When we say that God is infinite, we are affirming that He possesses every perfection in an unlimited, unbounded, and eternal degree. God’s infinitude encompasses all of His attributes. There is no limit to His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, love, grace, mercy, and truth. The infinite nature of God is something that is crucial for us to understand because it impacts how we relate to Him and worship Him.
God’s Eternal Nature
One aspect of God’s infinitude is His eternality. God has no beginning and no end (Psalm 90:2). He exists outside the confines of time; in fact, He created time and space. Though we as finite creatures find this difficult to fully comprehend, God’s eternality means He transcends time. He can gaze across all of history – past, present, and future – in a single, timeless moment. The fact that God is eternal brings us comfort. We worship and serve a God who remains the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
God’s Immensity
Not only is God infinite with respect to time, but also with respect to space and location. God’s infinitude encompasses His omnipresence or immanence; He is fully present everywhere at once (Jeremiah 23:23-24). While God’s omnipresence speaks to His nearness to creation, God’s transcendence implies He is distinct from and independent of His creation. So God is infinitely above His creation even while He is intimately present within it.
No Limits
When we talk about God’s infinitude, we are also affirming that there are zero limits on Him. God is unlimited in regard to His divine attributes. For example, His power knows no bounds (Jeremiah 32:17). His understanding is unlimited (Psalm 147:5). His wisdom is immeasurable (Romans 11:33-34). God’s love transcends knowledge (Ephesians 3:19). Because God is infinite, His attributes are exercised to perfection at all times. There is no lack or deficiency in Him whatsoever.
Infinite Creator
God’s infinitude is closely linked to His role as the Creator. God created the entire universe out of nothing simply by speaking it into existence (Genesis 1:1). This demonstrates His infinite power. As an infinite Being, God is categorically distinct from and greater than everything He has made. He is the uncreated Creator of all things. God did not have to create anything, yet He chose to create the universe, reflect His glory, and share His love.
Only One God
An important implication of God’s infinitude is that there can only be one God. If there were two or more infinite beings, then by definition neither would be truly infinite. For example, if a second infinite being existed, then the first being would be limited by the existence of the second. But Scripture clearly teaches there is only one true God (Isaiah 45:5). The fact that God is infinite means no rivals can exist on par with Him. He has no equal and no competition.
Incomprehensible to Us
While we can understand the concept of God’s infinitude, our minds are unable to fully grasp the reality of it. We are finite creatures – limited in our perspective and comprehension. The infinite, eternal God is wholly other, surpassing what our minds can imagine. Like a toddler cannot fathom advanced calculus, so too we cannot wrap our heads around the fullness of God’s unlimited perfection. We can apprehend truths about God’s infinitude as He has revealed them to us, yet we must humbly acknowledge our own finitude.
Awe, Worship, and Humility
As we ponder the infinitude of God, the appropriate response is one of awe, worship, and humility. We stand amazed at a Being whose perfection, power, and understanding exceed all limits. We exalt our glorious and incomparable God, giving Him the worship and adoration He deserves. And we bow in humility before the infinite Creator, recognizing our smallness and dependence on Him for life and breath.
Impact on Our Lives
Meditating on God’s infinitude impacts how we live our daily lives. For one, it gives us strength and perspective when we face trials and challenges. The infinite God is greater than any problem, so we can trust Him to be faithful. It also inspires worship, humility, and obedience as we recognize God’s unmatched greatness. We follow joyfully after an infinite Being whose ways surpass our own. And it provides comfort – we serve a God whose supply of grace never runs out and who cares infinitely for His children.
The Ultimate Source
God’s infinitude means He is the ultimate source of all good things. Every positive quality and blessing originate from Him. There is no end to the joy, peace, wisdom, life, and power that flow from the infinite God. As we walk closely with God daily, we can tap into His limitless resources and receive grace upon grace (John 1:16). There is always more to experience of Him.
Emphasizes His Divinity
The fact that Scripture emphasizes God’s infinitude underscores His divinity. Only a divine Being could possess every perfection in an unlimited manner. God’s infinitude separates Him from humans, who are decidedly finite, limited creatures. We could never attain any of the qualities of God in an infinite way. His unique attribute of infinitude marks Him as the one true God worthy of our worship.
His Eternal Kingdom
As an infinite Being, God rules over an eternal kingdom that will know no end (Psalm 145:13). While earthly kingdoms come and go, God’s reign is limitless. His dominion extends across all time and creation. And because God is perfectly loving and just, His infinite rule is something we can look forward to with joyful anticipation. We will delight eternally in God’s glorious, unbounded kingdom.
