could not flee; and to whom the darkness was the same as the light—to whom the night shineth as the day.^[G]

[Footnote A: Tim iii:16 and marginal rendering of "manifest" in Oxford Bible.]

[Footnote B: Col. ii:9.]

[Footnote C: Col. i:19.]

[Footnote D: Heb. i:3.]

[Footnote E: St. John i:9.]

[Footnote F: Acts xvii:22-28.]

[Footnote G: Psalms cxxxix.]

3. Moral Effect of the Conception of Immanence, Negatively Expressed: The conception of God as Immanent in the world is of utmost importance both as a religious and a philosophical truth. Its effect upon the mind as establishing a sense of nearness of God is most salutary in its moral effects, and uplifting in its spiritual power. To sense that one lives in the presence of the Divine Consciousness—that known unto God are all his thoughts and all his doings; to dwell with One from whom the darkness and the light are both alike; from whom there is no fleeing; for if one ascend into heaven, lo, He is there; if one make his bed in hell, behold, He is there; if one would take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth or of the sea—there also is this Immanent Spirit.^[A] To live thus in a consciousness of the Divine Presence and Power, makes for righteousness of life. For where may sin and wickedness hide themselves? There is no refuge for them—no escape. If one shall say—"surely the darkness shall cover me," even the night shall be light about him.^[B] Iniquity may not hide itself, and as sin loves not the light, negatively the moral force of consciously living in the presence of God is very great.

[Footnote A: Psalms cxxxix.]

[Footnote B: Ibid.]

4. Moral Effect of the Doctrine of Immanence, Affirmatively Expressed: Affirmatively expressed, the conception and the result of it are even greater, both morally and spiritually. To live consciously in the presence of God must be a source of annoyance and vexation to evil disposed men; and even to men inclined to virtue, an embarrassment, at times, when they recall their many failures to live in harmony with their ideals.^[A] But, on the other hand, for these of the latter class, when they realize that the Divine Presence is sympathetic; that He knows, not only "what's done," but also "what's resisted;" that He knows of the struggle for the attainment of virtue—the hungering and the thirsting after righteousness; that He knows the strength of the temptation, and the weakness of the tempted; that He knows the heart, "each chord, its various tone; each spring, its various bias;" and He will judge, not after the sight of the eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of the ears, but with righteousness shall He judge, and reprove with equity;^[B] judging, "not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."^[C] Men can be assured of a correct registration and truthful report of their deeds, and a judgment upon them neither partial nor prejudiced; which, while it may cause the wicked to tremble, to men conscious of the uprightness of their intentions, and of honest effort in right directions, as God gives them vision to see the right—what encouragement to earnest striving this conception of living in the very presence of God must bring! What calmness it must bring in the midst of conflict! what peace! what assurance of triumph notwithstanding failures, and losses, and the sad exhibitions of human weakness—the outgrowth of a fallen human nature!

[Footnote A: Professor Joseph Le Conte, Professor of Geology and Natural History in the University of California, answering a supposed objection that one might not live and work effectively in the presence of the Immanent Deity, said: "It may alas! be true that this view [Immanence of God in the world] brings us too near Him in our sense of spiritual nakedness and short-coming. It may, indeed, be that we can not live and work in the continual realized presence of the Infinite. It may, indeed, be that we must still wear the evil of a practical materialism on our hearts and minds. It may, indeed, be that in our practical life and scientific work we must still continue to think of natural forces as efficient agents. But, if so, let us at least remember that this attitude of mind must be regarded only as our ordinary work-clothes—necessary work-clothes it may be of our outer lower life—to be put aside when we return home to our inner higher life, religious and philosophical. (Evolution in Its Relation to Religious Thought"—1902—pp. 302-3.)]

[Footnote B: Isaiah xi:3, 4.]

[Footnote C: St. John vii:24.]

5. The Helpfulness that Comes from the Sense of the Nearness of God—His Immanence: Moreover, if the view point of this treatise be the true one, and all the attributes of the Divine nature are carried over into the Divine Spirit that proceeds forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—being the God Immanent—then one may be assured that living at all times and in all places in the presence of the Immanent Spirit, he resides in the atmosphere, at least, of the wisdom, the love, and the mercy of God; which can but add to his comfort, to his assurance, to his strength. Such an one with David can say—

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."^[A]

[Footnote A: Psalms, cxl:23, 24.]

And else he may say—

"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou are near me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort mc."^[A]

[Footnote A: Psalm, xxiii:24.]

Under this sense of nearness, which springs from the doctrine of Immanence, one may again say with David:

"Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

"To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

"Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield."^[A]

[Footnote A: Psalms xxxiii:18-20.]

And yet again:

"The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all."^[A]

[Footnote A: Psalms xxxiv:18, 19.]

Also:

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

"Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

"Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.

"There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most high.

"God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

"The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved; he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

"The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge."^[A]

[Footnote A: Psalms xlvi:1-7.]

All which loving trust comes from that blessed sense of nearness of God born of the great doctrine of Immanence—God resident in the world, here and now—a dynamic power in the world—that makes for righteousness, and of which the Christ was and is the manifestation, the Revealer; and the Immanent Spirit is "the Light of Christ."