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Jesus Christ came into the world making the incredible statement that He was the Light of the world (John 8:12).  The primary definition of light is “something that makes vision possible.”  By that definition, the coming of Christ enables us to see as we have never seen before.  The question is, what does He enable us to see?

We See God

The God of the Old Testament was a God shrouded in mystery.  Although He had made Himself known by word and deed, no one could actually claimed to have seen Him.  Even the prophets in some of their wildest prophetic encounters could not make this claim.  This changed, however, with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Look at what the apostle John wrote in John 1:18.

No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

The English Standard Version really does not catch the force of the Greek for he has made him known.  Therefore, let’s look at that verse again in the Amplified Bible.

No man has ever seen God at any time; the only unique Son, or the only begotten God, Who is in the bosom [in the intimate presence] of the Father, He has declared Him [He has revealed Him and brought Him out where He can be seen; He has interpreted Him and He has made Him known].

Like a child leading their daddy out of the hallway and into their kindergarten class so everyone could see how cool he was, Jesus brought God out of the shadows and into the open where everyone could get a good look at Him.  And as we see Him in the Person of His Son, we realize that He is more wonderful than we had ever dreamed.

Jesus confirmed that this was what was going in something He said to His disciples on the night He was betrayed.  Let’s listen in on the conversation found in John 14:7 – 9.

⁷ If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

⁸ Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

Jesus was incredulous over the fact that Philip didn’t get it.  Everything Jesus said, as well as everything He did, was a revelation of His Father in all His glory.  The apostle Paul would confirm this idea many years later in his second letter to the church in Corinth.

⁵ For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  2^nd Corinthians 4:5 – 6

We See Man

Not only to we see God when we look at Jesus Christ, we also see man as he was meant to be.  Many think that Adam was the archetype of God’s original intent for mankind.  Not so.  That might have been true if Adam had eaten of the Tree of Life instead of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  As it was, he fell far short of the glory of God.  Instead it was Jesus who revealed to us how God intended man to be, and He did it by living in union with God.  Look at what He said to His disciples in John 14:10 – 11.

¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

Everything Jesus said and did proclaimed that He was one with God, and that God was one with Him.  This relationship between Jesus and the Father perfectly demonstrated the relationship God desires to have with every man and woman.  Fortunately for us, this is now possible through the work of Jesus Christ, as Paul states in Galatians 2:20.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Now We See

Through the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we see God as He really is, and we see man as God intended him to be.  There can be no more doubts about God or ourselves.  All the questions are settled in Jesus Christ.  This knowledge greatly equips us for living in the Reign.

M

“Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”