What does it mean that God is infinite?
What Does It Mean That God Is Infinite?
The infinite nature of God signifies that He is without limits and beyond the constraints of time, space, or any created dimension. When we refer to God as infinite, we mean that He is boundless in His attributes and unsearchable in His essence. This characteristic is foundational to a proper understanding of God's transcendence and His relationship with creation.
In Baptist theology, God's infinite nature highlights His perfections and the infinite excellence of His being, inspiring awe, worship, and trust. Let us explore the infinite nature of God through key aspects: His omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, and transcendence.
1. God's Infinite Knowledge (Omniscience)
Omniscience means that God is all-knowing; He possesses unlimited and perfect knowledge of all things—past, present, and future. God not only knows everything that exists and happens but also knows all potential outcomes and possibilities. His knowledge is exhaustive and encompasses the hidden thoughts and intents of every heart.
1 John 3:20 declares, “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things” (NKJV). This affirms that God’s knowledge is not limited to external actions but includes the innermost thoughts and motivations of humanity.
Psalm 139:1–4 says, “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether” (NKJV). God’s infinite knowledge is personal and intimate, demonstrating His care and attention to every detail of our lives.
God's omniscience also qualifies Him as the sovereign ruler and perfect judge. Nothing takes Him by surprise, and no sin or act of rebellion can be hidden from Him (Hebrews 4:13). This attribute inspires both comfort for believers and accountability for all humanity.
2. God's Infinite Power (Omnipotence)
Omnipotence refers to God's unlimited and all-encompassing power. He is capable of accomplishing anything consistent with His nature and will. God's omnipotence establishes His sovereignty over creation and guarantees that His purposes will never be thwarted.
Psalm 115:3 proclaims, “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases” (NKJV). This emphasizes that God’s power is supreme and unrestricted by any external force or circumstance.
Matthew 19:26 records Jesus’ words, “But Jesus looked at them and said to them, ‘With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible’” (NKJV). This passage highlights God’s ability to do what is humanly impossible, including the miracle of salvation.
Because God is omnipotent, His promises are certain, and His plans cannot fail. As Isaiah 46:10–11 declares, “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it” (NKJV).
3. God's Infinite Presence (Omnipresence)
Omnipresence means that God is fully present at every point of time and space. There is no place in the universe where God is not present, yet He is distinct from His creation. This attribute assures believers of God’s nearness and accessibility.
Psalm 139:7–10 states, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me” (NKJV). This passage beautifully illustrates that God's presence is inescapable and deeply personal.
Jeremiah 23:23–24 declares, “‘Am I a God near at hand,’ says the LORD, ‘And not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?’ says the LORD; ‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’ says the LORD” (NKJV).
God’s omnipresence is a source of both comfort and accountability. For believers, it assures us that God is always with us, offering guidance, protection, and fellowship. For those in rebellion, it is a reminder that they cannot escape His judgment.
4. God's Infinite Transcendence
God’s infinite nature also highlights His transcendence, meaning that He exists far above and beyond all creation. He is entirely independent of and greater than the universe He has made. Unlike finite beings, God is eternal, self-existent, and unchangeable.
Isaiah 55:8–9 declares, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (NKJV). This reminds us that God’s transcendence surpasses human understanding.
Psalm 90:2 states, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (NKJV). This speaks of God’s eternal existence and independence from time and space.
Despite His transcendence, God has chosen to reveal Himself to us through general revelation (creation and conscience) and special revelation (Scripture and Jesus Christ). This self-revelation bridges the gap between the infinite Creator and finite humanity, enabling us to know Him and live in fellowship with Him.
Practical Implications of God's Infinity
Worship: The infinite nature of God calls for reverence, awe, and adoration. His greatness inspires heartfelt worship, as expressed in Revelation 4:11: “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created” (NKJV).
Trust: God’s infinite attributes provide a firm foundation for trust. His omniscience assures us that He knows our needs, His omnipotence guarantees His ability to provide, and His omnipresence confirms that He is always with us.
Humility: Recognizing God’s infinite greatness should humble us. As finite beings, we are utterly dependent on the infinite God for life, salvation, and purpose.
Mission: God’s infinite presence and power remind us that His purposes will prevail. This truth encourages believers to participate confidently in the Great Commission, knowing that God’s Spirit empowers our efforts (Matthew 28:18–20).
