God Made Visible
George Stiekes
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (I Timothy 1:17)
The Spirit of God reveals a four-fold description of our God that every believer ought to understand and cherish if he is to truly know God and experience an intimate relationship with Him. Furthermore, it is important for us to understand that the Christ of Christmas is also known by these same descriptions. This is the first of the four descriptions.
1. ETERNAL
God’s duration is infinite, having no beginning and no ending. We would say that His existence is perpetual – past, present and future. In the original language, the word αἰών (aion) is sometimes translated “age” and refers to perpetuity and can refers to the past, present and future.
From this word in I Timothy 1:16 comes the word “everlasting” (αἰώνιος – aionios). This same arrangement is seen in John 3:15 – “eternal” and John 3:16 – “everlasting.” Eternal is everlasting and everlasting is eternal.
The ETERNAL God is thy refuge, and underneath are the EVERLASTING arms (Deuteronomy 32:27). The KING ETERNAL in I Timothy 1:17 is the ETERNAL GOD. Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the EVERLASTING GOD, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of His understanding (Isaiah 40:28).
His Person is eternal and anything that comes from Him is eternal — His Word (Psalm 119:89), His reign (Psalm 9:7; Jeremiah 10:10; Daniel 4:3, 34), His laws (Psalm 119:60), His ways (Habakkuk 3:6; Isaiah 55:9), His love (I Kings 10:9), His protection (Psalm 12:7), His faithfulness (Psalm 117:2), His blessings (Psalm 21:6) and His very name (Psalm 135:13).
- Christ’s duration is infinite, having no beginning or ending (Hebrews 13:8).
- Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, GOD WITH US (Matthew 1:23).
- Jesus said, I am the Alpha and Omega, the BEGINNING and the ENDING, saith the LORD, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty (Revelation 1:8).
- Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM (John 8:58). In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God (John 1:1-2).
Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14; 19:16), whose reign is forever (Luke 1:33; II Peter 1:11; Revelation 1:6; 11:15). He is the Creator of all things (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16) and His love is everlasting (Ephesians 3:19; II Thessalonians 2:16). His faithfulness is revealed in that He never changes (Hebrews 13:8). He is faithful to His work and to His Father. He is faithful because He is the truth.
Point: Everything God is, the same applies to Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity who is one with the Father and the Spirit. God the Father was made visible by the faithfulness of the Son in coming to this earth to do the Father’s will (John 5:30). The immortal God became mortal that we might know Him and gain everlasting life.
As we look at each of these descriptions of God, consider over and over again John 14:21. Jesus said, He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, He it is that loveth Me: and He that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love Him and WILL MANIFEST MYSELF TO HIM. Christ reveals Himself to us through His Word and through the Holy Spirit.
Final Thought: When John R. Mott visited Professor Henry Drummond in England, he asked him to name three courses of study which he would recommend every believer to study. He said, “I would recommend they study first, the life of Jesus Christ; secondly, the life of Jesus Christ; and thirdly, the life of Jesus Christ.” Jesus Christ is preeminent and a devout study of Christ Himself is essential for the spiritual life of the believer and the church.
George Stiekes held successful pastorates in churches in Michigan and Washington among other places. He currently resides in North Carolina and blogs at Reverent Reflections. We recommend his ministry and republish his material by permission.