“…who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”
(1 Timothy 6:16)
God is immortal Spirit, wholly unlike anything in the created order. He possesses life in Himself, needing nothing outside Himself to exist. This attribute of immortality is His very nature. He is the fountain of all life, the giver of every breath, the sustainer of every soul. “In Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). All that exists does so because He wills it. And unlike every created thing, He is not becoming; He simply is.
To say God is immortal Spirit is to confess His incorruptibility, invisibility, and infinite perfection. He is indivisible light, radiant truth, and eternal love. As spirit, He is not bound by space or time. He fills heaven and earth, and yet is present with His people in a way that is both real and personal.
As eternal Spirit, unseen and unseeable, God dwells in light that is inaccessible. No man has seen God at any time, and no man can see Him in His essential being. His holiness and majesty are of such magnitude that to stand before Him unveiled would be certain death. And yet, He reveals Himself to us through His Word, through His works, and most gloriously, through His Son.
“The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us,” and in Christ “all the fulness of the Godhead” dwells bodily. In Christ, the invisible becomes visible. Through Him, the unknowable becomes known. In Him, the transcendent becomes near. And by the Spirit, believers are brought into communion with God’s eternal nature, partaking of His divine goodness, joined to Him by grace. It is through Christ, the express image of the invisible God, that we behold the Father. “Therefore we call upon the Father, and so call him through Christ.”[1]
We do not need images to adore this God. We need eyes of faith, fixed on Christ. We do not need carved likenesses or painted scenes—we need hearts awakened by the Spirit to worship in spirit and in truth.
Let us then adore Him with reverent hearts. Let us behold His glory in the Person of Christ. Let us magnify the Lord who alone has immortality, who alone dwells in unapproachable light, and who alone is worthy of eternal dominion and honor. Amen.
Contemplation:
- Adoring the Invisible God. I cannot see You with my eyes, Lord, for You are immortal, holy, invisible Spirit. No one can see You and live, and yet You have drawn near to me in grace. So I worship You not with images or imaginations, but in spirit and in truth, bowing before Your infinite majesty.
- Christ Reveals the Father. I thank You that, though I cannot see God, I can behold Christ. In Him, the invisible God is made known. When I look to Jesus, I see mercy, wisdom, power, and love. In Him, the fullness of the Godhead dwells. And by His blood, I am drawn near to You. I adore You, Lord Jesus, for making the immortal Spirit accessible to my soul. You are my only way to know the Father.
- You Dwell in Unapproachable Light. I try to grasp the majesty of Your being, but it humbles me every time for You dwell in light I cannot approach. You are the source of life and truth and I adore You for being higher than I can imagine, greater than I can explain, and more glorious than I can describe. Let every thought of You lift my soul in praise.
- Worship in Spirit and in Truth. I have tried at times to limit You with my thoughts, to picture You like a man, or to make You more manageable. But You are not like me. You are Spirit. You are immortal. You are infinite. I want to worship You as You are and not as I imagine You to be. Teach me to adore You with right thoughts, holy awe, and humble praise for You are worthy of all worship, now and forever.
Prayer (Adoration):
O Lord, immortal and invisible, God only wise, I come before You with reverence and awe. You are the eternal Spirit, without beginning, without end, without change. You are not confined by space nor bound by time. You dwell in light unapproachable, in holiness incomprehensible, in glory unending. There is none like You, none beside You, none before You. To You alone belong honor, dominion, and praise forevermore.
I adore You as the self-existent One, the fountain of life and being. You are not dependent on anything outside Yourself, but all things depend on You. You sustain the universe by the word of Your power. You uphold me by Your mercy. Every breath I breathe is from You. Every good gift comes down from You. And yet, You Yourself are the gift above all gifts—the treasure of my soul, the light of my eyes, and the delight of my heart.
Though I cannot see You with my physical eyes, You have opened my spiritual eyes to behold Your glory in the face of Jesus Christ. In Him, the fullness of deity dwells bodily. He is the express image of Your Person and the radiance of Your glory. I thank You for sending Him into the world that I might know You. Through Him, the invisible becomes known and the immortal becomes near.
O Lord Jesus, I worship You as the perfect revelation of the immortal God. You took on flesh to bring God to man, and now, in Your risen glory, You bring man to God. You are my High Priest, my Mediator, my Advocate. And by Your Spirit, I am united to You forever.
Holy Spirit, I praise You for dwelling in me. You have joined me to Christ. You have written God’s law on my heart. You have sealed me for the day of redemption. Though I am dust and ashes, You make me a temple of the living God. Let me never treat this lightly. Let me never forget that the immortal Spirit of God has made His home in me.
Let my worship be fitting for such a God. Let me cast down every false image, every foolish thought, every unworthy conception. Let me not try to mold You into my likeness, but let me be remade in Yours. Teach me to worship in spirit and in truth, to approach You with reverence and confidence, with trembling and joy.
You alone have immortality. You alone dwell in glory. You alone are worthy of all praise. Let my soul magnify You day and night. Let every thought, every word, every deed exalt Your name. Let me adore You with my life for You are my God, my portion, and my everlasting joy.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for 1 Tim. 6:16:
1 Tim. 1:17; John 1:18; Ps. 104:2; Exod. 33:20; 1 John 1:5; Rev. 1:6.
[1] Heinrich Bullinger, Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (Imprinted at London: By Henry Middleton for Ralph Newberry, dwelling in Fleet Street a little above the Conduit, 1577), 942.
