God With, Above and In Us

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We all agree that relationships matter, and among Christians there is a consensus that our relationship with God matters most of all. But the way we talk about God, and relate to Him, quite naturally reflects our deeper theological commitments.

What follows, then, is my initial attempt to sketch some of these theological leanings on a broad canvas—not in the form of a rigid, scientific taxonomy, but perhaps more in the shape of an impressionistic painting. Here I am taking my cue from the simple idea that some of us put a special emphasis on “God above us”, whilst others stress “God with us” and still others accentuate “God within us”.

Not for one moment am I suggesting that one voice ought to drown out the other two, nor am I denying that most of us actually value all three; I am simply making the somewhat bland claim that most of us are able to register shifts in pitch when listening to God and others. (Sadly, we are generally less able to gauge the volume of our own speech).

Moreover, to help me frame this, I have found a beautiful and surprising lens in the three major offerings of the sacrifical system, as explained by Rabbi David Fohrman. These are: (1) the Olah (burnt offering), (2) the Shlamim (peace/ wellbeing offering) and (3) the Chatat (sin offering).1 Alongside the differing emphases already mentioned, I believe these offerings provide a beautiful glimpse into some of the ways we Christians relate to God.

1. God Above Us

In very broad terms, mainstream Christian denominations have long stressed the transcendence of God: “God above us”.2 Here, the classic divine attributes take centre stage which is why it is appropriate to call these Christians “classical theists”. In these traditions God is frequently portrayed as omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent, omnipresent, immutable, impassible, eternal, and simple. God, in this vision, is wholly other, sovereign over all creation, unchanging and eternal.

Here our relationship with God is defined by awe. There is reverence, humility, and a sense of creatureliness before the Creator. Worship is marked by respect, often distance, but always by wonder and the impulse to honour something far beyond ourselves. Relationship, in this sense, is about acknowledging God’s majesty as the Creator God and our Heavenly Father.

This approach is echoed in the Olah offering of the Old Testament days, which was wholly given over in worship as an act of total dedication and awe.3

2. God With Us

Then there are those like me who consciously take Jesus as their starting point. Jesus is “God with us”.4 This is the story of Immanuel, the God who takes on flesh, who in Jesus shares our life, suffers with us, and walks among us. Transcendence is certainly not denied – God remains God – but “Goddiness” is brought close and made tangible. Jesus becomes the centre of gravity. Every part of Scripture finds its focus and fulfilment in Him. The immanence of God means God is intimately present, involved in our daily lives, caring, sustaining, and not far from any of us.5

In this context a relationship with God means presence, reconciliation, and peace, like a table fellowship with loved ones that is always open to surprise and newness. Faith is not just about standing at a distance, but about loving God with all our heart and mind and soul and strength.6 It is a faith that is self-sacrificial and costly. Relational faith is about communing and partnering with God, living in God’s world God’s way.7

In the sacrificial system, this is mirrored in the Shlamim which is the offering shared in a communal meal that celebrates wholeness and restored fellowship. It is a beautiful symbol of love.8

3. God In Us

A third way Christians relate to God focuses on “God in us”.9 Here, faith is deeply experiential. The Christian life is not only about knowing things about God, or even just walking alongside Him, but about being indwelt by God’s own Spirit.10 The Holy Spirit’s presence is not a distant doctrine but a lived, everyday reality. God’s presence can be seen, felt, and shared.

This is a theology of experience and empowerment. Gifts of the Spirit—like prophecy, healing, words of knowledge, and miracles—are expected as signs that God is active here and now.11 Worship becomes charged with anticipation; prayers are more than words; they carry authority, with the power to move mountains.12 The fruit of the Spirit (such as love, joy, peace, and patience) is viewed as evidence of God’s life flowing from within out into the world.13

Interestingly, the Chatat offering (or sin offering) in the Hebrew Scriptures echoes the flipside of this relational dynamic: it is a privilege to know God with us, but this honour calls for respect. As Rabbi Fohrman explains, part of the Chatat offering was burned on the altar, while the rest was eaten solely by the priests (Kohanim), not by those who brought the sacrifice. In this way, the offering was returned to be consumed by the priests, who, in this context, represented God — the very One against whom humanity has been sinning since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit.14 The sin offering, then, reminds us of our deep-seated need to respect the Holy God who abides in us.15

In Harmony

Therefore, to truly embrace a relational faith, I believe we do well to hold together these approaches:

  1. Stand in awe of “God above us”.
  2. Love Immanuel, “the God who is with us”; and
  3. Respect the Holy “God in us”.

Put differently, God has told us what is good; and what does the Lord require of us but to do justice (out of respect), and to love kindness (because God is love), and to walk humbly with our God (out of a sense of awe)?16

When speaking and listening, I want to develop the art of amplifying the understated, toning down that which is overaccentuated and tuning into the majestic harmony of the voice, volume and vocabulary of the Word.

Notes

1 Lev. 1-4; David Fohrman, Parshat Vayikra: Understanding Jewish Animal Sacrifices and Offerings Today, Aleph Beta (YouTube) | Last Accessed: 2 July 2025.
2 Isaiah 55:8–9; Psalm 113:5–6; Roger Forster, Trinity – Song and Dance God (Milton Keynes: Authentic Media, 2004), 15.
3 Leviticus 1:3–9; Fohrman, Parshat Vayikra
4 Matthew 1:23; Forster, Trinity, 15.
5 John 1:14
6 Mark 12:30
7 Micah 6:8; John 15:14–15
8 Fohrman, Parshat Vayikra; Leviticus 3:1–17; 7:15-18; Ex. 24:5-11; Deut. 12:5-7, 17-18; Luke 22:19; 24:30-31
9 Romans 8:10–11; Forster, Trinity, 16.
10 1 Corinthians 6:19; John 14:17
11 1 Corinthians 12:7–11
12 Matthew 17:20
13 Galatians 5:22–23
14 Leviticus 6:24–30; Gen. 3:6
15 1 Corinthians 3:16–17; Fohrman, Parshat Vayikra
16Micah 6:8; 1 John 4:8,16