What is divine hiddenness / the hiddenness of God?
Divine Hiddenness: A Theological and Philosophical Examination
The concept of divine hiddenness addresses the question of why God seems “hidden” or why His existence is not more readily apparent to every individual. Philosophers and theologians have engaged with this issue for centuries, attempting to reconcile the idea of a perfectly loving and omnipotent God with the reality that some individuals do not believe in Him, even while sincerely seeking Him.
This discussion encompasses both the philosophical argument against the existence of God based on divine hiddenness and the theological understanding of God’s self-revelation and human responsibility. Below, we will explore these ideas in greater detail, grounding the analysis in Baptist theology and the scriptural truths of the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible.
The Argument from Divine Hiddenness
The most prominent philosophical argument concerning divine hiddenness was formulated by J. L. Schellenberg. His argument can be summarized as follows:
A perfectly loving God would desire a relationship with all of His creatures.
A necessary prerequisite for such a relationship is belief in God’s existence.
If God exists, there should be no “nonresistant nonbelievers”—that is, individuals who sincerely seek a relationship with God but do not believe in Him.
However, such nonresistant nonbelievers do exist.
Therefore, a perfectly loving God does not exist.
At first glance, this argument seems persuasive. It appeals to God’s love and questions why some individuals feel they lack sufficient evidence to believe. However, a deeper examination of the theological and biblical context reveals flaws in the premises and their conclusions.
Biblical Response to the Argument
1. God’s Revelation Is Universal and Clear
The Bible declares that God has made Himself known to humanity through both general and special revelation.
General Revelation: God has revealed Himself through creation and nature. As Psalm 19:1 states, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.” Paul echoes this in Romans 1:19–20: “For what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 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.”
These passages demonstrate that God’s existence and attributes are evident in the world around us. Divine hiddenness, then, is not due to God’s failure to reveal Himself but to humanity’s failure to perceive or acknowledge Him.
Special Revelation: Beyond nature, God has revealed Himself through His Word and ultimately through His Son, Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1:1–2 declares, “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.”
2. The Problem Lies in Human Rebellion, Not God’s Love
The Bible teaches that humanity’s failure to recognize God stems from sin and rebellion. After the fall, humanity chose to suppress the truth about God.
Genesis 3:8 recounts how Adam and Eve hid from God after their disobedience, introducing the concept of separation between God and man.
Romans 1:21–23 explains, “Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools.”
God’s apparent hiddenness is a reflection of human willfulness to reject Him, not His unwillingness to reveal Himself.
3. God’s Promise to Seekers
The Bible affirms that God rewards those who sincerely seek Him. The issue is not that God is hidden but that many do not seek Him with genuine intent or open hearts.
Jeremiah 29:13: “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
Matthew 7:7–8: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
This promise highlights God’s faithfulness in revealing Himself to those who earnestly desire to know Him.
Theological Implications
1. Sensus Divinitatis
John Calvin’s concept of the sensus divinitatis suggests that all people have an innate sense of God’s existence. This aligns with Ecclesiastes 3:11, which says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.”
While sin can obscure this innate knowledge, it does not negate the fact that God has placed within every human a longing for the divine.
2. God’s Sovereign Will
God’s ways are not always understood by human logic. Isaiah 55:8–9 reminds us: “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.”
God’s purposes in revealing Himself are often tied to His sovereign will and timing. The Bible does not portray God as obligated to meet humanity’s standards of evidence.
3. The Role of the Gospel
Ultimately, the greatest revelation of God is through Jesus Christ and His redemptive work. John 1:14 declares, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Christ is the ultimate answer to divine hiddenness. Through His life, death, and resurrection, God has definitively revealed His love and desire for a relationship with humanity.
Conclusion
The argument from divine hiddenness fails to adequately consider the biblical teaching on God’s revelation, humanity’s sin, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. While it may seem at first glance to challenge the existence of a loving God, it ultimately falls short when examined in light of Scripture. God has made Himself known through creation, His Word, and His Son. Those who seek Him with genuine hearts will find Him, as He has promised.
In the final analysis, divine hiddenness is less about God’s failure to reveal Himself and more about humanity’s failure to respond to His revelation. The solution to the perceived hiddenness of God lies not in philosophical proofs but in the transformative power of the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit in illuminating the truth to the human heart (John 16:13).
