No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
No human being has ever seen God directly, for He is invisible to human sight. The only-begotten Son is distinct from the Father yet one with Him, equal with God, divine and preexistent, sharing life from the Father. To be in the bosom of the Father means to live in His immediate presence in the closest intimate fellowship and communion. All that people need to know or can know of God has been revealed in the Son, so God is known only through Christ and to see Christ is to see the Father. He declared the Father by leaving the Father's bosom and veiling the dazzling splendor of His divinity in humanity, living a sinless human life to make God's character and love known and to give His life to redeem the lost.
Words and Relationships
No human being has ever seen God directly, for God is invisible to human sight. No one has beheld Him at any time except as He is revealed through Christ, the only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father and has declared Him. The Son who is close to the Father makes Him known, so knowledge of the Father comes only through the Son and to see Christ is to see the Father. All that people need to know or can know of God has been revealed in the life and character of Christ, who came from heaven in human form so people could see God's love and receive the opportunity for eternal life.
God's person cannot be beheld nor the excellence of His form, for He is hidden by a visible body of light and glory that surrounds Him. Yet He may be known as present and moving even when His person is thus hidden.
To be in the bosom of the Father means to live in His immediate presence in the closest intimate fellowship and communion. The Son who is in that intimate fellowship makes God known, and His life among people reveals God's glory, which is His character, and the Father's love. The Father and Son share life, and Christ's life is from the Father, which He communicates to humanity. That image of the Son in the Father's bosom is the place He left, coming from the Father's presence to a sinful, lost world to live in suffering and anguish and die, revealing the Father's mercy, giving life to others, and saving those willing to be saved.
The only-begotten Son is distinct from the Father yet one with Him, close to Him, equal with God, divine, preexistent, and sharing life from the Father. He existed with the Father from the beginning, and to deny His preexistence and divinity is to deny Him as a personal Saviour. Though equal with God He left His heavenly position, took human nature upon Himself, humbled Himself to death on the cross to save fallen people, bring them back to God, reconcile them to God, and renew them in the image of their Creator.
The claim that no one can see God's face and live was illustrated when Moses was not permitted to see God's face, but God revealed His goodness and His name to him and allowed him a limited view of His glory. The Son Himself, who is equal with God and makes God's presence known, was with Israel in the wilderness, present in the cloud by day and the fire by night as their mighty helper, doing wonderful things for them despite their murmuring and rebellion. Israel grew accustomed to this presence and failed to appreciate it.
Christ claimed to be the only begotten of the Father. Unbelieving and prejudiced people denied Him on that claim, charged Him with blasphemy, and condemned Him to death.
Father Revealed in Christ
No human has ever seen God directly, but the only-begotten Son who lives in the bosom of the Father has declared Him, so all that people need to know or can know of God has been revealed in the life and character of Christ. Knowledge of the Father comes only through the Son, and to see Christ is to see the Father, as Jesus told Philip. The glory of God is revealed in Jesus Christ's life, and God is known through the Son and through those to whom the Son reveals Him. Those who desire to know God must study the work and teaching of Christ, and to those who receive Christ and believe on Him is given power to become sons and daughters of God.
In Christ the veil hiding God's glory is drawn aside, and since no one has seen God, Christ's life among people reveals God's glory, which is His character, and the Father's love. While living among people as a man He revealed God's personality, character, nature, and attributes as much as sinful people could bear without being destroyed. Nature in heaven, earth, and ocean testifies of God's power, wisdom, and love and still shows something of Edenic beauty though sin has marred it, but stars, ocean, waterfall, and cataract cannot show God's personality, character, nature, attributes, and love. A clearer and more powerful revelation than nature was needed, to teach what God wants people to know and to make the invisible God's nature and attributes known so far as human sight could endure. Through Him God is made known as loving, merciful, tender, compassionate, holy, good, true, and personally concerned for every home, the light of life manifest to humanity.
He made God known through a human life that shared human needs and temptations yet was lived without sin, showing God's tenderness, compassion, and concern for others. By living God's law in human form and keeping every part of it He represented the Father and made His character known. God was revealed in the character of His Son, whose life directed people's minds and worship to the Father. By coming in human form Christ gave people the true light and showed that God is supreme in heaven and on earth.
That revelation corrects Satan's misrepresentation of God, for in Christ's person and work God's holiness and character are made known. Satan has misinterpreted God's purposes, falsified His character, caused people to look upon God in a false light, and enveloped the Father in a hellish shadow, yet through the ages God's love has never ceased. Christ's work sweeps back that shadow and reveals the Father as merciful, compassionate, full of goodness and truth, because the character of Christ represents the character of God, so that He and His Father are one and to look on Him is to behold God. The Son took human nature and came to live among people, revealing the Father while opposing Satan's deception and redeeming those deceived by him, and He came to vindicate that character which Satan had obscured by leading people to transgress God's law and by prompting professed Christians to misrepresent Jesus through lack of mercy and humility. In revealing God as the light shining amid moral darkness He presented new motives and laid people under new obligations, and those who do not receive and honor Him as Saviour and Redeemer able to save to the uttermost lose hope of restoration to God's favor and lose the precious advantage of that knowledge.
Manner and Limits of Revelation
No one could look upon God in His unveiled glory and live, so while living among people as a man Christ veiled the dazzling splendor of His divinity and clothed divinity with humanity. Though equal with God He stood before the race as man among men, as a wonderful messenger and perfect teacher, so that fallen people could become acquainted with their Creator without being consumed. For our sake He became poor that humanity might touch humanity while divinity laid hold of the throne of God, placing Himself at the head of humanity as Elder Brother sharing all trials and temptations and offering perfect obedience. Sin has separated humanity from God so that no one sees Him directly, and people can know Him only as He is revealed through Christ.
What Christ revealed was all of God that sinful human beings could bear without being destroyed, the personality, character, nature and attributes of the invisible God so far as human sight could endure. He came to teach what God wants people to know as the divine Teacher and Enlightener, and the revelations made through Christ and in the written Word are enough, so that if more were needed it would have been given. God sent His Son to give a more powerful revelation than nature, to reveal the love of God to a fallen race.
Creation in heaven, earth and ocean still testifies of God's power, wisdom and love and still reveals some of the beauty of Eden though sin has marred nature. Yet nature cannot reveal His personality as Christ did, for stars, ocean, waterfall and cataract cannot show the personality, character, nature, attributes and love of the invisible God. A clearer revelation than nature was needed to make known both God's personality and character in a way human beings could endure.
God cannot be found out by human talent, conjecture, intellect or searching, and even the highest intellect wearies itself in fruitless conjectures about Him. No human intelligence can define God or present Him as He is, and those who try to define Him are on forbidden ground, while no human mind can comprehend Him so that people are as ignorant of Him as little children. Therefore controversy over the nature and personality of God and speculation about Him are forbidden, and on such a subject silence is eloquence. Each person should read the Scriptures in simple faith and form conceptions of God only from His inspired Word, receiving as little children who love and obey Him what has been revealed in the life and character of His Son, the great Teacher, to be known by experimental knowledge that shows human imperfection and ignorance and brings fear and trembling before God.
Leaving Heaven to Save
The Son who was in the bosom of the Father left that closest fellowship and presence to come to a lost, sinful world to save those willing to be saved. He exchanged the companionship of angels for life among fallen humanity, living in suffering and anguish. When the fullness of the time had come He came in the likeness of sinful flesh and in the fashion of a man. Though equal with God He laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown and clothed divinity with humanity, because no one could look upon Him in His glory and live.
Only the Son who was in the bosom of the Father could accomplish redemption and declare Him, because only He knew the height and depth of God's love and could make it manifest. Nothing less than His infinite sacrifice in behalf of fallen man could express the Father's love to lost humanity. He consented to a life of suffering and to death, revealing the Father's mercy and giving life to others. He gave His life as a ransom, bore sin and the sentence of death, and made known the Father's plan to provide escape, opening the way to pardon and life. God gave His beloved Son from His own bosom to die so that sinners might have life.
By taking human nature He bridged the gulf between heaven and earth and joined humanity to the divine. With His human arm embracing the human race and His divine arm grasping the throne of the Infinite, humanity could touch humanity and divinity lay hold of the throne of God. Though equal with God and one with Him, He left His heavenly position, took humanity upon Himself, and humbled Himself to death on the cross. In doing so He reconciled lost people to God, saved fallen people and brought them back to God, redeemed those deceived, and through Him people can be renewed in the image of their Creator.
As the Sent of God He came as the wonderful Messenger, the Majesty of Heaven and King of glory, placing Himself at the head of humanity as Elder Brother. He was sent as the appointed Instructor and divine Teacher, the Messenger of the covenant, because the deep necessity of the human race called for a remedy for sin. Sharing all trials and afflictions and tempted in all points as men are, He offered to God a perfect obedience that man might be placed on vantage ground. For our sake He became poor, that through His poverty men might be made sharers with Him in the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. In Him mercy and truth met together and righteousness and peace kissed each other, opening a probation in which humans on this trial ground and school can be educated and trained for heaven and the higher life.
Christ the True Teacher
Jesus stands higher than all the world's great teachers because no one has ever seen God, and only the only-begotten Son in the bosom of the Father makes Him known. He existed before all human teachers as the Light in whom wisdom and knowledge are found and as the source of every true insight. Whatever is true in human teaching is only reflected light from Him, and true higher education comes from Him alone.
He came forth from the Father and from the Father's bosom to reveal the Father's mind and character and to manifest God to men and lead men to God. He is the true Teacher sent from God and the One chosen to reveal God's character, fitted for the work because He came down from heaven. He is the appointed Instructor and divine Teacher, the Majesty of Heaven and King of glory, the Messenger of the covenant and Sun of Righteousness, consecrated as the light of the world, the Bright and Morning Star, a light to the Gentiles and the glory of Israel, the true Light lighting every person. His words were truth spoken with calm and divine authority, bearing witness to the truth and unfolding truths of the highest order and the words of eternal life, making the treasures of truth plain. He came when the fullness of the time had come, in the likeness of sinful flesh, because the deep necessity of the human race called for a remedy for sin, and in Him mercy and truth met together and righteousness and peace kissed each other, opening a probation in which humans on this trial ground and school can be educated and trained for heaven and the higher life.
Though He came from the Father's bosom and from the Father's presence with great and glorious knowledge to reveal God, He did not use that knowledge to dazzle, astonish, or overwhelm people. He came in meekness, humility, and lowliness to teach the ignorant the way of salvation. He gave only practical instruction suited to its use, teaching what people needed to learn and could use.
He came as the light of the world shining amid moral darkness to give men a representation of God and the knowledge of God as Saviour and Redeemer able to save to the uttermost all who come to Him. Those who do not receive and honor Him lose hope of restoration to God's favor and lose the precious advantage of receiving that knowledge. In revealing God He presented new motives and laid men under new obligations.
Knowing God in Life
Those who desire to know God must study the work and teaching of Christ, for all that can be known of God has been revealed in the life and character of His Son as the great Teacher. This knowing is to be experimental, exposing human imperfection of character and ignorance of Christ and bringing fear and trembling before God. All who wish to know God must believe in Jesus Christ and work the works of Christ and teach the lessons of Christ.
To those who receive Christ and believe on Him is given power to become sons and daughters of God. He invites all who labor and are heavy laden to come to Him for rest, to take His yoke and learn meekness and lowliness of heart from Him and find rest for their souls. Only by knowing Christ can people know God, for no one has seen God directly but the only-begotten Son in intimate fellowship with the Father has made Him known and perfectly reveals Him. As they behold Christ they are changed into His image and prepared to meet Him at His coming.
Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness become Christlike, and their soul hunger is satisfied when hearts are emptied of pride, vanity, and selfishness, faith appropriates the promises of God, and Christ supplies the vacuum and abides in the heart. Then the word is fulfilled in a new heart and a new song in the mouth, and the testimony of the believer is that of His fullness all have received grace for grace, for the Son has declared the Father. The closeness between Christ and the eternal God is the measure of communion between Christ and His followers, for He knows them and loves them as His children and they may trust Him.
Christ was sent by the Father to make the Father's character and will known, and His example is therefore the pattern for reaching people where they are and for teaching and working in harmony with His teachings. God gave His beloved Son from His own bosom to die so that sinners might have life, and the love that lived in Jesus' bosom was self-sacrificing and was shown in His life. Christians should imitate that love by giving up their own pleasure and convenience for the good of others.
No human being has ever seen God directly, for He is invisible to human sight. The only-begotten Son is distinct from the Father yet one with Him, equal with God, divine and preexistent, sharing life from the Father. To be in the bosom of the Father means to live in His immediate presence in the closest intimate fellowship and communion. All that people need to know or can know of God has been revealed in the Son, so God is known only through Christ and to see Christ is to see the Father. He declared the Father by leaving the Father's bosom and veiling the dazzling splendor of His divinity in humanity, living a sinless human life to make God's character and love known and to give His life to redeem the lost.
Words and Relationships
No human being has ever seen God directly, for God is invisible to human sight. No one has beheld Him at any time except as He is revealed through Christ, the only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father and has declared Him. The Son who is close to the Father makes Him known, so knowledge of the Father comes only through the Son and to see Christ is to see the Father. All that people need to know or can know of God has been revealed in the life and character of Christ, who came from heaven in human form so people could see God's love and receive the opportunity for eternal life.
God's person cannot be beheld nor the excellence of His form, for He is hidden by a visible body of light and glory that surrounds Him. Yet He may be known as present and moving even when His person is thus hidden.
To be in the bosom of the Father means to live in His immediate presence in the closest intimate fellowship and communion. The Son who is in that intimate fellowship makes God known, and His life among people reveals God's glory, which is His character, and the Father's love. The Father and Son share life, and Christ's life is from the Father, which He communicates to humanity. That image of the Son in the Father's bosom is the place He left, coming from the Father's presence to a sinful, lost world to live in suffering and anguish and die, revealing the Father's mercy, giving life to others, and saving those willing to be saved.
The only-begotten Son is distinct from the Father yet one with Him, close to Him, equal with God, divine, preexistent, and sharing life from the Father. He existed with the Father from the beginning, and to deny His preexistence and divinity is to deny Him as a personal Saviour. Though equal with God He left His heavenly position, took human nature upon Himself, humbled Himself to death on the cross to save fallen people, bring them back to God, reconcile them to God, and renew them in the image of their Creator.
The claim that no one can see God's face and live was illustrated when Moses was not permitted to see God's face, but God revealed His goodness and His name to him and allowed him a limited view of His glory. The Son Himself, who is equal with God and makes God's presence known, was with Israel in the wilderness, present in the cloud by day and the fire by night as their mighty helper, doing wonderful things for them despite their murmuring and rebellion. Israel grew accustomed to this presence and failed to appreciate it.
Christ claimed to be the only begotten of the Father. Unbelieving and prejudiced people denied Him on that claim, charged Him with blasphemy, and condemned Him to death.
Father Revealed in Christ
No human has ever seen God directly, but the only-begotten Son who lives in the bosom of the Father has declared Him, so all that people need to know or can know of God has been revealed in the life and character of Christ. Knowledge of the Father comes only through the Son, and to see Christ is to see the Father, as Jesus told Philip. The glory of God is revealed in Jesus Christ's life, and God is known through the Son and through those to whom the Son reveals Him. Those who desire to know God must study the work and teaching of Christ, and to those who receive Christ and believe on Him is given power to become sons and daughters of God.
In Christ the veil hiding God's glory is drawn aside, and since no one has seen God, Christ's life among people reveals God's glory, which is His character, and the Father's love. While living among people as a man He revealed God's personality, character, nature, and attributes as much as sinful people could bear without being destroyed. Nature in heaven, earth, and ocean testifies of God's power, wisdom, and love and still shows something of Edenic beauty though sin has marred it, but stars, ocean, waterfall, and cataract cannot show God's personality, character, nature, attributes, and love. A clearer and more powerful revelation than nature was needed, to teach what God wants people to know and to make the invisible God's nature and attributes known so far as human sight could endure. Through Him God is made known as loving, merciful, tender, compassionate, holy, good, true, and personally concerned for every home, the light of life manifest to humanity.
He made God known through a human life that shared human needs and temptations yet was lived without sin, showing God's tenderness, compassion, and concern for others. By living God's law in human form and keeping every part of it He represented the Father and made His character known. God was revealed in the character of His Son, whose life directed people's minds and worship to the Father. By coming in human form Christ gave people the true light and showed that God is supreme in heaven and on earth.
That revelation corrects Satan's misrepresentation of God, for in Christ's person and work God's holiness and character are made known. Satan has misinterpreted God's purposes, falsified His character, caused people to look upon God in a false light, and enveloped the Father in a hellish shadow, yet through the ages God's love has never ceased. Christ's work sweeps back that shadow and reveals the Father as merciful, compassionate, full of goodness and truth, because the character of Christ represents the character of God, so that He and His Father are one and to look on Him is to behold God. The Son took human nature and came to live among people, revealing the Father while opposing Satan's deception and redeeming those deceived by him, and He came to vindicate that character which Satan had obscured by leading people to transgress God's law and by prompting professed Christians to misrepresent Jesus through lack of mercy and humility. In revealing God as the light shining amid moral darkness He presented new motives and laid people under new obligations, and those who do not receive and honor Him as Saviour and Redeemer able to save to the uttermost lose hope of restoration to God's favor and lose the precious advantage of that knowledge.
Manner and Limits of Revelation
No one could look upon God in His unveiled glory and live, so while living among people as a man Christ veiled the dazzling splendor of His divinity and clothed divinity with humanity. Though equal with God He stood before the race as man among men, as a wonderful messenger and perfect teacher, so that fallen people could become acquainted with their Creator without being consumed. For our sake He became poor that humanity might touch humanity while divinity laid hold of the throne of God, placing Himself at the head of humanity as Elder Brother sharing all trials and temptations and offering perfect obedience. Sin has separated humanity from God so that no one sees Him directly, and people can know Him only as He is revealed through Christ.
What Christ revealed was all of God that sinful human beings could bear without being destroyed, the personality, character, nature and attributes of the invisible God so far as human sight could endure. He came to teach what God wants people to know as the divine Teacher and Enlightener, and the revelations made through Christ and in the written Word are enough, so that if more were needed it would have been given. God sent His Son to give a more powerful revelation than nature, to reveal the love of God to a fallen race.
Creation in heaven, earth and ocean still testifies of God's power, wisdom and love and still reveals some of the beauty of Eden though sin has marred nature. Yet nature cannot reveal His personality as Christ did, for stars, ocean, waterfall and cataract cannot show the personality, character, nature, attributes and love of the invisible God. A clearer revelation than nature was needed to make known both God's personality and character in a way human beings could endure.
God cannot be found out by human talent, conjecture, intellect or searching, and even the highest intellect wearies itself in fruitless conjectures about Him. No human intelligence can define God or present Him as He is, and those who try to define Him are on forbidden ground, while no human mind can comprehend Him so that people are as ignorant of Him as little children. Therefore controversy over the nature and personality of God and speculation about Him are forbidden, and on such a subject silence is eloquence. Each person should read the Scriptures in simple faith and form conceptions of God only from His inspired Word, receiving as little children who love and obey Him what has been revealed in the life and character of His Son, the great Teacher, to be known by experimental knowledge that shows human imperfection and ignorance and brings fear and trembling before God.
Leaving Heaven to Save
The Son who was in the bosom of the Father left that closest fellowship and presence to come to a lost, sinful world to save those willing to be saved. He exchanged the companionship of angels for life among fallen humanity, living in suffering and anguish. When the fullness of the time had come He came in the likeness of sinful flesh and in the fashion of a man. Though equal with God He laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown and clothed divinity with humanity, because no one could look upon Him in His glory and live.
Only the Son who was in the bosom of the Father could accomplish redemption and declare Him, because only He knew the height and depth of God's love and could make it manifest. Nothing less than His infinite sacrifice in behalf of fallen man could express the Father's love to lost humanity. He consented to a life of suffering and to death, revealing the Father's mercy and giving life to others. He gave His life as a ransom, bore sin and the sentence of death, and made known the Father's plan to provide escape, opening the way to pardon and life. God gave His beloved Son from His own bosom to die so that sinners might have life.
By taking human nature He bridged the gulf between heaven and earth and joined humanity to the divine. With His human arm embracing the human race and His divine arm grasping the throne of the Infinite, humanity could touch humanity and divinity lay hold of the throne of God. Though equal with God and one with Him, He left His heavenly position, took humanity upon Himself, and humbled Himself to death on the cross. In doing so He reconciled lost people to God, saved fallen people and brought them back to God, redeemed those deceived, and through Him people can be renewed in the image of their Creator.
