Church Words 101: Ontological
Have you ever been in the middle of a conversation with someone, things are going seemingly well, and then all of sudden, out of left field, they drop a word into the conversation that leaves you wondering if you slept through an entire semester of vocabulary lessons in high school English class? You nod your head in agreement as the conversation continues, pretending not to miss a beat, while inwardly searching your brain’s memory for a possible meaning of this mysterious word. If this has ever happened to you, fear not, I don’t think you’re alone!
There are certain “church words” that often fall into this category of words. Today, we’ll look to discover the meaning and significance of the word ontological. At its core, ontological is not as complicated as it may sound. Most simply stated ontology is the study of existence, being, and reality. It delves into questions such as: What does it mean for something to exist? What makes something real or unreal? How do we categorize and understand the nature of things in the world? Let’s take a deeper look at what ontological means and why it can lead us to a clearer understanding of God’s character.
The Ontological Nature of God
As we study the very nature of God, let’s begin the exploration of the ontological with a firm assertion of God's sovereignty and transcendence. If God is the ultimate and perfect being, existing outside of time and space, then God’s ontological nature can be characterized by His self-existence and unchanging character. Having a deeper understanding of God's ontological nature can set the stage for having a more complete picture of God’s character.
God’s Self-Existence
God exists independently of anything else. He is the uncaused cause, the source of all existence, and self-sufficient. This ontological concept of self-existence underscores the divine sovereignty and distinguishes God from created beings. If you’re not familiar with God’s encounter with Moses in the book of Exodus, in chapter 3, I’d encourage you to take some time and read about this encounter. In this chapter, Moses is being called by God to deliver the Israelites from the oppressive hand of the Egyptians. Moses has doubts about his ability to be God’s appointed leader in this way.
In verse 13 it says, Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”
In verse 14, God responds, “God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
This short, but intensely powerful phrase that God gives to himself in Exodus, captures the self-existent nature of God. The New Testament also points to the beauty of Christ’s self-existence.
“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him." - Colossians 1:15-16
God’s Unchanging Character
The ontological nature of God also speaks to His unchanging character. God's nature, attributes, and purposes remain constant. This characteristic of God ensures that His divine plan cannot be interfered with or changed. Personally, I take great comfort in knowing that God is not swayed by popular opinion, the forces of evil, or the loud voices that dominate our world today. God’s divine nature is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore.
This is good news for all who consider themselves followers of Jesus because God says numerous times in scripture, that if we love Him, we will obey his commands. In other words, God will know that we love Him when we demonstrate our trust in Him. In my life, I find it much easier to trust someone who means what they say. I want to surround myself with people and leaders in my life who are consistent with the message they preach. There will never be a human leader that can perfectly live this way. God, on the other hand, has demonstrated that He can and will never change! We can be fully confident when we put our trust in him.
The Ontological Nature of Humans
Even if you don’t consider yourself a person of faith, you would probably admit that humanity as a whole is broken. Broken things need to be fixed. I realized early on in my marriage that fixing broken things around the house was just not my wheelhouse. I learned the value of consulting “experts” on YouTube, or better yet, calling an expert in plumbing, electrical, you name it, to come out and look at my problem. I quickly realized that there were some problems too big and too complex for me to fix on my own.
Human beings fall short of God’s perfect standard. The Bible refers to this problem as our sinful nature. The ontological understanding of human nature has important implications for the human condition, emphasizing that, without God's intervention, human beings are incapable of “fixing” themselves.
This great predicament places human beings in a state of absolute dependence on God. This dependence is an inherent aspect of human nature, as we cannot attain salvation through our own goodness, strength, or knowledge. Only through God’s Grace, evidenced by Jesus’ works on the Cross, are we able to enter into a saving relationship with the God of the Universe.
