Bible Study A Question About God

[for_his_glory]

I'm not understanding what you mean by "identified as being God." I believe Jesus is God, not some representation of God. He is God in human form and that explains it enough for me to understand why men can see Him face-to-face but not in His full glory.

What I meant was that scripture is proof evidence without a doubt that Jesus is God.

 

[Edward]

So that explains why even though I really want to see His face now, that God keeps telling me no, I have to wait until I get to Heaven to see Him

I used to think the same way, but...everything has to agree with all scripture and not just a particular passage. Other verses say stuff like...on earth as it is in Heaven...the pure in heart shall see God...and...I will manifest myself to him...

So there's other passages too besides those which indicate that some will see God while here on earth. I have heard quite a few testimonies over the years from people who say they got to visit (the third Heaven or wherever) and saw The Father sitting on His throne...and they lived to come back and give testimony to the same. They all can't be lying! So I meditated on this a bit and opened my heart to be able to receive truth. One thing has become clear to me...you have to be able to see Jesus before you will be able to see the Father.

I think that passage which says no one can see the Father and live...is talking about the spiritual death of the flesh and not the biological body. Didn't Christ say that the Father and He, are one? He is in the Father and the Father is in Him? Yes.

Jesus even admonished Phillip about this in John 14:7-9
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?.../

Now, I have never seen Jesus or the Father (yet). (My heart is not yet pure?)
But amidst all the commandments and stuff we see how to have a pure heart. (walk in Love towards your neighbor...bless those who curse you and wrong you...) and this is it!

Being unable to, walk the walk, alone...we entreat the Holy Spirit to lead us. He will lead you to be able to see Jesus in the face of your enemies...!!!

I am at present unable to do this so far. It's hard with so many hard hearted people around who seem to take pleasure in "gotcha"...

 

[ezrider]

Being unable to, walk the walk, alone...we entreat the Holy Spirit to lead us. He will lead you to be able to see Jesus in the face of your enemies...!!!

Your comment here Edward brought to remembrance the words of Jesus. "You shall no more see me until you can say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

Matthew 23:39

 

[Razeontherock]

I used to think the same way, but...everything has to agree with all scripture and not just a particular passage. Other verses say stuff like...on earth as it is in Heaven...the pure in heart shall see God...and...I will manifest myself to him...

So there's other passages too besides those which indicate that some will see God while here on earth. I have heard quite a few testimonies over the years from people who say they got to visit (the third Heaven or wherever) and saw The Father sitting on His throne...and they lived to come back and give testimony to the same. They all can't be lying! So I meditated on this a bit and opened my heart to be able to receive truth. One thing has become clear to me...you have to be able to see Jesus before you will be able to see the Father.

I think that passage which says no one can see the Father and live...is talking about the spiritual death of the flesh and not the biological body. Didn't Christ say that the Father and He, are one? He is in the Father and the Father is in Him? Yes.

Jesus even admonished Phillip about this in John 14:7-9
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?.../

Now, I have never seen Jesus or the Father (yet). (My heart is not yet pure?)
But amidst all the commandments and stuff we see how to have a pure heart. (walk in Love towards your neighbor...bless those who curse you and wrong you...) and this is it!

Being unable to, walk the walk, alone...we entreat the Holy Spirit to lead us. He will lead you to be able to see Jesus in the face of your enemies...!!!

I am at present unable to do this so far. It's hard with so many hard hearted people around who seem to take pleasure in "gotcha"...

Great answer!! Also what the Lord has been speaking to my heart today, all that "love your enemies" type stuff. Really, Lord?!?

Yeah, really: "for while we were yet enemies He commended His love for us, by Christ dying for us." Ro 5:8

Yes I took some liberty with that passage but if you read it in context you see I misrepresented nothing. That's our standard!

 

[Edward]

Great answer!! Also what the Lord has been speaking to my heart today, all that "love your enemies" type stuff. Really, Lord?!?

Yeah, really: "for while we were yet enemies He commended His love for us, by Christ dying for us." Ro 5:8

Yes I took some liberty with that passage but if you read it in context you see I misrepresented nothing. That's our standard!

Lol. You didn't misrepresent it, you're right. (It's the new RIV translation lol!)
Jesus gave us this example too, while on the cross He blessed His enemies by praying for them to be forgiven. (Luke 23:34)

 

[JohnDB]

To "look" upon the face of God in Hebrew/Ancient Near Eastern society is the same as comprehending/understanding all of God.
"Blessed are the pure/passionate/holy of heart for they shall see God."

The only way we get to stand in God's holy presence is by having a protective covering...enter Jesus. Atonement has a double entendre with the word "cover" in Hebrew. As well as it's normal meaning.
Those without the protection... well I don't think that they are going to fare so well.

Ever try to pick up a pan out of the oven without an oven mitt?
Same thing except different.

 

[Edward]

To "look" upon the face of God in Hebrew/Ancient Near Eastern society is the same as comprehending/understanding all of God.
"Blessed are the pure/passionate/holy of heart for they shall see God."

The only way we get to stand in God's holy presence is by having a protective covering...enter Jesus. Atonement has a double entendre with the word "cover" in Hebrew. As well as it's normal meaning.
Those without the protection... well I don't think that they are going to fare so well.

Ever try to pick up a pan out of the oven without an oven mitt?
Same thing except different.

I agree. It's because God is so holy that iniquity cannot stand or live in His presence. If He were to (fully) reveal Himself to a flesh man, the man will die. This will happen when He returns, scripture says He will destroy them with the brightness of His coming. (Because they will not have the covering).

I think Christ is beside everyone, watching, but when we turn ourselves internally to the Lord, we are in Christ, and Christ in us then also. I am in Christ, He is in me, surrounds me, beside me...

So who could be against us?!

What a wonderful thought to take with me this morning, out into...the world.

 

[Razeontherock]

I agree. It's because God is so holy that iniquity cannot stand or live in His presence. If He were to (fully) reveal Himself to a flesh man, the man will die. This will happen when He returns, scripture says He will destroy them with the brightness of His coming. (Because they will not have the covering).

I think Christ is beside everyone, watching, but when we turn ourselves internally to the Lord, we are in Christ, and Christ in us then also. I am in Christ, He is in me, surrounds me, beside me...

So who could be against us?!

What a wonderful thought to take with me this morning, out into...the world.

This reminds me of Peter, who at first told Jesus He couldn't wash his feet, and then changed that to "not only my feet, but also my head and my hands!" Lol

We have a covering, head to toe; we need it, too! Scripture is SO rich with different ways of seeing this same Truth: washed in His blood, sprinkled by His blood, Baptism, the regeneration of our spirit (daily), the renewal of our minds, being washed with the water of His Word ...

Ps 91 has us being covered by His "feathers;" I always loved that one, especially when you pair it with what Jesus said in Mt 23:37, Luke 13:34

 

[Razeontherock]

To "look" upon the face of God in Hebrew/Ancient Near Eastern society is the same as comprehending/understanding all of God.
"Blessed are the pure/passionate/holy of heart for they shall see God."

Yup! Even when He reveals Himself to us, even when we think we're "filled" with the Spirit -

its really just a little bit, compared to the totality of who He is.

And then we 'leak' that out, by design. This keeps us dependent upon Him; may we always be found 'leaking' the Holy Spirit all over the place, and on to all those we encounter. This is what incense and Priests being perfumed with it tells us!

This goes right along with another great picture from the OT, the Song of Songs, that great love poem giving us God's perspective of the Love between Christ and His Bride: SoS 8:5 "And who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?"