"No one has seen God at any time; the only Begotten God Who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him." (From today's Gospel reading, John 1:18, NASB)
The Word for, "explained," can mean, "declare, show the way, unfold."
The Bible teaches us that Jesus' is called, "Emmanuel, God with us....The Word became flesh and dwelt among us....All should honor the Son just as they honor the Father....For in Him dwells all of the fullness of the Godhead bodily." Hebrews 1 tells us that Father God says to God the Son, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever."
When, "The Word of God," tells us that, "No one has seen God at any time," He is telling us that the Godhead has been "kept secret" from the "beginning" of man's creation. Now we know that, "The Word of God," manifested Himself, "became flesh," for some moments throughout history, as recorded in the Old Testament. Our Lord Jesus affirms this reality when He tells us, "Your father, Abraham, rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." Furthermore, when the Old Testament speaks of, "The Angel of the Lord," He is referring to Jesus. No, Jesus is not an "angel" as most think of "angel," a created being with wings. The Word means, "messenger." A great revelation of this is found in Isaiah 63:9, "In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them." Who Else can this be, "....The Messenger of His Presence..," but our Lord Jesus Christ? Then there is that, "fourth," Man in the fire with Daniel's friends, Who caused the king, in his pagan way, to say that He looks like, "a son of the gods."
Theology? Well, maybe. But I can tell you that if you and I, if the Church in the earth do not, "honor the Son just as they honor the Father," foolish statements such as, "The Jewish God, the Christian God, and Allah are the same," will continue to invade Christendom, confusing, leading away from the centrality of the Cross of Jesus, the Blood of Jesus, the Resurrection of Jesus, the Ascension of Jesus, and the Second Appearing of Jesus, and leading to destruction of all who do not know Jesus. If the Name of Jesus is not frequent in our speaking, our singing, our worship, our praying, our witness, then the one whom Jesus called, "the father of lies," will continue to work his lying deception and destruction. It is imperative, therefore, that the Church continue in our journey in this present age, "Looking unto Jesus." Remember; no matter the fire, Jesus, "the Messenger of His Presence," is right there, in the midst of the fire, with and in you and me.
Father, in Jesus' Name, Thank You so much for clearing up the confusion of humanity as to Who You Are in Jesus. Amen.
The Word for, "explained," can mean, "declare, show the way, unfold."
The Bible teaches us that Jesus' is called, "Emmanuel, God with us....The Word became flesh and dwelt among us....All should honor the Son just as they honor the Father....For in Him dwells all of the fullness of the Godhead bodily." Hebrews 1 tells us that Father God says to God the Son, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever."
When, "The Word of God," tells us that, "No one has seen God at any time," He is telling us that the Godhead has been "kept secret" from the "beginning" of man's creation. Now we know that, "The Word of God," manifested Himself, "became flesh," for some moments throughout history, as recorded in the Old Testament. Our Lord Jesus affirms this reality when He tells us, "Your father, Abraham, rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." Furthermore, when the Old Testament speaks of, "The Angel of the Lord," He is referring to Jesus. No, Jesus is not an "angel" as most think of "angel," a created being with wings. The Word means, "messenger." A great revelation of this is found in Isaiah 63:9, "In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them." Who Else can this be, "....The Messenger of His Presence..," but our Lord Jesus Christ? Then there is that, "fourth," Man in the fire with Daniel's friends, Who caused the king, in his pagan way, to say that He looks like, "a son of the gods."
Theology? Well, maybe. But I can tell you that if you and I, if the Church in the earth do not, "honor the Son just as they honor the Father," foolish statements such as, "The Jewish God, the Christian God, and Allah are the same," will continue to invade Christendom, confusing, leading away from the centrality of the Cross of Jesus, the Blood of Jesus, the Resurrection of Jesus, the Ascension of Jesus, and the Second Appearing of Jesus, and leading to destruction of all who do not know Jesus. If the Name of Jesus is not frequent in our speaking, our singing, our worship, our praying, our witness, then the one whom Jesus called, "the father of lies," will continue to work his lying deception and destruction. It is imperative, therefore, that the Church continue in our journey in this present age, "Looking unto Jesus." Remember; no matter the fire, Jesus, "the Messenger of His Presence," is right there, in the midst of the fire, with and in you and me.
Father, in Jesus' Name, Thank You so much for clearing up the confusion of humanity as to Who You Are in Jesus. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
