'God' is a relative word and has a respect to servants, and

Hear the solemn voice of Sir Isaac Newton, not as the mathematician of laws and numbers, but as the philosopher of the eternal, when he declared: “‘God’ is a relative word and has a respect to servants, and ‘Deity’ is the dominion of God, not over his own body, as those imagine who fancy God to be the soul of the world, but over servants.” These words, born not of calculation but of contemplation, reveal how Newton wrestled with the nature of the Divine, distinguishing between the name of God as spoken by mortals and the dominion of Deity as exercised over creation.

The meaning of Newton’s reflection is this: to call one “God” is not to describe His essence, but to acknowledge His relationship to those who serve Him. The word “God” implies worship, obedience, and reverence—language that flows from servants toward their Master. But “Deity” speaks of power and rule, of sovereignty that extends not over God’s own being, but over all that He has made. Newton rejects the notion of God as the “soul of the world,” for to him, God is not bound up in matter, not dispersed among stars and stones, but exalted above all, ruling freely as Lord over creation and its servants.

The origin of this thought is found in the seventeenth century, when Newton, though known for his discoveries in physics and mathematics, also poured his mind into theology. He lived in an age when some philosophers spoke of God as identical with nature itself, an idea close to pantheism. Against this, Newton drew a sharp line: nature is not God, but God’s workmanship; the heavens are not His body, but His dominion. Thus he distinguished between the title “God,” which reflects the human posture of reverence, and the reality of Deity, which is the actual rulership of the universe.

History itself bears out Newton’s struggle. Long before him, the Stoics had taught of a divine essence pervading all things, while early Christians spoke of a transcendent God beyond all. Newton aligned with the latter, refusing to dissolve God into the machinery of the cosmos. To him, the sun and planets were not fragments of divinity, but subjects of His rule, servants bound by the laws of motion that Newton himself uncovered. Thus even his science reflected his theology: the laws of nature declared the dominion of Deity, not His identity with matter.

This teaching also speaks to the dignity of humanity. If “God” is a word that reflects our servanthood, then the reverence we give is not empty ceremony, but acknowledgment of a real relationship. To worship is to recognize ourselves as servants beneath His dominion. To confuse God with the world is to lose both our humility and His majesty. For Newton, respect was not given to the stars, nor to nature as deity, but to the One who rules over both.

The lesson for us is this: let us not mistake creation for Creator, nor lose reverence for the true Deity by worshiping His works. Let us remember that to call Him “God” is to confess our place as servants, and to call Him “Deity” is to confess His sovereignty. In our age, as in Newton’s, many are tempted to exalt the world itself as divine, or to bow before human knowledge as absolute. Yet Newton, who knew knowledge better than most, bowed his head in humility before the Lord of knowledge, declaring that true wisdom begins with reverence.

And so, let your actions follow. When you gaze upon the vastness of the sky, honor not the stars themselves, but the One who governs them. When you speak the word God, remember that you speak as a servant to his Master. And when you reflect upon Deity, remember that it is His dominion you confess: His authority over time, matter, and the hearts of men. In this posture of humility and respect lies the secret of true wisdom, the same wisdom that guided Newton to uncover the laws of nature and still bow to the Lord of nature.

Thus remember always his words: “‘God’ is a relative word… and ‘Deity’ is the dominion of God.” Do not confuse titles with essence, nor works with the Worker. Honor Him as Master, serve Him as Lord, and acknowledge His dominion with reverence. For the universe itself may display His craftsmanship, but the true glory belongs not to the stars above, but to the eternal King who rules them all.