God Made Visible (3)
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 third of the four descriptions. (Part One, Part Two)
3. INVISIBLE
In the Old Testament, God revealed Himself as light, fire, and cloud. In the New Testament, the invisible became visible in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Still, God did not reveal the totality of His nature though 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 power and Godhead... (Romans 1:20; Psalm 19:1).
Colossians 1:15 reveals that Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God. He is the very stamp of God as He was prior to the incarnation (John 17:5). Philippians 2:6 speaks of Christ form of God with reference to His nature. Christ’s coming was far more than a representation but a manifestation or revelation of God the Father. The “WORD” in John 1:1 is the divine Person of Jesus Christ Who in His appearance “declared” or “exegeted” (revealed) God the Father to mankind (John 1:18).
No man hath seen God at any time (John 1:18). We will never see Him and yet there is no place we can go where He is not there. Even when we get to Heaven, all we will ever see of God the Father is the Lord Jesus Christ. We will know Him when we get there (I John 1:1-3) for He will be on the throne with nail prints in His hands as a Lamb as it had been slain (Revelation 5:6). Though we have not seen Him, if we love one another, He dwells in us, and His love is perfected in us (I John 4:12).
The angel of the Lord revealed to Joseph, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name EMMANUEL, WHICH BEING INTERPRET IS, GOD WITH US (Matthew 1:;23). Charles Wesley wrote, “Veiled in flesh the God-head see; hail the incarnate Deity, pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel. Hark! the herald angels sin, Glory to the new-born King!” Hebrews 1:3 states that Christ is the express image of His (God’s) Person. Paul expressed it this way – For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead BODILY (Colossians 2:9).
One of the aims of the Apostle Paul was to magnify Christ in his own body (Philippians 1:20). He desired to be a magnifying glass through which others would see the Lord Jesus Christ. As God’s children through faith in Christ Jesus, that ought to be a major goal in our lives — making the invisible God visible and we do that as we allow Jesus Christ to live His life in and through us.
Praise God for sending Jesus Christ into our world that we might know the eternal God-head. Thank Him for choosing you to be a magnifying glass to manifest Him before others.
Thought: There are those who wonder how a holy, righteous God could forgive our sins? When you consider what God did in the incarnation, you have to recognize that God can do anything. The incarnation was accomplished on our behalf in order that we might have our sins forgiven and be given everlasting life (John 3:16).
The glory of Christmas is that Christ came into our world to save sinners (I Timothy 1:15). He became our substitute, taking upon Himself our sin when He was crucified on Calvary’s Cross. He paid the price for our sin as our substitute. You cannot truly celebrate Christmas without celebrating Easter at the same time.
Do some very serious thinking (meditating) on what it is God did for us through the work of Jesus Christ in coming to this earth and taking our punishment for sin. O come, let us adore Him.
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.