Day 18 - Uniquely God
- Pastor b.Side
- Feb 18
- 3 min read
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared [Him]. - John 1:18
As Christians, we are called to walk by faith, not by sight. This doesn’t mean that our faith is blind. We are supposed to trust in the eternal and spiritually focused promises and purposes of God’s Word. That doesn’t mean we have nothing tangible to rely on. John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…”
“No one has seen God at any time…”
The eternal and spiritual essence of God’s Word became flesh. The truth of God took on human form and lived among many witnesses. This is an incredible truth because John 1:18 tells us, “No one has seen God at any time.” This doesn’t mean no one has ever seen a form of God. The Bible shows that people have seen manifestations of God throughout history. John’s words mean that no one has ever looked at God directly, with full understanding. Not only are our eyes unable to physically handle the brightness of His true glory, but He is also too great to fully comprehend, no matter how much He reveals to us.
“The only begotten Son…”
The same does not apply to Jesus. John 1:18 highlights a clear contrast. No human has ever truly understood God. However, there is “the only begotten Son.” The phrase “only begotten” is better translated from Greek as "one of a kind.” Jesus is “one of a kind.” No one else has ever gazed at God the Father with understanding. Jesus has. There is no one like Him in this regard.
Jesus’ title as “the Son” also makes Him unique. Jesus’ title as God’s “Son” describes Him as God’s Heir. Jesus uniquely inherited all of the attributes and characteristics of the Father, even though He took on flesh and blood. The testimony of Psalm 2 first teaches this and explains that the Father decided to do things this way, specifically for judgment!
“Who is in the bosom of the Father…”
Since Jesus is God in flesh, He is the only human who can dwell “in the bosom of the Father.” This describes the close oneness between the Father and the Son. The language of John 1:18 is a poetic way of explaining how God can dwell in heaven and on Earth as a man at the same time. Even though Jesus physically lived in Israel, His essence was connected to the Father in heaven through the Holy Spirit that conceived Him. No one else has this natural connection to God. That is why Jesus’ testimony is so valuable to us. He reveals God's teachings better than anyone because He is God. Who better to teach us about God’s attributes, character, nature, purposes, and promises than God Himself?
Prayer for today
Our heavenly Father, thank You for revealing the truth of Your testimony to us in such an incredible way. We trust that these truths must be spiritually discerned according to Your calling and the indwelling of Your Spirit when we repent and trust in the testimony of who Your Son is. Thank You for continuing the work needed to connect our tainted souls to Your glory. Since we cannot understand You and Your purposes on our own, help us trust in Your Word. Lead us by Your Spirit in everything we do today. We ask these things in accordance with the identity and purpose of Jesus. Amen.
Comments