The Infinite Became Finite
One of the most amazing truths is that Jesus Christ, as the eternal Son of God, is infinite, yet He willingly took on flesh and became finite (Philippians 2:6-7). Christ voluntarily gave up the full exercise of His divine attributes for a time in order to become the God-man and achieve our salvation. The infinite became finite and limited. Jesus was fully God yet chose to empty Himself and experience humanity with all its weaknesses and limitations. This humbling of Himself for us on the cross magnifies God’s grace and love.
An Infinite Savior
Though Christ set aside the continuous use of His divine attributes in the incarnation, He did not cease to be fully God. Jesus retained His divine nature and thus possessed every quality of God to an infinite degree – including power, love, and wisdom. This ensured the efficacy of His atoning work on our behalf. We have an infinite Savior who fully absorbs all the holy wrath of God toward sin. Only a Savior of infinite value could pay for the sins of the world.
He Rose with All Glory
After dying on the cross, Jesus rose from the grave in a glorified, resurrected body and resumed fully exercising His divine attributes (John 20:19-20). His victory over death affirmed His infinite nature as the Son of God. During His earthly life, He voluntarily restrained His divine powers. But in the resurrection, Christ was glorified with the unhindered exercise of all His divine attributes. He rose with infinite glory as the conquering Son of God.
Our Infinite Hope
Christ’s resurrection demonstrates the infinite hope we have in Him. Death is conquered, and we too will one day be raised with glorified bodies to enjoy eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). The infinite God who transcends time comforts us with the hope of timeless life in His presence. Every brokenness will be healed, and His people will experience the fullness of joy which Christ secured for us. This unbounded joy flows from the infinite hope we have in the risen Christ.
Qualitative Infinity
When considering God’s infinitude, it is crucial we distinguish between quantitative and qualitative infinity. Quantitative infinity deals with endlessness – having no amount of something. Qualitative infinitude relates to possessing all possible excellences of something. God’s infinitude is primarily qualitative. For example, God does not love in an infinite quantitative sense (because that would require an infinite number of objects to love), but rather qualitative sense – He loves each of His people infinitely.
Infinite in Holiness
One of the most foundational aspects of God’s infinitude is that He is infinite in holiness (Revelation 4:8). God’s holiness means He is morally pure, set apart, and distinct from all creation. There is not even a hint of evil or darkness in Him. And God is infinitely holy – His moral perfection has no bounds and is unable to be quantified. It impacts everything God says, does, and commands. We can have unshakable confidence in God because He is unlimited in moral excellence.
Human Finitude
Juxtaposed against God’s infinitude is human finitude. As created beings, we have very real limitations. Our knowledge is finite. Our wisdom is finite. Our perspective is finite. Even morally, our holiness before God is gravely finite and limited. Recognizing the gaping chasm between God’s infinitude and our finitude creates humility and reliance on God. We desperately need the grace of our infinite Creator.
Finite Creatures
Every human being throughout history stands as a finite creature before the infinite Creator. Just as a painting differs from the painter, we differ from our Maker. We are finite in our bodies, minds, and capacities. No person can remotely approach the infinitude of God on their own merits. Our finitude should engender within us a profound sense of humility before God.
Dependent Beings
Our finitude means we are dependent beings. While God is self-existent, eternal, and self-sufficient, we rely fully on Him for everything. We depend on God for each breath, each heartbeat, and even our cognitive faculties. There is nothing we have that did not originate with the Creator. Recognizing our finitude deepens our trust and reliance on the infinite God who cares for us.
Glorifying God
The more we grasp how fundamentally finite we are compared to the infinite God, the more we are led to glorify and enjoy Him. Our purpose is to glorify the infinite triune God who alone is worthy of all glory and praise. As finite, dependent creatures, this should be our aim. His infinitude magnifies the greatness of divine grace shown toward us in Christ. Our hope is found in the infinite love of an infinite Savior.
Longing for Heaven
As long as we are in this finite world, our knowledge and experience of the infinite God is limited. But one day, when we are home with the Lord, we will begin to understand just how awesome and incomparable our infinite God is. Experiencing life in God’s manifested presence will expand our finite minds. As redeemed people, the infinitude of heaven is our joyful hope and future. We will spend eternity growing in the knowledge of our infinite Triune God.
