Christ Supreme in the Problem of Knowing God

At least 3 barriers exist to knowing God:

1. The Problem of Essence - Who God Is
2. The Problem of Ethic - What God is Like
3. The Problem of Eternity - Where God is

These 3 problems leave man out in the cold as far as knowing God is concerned:

1. The Problem of Essence - Man is Unable to See God as Invisible
   
2. The Problem of Ethic - Man is Unsuitable to See God as Holy
   
3. The Problem of Eternity - Man is in the wrong environment to see God

Can man ever know his Creator?
God has revealed Himself in 4 ways:

1. Product of His Hands - Creation
2. Proof of His ethic - Conscience
3. Power of His Word - the scriptures / Covenant
4. Person of His Son - Christ
   

These 4 means by which God has mad Himself known correspond to the opening 3 chapters of the book of Romans:

1. God perceptible in Creation (Romans chp 1)
2. God perceptible in Conscience (Romans chp 2)
3. God perceptible in Covenant / Scripture (Romans chp 2)
4. God perceptible in Christ (Romans chp 3)

1. Creation is the product of Divine intelligence and power (Rom1:20; Gen 1; Psalm 19) and God expects us to perceive the Divine Power, order and intelligence behind it.
2. Conscience, pointing us to an absolute right and wrong points us to a moral order in the universe and to the moral character of our Creator.
3. Covenant / scripture with over 100 fulfilled prophecies in the life of Jesus Christ alone, plus multiple other fulfilled prophecies regarding Israel and her neighbours points us to the power and authority of God who alone is able to tell the end form the beginning: "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: "(Isa 46:9-10)
4. Christ : God has appointed "one mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus"
   
   

The God who could not be perceived by man, has made Himself known by becoming man.

"No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. " (Joh 1:18)

"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isa 7:14)

"Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Php 2:6-11)

God is now knowable in the person of Jesus Christ:

"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. " (2Co 4:6)

Gods Word leaves me with a presentation of Jesus Christ of Nazareth not as a philosopher, moralist or great religious leader but as God incarnate:

"O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!"
(Isa 40:9)

"And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God." (Joh 20:28)

"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Mat 16:16)

God became man that He might not only reveal the invisible to those unable to see God but that He might redeem those who are unsuitable to see God, separated from Him by sin:

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Rom 3:23)

As such Christ is the only way of salvation, having offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of His creatures:

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: " (1Pe 3:18)

God now "commands all men everywhere to repent and believe the gospel" :

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (Joh 3:16-18)

Herein lies the revelation of God to man and the responsibility of man to His creator.



Yours in Christ
Stewart

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