I posted a comment i to a Trilema article the other day, and Mircea replied with a question.
God is visible.
Who saw this wonder ?
Indeed, God is called “invisible” several times throughout The Bible. ii And yet, Christ is described as being His “image.”
Colossians 1:
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
In the same passage, Christ is described as being the creator of all things — He is God, and since He is clearly visible, so too is God. iii
John 6:
35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.
There it is. God is invisible, Jesus is God, Jesus is “seen.” Therefor, God is also visible. How can “the invisible God” be visible? The Bible tells us!
Mark 10:
27 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”
God does not lie; iv if He says all things are possible with Him, He means it literally. Darwin Fish explains it best in his analysis of Jacob’s wrestling match.
Jacob and the Lord wrestled until day break and the Lord lost the battle. Even when God saw that He was losing, He supernaturally touched Jacob’s hip out of joint. v But even this was to no avail. Finally, the Lord asked Jacob to let Him go, and he would not, until He blessed him. vi Knowing that God is Almighty, surely the Lord could have prevailed against Jacob, for nothing is impossible with Him. vii Yet, in this wrestling match, the Lord lost, and the Scripture explicitly states that Jacob prevailed against God. viii It does not say the Lord let Jacob win. In fact, the text even details God using His supernatural power in an effort to prevail, and He still loses! The truth of the matter is, nothing will be impossible for God, even to the point of losing in a wrestling match.
Similarly, God is so powerful that He can make the invisible be seen. This should be terrifying — you should fear God and His power; it is the beginning of wisdom. ix
There is no time in Heaven. No up, nor down ; no East, nor West. There isn't an afore or an after, nor even much of a this or that. Absent the possibility of meaning, the choir invisible sings pointless hymns of praise to their invisible lord.
There is time in Heaven. Firstly, God is Heaven. Secondly, God experiences days and years, as is apparent in 2 Peter 3:
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
There are dimensions and directions in heaven. The book of Revelation goes into moderate detail. Revelation 21:
14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.
God is visible. He even "illuminates" "those who are saved." Revelation 21:
22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.
- Romans 1:
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
2 Corinthians 4:
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
1 Timothy 1:
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 11:
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
- Going about making proofs with scripture is not unlike making proofs in mathematics. ^
- Titus 1:
1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, 3 but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;
4 To Titus, a true son in our common faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. - Genesis 32:
25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.
- Genesis 32:
26 And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.”
But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” - Luke 1:
37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”
- Genesis 32:
28 And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
Hosea 12:
3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb,
And in his strength he struggled with God.
4 Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed;
He wept, and sought favor from Him.
He found Him in Bethel,
And there He spoke to us— - Psalm 111:
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.
His praise endures forever.
[...] I’m curious why this article in particular was linked, rather than a more relevant one. [...]
[...] "What lies. The bible even says, 'no one has seen the father but me.' CHRIST." Jacob has seen God. Also, Christ says that those who see Him see the Father. [...]