Conclusion
God’s infinite nature sets Him apart as the eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever-present Creator and Sustainer of all things. His transcendence highlights His majesty, while His immanence assures us of His personal care and involvement in our lives. Though we are finite, we can know the infinite God as He has revealed Himself through Scripture and Jesus Christ. In light of His infinite greatness, we are called to worship Him, trust Him, and live in humble obedience to His will. As Romans 11:33–36 proclaims, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him? For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen” (NKJV).
God’s Infinity and His Self-Existence (Aseity)
God’s infinite nature ties directly to His self-existence, or aseity, meaning He is the uncaused Cause and exists independently of anything else. Unlike created beings, who rely on external factors for existence, God is entirely self-sufficient.
Exodus 3:14 records God declaring, “I AM WHO I AM.” This statement reveals God as eternally existent and self-sustaining.
John 5:26 states, “For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself” (NKJV). This further affirms God’s aseity.
God’s self-existence assures us that He is not contingent upon creation. Everything else derives its existence from Him, highlighting His ultimate authority and independence.
God’s Infinite Creativity
The infinite nature of God is displayed in the diversity, complexity, and beauty of creation. The natural world reveals His boundless creativity, from the intricate design of the human body to the vastness of the cosmos. Creation reflects not only His power but also His infinite wisdom and artistry.
Psalm 19:1 declares, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (NKJV).
Romans 1:20 adds, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (NKJV).
God’s infinite creativity calls believers to reflect His nature in their own creative endeavors, whether through art, music, literature, or innovation, as acts of worship.
God’s Infinity and Time
God’s infinitude means He transcends time. He is eternal, existing outside of time’s constraints. While humans experience life moment by moment, God exists simultaneously in the past, present, and future. This truth not only highlights His sovereignty but also provides profound assurance that God’s plans are always perfectly timed.
2 Peter 3:8 states, “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (NKJV).
Isaiah 46:9–10 proclaims, “Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure’” (NKJV).
This transcendent view of time encourages believers to trust God’s timing, even when circumstances seem uncertain or delayed from a human perspective.
God’s Infinite Patience
God’s infinitude also manifests in His patience. His long-suffering is rooted in His eternal nature, allowing Him to delay judgment and offer opportunities for repentance.
2 Peter 3:9 explains, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (NKJV).
Exodus 34:6 describes God as “merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth” (NKJV).
This infinite patience should inspire humility and gratitude among believers, while also motivating them to share the gospel with urgency, knowing that God’s patience will not last indefinitely.
God’s Infinity and His Unsearchable Wisdom
God’s infinite wisdom means that His decisions and purposes are beyond full human comprehension. Even when life’s circumstances seem inexplicable, we can trust that His infinite perspective encompasses all possibilities and outcomes.
Romans 11:33 marvels, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (NKJV).
Proverbs 3:5–6 instructs, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (NKJV).
God’s unsearchable wisdom challenges us to respond with faith, recognizing that His infinite understanding ensures the ultimate good of His plans.
God’s Infinity and His Love
God’s infinite nature is most profoundly expressed in His love. Unlike human love, which is often conditional and limited, God’s love is boundless, unchanging, and sacrificial.
Ephesians 3:18–19 encourages believers to grasp “what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (NKJV).
Romans 8:38–39 assures us, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (NKJV).
This infinite love is supremely displayed in the cross of Christ, where the infinite God took on finite human form to redeem His people. His love is both personal and universal, encompassing every believer throughout history.
Practical Applications of God’s Infinite Nature
Strengthened Faith: Knowing God’s infinite attributes deepens our trust in Him, even when facing life’s uncertainties.
Humble Worship: God’s infinite greatness calls for reverence, adoration, and gratitude. Worship becomes a response to His unsearchable nature.
Missional Living: Recognizing God’s eternal purposes motivates us to participate actively in His mission to make His name known among the nations.
Comfort in Trials: God’s omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence provide peace in difficult circumstances, knowing He is fully aware, fully able, and always with us.
Conclusion
God’s infinite nature encompasses His limitless power, knowledge, presence, and love. His transcendence sets Him far above creation, yet His immanence assures us of His nearness and care. While God’s infinity is beyond full human comprehension, He has revealed Himself sufficiently through Scripture and Jesus Christ, inviting us to know Him and trust Him. The infinite God is worthy of our worship, obedience, and trust as we marvel at His eternal greatness and boundless grace. As Psalm 145:3 proclaims, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable” (NKJV).
