Divine Paradoxes: Resolving Seeming Contradictions in Christian Theology
Category 2: Divine Attributes vs. Human Limitations
1. Introduction
One of the profound paradoxes of Scripture is that God hides Himself to make Himself known. Passages such as Isaiah 45:15 say, “Truly, you are a God who hides yourself,” yet the Bible also declares that God reveals His glory through creation, prophecy, the incarnation, and the Scriptures. This tension between divine hiddenness and self-disclosure invites theological reflection on how God reveals His truth to finite and often rebellious humanity.
2. God Hides Himself
2.1 Scriptural Foundations
- “Truly you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.” (Isaiah 45:15)
- “He said, ‘You cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.’” (Exodus 33:20)
- “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God.” (Deuteronomy 29:29)
2.2 Theological Meaning
- God’s infinite holiness and transcendence mean He cannot be fully grasped or seen by fallen humanity.
- Sometimes, God withholds knowledge or veils His presence to produce humility, faith, or awe.
3. God Reveals Himself
3.1 General Revelation
- “The heavens declare the glory of God.” (Psalm 19:1)
- “For what can be known about God is plain… because God has shown it to them.” (Romans 1:19–20)
Creation bears witness to God’s eternal power and divine nature.
3.2 Special Revelation
- “Long ago… God spoke… by the prophets.” (Hebrews 1:1)
- “The Word became flesh… we beheld his glory.” (John 1:14)
- “In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” (Hebrews 1:2)
God’s self-revelation reaches its climax in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word.
4. Theological Resolution: Hiding as a Form of Revelation
- Divine hiddenness is not mere absence, but often a redemptive veil that draws the heart to seek Him.
- God’s concealment highlights His sovereignty and holiness—we approach Him on His terms, not ours.
- In Christ, God is revealed—not in overwhelming majesty, but in humble, veiled flesh (Philippians 2:6–8).
5. Historical Reflection
- Augustine: God is “most hidden and yet most present,” calling us to love what we cannot yet see.
- Aquinas: God can be known by His effects, though His essence remains hidden to finite minds.
- Luther: Spoke of the Deus absconditus—the hidden God—revealing Himself paradoxically in the Cross.
- John Calvin: God’s accommodation to human weakness is part of His mercy in revelation.
6. Clarifying the Paradox
| Divine Attribute | Apparent Contradiction |
|---|---|
| God is unknowable | Yet He has made Himself known |
| God hides His face | Yet He speaks through creation and Christ |
| God dwells in unapproachable light | Yet reveals Himself in covenantal love |
Resolution: God’s hiddenness and revelation work in tandem. He hides to humble and awaken us, and reveals to redeem and relate.
7. Doctrinal and Devotional Implications
7.1 Humility in Theological Inquiry
- God’s hiddenness prevents intellectual pride and reminds us of the mystery of divinity.
- We are called to worship what we partially understand, awaiting full knowledge in eternity (1 Corinthians 13:12).
7.2 Seeking and Trusting God
- “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)
- Trust grows not when all is visible, but when faith persists in divine silence.
7.3 The Cross as Hidden Glory
- In the suffering of the Cross, God’s greatest act of self-revelation occurred under the veil of weakness and death (1 Corinthians 1:18–25).
8. Conclusion
The paradox that God hides to reveal teaches us that divine revelation is always a matter of grace, not demand. His hiddenness awakens our longing, while His revelation satisfies it in Christ. Thus, we live in reverent faith, knowing that though we do not see Him fully, He has already shown us enough to trust, obey, and worship.
References
- The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)
- Augustine, Confessions
- Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, I, q.12
- Martin Luther, Theology of the Cross
- John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion
- Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics