“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.” John 1:18
Dear Ones:
One of the most difficult concepts to grasp with regard to knowing God is the fact that He is invisible. Paul reaffirms John’s declaration on this subject, by writing: “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever.” (1 Timothy 1:17) Why is it so very necessary that we consider the invisible nature of God? First of all, because it is the truth. When Jesus was speaking in private with Nicodemus, specifically addressing the matter of being born again of the Spirit, He uses the illustration of the wind to make His point. He said, “The wind bloweth where it listeth (willeth), and thou hearest the sound thereof; but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” (Jn. 3:8) Why did Jesus speak of the Spirit of God in this manner? It is because we as human beings need to understand that just because we do not SEE God, or understand fully His ways, He does exist, work, and bring about His will on this earth. Nicodemus must not lean to his understanding with regard to being born of the Spirit. He needs to trust God, the God who IS there, invisible, but who manifests Himself in the material world, revealing the effects of his working. Hence, Jesus’ words: “…so is every one who is born of the Spirit.”
How then are we to approach this matter of the invisibility of God, and trust Him, when our eyes cannot see Him? First, we must look at that which we see in creation. Paul wrote to the Roman believers: “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal and Godhead.” (1:20) It is by His works in creation that He reveals not only His presence, wisdom, power, but His design and knowledge, confirming His intent, or will, for His purposes.
Secondly, we look at His dealings with men, especially in the matter of saving them from sin, self, and Satan. When Jesus came, taking upon Himself “the form of a man, and being made in the likeness of men,” the invisible God gave to mankind the living example of who He truly is. We discover not only the wisdom and power of God, but the love of God. That which Christ did, going to the cross, to pay for our sins, and then rising from the dead to demonstrate His power and authority over death, gave mankind a glimpse of the nature of this invisible God. His nature was so different than that of sinful man, that those for whom He died to save, would put Him to death, thinking that they had done good. It was at Pentecost, however, that the invisible God came by the Spirit, not only to cause His face to shine upon men, but to indwell them. Christ came to “dwell in the heart by faith.” Not only was the effect of the cross to provide for mankind the forgiveness of sins before God, declaring him just and acceptable to God by faith, but the invisible nature of Christ came to dwell in the heart and soul of the believer, there, not only to just reside, but to fill the life. The fruits of Christ’s life would manifest themselves, and all the blessings in Christ would be completely his. The true Light (invisible) light that came into the world, who lit up the burning bush that Moses saw, came at Pentecost, to shine in the hearts of the disciples. Christ’s light and life, though invisible, would be seen, not only in His physical body, but in the bodies of His followers. The invisible God had come to man, there to fill the life, that the world would know, by the love of God that He is the eternal God.
Dear Father, Cause thy face to shine upon us, filling us with Christ’s life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad