The God whom Christians worship is both transcendent and intimate. He is transcendent and almighty because he is the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them – creatures great and small, the seas and the lands, and every wonder of this beautiful world.
Yet he is also deeply personal. He did not remain distant in some heavenly ivory tower while his creation groaned under the weight of sin and suffering.
Instead, he sent his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, into our world – a world broken both literally and spiritually. Jesus is Emmanuel, meaning “God with us.” He lived among us, and because he is fully God and fully man, he was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus is able to empathise with us in our pain and suffering because he himself endured the most unjust, cruel, and excruciating death on the cross in order to bear the punishment for our sins. Which other god would willingly do such a thing?
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Christ did not die for us because we showed potential to become good people, nor because we were at least trying our best. He died for us while we were STILL sinners. Scripture teaches that we cannot rescue ourselves from our sinful condition. We need a Saviour, and Christ came to save us.
Yet death did not have the final word. Christ was sinless and innocent; he did not die for his own sins, for he had none. He died for ours. Therefore, on the third day after his crucifixion, God vindicated Jesus by raising him from the dead.
After spending forty days with his disciples following his resurrection, Jesus ascended back to heaven and is now seated at the right hand of the Father, reigning with power and authority. But he did not abandon his followers. As he promised, he sent the Holy Spirit – his very Spirit – not merely to be with us, but to dwell within us.
Think about that for a moment: God’s Spirit lives in those who trust in Christ. How much more intimate can a relationship with God become?
When we place our faith in Jesus, we become part of his Body, with Christ as the head. Scripture says that we are “in Christ.” At the same time, the Spirit of Christ lives in us, so Christ is also “in us.” This is a profound mystery, but its emphasis is clear: through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, believers are brought into deep fellowship with the Triune God.
Perhaps it can be illustrated like a sponge immersed in water. The sponge is in the water, yet the water is also in the sponge. In a similar way, believers are in Christ, and Christ is in them through the Holy Spirit. That is how near God has chosen to be to his people.
Which other faith presents a God like this?
In Buddhism, ultimate reality is not centred on a personal Creator God. In Islam, Allah is strongly transcendent and sovereign, yet there remains a distance between God and humanity; God may guide and command, but he does not indwell his people. In Hinduism, the divine may be understood as permeating all things, and the distinction between the divine and the human can ultimately dissolve.
Christianity is different. In the Christian faith, God remains distinct from his creation – the Creator is not the creature. Yet this transcendent God also draws near in astonishing intimacy. Christ dwelt among us, and through the Holy Spirit, God now dwells within believers.
Many beautiful truths flow from this reality. Because the Spirit of Christ dwells within us, Christ is truly with us always, and we are continually in his presence.
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”
(Galatians 2:20)
If Christ lives in us, then we can grow in confidence that the Holy Spirit is guiding our lives and decisions. Christians often speak about seeking God’s will through prayer and fasting, and these practices remain important.
Yet as we grow in intimacy with God, continually walking and conversing with him, our desires and decisions can increasingly become aligned with his heart. Over time, obedience to God becomes not merely an external duty, but a transformed way of life shaped by the Spirit within us.
Likewise, if the Spirit dwells within us, then the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – should increasingly become evident in our lives.
It is no wonder that we become more and more like Christ!
And if the Spirit dwells within us, then the power of God is also at work in us. This is the very Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead.
By his Spirit, we are given strength to endure suffering, resist temptation, overcome sin, serve others faithfully, and proclaim the gospel boldly. Through the Spirit, God works in and through us to extend his kingdom on earth.
Jesus declared:
“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:38)
John explains that Jesus was speaking about the Holy Spirit. Those who come to Christ and believe in him receive the Spirit inwardly, and the Spirit then overflows outwardly through their lives – in love, worship, witness, service, and blessing to others.
Notice that Jesus speaks not merely of a stream, but of “rivers of living water.” The image is one of abundance, fullness, and life overflowing. May we allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us to touch the lives of those whom God places in our paths. And may our words and deeds point others to Christ, the true source of living water, so that they too may drink and receive the life that only he can give.
