InstaStudy

Understanding the Revelation of God: 'No One Has Seen God'

This study explores the profound truth that while God in His essence is invisible, He has perfectly revealed Himself through Jesus Christ, the only begotten God. We will examine the nature of God's invisibility, the unique manifestation of God in flesh, and the complete revelation of God's character and will through Jesus.

1. The Invisible God

1.1 God is Spirit and Invisible

Verses: John 4:24; 1 Timothy 1:17; Colossians 1:15
  • God's essential nature is spirit, transcending human perception.
  • He cannot be seen by human eyes in His divine essence.
  • His invisibility underscores His eternal, immortal, and transcendent nature.

1.2 No Man Has Seen God's Face and Lived

Verses: Exodus 33:20; John 1:18
  • The divine essence is too glorious for mortal sight to behold directly.
  • God's presence was revealed in various ways in the Old Testament, but not His full face.
  • This emphasizes God's holiness, power, and unapproachable light.

1.3 God's Presence Revealed in the Old Testament

Verses: Exodus 3:2-6; Genesis 18:1-2; Exodus 13:21
  • God manifested Himself in temporary forms and appearances.
  • These were not the full essence of God but divine expressions of His presence.
  • Such manifestations foreshadowed a greater, more complete revelation to come.

2. Jesus: God Manifest in Flesh

2.1 The 'Only Begotten God'

Verses: John 1:18; John 3:16
  • The term 'begotten' refers to Jesus' unique human birth, not a separate divine being.
  • Jesus is the singular and unique manifestation of God in humanity.
  • He is God Himself, born into the world to reveal the Father.

2.2 God Dwelling Among Us

Verses: John 1:14; Colossians 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:16
  • The fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Christ.
  • Jesus is God incarnate, the visible expression of the invisible God.
  • God chose to reveal Himself in human form, making Himself approachable.

2.3 Jesus is the Image of the Invisible God

Verses: Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3
  • Jesus makes the invisible God visible and understandable to humanity.
  • He is the exact representation of God's being and character.
  • To see Jesus is to see the Father, for they are one.

3. The Unity of the Godhead

3.1 One God, One Lord

Verses: Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:6; Mark 12:29
  • The Scriptures consistently affirm that there is only one true God.
  • This one God is the Lord of all creation, without equal or rival.
  • Monotheism is the foundational truth of biblical revelation.

3.2 Jesus Declares 'I and My Father Are One'

Verses: John 10:30; John 14:9-11
  • Jesus' oneness with the Father is a unity of identity, not merely purpose.
  • He explicitly states that whoever has seen Him has seen the Father.
  • The Father dwells in Jesus, making them inseparable and identical in essence.

3.3 Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as Manifestations

Verses: Isaiah 9:6; John 14:16-18; 2 Corinthians 3:17
  • 'Father' refers to God's role as Creator, source, and eternal Spirit.
  • 'Son' refers to God manifested in human flesh, born into the world.
  • 'Holy Spirit' refers to God's active presence, power, and indwelling Spirit within believers.

4. Jesus: The Full Revelation of God

4.1 He Has Declared Him

Verses: John 1:18; John 14:7
  • Jesus is the ultimate and complete revelation of the invisible God.
  • Through Jesus, we truly come to know God's character, will, and plan.
  • He perfectly communicated and embodied God's nature to humanity.

4.2 Knowing God Through Jesus

Verses: John 17:3; 1 John 5:20
  • Eternal life is found in knowing the one true God and Jesus Christ, whom He sent.
  • Jesus is the only way to truly understand and experience God.
  • He reveals God's love, mercy, justice, and truth in their fullest measure.

4.3 The Word Made Flesh

Verses: John 1:1; John 1:14
  • The eternal Word, which was God, became flesh in the person of Jesus.
  • Jesus is the living Word, the full expression of God's mind and will.
  • He is the embodiment of divine truth and the perfect messenger of God.