Why is God invisible?

 

I’m a Christian, and I follow God, whom I can’t see or hear in any physical sense. To a lot of people this seems foolish. So why is God physically invisible and inaudible? I think the answer is that He made us with freedom of choice which is a fantastic gift. He didn’t make us to be slavish puppets who would be forced to serve him.

Idol worship

People love to have something visible to idolise or worship. In ancient times this was literal – they worshipped idols, - and in some places today idols are still worshipped. Today our idols are different. We have pop idols and sports idols. An acquaintance of ours says he isn’t interested in coming to church on a Sunday because he polishes and maintains his (very special) car at the weekend. Thus it’s an idol for him.

Invisibility

If God were visible we’d be forced to believe in him, because the evidence of his existence would be too strong to contradict. Because he is invisible we have to make a choice as to whether we will believe in him and whether we will submit to him or not. Unfortunately many people in western society can’t be bothered to make that choice and remain in the ‘don’t know’ or ‘don’t care’ camp. That will be no defence though – it’s a poor position to take once you’ve been challenged to think about it.

For guidance

One thing that God has given us to help us in our decision here is the Bible, a best selling but yet neglected book, in which there are both stories and advice to point us in the right direction.

Joshua succeeded Moses as the leader of the Hebrews in the Exodus from Egypt. God said to Joshua

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.  Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1.7, 8)

Later on Joshua challenged all the Hebrews with the same choice:

Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshipped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24.14)

When Jesus had risen from the dead, one of his followers, Thomas found this fact very hard to believe. He’s been known ever since as ‘Doubting Thomas’. Jesus came to him and showed him his wounded hands and side. He then said “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

In the 19^th Century a hymnwriter named Walter Smith caught the thought of invisibility well, in what became a very popular hymn:

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

Finally, a challenge from the Bible :

Sitting on the fence about whether to believe in or follow God isn’t an option. Once you’ve been challenged to think about it it’s important to make a decision. Saint Paul knew this when he challenged the citizens of Corinth to make up their minds:

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6.2)