In our visually-driven age, we’re constantly surrounded by things clamoring for our attention. Social media, TV, billboards, and smartphones all compete to capture our gaze. Tony Reinke’s book, Competing Spectacles, investigates the effect of these visual distractions on our spiritual lives. He argues that these spectacles vie for our time, focus, and ultimately, our worship. Ultimately, we exhauste ourselves chasings these spectacles and forfiet the sight of God.

Amidst this barrage, the Bible calls us to focus on something we cannot see: God Himself. This isn’t just a spiritual exercise; it’s a transformative practice that reshapes our perception, desires, and worship. Today, we’ll explore what the Bible reveals about God’s nature and how focusing on His unseen attributes can deepen our faith and enrich our worship.

I. God is Beyond Comparison

The prophet Isaiah explained that we can’t compare God to anything in creation:

• “To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?” (Isaiah 40:18)
• “To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.” (Isaiah 40:25)

These questions highlight a profound truth: God is beyond comparison. No earthly entity, no matter how grand or powerful, can adequately represent the divine nature. This incomparability of God presents both a challenge and an opportunity.

The challenge is our limited human language and understanding, which will always fall short of accurately describing God. This limitation should instill humility as we approach the subject of God’s nature. Even as we read Scripture, we find descriptions of God that are anthropomorphic. In other words God reveals himself in ways we can understand not in the way he really is. We couldn’t grasp his infinit being because we have nothing to compare it with. We can grasp some truths of God as he descends to our level.

The reality of God’s infinity and the impossibility of describing him is equally profound. Because God is infinitely beyond our comprehension, we will never exhaust the depths of His nature. Just as we look up at a skyscraper until we find the top, we keep looking up at God but never find the top–He transcends our greatest imagination. Focusing on God as described in Scripture provides an endless spring for our worship and spiritual growth.

II. A Brief Description of God in Doxology

In 1 Timothy 1:17, the Apostle Paul offers a concise yet profound description of God, serving as a doxology—a short hymn of praise. Let’s unpack each attribute Paul mentions:

a. King of the Ages

Paul begins by describing God as the “King of the ages.” This title speaks to God’s sovereignty and eternality:

1. God is the Eternal King who created, sustains, and provides for all things (Genesis 1; Colossians 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:17).
2. God is the necessary “first cause” that brings about all effects in creation (Hebrews 3:4).
3. This distinguishes descriptions of God in biblical theology from pantheism, panentheism, and paganism.
4. God is not in the universe as a character. He is outside the book as the Author who writes himself into the lives of the characters in the book.
5. As the King of ages, all good things flow from God as the overflowing fountain of life (James 1:17).

b. Immortal

Paul describes God as “immortal,” contrasting sharply with the weakness and transience of creation:

1. In 1 Corinthians 9:25, Paul contrasts the athlete’s perishable crown with the imperishable one from God.
2. Romans 1:23 juxtaposes the imperishable God with mortal human beings.
3. The Greek word used here (aphthartos) can be translated as “imperishable, incorruptible, immortal.”
4. This attribute underscores that God is the “fountain of life,” with creation receiving life from God without contributing to His life.

c. Invisible

Paul then describes God as “invisible,” speaking to His spiritual nature:

1. John 1:18 states: “No one has ever seen God.”
2. God’s invisibility is due to His nature as pure spirit (John 4:24). As Jesus said, “a spirit does not have flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39).
3. Because God is pure Spirit, He is not limited by physical form or location.
4. While we cannot see God with our physical eyes, we can “see” Him with our hearts and minds through faith (Hebrews 11:27).

d. The Only God

Paul affirms that this King of ages, immortal and invisible, is “the only God,” declaring monotheism fundamental to biblical faith:

1. God has no real competition (Isaiah 44:6-8). He stands alone as the Supreme Being and only God.
2. The Shema declares: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).
3. Christian theology understands this one God as existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:

• 1 Corinthians 8:4 affirms: “yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”
• 2 Corinthians 3:17 states: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

e. The Natural Response: Adoration

After describing these attributes of God, Paul bursts into praise: “To him be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Adoration is the natural response when we truly see God as revealed in Scripture. However, our worship often suffers because we are distracted by the world. Reinke’s “competing spectacles” vie for our attention and affection.

Yet, with the eyes of faith, we can see God revealed in Scripture and especially through the Son (John 1:18). This spiritual vision of God’s nature should evoke in us the same adoration that Paul expresses.

III. Taking Transcendence Home

Understanding God’s transcendent nature has practical implications for our daily lives:

1. Comfort and Resilience: God’s transcendence provides comfort and resilience in the face of life’s challenges. Knowing that our God is above all circumstances can give us peace and strength.
2. Humility: Recognizing God’s transcendence instills necessary humility. As finite creatures in the presence of an infinite God, we are reminded of our dependence and limitations.
3. Wonder and Appreciation: Contemplating God’s transcendence should inspire wonder and deepen our appreciation for true worship. The more we understand God’s greatness, the more awe-inspiring our worship becomes.
4. Intellectual Exploration: Enjoying the intellectual exploration of God’s nature helps us “see him” through faith until faith is removed by sight in eternity.

IV. How Does This God Make Us Better Worshipers?

Understanding and focusing on the unseen attributes of God transforms our worship in several ways:

1. Deepens Our Faith: Fixing our gaze on God’s invisible attributes exercises and strengthens our faith (Hebrews 11:1).
2. Cultivates Humility: Acknowledging that God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9) fosters humility, recognizing God’s greatness and our dependence on Him.
3. Expands Our Wonder and Awe: Contemplating God’s unseen qualities evokes awe. As Psalm 8:3-4 expresses, reflecting on God’s greatness inspires deeper reverence and heartfelt worship.
4. Enhances Spiritual Intimacy: Focusing on the unseen aspects of God invites us to seek Him with our whole being (John 4:24).
5. Encourages Perseverance: Fixing our eyes on the unseen enables us to trust in God’s unchanging character and promises, especially in challenging times. This perspective strengthens our resolve to persevere in worship and devotion to God.
6. Fosters a Heart of Gratitude: Recognizing the unseen blessings of God cultivates a heart overflowing with gratitude (James 1:17).

V. Conclusion

In a world full of competing spectacles, focusing on the unseen aspects of God transforms our worship into a profound and transformative experience. It deepens our faith, fosters humility, expands our wonder and awe, enhances spiritual intimacy, encourages perseverance, and cultivates a heart of gratitude.

The infinite and perfect God is our greatest blessing and source of all blessings. Recognizing this truth is vital to our Christian life and worship.

1. It provides an eternal perspective, orienting us towards enduring truths and values.
2. It cultivates spiritual depth, encouraging a deeper connection with God.
3. It strengthens our faith and trust in God’s promises and character.
4. It serves as a counterbalance to the myriad distractions of our culture.
5. It transforms our worship into a more authentic and meaningful experience.

As we navigate a world filled with visual stimuli and competing attractions, may we learn to focus on what we can’t see—the eternal, immortal, invisible, only God. In doing so, we will find our worship enriched, our faith deepened, and our lives transformed by the unseen yet ever-present reality of our transcendent God.