As the Sent of God He came as the wonderful Messenger, the Majesty of Heaven and King of glory, placing Himself at the head of humanity as Elder Brother. He was sent as the appointed Instructor and divine Teacher, the Messenger of the covenant, because the deep necessity of the human race called for a remedy for sin. Sharing all trials and afflictions and tempted in all points as men are, He offered to God a perfect obedience that man might be placed on vantage ground. For our sake He became poor, that through His poverty men might be made sharers with Him in the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. In Him mercy and truth met together and righteousness and peace kissed each other, opening a probation in which humans on this trial ground and school can be educated and trained for heaven and the higher life.
Christ the True Teacher
Jesus stands higher than all the world's great teachers because no one has ever seen God, and only the only-begotten Son in the bosom of the Father makes Him known. He existed before all human teachers as the Light in whom wisdom and knowledge are found and as the source of every true insight. Whatever is true in human teaching is only reflected light from Him, and true higher education comes from Him alone.
He came forth from the Father and from the Father's bosom to reveal the Father's mind and character and to manifest God to men and lead men to God. He is the true Teacher sent from God and the One chosen to reveal God's character, fitted for the work because He came down from heaven. He is the appointed Instructor and divine Teacher, the Majesty of Heaven and King of glory, the Messenger of the covenant and Sun of Righteousness, consecrated as the light of the world, the Bright and Morning Star, a light to the Gentiles and the glory of Israel, the true Light lighting every person. His words were truth spoken with calm and divine authority, bearing witness to the truth and unfolding truths of the highest order and the words of eternal life, making the treasures of truth plain. He came when the fullness of the time had come, in the likeness of sinful flesh, because the deep necessity of the human race called for a remedy for sin, and in Him mercy and truth met together and righteousness and peace kissed each other, opening a probation in which humans on this trial ground and school can be educated and trained for heaven and the higher life.
Though He came from the Father's bosom and from the Father's presence with great and glorious knowledge to reveal God, He did not use that knowledge to dazzle, astonish, or overwhelm people. He came in meekness, humility, and lowliness to teach the ignorant the way of salvation. He gave only practical instruction suited to its use, teaching what people needed to learn and could use.
He came as the light of the world shining amid moral darkness to give men a representation of God and the knowledge of God as Saviour and Redeemer able to save to the uttermost all who come to Him. Those who do not receive and honor Him lose hope of restoration to God's favor and lose the precious advantage of receiving that knowledge. In revealing God He presented new motives and laid men under new obligations.
Knowing God in Life
Those who desire to know God must study the work and teaching of Christ, for all that can be known of God has been revealed in the life and character of His Son as the great Teacher. This knowing is to be experimental, exposing human imperfection of character and ignorance of Christ and bringing fear and trembling before God. All who wish to know God must believe in Jesus Christ and work the works of Christ and teach the lessons of Christ.
To those who receive Christ and believe on Him is given power to become sons and daughters of God. He invites all who labor and are heavy laden to come to Him for rest, to take His yoke and learn meekness and lowliness of heart from Him and find rest for their souls. Only by knowing Christ can people know God, for no one has seen God directly but the only-begotten Son in intimate fellowship with the Father has made Him known and perfectly reveals Him. As they behold Christ they are changed into His image and prepared to meet Him at His coming.
Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness become Christlike, and their soul hunger is satisfied when hearts are emptied of pride, vanity, and selfishness, faith appropriates the promises of God, and Christ supplies the vacuum and abides in the heart. Then the word is fulfilled in a new heart and a new song in the mouth, and the testimony of the believer is that of His fullness all have received grace for grace, for the Son has declared the Father. The closeness between Christ and the eternal God is the measure of communion between Christ and His followers, for He knows them and loves them as His children and they may trust Him.
Christ was sent by the Father to make the Father's character and will known, and His example is therefore the pattern for reaching people where they are and for teaching and working in harmony with His teachings. God gave His beloved Son from His own bosom to die so that sinners might have life, and the love that lived in Jesus' bosom was self-sacrificing and was shown in His life. Christians should imitate that love by giving up their own pleasure and convenience for the good of others.